During this week, we have considered both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of Messiah’s birth, and the love that God poured into the details and timing of that incredible event.

Today, we will take a look at the Apostle John’s account of Jesus’ birth:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

(John 1:1-17, English Standard Version)

The Apostle John does not start at the current events during the time of Jesus’ birth; he rewinds to eternity past to remind us that Jesus the Son was with God the Father before the universe was formed. In fact, Jesus was the One that made everything!

Verse 14 tells us that Jesus did, in fact, enter in to His creation, fully God, and fully human.

And what was Jesus’ attitude when He, fully God, and fully human, came to earth?

John tells us that Jesus was full of grace and truth.

Even through the world did not recognize Him.

Even though His own people did not receive Him.

And to those who did recognize and receive Him for who He was, He gave them eternal life.

Would I have been as kind as Jesus, showing that depth of grace and character and love?
No, not on my own, not even close.

In Jesus, we find the ultimate embodiment and expression of love, our example to follow.
May we use our lifetime thank Jesus for His example, and to practice expressing God’s love to our neighbors.

Learning to love like Jesus,
~kevin