Marveling At Jesus This Christmastime
Today’s Verses:
1 John 1:1-2 ESV
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us
Today, as per the church calendar, we remember Saint John, Apostle, and Evangelist. Our reflection stems from the opening two verses of his first letter found in Holy Scripture. In it, he immediately draws us into the mystery and wonder of Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of life. John is not speaking of abstract ideas or philosophies but of a real person: the Son of God, who has always existed and became flesh for us. John and the other apostles heard Him, saw Him, and touched Him. Their testimony is not secondhand but rooted in their firsthand experience of the incarnate Christ.
This passage emphasizes Jesus's historical reality and the eternal significance of His life, death, and resurrection. Jesus is not a distant God, unreachable and unknowable, but the Word made flesh who dwelt among us (John 1:14). His presence was tangible, and His life is the source of our eternal hope.
This truth comes alive in the Means of Grace: the Word, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Just as the apostles experienced the physical presence of Jesus, we encounter Him in tangible ways. In Baptism, water combined with God's Word washes us clean. In Holy Communion, we taste and touch the true body and blood of Christ given for the forgiveness of our sins. These are not mere symbols but real encounters with the life-giving Christ.
John's words call us to marvel at the incarnation and the gift of eternal life that Christ brings. This eternal life is not something we wait for—it begins now as we are united to Christ in faith. It is a life lived in fellowship with God, rooted in His grace and truth.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Lord Jesus Christ, Word of life, we thank You for stepping into our world, for letting Yourself be seen, heard, and touched. Help us to trust in Your promises and to rejoice in the eternal life You have given us. Strengthen our faith through Your Word and Sacraments so that we may testify to Your love and grace in all we do. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.