The great Danish theologian, Soren Kierkegaard, once told this story. “There once was a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day, while running an errand in the local village for his father the king, the prince passed through a poor section of the town. As he glanced out of the window of his carriage, his eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days, the prince would often pass by the young lady and soon he fell in love. But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand? He could order her to marry him, but even a prince wants a bride to marry him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion. He could put on his fanciest uniform and drive up to her front door in a splendid carriage drawn by six magnificent horses. But if he did this, he would never be certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed by all of the splendor. So the prince came up with another solution. He decided he would give up his princely clothes. He moved into the village wearing not a crown, but the garb of a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interest and their concerns, and talked their language. In time, the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he first loved her.”
This simple story is exactly what John is talking about in our Gospel reading this morning. These passages in the Book of John are not about Jesus’ birth; nor are they about Mary and Joseph receiving the news of Jesus’ soon-to-be birth. These verses are about the very beginning of the news. They are about “Bethlehem’s Light” before time began. These verses and later verses in John’s Book show us that Christ is “Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life”. For John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world (that is you and me) that He sent His only begotten Son so that all who believe on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Exactly who is this Jesus Christ that we celebrate this time of the year? Who is “Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life”? John answers those questions in our Gospel reading this morning. As a matter of fact, John gives us the entire picture of God’s plan of salvation for mankind in these 14 verses! Let’s look closely at them.
Verses 1-4: (1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made. (4) In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”
God and His Word, “Bethlehem’s Light”, Jesus Christ, are One. That is, they are of one essence. They are eternal. They have always been in existence, even before time, as we know it.
The Book of Genesis tells us what God did in the beginning of time. But John takes us back further than the Book of Genesis and gives us a look at God before He created anything. The first picture we get of Jesus Christ is that He is God, for verse 1 says, “…and the Word was God.”
As we continue to read on we discover that, “the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” That’s right! “Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” continues today to shine into and overcome all darkness!
“OK, Pastor, but what does that mean for us?” It means that no matter what we are facing; no matter what area of life the trial we are going through is affecting; Jesus Christ has already defeated it; already conquered it; and already overcome it! The Good News of “Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” at Christmas is also the Good News at Easter.
There is the story about a little boy who came home and said to his parents, “My teacher is Jesus’ grandmother.” They said, “Oh, no honey. You must have it mixed up. She’s not really Jesus’ grandmother.” The little boy replied, “I know she is, because she showed us His picture and just bragged and bragged on Him!”
Folks, we have something to brag about. That something is Jesus Christ and what He did for us, and for everyone who will receive His gift of salvation. Read on and John says in verse 10, “He was in the world and the world came into being through Him…” (Verse 11) “He came to that which was His own…” (Verse 14) “The Word became flesh…” This is something we should meditate on continually.
There you have it. God did what He did because He loves us so much that He wants to adopt us as His children.
“Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” was sent to us so that we could be returned to a loving relationship with God Almighty, just as He intended from the very beginning of time.
Jesus Christ, “Bethlehem’s Light”, empowers our lives and our living. We, who accept Jesus Christ as our very own Savior and Lord, are children of God.
“Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” will fill your life with love and good will, and, in this season, warm your heart.
“Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” will illuminate your path all the way to Heaven.
Martin Luther once commented on Jesus’ birth that, “The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.” I admit that I do not fully understand it. But I do understand that there is no way that I or you deserve what Jesus did for us. Yet I also understand that He did it out of a totally incomprehensible love for His creation.
Jesus tells us in John 15:13, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus spoke those words shortly before He traveled the final steps to the horror of the suffering and crucifixion that awaited Him. He did it to fulfill God the Father’s Plan for our Salvation. And again I say, He did it because He loves me. He did it because He loves you.
“Bethlehem’s Light of Love and Life” waits to shine on you. Jesus promises that He will come to “all who will repent of their sin and call upon My Name.” Do that, admit to Him that you are indeed a sinner in need of salvation, acknowledge that He and He alone can save you from eternal damnation, accept His forgiveness, turn your life with all of its darkness over to Him and Jesus says you “will be saved!”
The Apostle Paul said to the Roman church, “He Who did not spare His Son, but gave Him up for all of us, will He not also give us all things with Him?”
If you will simply accept His gift, then you too can claim “Bethlehem’s Light” as your very own Light of Hope, Light of Love, Light of Joy, Light of Peace, and Light of Everlasting Life! Amen.