John 1:1-5,14

Unlike Matthew and Luke, John’s gospel does not go into the birth narrative of Jesus, but it does speak of Christ coming into the world, and does so in a way that shows us something important about exactly who it is that was born on that first Christmas.

John begins in verse 1 by introducing us to ‘the Word’. This is a someone who is distinguished from God (he was ‘with God’) but also identified with God (the Word ‘was God’). We have a divine, uncreated person who exists in fellowship with the Father. Jesus’ divinity matters because he gives us true revelation and true fellowship with God.

In verse 14, we are then told that the Word ‘became flesh’. The one who is divine became human. It wasn’t just the appearance of humanity, but true human existence where he shares in the same human experience as the rest of us (but without sin). Jesus’ humanity matters because he is able to perfectly represent us and completely shares in our struggles.

These verses tell us of Christ, fully God and fully man. It is he who we worship at Christmas, and forevermore.