“In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)”
We have been talking about the pre-stories, the context of the Christmas Nativity Story. Matthew’s Gospel opens with a genealogy tracing back to Abraham providing legal, Jewish legitimacy to Jesus. Matthew continues to share about Joseph, the father who adopted and raised Jesus and who was visited by an angel to confirm the legitimacy of Mary’s pregnancy. Matthew goes on to introduce the wise men pointing out that the context of the Christmas story is global, not just Jewish. Doctor Luke starts his Gospel with the pre-story of the fulfillment of prophecy through the birth of John the Baptist. His introduction is social. Now we go to the Gospel of John. He introduces Jesus not legally or socially but theologically. “In the beginning…” Sounds like Genesis One doesn’t it. He does not mince words. He is introducing Jesus as God. Jesus is THE Word!
Words are important. They are the spoken expression of something that is true within us, or perhaps what we want to be true. “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me,” is what we were taught to say to kids at school that tease us. But it is not true. Words have power to hurt and to deeply scar our lives leaving wounds that may never heal. Unfortunately we can remember comments that belittled and demeaned us from parents, teacher, or friends and even lost loves.
Baby Jesus is the Word of God and we are told that God is love. When we look at Jesus and how he lives out his life in the upcoming months, we will be asking ourselves how he is in his essence an expression of God. God comes to us like a little baby being born in our hearts and that relationship grows. Perhaps spend some time this morning thinking about how Jesus is the Word of God to you. There are ways that the Word speaks truth, love, guidance…health and growth to us daily. Is there a word you would like to hear from him this Christmas? Feel free to ask. He is listening to your words.
On the Way to Wonder 