For Unto You Is Born This Day in the City of David, a Savior, Which Is Christ the Lord

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Amen.

John 1:14-18 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

Dear friends in Christ,

Once upon a time….in a land far, far away…lived a grumpy ogre named Shrek, and his companion, an obnoxious talking donkey. Both were called upon to save a damsel in distress. When they did, the ogre fell in love with her. But how could this beautiful maiden ever love him…an ogre? As the story continues we find out that the damsel had a spell placed on her that wore off and turned her back into an ogre. Eventually these two fell in love and lived happily ever after.

“Once upon a time….” Whenever you hear someone begin a story with those words, chances are pretty good that it’s going to be fictitious. The characters involved will be made up. They won’t be real. They will live only in our imagination. As children it was easier for us to ignore reality and instead believe that there really was a Jack who climbed up a beanstalk, a Goldilocks who surprised three bears, and a young maiden named Snow White who was befriended by seven little men. But as we grew up we also became skeptical and began to question the tales we were told in our youth. Instead of holding us in awe, those well-known fairy tales now just amuse us since we’ve discovered the line which separates reality from the world of make-believe.

Here’s another one. “Once upon a time… God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16). Is this just another fairy tale? Is this just another bedtime story to ease us into sleep? No, this time the story actually did take place. No names have been changed. No characters have been invented to enhance the storyline. Everything is true. That’s why on this second Sunday after Christmas, we Christians can rejoice because we know for a fact that:

Christmas Is No Fairy Tale! 1. The story is really true 2. Jesus is living proof

Let’s go over that story one more time. The Son of God, who has been in existence from eternity, and who was present at the creation of the world, left a perfect heaven and came to a sinful earth. He was born to a virgin and became a human being. He lived a perfect life in keeping with his heavenly Father’s will. And then he freely and willingly gave up his life in order to save the very people who reject him. He was put to death on a cross as a common criminal; rose from the grave three days later; ascended into heaven forty days after that; is currently in heaven ruling over heaven and earth; and has promised that one day he is going to return to judge the world. Those who believe in him will return to live forever with him in heaven. Those who do not believe will be sent to spend eternity in hell. Is that about right? Is that your story? Seriously? Are you sure you haven’t based your hope of salvation on a fairy tale? That was pretty much the reaction first century Christians received when they shared their faith. It was a story that defied logic: God becoming man, suffering, dying, rising from the dead.

The Jews and Gentiles alike saw the cross as a stumbling block. Sure the Jews believed in the promise of a Messiah. And the Gentiles were intrigued by the idea. And then to hear that he came was great news! But then to hear that the Savior of the world died on a cross? Like a common criminal? It didn’t make any sense. That story disagreed with what they hoped the Messiah would be.

The same problem occurs with people of the 21st century. God becoming man, suffering, dying, rising from the dead – salvation offered to all who believe – without having to contribute in any way – the whole idea of salvation by grace through faith – can’t be true. It defies reason. It defies logic. It sounds more like a fairy tale.

The Apostle John beings his gospel account with this story in an effort to strengthen Christians in their faith that Jesus is the Christ. He lets it be known this story is true. And the part I find so compelling is that John doesn’t try to explain…he proclaims. He said, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v.14).

Here in simple language, the great mystery is revealed. Jesus, took on a body and soul. He became human. There was no transformation. Jesus never gave up being what he was. He never gave up being God. But in addition to what he was, he became something he hadn’t been before. We may never be able to fully comprehend it, but the fact remains: Jesus Christ became one of us.

While he lived on this earth, Jesus walked and talked. He ate and drank. He had emotions. He was true man. Even the Bible called him a man. Paul said, “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

The Bible also tells us that Jesus did things only God could do. He changed water into wine, healed the sick, and raised the dead. In fact the Bible comes right out and calls him God, “We are in him who is true – even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). So Jesus is both God and man.

Let’s go back to something John said earlier. Referring to Jesus he said, “He made his dwelling among us” (v.14). Literally translated the Greek says, “He tented among us.” John used this picture language specifically for his Jewish readers. They would remember how God made his presence known to the people during their days in the wilderness by filling the Tabernacle (which was a tent – a temporary structure) with his glory. And now, in the same way, he made his presence known, in a temporary way, by taking on flesh and blood.

John went on, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v.14). John knew what he was talking about. He had personally seen God’s glory in the person of Jesus. He was an eyewitness to his miracles. And he was there, he saw with his own eyes when Jesus was transfigured on the holy mountain.

By God’s grace, we’ve seen Jesus’ glory too, haven’t we? Not only does it shine for us in the words of Scripture, but we’ve also witnessed his divine glory with our own eyes and ears!

His glory was revealed through word and song this past Christmas. The children of our Sunday School and elementary school boldly proclaimed the Christmas story. We saw it in their faces. We heard it in the voices of our choirs and in the talents of our instrumentalists. And Lord willing, you also felt it in your heart when it was proclaimed again and again that the tiny baby born that first Christmas came so that he might save you and me. Lord willing, that message moved you to repent of your sins and to give thanks to God.

Ah, but there’s more! John goes on, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another” (v.16). In other words, what John was saying was, “If you want to see God’s glory, if you want to experience his grace, then simply marvel at how God always provides, always hears, always loves.”

Stop for just a moment and take stock of your life. Have you ever noticed how God:  Comforts us when we’re hurting?  Forgives us when we sin?  Relieves us when we feel guilty?  Supports us when we’re afraid?  Lifts us to amazing heights of joy and peace during good times?  Gives us everything?

God in his grace keeps giving us blessing after blessing; day after day, year after year. His grace and blessings never run out. Go ahead and look back on your life – you know I’m telling you the truth! John saw it in his life. Do you see it in yours? I pray you do. Go ahead. Count your blessings, if you can. And now as we welcome in a new year, rejoice in knowing that God’s blessings will continue to overflow.

You know, it is so unfortunate that everyone can’t see what you and I see. God’s grace and his blessings are all around us. It’s so sad that there are those who think the Christmas story is nothing but a fairy tale. Yet we know it to be true. But as John goes on to point out, that wasn’t something we figured out on our own. It is something Jesus has revealed. By coming to earth and saving us from our sins, Jesus revealed God’s glory. He came to make an unseen God seen. Jesus is living proof.

How does that go again? “Once upon a time…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son” (John 3:16). You and I both know the Christmas story is no fairy tale. We know that the Son of God came to earth, became human, suffered, died, and rose in payment for our sins. And what’s really neat is that we know he’s going to come again. Ah, but how did we get there? How did we get such a faith? How did John? We’re told, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (v.17).

Here the Apostle John points out how people in the Old Testament came to know God. Moses was their contact man. Moses spoke with God and then relayed what God wanted them to know. He, along with prophets after him, laid out God’s law – his demand for perfection. He shared prophecies that promised a Savior to come.

That’s all they had to hang on to. They found their salvation in a promise – a promise that one day a Savior would be born who would save people from their sins. As John points out, the Savior has now come. He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies concerning himself and brought God’s glory from out of the shadows – into the light. John describes it this way, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (v.18).

When Jesus came, people could now see God in Christ. Look at him! He was born humbly, meek and mild, but he went on to suffer, die and then rise, proving that we have now been redeemed, restored and forgiven. Because of Jesus we are now children of God and heirs of eternal life. Christmas is no fairy tale. It isn’t just some reason for us to get lost in the shopping, decorating and baking. If that’s all it is, a fairy tale, then the blessings it offers would only be superficial. Once the gifts are opened and put away, once the tree finds its way to the curb or back into the box, once the cookies are eaten, then the blessings of Christmas would be forgotten. Life would go one, but it would have no meaning. With no real Christmas, we would have no real blessings. But with a real baby in a real manger, with a real God sending his own Son to our world, we have blessings that were never meant to be packed away or tossed aside. God’s grace, his forgiveness and love, is still there for us each and every day of our lives. We know the truth; the secret to what life is all about, because we know that the Savior is real. We’re not just taking a wild guess or crossing our fingers and hoping we’ve got it right. We know why we’re here and we know where we’re going. The blessing of faith removes all doubt.

We weren’t there in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. We didn’t see or hear the angels singing in the sky above. We didn’t journey to the manger with the shepherds. But that doesn’t change things. God tells us all we need to know – that Christmas is no fairy tale – and in faith we believe it! Faith takes us there. Faith makes Christmas real! And since Christmas is real, so are the blessings that come along with it!

Once upon a time…there was a baby born in Bethlehem. He was and is Christ the Lord. This isn’t just some fairy tale – this story is really true; Jesus is living proof. And so now every time you hear and share this story, may your faith continue to be strengthened until the time comes when you will be able to join your Savior in heaven and truly live, “happily ever after.”

And now may the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, keep our hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.