The word became meat

John does not begin his gospel like the other evangelists. He says nothing about the way in which Jesus was born, he says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God »(John 1,1-2).

Perhaps you are wondering what "the word" means, which means "logos" in Greek? John gives you the answer: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, a glory as the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1,14).

The word is a person, a Jewish man named Jesus, who existed with God in the beginning and was God. He is not a created being, but eternally living God, who created all creation: "All things are made through the same, and without the same nothing is made that is made" (John 1,3).

Why does John explain this background? Why do we need to know that Jesus was originally a person who not only lived with God but is also God? With this we can understand the consequences Jesus took when he humbled himself for us. When Jesus came to earth, he had given up his all-outshining glory that made him the Son of God for us to be like us as a human being. The core of this glory is love.

The unlimited God who entered the limits of time and human impermanence. Through the birth of Jesus, Almighty God revealed himself in Bethlehem in the weakness of a newborn child. Jesus gave up his fame and lived in humble circumstances: “Although he was God, he did not insist on his divine rights. He renounced everything; he assumed the humble position of a servant and was born and recognized as a man »(Philippians 2,6-7 New Life Bible).

Jesus is always ready to set aside his own fame and glory to save us. Fame is not about power and prestige. Real greatness is not in strength or money. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: although he is rich, he became poor for your sake, that you might become rich through his poverty" (2. Corinthians 8,9). God's greatness is shown in his unconditional love and in his willingness to serve, as the event of the birth of Jesus shows.

Cumbersome birth

Think about the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. It did not come when the Jewish people were a strong nation, but when they were despised and ruled by the Roman Empire. He did not come to the most important city, he grew up in the Galilee region. Jesus was born under embarrassing circumstances. It would have been just as easy for the Holy Spirit to create a baby in a married woman as it was in an unmarried woman. Even before Jesus was born, Jesus was in a difficult situation. Luke tells us that Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem in order to be counted in the census: «So Joseph also set off from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to the Judean land to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, that he might be appreciated with Mary, his trusted wife; she was pregnant »(Lukas 2,4-5).

God loved the world so much that he gave it his only son, but the world didn't want him. «He came into his own property; and his own did not receive him »(Johannes 1,10). His people knew God only as a God of sovereign power and invisible glory. They had disregarded the God who walked in the garden of Eden calling out to his stubborn children. They had not trusted the voice of God, which spoke to them gently, yet firmly. The world did not want to accept God as he revealed himself to them. But God loved us so much, even though we were wicked sinners: "But God shows his love for us in the fact that Christ died for us when we were still sinners" (Romans 5,8). The birth of Jesus and his great humility should remind us of this.

A touch of honor

The angels represented an air of honor, glory, and fame in the nativity scene. Here were the bright lights, the heavenly choir singing praises to God: "Immediately there was the multitude of heavenly hosts with the angel, who praised God and said: Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to the people of his good will" ( Lukas 2,13-14).

God sent his angels to shepherds, not priests and kings. Why did the angel bring the news of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds of all people? He wants to remind us of the beginning with his chosen people when he writes history again. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all shepherds, nomads and sedentary people who lived outside and wandered about with their large flocks. According to Jewish tradition, the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem had a special job of tending the sheep and lambs that were used in the temple for sacrifices.

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the newborn, flawless child of whom John said: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world!" (Johannes 1,29).

Shepherds were considered uncivilized people who could not be trusted. Men who stank of dung, earth, animals and sweat. People on the fringes of society. It was precisely these people that the angel of God chose.

Escape to Egypt

The angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt and stay there for a while. "So Joseph arose and took the child and his mother with him by night and fled to Egypt" (Matthew 2,5-6).

The Christ Child was brought into Egypt and became a refugee in the land the Israelites had left, the land of slavery and outcasts. That was Jesus' fate to be poor, persecuted, and rejected by the people he came to save. Whoever wants to be great, said Jesus, should become a servant. That is true greatness because that is the essence of God.

The love of god

The birth of Jesus shows us what love is and how God's essence is. God allows us humans to hate and beat Jesus because he knows that the best way to come to our senses is to see what selfishness leads to. He knows that the best way to overcome evil is not through force, but through persistent love and kindness. His mind is not hurt by our blows. If we reject him, he won't get depressed. He doesn't get vengeful when we harm him. He can be a helpless baby, he can take the place of a crucified criminal, he can sink so low because he loves us.

The riches of Jesus Christ

When Christ gave his life for us, it was not just his death, he gave himself for us so that the poor could get rich. «The Spirit itself bears witness to our spirit that we are children of God. But if we are children, we are also heirs, namely God's heirs and joint heirs with Christ, since we suffer with him, so that we may also be raised to glory with him »(Romans 8,16-17).

Jesus not only took care of our poverty, he also gave us his wealth. Christ made us co-heirs through his death so that we can invisibly inherit everything that he has. Everything he has he has bequeathed to us. Are we aware of this scope?

Lesson for us

The birth of Jesus has an important message for us, how we should treat one another and behave. God wants us to be who he is, just like Jesus was. Not in appearance, not in power, but in love, humility and relationship. Jesus said that a servant is no greater than the Lord. If he, our Lord and Teacher, has served us, we should also serve one another. “It should not be like that among you; but whoever wants to be great among you, let him be your servant »(Matthew 20,26: 28).

Dear Reader, use your time and resources to help and serve other people. Follow the example of Jesus and let Jesus live in you and show his love and mercy to your neighbors so that they can get to know him.

by Joseph Tkach