“And Now You Know”

Passage: John 1:1  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

When I was growing up, we listened to the radio a lot while at home.  One of my favorite programs was narrated by Paul Harvey called “The Rest of the Story.”  Paul Harvey had a compelling voice and was even more a compelling storyteller.  He would start a story without you knowing whom the story was about.  He would give many interesting, unknown and sometimes humorous facts and background information and finally at the very end he would reveal the name of the person and close with “and now you know the rest of the story.” 

On this eve of Christmas, let’s review some very basic background information about our celebration story.  Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for Him in the inn.  No one paid any attention except Mary and Joseph, yet heavenly hosts proclaimed His birth.  He began to change lives from the moment He was born for the shepherds went about proclaiming the good news. He ministered to the people in the Judean and Galilean countryside for three years.  He was crucified and was treated completely inhumanly for no reason of His own but was resurrected three days later because He was and is the Son of God.  He ascended to heaven and promised He would return.

Sometimes we don’t like the story of the cross to intersect with our beautiful manger scenes and lovely Christmas trees but one is incomplete without the other.  John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life.”  That’s the miracle of Christmas! 

And now you know the rest of the story!

Father, lead us to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.