In this season, lights gleam and twinkle. We hang them on our trees, our houses, and even in our hearts as we prepare to bless those we cherish, and often those who cherished us first, with tokens of our affection for one another in the form of gifts, holiday meals, cookie making, ice skating, Christmas parties, and the best of family traditions.
Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. . .
Not only are lights at the center of Christmas. But Light Himself. Of all four Gospel writers, only John’s Gospel captures Christ the Savior—Emmanuel who came to take up residence among us—as Light. Chapter one of John purposely echoes the opening lines of the Old Testament creation account, wherein are found God’s first recorded words “Let there be light,” (Genesis 1:3) with the identity of His Son: the true light, who gives light to everyone, [who] was coming into the world (John 1:9).
When God said “Let there be light,” what He meant was: Jesus.
Even at Jesus’ birth announcement, light again was decreed over the darkness. At night, under a canopy of stars in the fields surrounding Bethlehem, the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. And as the angel revealed that the Lord of all glory was born and could be found in humble, meager beginnings in a manger, the light of the glory of the Lord shone around those present, again lighting up the darkness (Luke 2:14b).
We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth. . .
Tucked beneath the Christmas tree, twinkling with lights reminding us of the Light of the world, the Word sent by God as His gift of grace to the world, are our own comparatively humble, meager gifts. When our children desire to secretly peek into one or all of their Christmas packages early, the thrill of receiving their good thing makes them believe that they simply cannot wait any longer. They have become overloaded by their expectant desires.
Our little angels share something in common with the angels themselves. First Peter 1:11–13 explains that when God sent the gift of His Son as grace to the world, the truths surrounding the gospel are things angels long to catch a glimpse of (v. 13). It is no wonder then that the angels responded as such to the mention of the birth of Emmanuel: “Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!’” (Luke 2:13–14).
It’s as if all of heaven had become overloaded by their expectant desires, and the heavenly host had to come take a peek. After all, the firstborn over all creation, the One through whom and for whom all things were created: things in heaven (yes, the vast army standing in that field) and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. The One who is before all things and in whom all things hold together (see Colossians 1:15–17) had miraculously appeared among humankind, taking on their form, willingly and purposely becoming even lower than the angels themselves (Hebrews 2:7).
What a Miracle! What a Gift!
. . . who came from the Father.
The Father really outdid Himself. He has given the world the Gift that Keeps Giving: His Son Jesus. And Jesus’ finished work on the cross, in turn, enabled another gift, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in and among us.
But the gift did not stop there. At the moment we believed in the name of His Son, Jesus, we were given the right to become the Father’s children, not born by human parents or human desire, but by God (John 1:13). This Spirit of adoption in us cries out, “Abba, Father!” And during this season of expectant desires fulfilled, we feel this Spirit rejoicing in us when we sing, “Joy to World! The Lord has come!”
On Christmas, when we and our families celebrate the Light of the World who came and took up residence among us, we celebrate a beloved member of our family: Jesus. This Advent, as we celebrate His First Coming by remembering His birth, we also await with expectant desire His Second. Scripture reveals that when the Word Made Flesh returns, He will come in the light of glory and all the angels with Him (Matthew 25:31). And, like the lightning that comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be (Matthew 24:7). A light that will eternally light up the darkness.
Until then, may every Christmas be celebrated as a family.
