Christmas Day

CHRISTMAS DAY John 1: 1-14
'In the beginning was the Word' (The Gospel of John, late first century).

' It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away' (The Bees Gees, late twentieth century).

'Only words,
ONLY words?

At Christmas millions of worshippers across their world will hear of John's famous 'WORD' (Greek Logos) passage. Logos occurs over and over again in the New Testament, it's meaning varies according to use and context. It can be something to despise, mere talk. Paul uses it this way about some of the Corinthians who were 'All talk'. But Logos can also describe lofty discourses, treatises or narratives.

Words have a different role in Western society now from say 100 years ago. Our world is full of words, but they are often used in short texts or Twitter, or Answer Phone messages. Lofty words and beautiful prose can seem like things of the past. On our screens the visual has become more important than the script. Films rely on glorious colour, computer graphics, special effects and wrap around sound effects, rather than the prose of writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien. Yet, one meaning of Logos is 'narrative'. Might we translate it 'script'? Many in our world no longer believe in a 'script', a mega narrative. Life has lost any meaning beyond what each person constructs for themselves. 'Only words'

BUT what if John is right? He declares in his gospel that there IS a Word, narrative, script. A wise design, and this Word, God's Logos has appeared among us, in our own time and place.

This Christmas preachers have a chance, by using the first 14 verses of John's gospel to declare that life does have meaning and purpose, because God's Word has been revealed here in human society. The Word has become flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus reveals God's Grand Design for life.