Reading; 1 John 1:1–4
“Light and life to all he brings,” the Christmas hymn proclaims, and this first letter of the apostle John makes that same message central. The network of churches where John had influence had been infected by false teaching—teaching that denied the very truth we often celebrate this time of year. So John writes a letter to assure these believers that they are forgiven through Jesus, who is God incarnate, that they have eternal life in him. John writes to exhort them to abide in the Son and to love those who have been born of God.
John begins his letter with a celebration of the truth of the incarnation. “The Word of life” has been manifested by God, and John has touched him with his own hands and beheld him with his own eyes. Those who deny that Christ has come in the flesh must contend with John who knew Jesus face to face. This is much more than a doctrinal commitment to John; it is more even than the personal friendship John enjoyed with the incarnate Word, Jesus. Because Jesus is the life. God has unveiled life for us, and this life is his Son.
John not only held and beheld the Son of God, the Godhead revealed in flesh; John also proclaimed that Son of God. This is how we have become part of the Christmas story. We are not heroes in this story. We are not the valiant rescuers or the scrappy band of freedom fighters. We are those to whom the good news of rescue has come. We are mere recipients of this wonderful announcement.
While we do not have the privilege of hearing the preaching of the apostle Peter, Paul, or John, we do have the very words of God, announcing this Word of Life to us in the pages of Scripture. Through the trustworthy words of Scripture, we come to behold the announced Christ.
Those who receive this Word from on high, those who have the Son, have Life. Sometimes we have heard people who enjoy a favorite luxury saying, “This is the life!” But while God gives us good gifts to be received with thankful hearts, we are not to find our life in them. If we try, we will only be disappointed. The Christian then should live without the fear of missing out. The Christian knows that Life is a person, not a cheap thrill.
Because all of us as followers of Jesus have this life, this summit of all joys, we have a share in one another. Fans of the same football club, fans of the same anime, fans of the same tech companies may share a sense of community and belonging with one another. How much more those who have come to share in the Life! Thus we have fellowship (shared community, partnership, and belonging) with one another. And to remind one another of this Life is to fulfill our own joy.