(Preacher’s Magazine 1996-97)

In the beginning was the Word­ -

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1).

and the Word was with God­ -

I came from the Father and entered the world (John 16:28).

and the Word was God.

The radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his be­ing (Heb. 1:3).

He was with God in the beginning.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev. 22:13).

Through him all things were made­ -

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork (Ps. 19:1, KJV).

without him nothing was made that has been made.

For in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Matt. 4:16).

The light shines in the darkness -

A light for revelation to the Gen­tiles and for glory to your people Is­rael (Luke 2:32).

but the darkness has not understood it.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34, KJV).

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him'" (Matt. 3:3).

He came as a witness to testify concerning that light -

People went out to him from Jeru­salem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan (Matt. 3:5).

so that through him all men might believe.

Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River (Matt. 3:6).

He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

To make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17).

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Magi from the east came to Jerusa­lem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" (Matt. 2:1:2).

He was in the world -

"In Bethlehem in Judea," they re­plied, "for this is what the prophet has written" (Matt. 2:5).

and though the world was made through him -

We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him (Matt. 2:2).

the world did not recognize him.

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3).

He came to that which was his own -

The throne of his father David (Luke 1:32).

but his own did not receive him.

They . . . mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said (Matt. 27:29).

Yet to all who received him -

At once they left their nets and fol­lowed him (Mark 1:18).

to those who believed in his name­ –

One of the criminals . . . said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:39,42).

he gave the right to become children of God -

I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

children born not of natural de­scent, nor of human decision –

And do not think you can say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father" (Matt. 3:9).

but born of God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9).

The Word became flesh -

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph (Matt. 1:18).

and made his dwelling among us.

Joseph . . . went to Bethlehem . . . with Mary While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son . . . and placed him in a manger (Luke 2:4-7).

We have seen his glory -

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19).

the glory of the One and Only -

He was the son ... of Joseph ... the son of Abraham ... the son of Adam, the son of God (Luke 3:23,34,38).

who came from the Father -

"And they will call him Im­manuel"-which means, "God with us" (Matt. 1:23).

full of grace and truth (John 1:1-14).

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:13-14, KJV).