Over the next three days, we will look at the Christmas story as found in the Gospels. Today, we look at John’s. This is my personal favorite. Now, when we read John’s Gospel, we don’t see the normal things we are used to seeing in a Christmas story. We don’t see sheep or Wise Men or Mary, or anything. We see a Christmas story that is cosmic, the very God of creation coming to undo the cosmic effects of the Fall. As we sing in this season, “he comes to make His blessings known, far as the curse is found.” John shows us what that means.

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Good morning. It’s wonderful to be with you as we approach the end of our Advent journey. Today is Thursday, and we have three more reflections until Christmas. In our schedule, we have today, tomorrow, and then Monday, which is Christmas morning. For these next three reflections leading into Christmas, I plan to read the account of the Christmas story from three different Gospels: Matthew, Luke, and John. Mark, being fast-moving, doesn’t have a Christmas account; it jumps straight to John the Baptist.

Today, we’ll begin with John, my favorite Gospel. John’s account feels cosmic and expansive. Each Gospel writer provides a unique perspective, emphasizing different aspects of Jesus. Matthew leans into the Jewish perspective, while Luke has a Gentile influence. John, being distinct, presents a cosmic view of the Christmas story.

Let’s read John 1:1-18:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”‘) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.”

This Christmas story from John may not include familiar elements like sheep, donkeys, Mary, or Joseph, but it’s unique in its cosmic perspective. John’s purpose in writing his Gospel is explicitly stated later: to encourage belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, bringing eternal life through that belief.

The account starts with a grand declaration: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The term “Word” here, translated from “logos,” signifies the essence and nature of God. Jesus, the Word, is God Himself. The cosmic nature of the narrative unfolds as “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is the God of creation, the One who spoke light into existence, becoming human.

The Christian faith and life are vast and encompassing, extending beyond individual salvation to the redemption and restoration of all creation. Sin has cosmic consequences, corrupting and perverting everything. Yet, grace is more extensive, more powerful, and more cosmic than sin. The Christmas story in John reminds us that Jesus comes not just to save individuals but to redeem the entire created order.

Let today be a reminder of how much God loves you individually and personally. Recognize that His love extends beyond personal salvation to the redemption of all affected by sin. Christmas is about the vastness of God’s grace, reaching every corner affected by the curse.

As you reflect on John’s cosmic Christmas account, grasp the enormity of God’s love for you and for all of creation. He comes to make His blessings known far as the curse is found.

I wish you a day filled with the understanding of His immense love, and we’ll continue with Matthew’s account tomorrow.