“That which was from the beginning which we have head, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us – that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Chris. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:1-4)

John the Apostle desires to make clear to us without any doubt that he had seen Him who many have heard about; he not only has seen Him, but he also had looked upon Him, and touched Him – the Word of Life, the One in whom is eternal life! John, with the rest of the disciples, is the truthful and reliable witness of the Word who has come into the world. John was not communicating a fable.

Just as on the first day of Christmas, the angels declared that a Saviour is born, so John, with his fellow apostles, is proclaiming this same truth and is testifying of this truth. This is the true message of Christmas – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to save us!

John also elaborated in his gospel: “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but to God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:9-14 ESV).

In the above passage, John made it clear that the Word, Jesus Christ the Son, is the true light who enlightens everyone who would come to Him and believe; the world was made through Him and He came so that those who believe might be given the right to become God’s children, born of the Spirit(God), not of the will of man or the will of the flesh – it is a glorious spiritual birth (Regeneration). But unfortunately, although He came to His people, His people rejected Him. Will we be among those who exchange gifts at Christmas, celebrate Christmas in the traditional way with feasting, singing, and yet we have missed the true message of Christmas and we have not received Him and the life He came to give us??

Have we truly received the message of Christmas and assimilate it into our lives and become true children of God??