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.
In the congregation I last served as pastor, I read the opening verses of John’s gospel on Christmas Eve as the sanctuary lights were dimmed and candles were being lit in the pews. In Advent, we make preparations to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. “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.” (John 1:3b-5)
The final verse I read before we would sing “Silent Night” was the 14th verse. “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.”
Our Advent worship services this year have a theme of “The Word Made Flesh”. We will look at scripture passages where Jesus revealed His divine nature through the description of physical substances we experience on earth. We will look at images such as the Bread of Life, the Salt of the Earth, the Rock of Ages, and the Light of the World. On Christmas Eve we will look at the simple, earthly place where Jesus was born, a manger.
Too often, we take this familiar story for granted. It is astounding, that God chose to come to us in human flesh in Jesus Christ, sharing all of what we experience as human beings. Jesus Christ is “Emmanuel – God with us.”
I look forward to sharing these weeks of preparation with you for this astounding event that reminds us of the depth and magnitude of the love God has for us. I pray that these Advent devotions will enhance your preparation for and anticipation of celebrating the Christ child once again. Please make plans to join us for these meaningful services of worship during this special time of the year.
Contributed by Rev. Stewart Smith