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In our last reading, John outlines the theology of Christ’s birth. Whereas the other readings have told us what happened, John’s reading tells us what it all means. We learn that Jesus Christ is the Word, the life, and the (true) light. These three descriptions of Jesus will go some way to showing why Jesus is my Saviour and my Lord, and hopefully go some way to encouraging you to accept Him as yours too.

Jesus is the Word: we read that even at the beginning of time, before the world itself was created, the Word existed. The Word, we are told, was with God, and was God, because Jesus is the Son of God and, we are told elsewhere, was ‘begotten not created’ – there was never a time when God didn’t exist and, we are told here, never a time when Jesus did not exist as well. It was Jesus’ hands that “flung stars into space”, and were “to cruel nails surrendered”.1 He was there at the beginning and, we are told in Revelation, will be there at the end of time itself, gathering His people to Himself, offering them eternal life at His side.

Jesus is the Life: our reading told us that in Jesus is found the life, and that “that life was the light of men”. Jesus Himself said, elsewhere, that He is “the way, the truth and the life”, and that nobody can come to the Father except through Him (John 14. 6). While you may be sitting here as someone who has not accepted Jesus, and be thinking, ‘well, I have a great life’, the life that Jesus offers isn’t just life on earth (although He does make that better too), but He also offers us everlasting life. He tells us that, when He ascended into heaven, He went to “prepare a place for [us]” and “will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (Jn 14. 2-3) Through Jesus, those who believe in Him are promised eternal life, life even after death, which to us looks so final and hopeless – those who know Jesus know that this world is not all there is, and are promised that life after death will be infinitely better than this world as we know it.

Lastly, John tells us that Jesus is the Light: elsewhere in John’s Gospel Jesus explains that He is “the light of the world. Whoever follows [Him] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8. 12) Jesus gives Christians light, helping us to make sense of this world and all that’s around us. The Psalmist writes, of Jesus:

  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
  I will fear no evil,
  for you are with me;
  your rod and your staff,
  they comfort me. (Psalm 23)

Or, to quote the Scottish Psalter:

  Yea, though I walk through death’s dark vale,
  yet will I fear no ill;
  for Thou art with me, and Thy rod
  and staff, me comfort still. (Psalm 23 in Metre, 1650.)

It is this Jesus Christ who, week by week, day by day, the people who come to this Church (and not just this Church) worship and know. It is this Jesus who, every day, makes a difference in the lives of the people who know Him. It is this Jesus who was born as we’ve heard this morning and, as we are promised in Scripture, has freed us from our sins and all that separates us from God, and leads us into eternal life.

So, to anyone here who has not accepted Jesus into their lives, who does not know Him as their Lord and Saviour and Friend, I encourage you to open your hearts to Him and let Him in to your life. Jesus doesn’t give you an easy life, indeed sometimes the Christian life can be rough and difficult, but He does promise that whoever comes to Him will not be cast out. (Jn. 6. 37)

If you don’t accept Jesus, you will go out from here and probably enjoy your day, enjoy your Christmas, enjoy most of the coming year. It’s not like you’ll be struck down by lightning if you don’t come to Him. In fact, you may well have an amazing year, an amazing life. But, I would ask you one question – if the average lifespan is 75-80yrs, what is that in comparison to eternity? You may enjoy your life here on earth but, without Jesus, you will not have the eternal life. For you, death will be the end. Jesus Himself summed this up when He asked, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt. 16. 26)

So, this morning, friends, I invite you to take Jesus as your Friend, to walk with Him, to share with Him your problems and your joys. For, all the presents and carols, and turkeys and parties aside, this is the real message of Christmas, that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3. 16).

It is this Jesus who I offer you this morning. And I urge you, do not just walk on unaffected by what you’ve heard – for in Him is life and light, and the life and light is for you, if you’ll accept it. So accept the greatest gift this Christmas!