Christmas: The Culmination of Creation 

Welcome to December! It took a few weeks longer than normal in Kansas City, but it is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. As I write this, the weather is a crisp 23 degrees. Brrrr. Since it’s feeling a lot like Christmas, I will take the next several weeks to write about Christmas. Enjoy.

Christmas without a Manger

I haven’t always appreciated the Gospel of John, but I am totally on board today. Paul, who wrote a large portion of the New Testament, gets lots of deserved credit for his intelligent, logical writing, but John was a creative genius. He writes with a depth and symbolism unique to the Bible. His style is evident with his very first words, but let’s skip a few verses for a moment to his version of the Christmas story.

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”  -‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

No manger. No star. There are no wise men, shepherds or angels present. Jesus, the Word of God, came to earth as a person. While you and I fail, Jesus did not. And John, a disciple of Jesus, saw this with his own eyes His…glory in real time. We see the glory of Jesus through each other and creation.

Jesus at Creation

And creation is actually where John starts his story of Jesus. Well, truthfully, before the beginning of time:

“In the beginning the Word already existed. 
The Word was with God, 
and the Word was God. 
He existed in the beginning with God. 
God created everything through him, 
and nothing was created except through him. 
The Word gave life to everything that was created, 
and his life brought light to everyone. 
The light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness can never extinguish it.”  
-‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus, the Word of God, has always been. He was with God at creation. As God, Jesus participated in creation. Jesus, the Word, spoke and stars appeared. He spoke and the earth was populated with trees, rivers, oceans and animals. Jesus breathed life into Adam and Eve. But Jesus wasn’t done with creation yet.

Christmas: the Culmination of Creation

Jesus as human is the culmination of creation. 2000 years ago and thousands of years after the creation of the world, the Word became human in a lowly stable to two poor and needy parents.

Creation brought us Adam, the first human, who along with his wife, Eve, proved to be imperfect sinners. History brought us Moses, who lead the people of God into a promised land, but Moses himself was barred from entering that promised land. Centuries later, we see Israel’s greatest king, David, a man after God’s own heart. But David was flawed too. His poor choices haunted the nation for generations. Further on, Elijah ushered in an era of prophets to Israel. They foretold of both coming judgment and the hope of a savior Messiah.

Jesus is Better

All of these – Adam, Moses, David and Elijah – and the archetypes they represent are flawed. The Word made human was all of these perfected.

Jesus is the better Adam — the first human who lived a perfect and sinless life.
Jesus is the better Moses — the one who leads us in exodus to an eternal promised land.
Jesus is the better David — the King of all kings.
Jesus is the better Elijah — the Prophet whom all prophecies point toward.

In the beginning, Jesus existed. At creation, Jesus was integral. At the first Christmas, creation culminated in the coming of God to earth. Finally, a path of redemption for all people was released.

This Christmas, celebrate a baby born in a manger, but also remember how creation is now fulfilled, and true perfection is coming!