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.
” (From the Bible, Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 14.)
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.” (From the Bible, Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 14.)
In this single verse, we find the reason the whole world celebrates the first Christmas. We see why calendars testify that this most significant event split human history into.
The Creator of everything in the universe, the One whose power was so great that the entire universe was started with a word. Galaxies and molecules, whales and ameba were created from the same matter in a demonstration of scientific structure that generates awe and admiration in every student. Objective reason tells us that all of that magnificent structure was created with the image of age. There is no other reasonable explanation. The first trees must have had tree rings, the first starlight to reach earth must have been created at the same time the star was created.
The crowning achievement of all this, according to the Creator, was man, a creature with the same ability to choose as the one who chose to create him. And in the misuse of that ability (to choose) lies the root of all the world’s sorrow as well as the source of its salvation.
Imagine the shock and surprise in Heaven when this great Creator actually became part of His creation. Not only that, but He chose to enter that creation as a man-child (without the image of age).
In doing so, this child grew and demonstrated to all mankind how we should live. He demonstrated again and again in His actions and His personality the grace (unmerited favor) He has for us all, and we should have toward one another.
Further, as Saint John writes, He demonstrated for all mankind that truth exists. Those who would rebel against reason often contend that truth is not absolute, does not exist. Denying the reality of truth appears to me to be a form of insanity. One cannot live consistently without absolutes.
If the first Christmas had no more significance than the demonstration of grace and truth in a world gone insane – That alone would be sufficient cause to celebrate.
There is an increasing attack upon everything in our society that honors the God of the Bible. People ask, “Where are the churches? Why are they so silent?” One of the answers, I suspect, is “grace.” That same Bible, read by the church, states that those denying grace and truth think themselves wise while making fools of themselves. Many would say it is best to let fools be fools. It is their choice.
There are those who will say I am calling anyone who disagrees with me a fool. Not so. Rather, take the issue up with the One who first made the statement. Agreement with me is folly. We could both be wrong. On the other hand, truth is found in the message, not the messenger. There is a Bible account of a donkey speaking to a prophet. If God can speak through an ass, He can speak through me.
I believe there is a great groundswell rumbling through America against the efforts to take God out of our society and replace Him and His truth and grace, with tyranny. That rumbling force needs only a catalyst around which to rally. All last year, I thought it would be the authority of the Ten Commandments. That may yet be.
Whatever it may be around which we eventually rally, and restore our nation to a righteous path, I have no doubt it will occur, and soon. Just one more good reason to wish every reader a most joyous and merry, Christ-centered Christmas. These are truly exciting days in His Story.
