Exploring the Scripture

Today is the second Sunday of Christmas. For many, Christmas has been put away. The decorations are down, and the Nativity scene carefully wrapped and safely tucked into storage to wait for next year. Is that the only thing about Christmas that has been tucked away? Or, is hope still tangible? Is joy expected? Is the call for peace still heard? Can love find an outward expression to a stranger?

John calls us to look past the birth of Jesus, to see what Jesus’ birth means for us. Jesus is the word and the word is God. The word gave light and life. Biblical text is understood through the life, teachings, and acts of Jesus who embodies God in the world (vv. 9–18). The word and relationships are outlined in today’s text: the word and God (vv. 1–2), the word and creation (vv. 3–5), the word and John the Baptist (vv. 6–7), the word and the world (vv. 9–13), the word and community (vv. 14–18).* John establishes the divinity and humanness of Jesus and sets before us the invitation for our rebirth—to become children of God.

“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God” (vv. 12–13). This is the essence of the message: Jesus came that we might become the children of God. We are no longer bound by circumstances that surround us. We are no longer defined by societal norms. We, all of us, are children of God.

Jesus came and was born, lived, died and was raised again to remind us, to show us, that God loves us without reservation, without condition. How do we accept the powerful message of Christmas into our lives? Maybe we need to unpack the manger and keep it out all year to remind us God sent the Son so we might become children of God.

Project Zion Podcast

Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.

LISTEN

Central Ideas

1. The message and invitation of Christmas does not end in December.
2. Jesus’ birth and life created the path for us to become children of God.
3. God loves all humans unconditionally.

Questions to Consider

1. When did the life of Jesus come alive in your life?
2. When did you realize God’s love was for you and for all humanity?
3. What are the things in our lives we need to pack up and put away so we can live into our lives as disciples and as children of God?
4. How will your congregation keep the joy and hope of Christmas lively and vibrant in the coming days?