Sermon on 1 John 1:1-4

Christmas Day Sermon

Saint Mark's, Watertown

December 25, 1997

(Pastor Walther)

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord! Amen.

God's Word for some concentrated consideration this Christmas Day is the Apostle John's recollection of Christ's appearance-- in First John, chapter one, verses one through four:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

We write this to make our joy complete.

This is God's Spirit-inspired Word of Jesus Christ.

Dear fellow Christians-- reflecting upon the first Christmas:

Probably no other time of year has us "looking back" so much as does this time of year between Christmas Day and New Years Day.

As we approach the new year, we have this healthy tendency to look back upon the year gone by. Television is filled with special segments and special broadcasts that do just that. Our own end-of-the-year letters, greeting our friends and relatives scattered across the country-- these usually look back at the way things went for us in the past year.

Not only so, but Christmas Day is also a natural time to look back. We consider Christmas days gone by, when our kids were small-- and we remember all their excitement for the big day. We consider Christmas days long past, when we were small-- and we remember all our excitement.

Well, this morning I'd like to lead you to do some more looking back. Look back with the Apostle John as he gives us his REFLECTIONS ON THE FIRST CHRISTMAS. And as John gives us his "Reflections on the First Christmas", he'll assure us that on the first Christmas: GOD REALLY BECAME HUMAN FLESH FOR US. And in so doing: GOD REALLY ESTABLISHED HIS FELLOWSHIP WITH US.

Now, as the Apostle John starts this letter of his, he is an elderly man. In all likelihood John is in his eighties or nineties as he writes. And as he does so, he reflects back more than a half a century upon the days of Jesus' earthly life-- days that really began on the very first Christmas Day.

John writes: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

That which was from the beginning.... What's John referring to there? Well, he answers that at the very beginning of the Gospel account that he wrote at about this time. John wrote: "In the beginning: was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word: became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." So, that which was from the beginning was the Word of God, the Son of God: Jesus Christ.

John continues: We have heard him. You see, it's not that God's life on earth as a human being was some sort of a sham. We have heard him-- John insists! We have heard his comforting words: "I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full." We have heard his words from the cross: "It is finished." We have heard his words at the empty tomb: "I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" In Jesus Christ, people heard God with a real human voice speaking real words from a real human mouth! You can be sure of it!

And John goes on to say: We have also seen him with our eyes. See, it's not that God's life on earth as a human being was some sort of a mirage. We have seen him with our own eyes-- John insists! We saw him walk along the Jordan River. We saw him turn water into wine. We saw him visit with that Samaritan woman. We saw him heal the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. We saw him heal the blind man in Jerusalem. We saw him raise Lazarus. We saw how he was tried. We saw how he suffered. We saw how he died. We saw him afterwards: alive-- again and again and again! In Jesus Christ, people saw God in a real human body! You can be sure of it!

Not only so, but John says: Our hands have touched him. See, it's not that God's life on earth as a human being was the figment of someone's imagination. Our hands have touched him-- John insists! Most memorably, after he had died and risen, Jesus invited his disciples: "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe!" You see: in Jesus Christ, people handled God with real flesh and bones! You can be sure of it!

And just what is the importance of all of this? Well, my friend, On the First Christmas: God really became human flesh for you-- that's how much he cares for you!

God was born, on a journey: to bridge the gap between you and him, such that you could have a permanent home-- not only here, but also hereafter. God shivered: to bridge the gap between you and him, such that you could have clothing-- covering not only your nakedness, but also your sinfulness. God was hungry: to bridge the gap between you and him, such that you could have food-- not only for your body, but also for your soul. God faced so much rejection: to bridge the gap between you and him, such that you could be accepted-- not only by others, but much more: by the Lord himself.

And that really happened! It was no sham, it was no mirage, it was no figment of someone's imagination. God really did become human flesh for you!

Now, what were the results of that? Well, the Apostle John goes on to tell us: We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. So then: Christ's incarnation for us means that we have fellowship with God, and that we have fellowship with other Christians.

First of all, as John says: Your fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. When a part of God's family (that is: God's Son) became a part of the human family (that is: Mary's Son)-- well then: through faith in him, we humans become a part of God's family.

That means that now you receive all of your Heavenly Father's affection, all of your Heavenly Father's protection, and all of your Heavenly Father's direction.

You receive all of your Heavenly Father's affection: he loves you, he cares for you, he has pity upon you-- and he always will.

You receive all of your Heavenly Father's protection: nothing truly evil, nothing that would finally harm your soul, will ever happen to you.

And you receive all of your Heavenly Father's direction: you'll never have to wonder, "Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?" because your Heavenly Father answers, "You are mine; You came from me; You will return to me."

So, the First Christmas means: we have fellowship with God. It also means that we have fellowship with other Christians.

You have fellowship with us, the apostle asserts. In other words, "When I'm in God's family and you're in God's family, that makes us brothers and sisters of each other."

And -- guess what!-- that means that we receive each other's affection, we receive each other's protection, and we receive each other's direction.

We receive each other's affection! For example: I care about you. And I mean: I really do! It matters to me how your life is going-- and especially how it's going with your spirit. That's likewise the way you feel about me.

We receive each other's protection! It means I'm going to do everything I can to protect you. If I can deflect some harm from you, I will. What I can do to warn you against Satan's schemes, I will do. And that's likewise the way you want to protect me.

And we receive each other's direction! It means: I'm going to do everything I can to give you good advice. If I can benefit you, especially from the Word of God, I certainly will. And that's likewise the way you want to direct me.

Now, isn't all of this a reason to rejoice? You know: if we have reasons to rejoice at the blessings of another year gone by, if we have reasons to rejoice at the recollections of Christmas days long past, certainly we have reason to rejoice as we reflect upon the first Christmas Day.

In fact, John says so. He says: We write this to make our joy complete.

So, brothers and sisters, this Christmas Day make your joy complete! Make your joy complete!-- as you contemplate the amazing grace of God: that on the first Christmas, God really became human flesh for you. Make your joy complete!-- as you realize that: on the first Christmas, God really established his fellowship with you. Make your joy complete!-- as you share that message with others today.

And make your joy a completely continuous joy!-- as you plan to share Christ's message all the more, in the coming joyous New Year. Amen.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men: on whom his favor rests. Amen.