John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.
He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.
He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and (we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
On this day we light the center candle – the Christ candle – for Jesus came to bring LIGHT!
On this first day of Christmas there are those who never consider the meaning of this season. For to them it is a day – a day off, a day to eat, drink, and be merry. They spend money they don’t have on things they don’t need and ignore the One who made their very life possible. There are others who will pause for a moment to remember a baby born in a stable over two thousand years ago. They consider Jesus a good man but nothing more. He has no real impact on their lives.
But there are those who know Jesus the Christ, Immanuel, God With Us, and their lives have been changed forever. For once you surrender self to God and accept Jesus as your Saviour you are never the same. They know that God put on humanity in the form of a tiny baby and dwelt among us. Jesus has experienced our life. He felt the cold. He knew hunger. He experienced humiliation, rejection, and betrayal and yet loved us anyway. He died a cruel death for our sin. He conquered death and rose from the grave for our sake. And He is coming back again to claim His church.
This song by the Gaithers –The King Is Coming– should be a part of our Christmas tradition along with our other familiar Christmas Carols. We need to be reminded of Jesus’ promised return.
The marketplace is empty, No more traffic in the streets,
All the builders’ tools are silent, No more time to harvest wheat,
Busy housewives cease their labors, In the courtroom no debate,
Work on earth is all suspended As the King comes through the gate.
O the King is coming, The King is coming!
I just heard the trumpets sounding,
And now His face I see,
O the King is coming, The Kings is coming!
Praise God, He’s coming for me!
Happy faces line the hallways, Those whose lives have been redeemed,
Broken homes that He has mended, Those from prison He has freed,
Little children and the aged Hand in hand stand all aglow,
Who were crippled, broken, ruined, Clad in garments white as snow.
O the King is coming, The King is coming!
I just heard the trumpets sounding,
And now His face I see,
O the King is coming, The Kings is coming!
Praise God, He’s coming for me!
I can hear the chariot’s rumble, I can see the marching throng
And the fury of God’s trumpet spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal rolls are now unfolded, heaven’s grandstands all in place
Heaven’s choir is now assembled, start to sing “Amazing Grace”
O The King is coming, The King is coming
I just heard the trumpet sounding and soon His face I’ll see
The King is coming, The King is coming
Praise God, He’s coming for me
Yes, Jesus was born a tiny baby in a stable
but when He returns it will be as Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord.
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