Sermon draft: The Word Came Near
Main passage: John 1:1–14
Big idea: At Christmas, the eternal Son of God came near to us as a real human being, bringing life, light, grace, and the invitation to become God’s children.
Introduction
Christmas Eve is full of familiar things: lights in windows, songs we know by heart, gifts wrapped and waiting, and perhaps a journey to be here tonight. Familiar things can be wonderful. But sometimes, when we know a story well, we stop being surprised by it.
John’s account of Christmas is different from the scenes we may picture: there is no manger in these verses, no shepherds, no angels singing in the night. John takes us further back—before Bethlehem, before the first Christmas, before the beginning of the world. He tells us who the baby in the manger really is.
He calls him “the Word.” And then John says something almost too astonishing to take in: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14, ESV).
The eternal God did not remain distant. He came near. The Maker entered the world he made. The light entered the darkness. The Son of God took on a human body and lived among people like us.
That is the heart of Christmas. Tonight, let’s see what John shows us about the Word who came near.
1. The child in the manger is the eternal God
John begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, ESV).
Those words echo the first words of the Bible: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV). But John takes us even further back. When creation began, the Word already was. Jesus did not begin to exist in Bethlehem. His human life began there, but he himself is eternal.
And John tells us both that the Word was “with God” and that the Word “was God.” The Word is not the Father; he is with the Father. Yet he shares fully in the divine nature. Christians confess one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son is not a created being or merely a wise teacher. He is God the Son, eternally with the Father.
John also says, “All things were made through him” (John 1:3, ESV). The child who would one day be held by Mary is the one through whom the world was made. The one who would need to be carried as a baby is the one who sustains all things.
Imagine walking through a house and finding a note from the builder. The note might tell you something about the builder’s intentions, but it is not the builder himself standing in the room. In Jesus, God has done far more than send a message from a distance. He has come to us in person. Jesus is the Word who reveals God because he is God the Son.
That matters on Christmas Eve. We are not simply celebrating the birth of an inspiring person or remembering a beautiful moral example. We are celebrating the coming of the Lord. When we look at Jesus, we see God’s character made known. If you wonder whether God cares about human suffering, look at Jesus. If you wonder whether God welcomes sinners who come to him, look at Jesus. If you wonder whether God has spoken, listen to Jesus.
And that means our response cannot be only admiration from a distance. The child in the manger calls for our worship and trust. The eternal Son has come near, not merely to be noticed, but to be received as Lord.
2. The light shines in the darkness
John says of the Word, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4, ESV). Then he adds, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5, ESV).
John does not pretend that the world is free of darkness. Darkness is what we call the things that are wrong in us and around us: cruelty, grief, fear, lies, loneliness, and sin. Some people come to Christmas carrying a sadness that others may not see. Some are facing an empty place at the table. Others may be surrounded by people and still feel alone. And all of us know what it is to fall short of the good and loving life God made us to live.
John’s message is not that darkness is imaginary, or that a little holiday cheer can make it disappear. It is that the light has come—and the darkness cannot overcome him.
Think of a dark room. You can make the room darker by shutting out the light, but darkness cannot reach out and extinguish a lamp. When a light is switched on, the darkness gives way. The light does not need to shout. It simply shines.
That picture is not meant to make suffering sound easy. Jesus does not promise that every sorrow will vanish before we leave this service. But he does promise something deeper: darkness will not have the final word. The light of Christ has come into the world, and no darkness can defeat him. The Gospel of John will show us how far Jesus goes to save: he gives his life on the cross, and he rises again. His coming at Christmas leads to the cross and the empty tomb. He enters the darkness of our sin and death to bring us life.
So if you are struggling tonight, you do not have to pretend everything is fine. You can bring your sadness, questions, and fears to Jesus. The light of Christ is not reserved for people who have everything in order. He came into a dark world to save people who need him.
And if your life feels bright tonight, let the light of Christ teach you to look around. Who might need your attention, your patience, or a kind word? We cannot save the world, but we can reflect the light of the one who has come to save it. At Christmas, we rejoice not because there is no darkness, but because the Light has come and will not be overcome.
3. The Word became flesh and made his home among us
John brings us to the heart of Christmas in verse 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14, ESV).
The Word did not merely appear to be human. He became flesh. Jesus took on a real human nature. He was born, grew, became tired, knew hunger, wept, and lived among people in the ordinary, vulnerable conditions of human life. He was truly God and truly human.
And John’s word “dwelt” carries the idea of pitching a tent or making a home. God had once made his presence known among his people in the tabernacle, a tent where they worshiped him as they traveled through the wilderness. Now, in Jesus, God has come to dwell among us in a new and wonderful way. God is not a distant idea. In Jesus, God has come close enough to be seen and heard and touched.
Consider the difference between hearing that someone cares and having that person show up. A message may be meaningful, but presence says, “I am with you.” At Christmas, God does not merely send instructions from heaven. He comes himself. Jesus enters our world and shares our human life.
This is good news for every age and every season of life. Children can know that Jesus came into the world as a child. Teenagers can know that he understands life among people, with its pressures and disappointments. Adults can bring him the responsibilities and weariness they carry. Older people can trust that the Lord who came near will not abandon them. And those who feel overlooked can hear this: God did not stay at a safe distance. In Jesus, he came among us.
John says, “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV). Grace and truth belong together in Jesus. He does not call evil good or hide the truth about our sin. But he comes full of grace—ready to forgive, restore, and welcome those who turn to him.
That is why we do not need to choose between being honest about our need and hoping in God’s welcome. We can confess our sin because Jesus is full of truth. We can come to him without despair because he is full of grace. He came near not because we had earned his visit, but because we needed his rescue.
4. Those who receive him become God’s children
John’s message also asks for a response. He writes that although the world was made through the Word, the world did not know him. He came to his own people, yet many did not receive him. But then John gives this promise: “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12, ESV).
The invitation is not to admire Jesus from a distance, or simply to enjoy the traditions of Christmas. It is to receive him—to trust him and welcome him as the one he truly is. John makes clear that this new life is not something we achieve by family background, effort, or good deeds. It is God’s gift. We become his children through faith in Christ.
Imagine a beautifully prepared table. You can stand nearby and appreciate the food. You can talk about how welcoming the room looks. But the invitation is to come and take your place. In the same way, the good news of Jesus is not just something to look at. Christ invites us to trust him.
And what a welcome he offers. To become a child of God is to belong to the Father who sent his Son. It does not mean life will always be easy, or that Christians never struggle. It means our relationship with God is not built on our ability to make ourselves worthy. Jesus came to bring us to God. We are received by grace, through faith, because of him.
This invitation is for the person who has followed Jesus for many years: keep receiving him, trusting him, and resting in his grace. It is for the person who is curious but unsure: look closely at Jesus in the Gospel of John, and ask God to help you see who he is. And it is for the person who knows they have wandered from God: turn to Christ. He came to save sinners, and he is full of grace and truth.
Christmas is not a reward for people who have had a perfect year. It is the announcement that God has acted for people who need him. The Word became flesh, and those who receive him are given a new place in God’s family.
Conclusion
On this Christmas Eve, John invites us to see more than a baby in a manger. He invites us to see the eternal Word, the Creator of all things, the light shining in the darkness, and God himself dwelling among us.
Jesus came near in grace and truth. He entered our world, lived among us, and gave himself to save us. The darkness is real, but it will not overcome him. Our sin is real, but his grace is sufficient. Our lives are fragile, but in Christ we are offered the hope of eternal life and the welcome of God’s family.
Call to response
So receive him. If you have never trusted Jesus, you can turn to him tonight. You do not need to find impressive words. Tell him honestly that you need his forgiveness and life. Trust that he died and rose again to save all who believe in him.
And if you already belong to him, worship him again. Bring him the joy and the sorrow you carried through the door. Ask him to make his light visible in the way you love your family, welcome a neighbor, and care for someone who is hurting.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That is the wonder of Christmas—and the invitation is still open: come to Christ, and receive the life he gives.
Closing prayer
Father, thank you for sending your Son into our world. Lord Jesus, thank you for becoming flesh, dwelling among us, and giving your life to save sinners. Shine your light in our darkness. Help us receive you by faith and live as your children. Comfort those who grieve, strengthen those who are weary, and make us people who share your grace and truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.