Why We'll Always Celebrate Christmas!
The Mind of Christmas
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for another day to grow closer to You and more like Your Son, Jesus! I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit that all that I am and do will be in accordance with Your will. I know that You created me to follow You, and that Jesus died to redeem me from the sin that distorts Your image in my life. I pray that every thought, word and action I think, say or do today will move me closer to growing up into the full stature of Jesus! Use today’s Scripture reading to teach me exactly what I need to know in order to live boldly and confidently in Jesus’ name. This I pray to His glory and for the advancement of His kingdom. Amen.
Bible Verses
John 1:1-14
1In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 6God sent John the Baptist 7to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. 10But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. 11Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God. 14So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. (grace and truth) And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
Reflecting on Scripture
Today we focus on discipleship, on becoming more and more like Jesus in our daily lives. As we consider John 1:1-14 again, the text ought to be getting familiar to us, so we may dig for deeper meaning and application in becoming like Jesus! John Maxwell has said that most Christians in America are educated beyond the level of their obedience. What do you think he means by that statement?
Exploring the Scripture
According to today’s Scripture, what is the process whereby we become more like Jesus? (See particularly 1:4 & 1:12-13)
What is the significance of verse 1:14 for our lives as Jesus’ disciples?
Understanding the Scripture
If being a disciple of Jesus is a lifestyle and not just learn information, what does today’s text do to help us become more like Jesus?
What is the most important truth that you find in John 1:1-14?
Applying the Scripture
What would it look like in our daily lives if we applied John 1:4 and 1:12-13?
Discipleship - To All Who Believed Him!
In order to be disciples of Jesus Christ, we must first believe that He is who He says He is! That doesn’t me that we acknowledge in our brains that there was once a man named Jesus, who lived in Palestine about two thousand years ago. It means that we believe that this man was much more than a man. We believe that He was and is God! John 1:1-14 tells us much about who Jesus is. It tells us that He was in the beginning. In other words, He is eternal! It tells us that He created all things. It tells us that He is the “Word.” In the Greek language the word for “word” is “logos.” We get our word logic from it. The “Word” was considered by Greek philosophers of Jesus’ day to be the “divine reason,” which ordered the universe. John tells us that Jesus, God made flesh is, indeed, the divine reason, who ordered the universe. As we believe that, not only with our minds, but in our hearts, our spirits, our wills, then we have the right to be known as “children of God.” We belong to God’s family by virtue of Jesus. His coming to earth set into motion a sequence of events that has forever changed those who receive His salvation. Some may wonder, “Why isn’t this salvation available to all? Why would God make it so hard for people to become His children?” The Good News of the bible is that salvation IS available to all who receive Jesus. Jesus turns no one away, who responds to His great love. Some have said that Christianity is an “exclusive” religion, but nothing could be farther from the truth. While Jesus did teach that no one could come to the heavenly Father except through Him, He also taught that any who came to Him, who believed in Him would be accepted and welcomed into the household of faith forever. May we live each day as those who have believed and received Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives. As we do that, this Christmas season will be blessed in our lives, and a blessing for those around us!
To view other studies from the Why We Celebrate Christmas series, click here.