Nine Lessons #9: John 1:1-14

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-14

And so, at last, we come to the grand finale of the Nine Lessons (only to be topped off with Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, if we're following the tradition that many churches adopt).  On checking various websites to find the references for the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols, I have on several occasions come across guidance or commentary on how the service is usually run.  It rings true to some of my own memories, with different representatives of the community reading different passages.  It usually starts with the youngest, the readers grow in both status and stature, and this last passage is often read by one of the clergy.

However, seeing the words 'traditionally read by a deacon or priest' yet again in one such website when I double-checked which verse to stop at gave me a sense of unease.  The kingdom of God is often referred to as the 'topsy-turvey Kingdom'.  We have already seen through the passages we have explored how Jesus turned glory, power and majesty upside down and came to earth as a baby, born on the margins and greeted by shepherds.  He would later go on to say: ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’  (Matthew 19:14).  Maybe the readers should descend, rather than ascend?  I would love to see a carol service conducted where this final and most majestic of passages is read by a child!

This beautiful prologue to John's gospel certain brings God's majesty to mind.  It speaks specifically God the Father and God the Son existing before time began (and yes, other Bible passages tell us that God the Holy Spirit was there too!).  But the focus here is on Jesus - creator of all things, light, and life.  There is no one greater and no one purer.

And yet: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world, and The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We know what this looked like - we spent the last 4 passages looking at it.  All that majesty that John describes in his first paragraph, becoming a tiny baby.

But there's more 'topsy-turvey-ness':  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Those who had been entrusted with God's revelation, rejected him, plotted to kill him, and eventually handed him over to the Roman authorities for execution.  These were the teachers of the law - those who had studied the scriptures, including the ones we have read from the Old Testament - and yet they could now recognise the Messiah.  Or rather, would not recognise him - for they were puffed up with their own knowledge and importance and unable to see their own need for a saviour.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  Here's the best part, although he was and is rejected by many, Jesus gives us what no one else can, and welcomes all who believe into his family.  We do nothing to deserve or earn it, and need only the humility to know that. But this is not just welcome, but renewal - being born of God.  It means partaking of the life from which we had previously become detached, and being made new.  We see only in part now, but we look forward the time when we join him forever, with all our brokenness restored.

Happy Christmas!