37. Third Christmas Day.
Lord Jesus, thou eternal Word;
speak to us, that we may believe in thee. Amen.
John 1, 1-13. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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Jesus Christ is the Life and the Light; he is God from the beginning. All others are but witnesses concerning him; while he is the life itself that quickens the dead; and he is the light that shines in all things having true brilliancy. He is before all things, and he needs no creature in order to be blest; he is himself the untold fullness of life that gives life and light to the whole creation. His glory radiates from the stars of heaven, from the flowers of the field, from the human soul with its admirable faculties, from the circle of angels and the sea of glass before the throne. His vital force throbs in the myriads of crawling creatures under our feet, in the countless fowls of the air and fishes of the sea, and in every living thing. But in a special sense and degree he gives his life and light to the human heart. He, himself, comes to them and abides in them. Though not in visible form, he was in the world from the beginning as the Angel of the Lord, the Prince of the hosts of Israel, the Spirit of the prophets, and the Soul of God’s people. He came to the world and became a man and revealed himself to his own people, but they would not know him; some few, only, received him with believing hearts. So it is now, also. He stands in our midst, and most of us reject him. But as many as believe, are by him made the children of God, made partakers of the divine nature, filed with light to know the Father and the Son in the unity of the Holy Ghost, filled with the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; he abides in them and they in him. The human heart was made for receiving life and light willingly. It is formed with the faculty of loving; but he is love and the proper object of our love, and his Spirit alone can teach us to love. Out of love for us he became a man; in love for us he lived, and died, and lives for evermore. He revealed this love to us, in order that we might accept it. Indeed, it was not possible for him to reveal himself otherwise than in love; for he is love. God is love; what else, then, can life and light be? Do you, dear reader, believe in the Son of God? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the true, eternal God? If you do, you have known this love; you have been born of God, and “child of God” is your name. By this name you are known in heaven. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. Note this: To believe in his name is the one important thing, on which all depends. As many as believe, have thereby received him, are born again, and are in truth the children of God. This is a work of God; of the grace, the life, the light, which he gives. Let none say: “He would not come to me!” He has come to you already; but you would not receive him, because you loved sin. Do accept him; God will work this in you; then you are a child of God, and your heart the dwelling-place of life.
Lord, give us the grace of the Spirit to believe with a true and living faith of the heart. Create this faith in us, and preserve it, and increase it unto the end. Amen.*
O Jesus, Lord of heavenly grace,
Thou brightness of thy Father’s face,
Thou fountain of eternal light,
Whose beams disperse the shades of night!
Come, holy Sun of heavenly love,
Send down thy radiance from above,
And to our inmost hearts convey
The Holy Spirit’s cloudless ray.
[ELH 487; sheet music here, listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.