Each Christmas season I use John 1 many times to highlight and show the importance of the coming of the Word into this world. This passage shows the mystery of the Incarnation and give us 3 important pieces to the mystery.
First, we read of God coming to us with skin on: the "Word became flesh". This is a rare, Christian concept. Most world religions work the other way; people know God only by becoming like God. Here God reverses this by sending His Word, Jesus, in a form we could see, starting as a newborn baby.
Second, in this Incarnation, God comes near. He came and "dwelt among us". Not on Mt. Olympus but near us. This is a feature of Christmas which opens the door to God's nearness to us. Likely you will sing, "Be near me Lord Jesus I ask thee to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray".
Third, the coming is with the fullness of "grace and truth". Only Jesus can tell us the full truth about this world and our lives and yet do that with grace. May the stunning news of Advent amaze us in a way that God comes to us at Christmas.
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