ZPCBlog

About the Author: Jess Dye and her husband, Thomas, started attending ZPC shortly after their wedding in July 2023. Both were heavily involved in their previous church bodies and joined ZPC as members after a few months of attending services. ZPC has been a welcoming and much beloved church home over the past year and a half, where they have walked in fellowship together with the Wendt’s Wednesday Night Home Group. They now serve with the Littles on Sundays, have been part of Great Banquet, and Awakening teams, and are members of the Young Adult Ministry’s planning committee.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 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 bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, gull of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14 (ESV)

When Jesus of Nazareth was born in a manager in the town of Bethlehem, it was not his first hour on Earth. In fact, there is no Earth without him. All life, all creation, is made through him. Genesis 1:1-3 reads, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Jesus is the Word of God. As John is so beautifully illustrating, the Holy Trinity was present at the beginning of all creation. As the Father envisioned, so the Word created, and the Spirit enacted. 

All life comes from Christ. Not only that, all light comes from Christ. Light is many things to many people. It’s joy and awe in shooting stars and fireworks contrasting against the night sky. It’s comfort in the glow of a candle or a flashlight when our power goes out. It’s a guide in a dark room that reveals to us what to avoid or what to reach for. John the Baptist recognized Jesus as all of this. He knew the Messiah was joy, awe, comfort, and a guide. In response, all God asked of him was to bear witness. And so he did. As we eagerly anticipate Jesus’ second coming, all God asks of us is to do the same. 

This is the Christmas story. That the Word of God took on flesh to become man and live among us. That we have borne witness to his glory. That we, as God’s people, have been given the opportunity to know God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit more intimately than we ever have before. That through Jesus we are created and through his life, death, and resurrection we are saved and raised to be born again as God’s children. Hallelujah, God be praised!

My challenge for us this Christmas is to share the light of the world, the Word of God. I know for me, this simple task often appears incredibly daunting. I have enough trouble initiating small talk, much less potentially life-changing conversations! But, I believe that we often put too much pressure on sharing our testimony. You don’t need a planned out script or the perfect opportunity to jump in and share about Jesus, just let the Spirit guide you as you bear witness. It’s what we are created to do. Our love for others and our love for Christ will shine through and find the words for us. So, as you are sitting down with your family this Christmas to celebrate with a meal, take a moment and bear witness to who Jesus is and what he has done for you.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all of creation, for the light of the sun, moon, and stars. Thank you most of all for sending the perfect light down to walk among us and save us from the darkness. Give me the faith and courage to bear witness of Jesus Christ to my friends and family. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. May you receive all the glory this Advent season!
In Jesus’ holy name I pray,
Amen.

Share