John 1: 1-5 & 14 & 1^st John 1: 1 - 3

In our gospel lesson The Apostle John is saying to all of his readers, "Let me tell you what I know about Jesus".

At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth. But the Apostle John tells us that Jesus existed from the beginning of time, "In the beginning."

At Christmas we celebrate Mary giving birth to the baby Jesus. But the Apostle John tells us that Jesus is the source of Life. "In Him was life; and that life was the light of men."

At Christmas we celebrate the baby Jesus being born and placed in a manger. But the Apostle John tells us that Jesus is God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

At Christmas God became flesh and came to bring us life. Jesus came so that we could experience an abundant life while we are here on earth and so that we could live with Him in Heaven throughout eternity.

At Christmas we celebrate Jesus’ birth. We celebrate because Jesus, The Light of the World shines in the darkness of our sinful world. "The Light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it." Jesus, the Light of the world, came to enlighten us. And to all who accept Jesus He will come to our souls to change us, to make us new creations. "To all who receive Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." - "Children not born of human decision but born of God."

At Christmas we remember that Jesus was born and Mary placed Him in a manger. Shepherds came to visit Him but the Apostle John tells us that "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us." God came in the flesh to live among His people. It was God who came to us!

In our Epistle lesson The Apostle John is saying to all of his readers, "Let me tell you what happened to me because I know Jesus."

• The Apostle John tells us that he now has spiritual life because he knows Jesus.

• The Apostle John tells us that he has experienced fellowship with the Almighty.

• The Apostle John tells us that the good news of Christmas is that we like him can also have peace and we can also experience the joy that he did if we will accept Jesus as our Savior.

We too can have fellowship with The Almighty if we will receive the gift of Jesus. We can because we become children of God when we believe in His Son Jesus. This Is The Miracle of Christmas

The Apostle John tells us that he knows what he wrote to us is true because and I quote "I have seen Him with mine own eyes. I have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only". I know this because I have touched Him.

The Apostle John tells us I know Jesus has the words of life because I have heard Him. "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1st John 5:11-12)

Today the Apostle John invites each of us to behold, to believe, and to receive Jesus the Son of God as our Savior and as our Lord! And when we do we too will experience life and we will experience fellowship with Almighty God throughout eternity.