This morning, Christians around the world gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth. But how did December 25 come to be associated with Jesus’ birthday. Celebrations of Jesus’ Nativity are not mentioned in the Gospels or Acts, the date is not given, nor even the time of year. There is no mention of birth celebrations in the writings of early Christians writers. About 200 AD, Clement of Alexandria, notes several different days that had been proposed by various Christian groups. It’s not until the fourth century, that we see references to December 25th in the west, and January 8th in the East that were widely recognized. Regardless of the Date, among Christians, Jesus alone is recognized as the way, the truth and the life.
Jesus alone is the way to God (10:7–9; Acts 4:12) because He alone is the truth (John 1:14, 17; 18:37; Rev. 3:7; 19:11) about God and He alone possesses the life of God (John 1:4; 5:26; 11:25; 1 John 1:1; 5:20). The purpose of this gospel is to make those things known, so they are repeated throughout the book so as to lead people to faith and salvation (20:31). To know the truth and to have life beyond the grave are the great aspirations of humankind. As John tells us, only in Jesus can these deepest of all human longings be fulfilled. For he in his very essence is truth and life; Jesus is the one and only way of salvation (Ko¨stenberger, A. J. (2004). John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (429–430). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.).
In truly celebrating the birth of Christ, we celebrate His uniqueness as:
1) The Way (John 14:1–6), 2) The Truth (John 14:4–11), 3) The Life (John 14:12-14).
1) The Way (John 14:1-6)
When Jesus told His disciples: Let/Do not let your heart be troubled, they were already troubled, and He was telling them to stop. In keeping with Semitic anthropology, “heart” denotes the seat of a person’s will and emotions (Ko¨stenberger, A. J. (2004). John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (425). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.)
Troubled translates a form of the verb tarasso (“to shake,” or “to stir up”). It is used to describe the literal stirring up of the pool of Bethesda (5:7) and, figuratively, of severe mental or spiritual agitation (Matt. 2:3; 14:26; Luke 1:12; 24:38; John 11:33; 13:21; Acts 15:24). As always, Jesus knew the disciples’ hearts; He understood their confusion and concerns. Ever the compassionate Savior, He sympathized with their sorrow and grief (Isa. 53:3–4; Heb. 4:15). Even though the disciples were oblivious to His pain, He felt theirs and sought to comfort them.
Jesus was telling his followers that it was their responsibility to act in faith to overcome their troubled hearts. They were not doomed to distress and discouragement. He addresses them as believers. Just as the disciples believe in God, they are to believe also in Him. Christ affirmed His deity, placing Himself on a par with the Father as an appropriate object of faith. In calling them to hope in God, Jesus was calling His disciples to put their hope in Him (Keddie, G. J. (2001). A Study Commentary on John, Volume 2: John 13–21. EP Study Commentary (65). Darlington, England; Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press.).
Another offering to comfort the disciples was the revelation that their separation from Him would not be permanent. Jesus’ words, If it were not so, I would have told you, assured the disciples that He was telling them the truth. He was going away in part to prepare a place for them where they would be reunited with Him in His heavenly glory (John 17:24). He is saying that: Without my death there would be no place for you; without my ascension and the sending forth of the Spirit, you would not be made ready for the place.”( Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 2: Exposition of the Gospel According to John. New Testament Commentary (265). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
Arriving on the scene after his departure is not the point when Jesus “begins to prepare the place,” but “it is the going itself, via the cross and resurrection” that is the act of preparation. The Gospel of John is not trying to portray Jesus as being in the construction business of building or renovating rooms. Rather, Jesus was in the business of leading people to God (Borchert, G. L. (2002). Vol. 25B: John 12–21. The New American Commentary (105). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
The Father’s house is another name for heaven, which is variously described as a country (Heb. 11:16), due to its vastness; a city (Heb. 12:22), emphasizing its large number of inhabitants; a kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18), because God is its King (Dan. 4:37; cf. Matt. 11:25; Acts 17:24); paradise (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7), because of its indescribable beauty; and a place of rest (cf. Heb. 4:1–11), where the redeemed are free from the wearying conflict with sin, Satan, and the evil world system that hates those who love Christ (John 15:19; 17:14).
The dwelling places of which the Lord spoke must not be pictured as separate buildings, as if heaven were a giant housing tract. The picture is rather of a father building additional rooms onto his house for his sons and their families, as was often done in Israel. In modern terms, the dwelling places might be pictured as rooms or apartments in the Father’s spacious house. That there will be many such dwelling places means there will be room for all whom God, in His infinite love and mercy, has chosen to redeem.
Jesus’ promise in John 14:3, I will come again and take/receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also, refers to the rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51–54; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; Rev. 3:10). When He returns in judgment and kingdom glory, the saints will come with Him (Rev. 19:7, 11–14).
Since He had already told them that He was returning to the Father (e.g., 7:33; 13:1, 3), Jesus expected the disciples to know the way to where He was going. But by this time their minds were so rattled (v. 1) that they were not sure of anything. In verse 5 Thomas vocalized their perplexity when he said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”. By now they understood that Jesus was going to die. But their knowledge stopped at death; they had no firsthand experience of what lay beyond the grave. Furthermore, Jesus Himself had told them that at this time they could not go where He was going (13:33, 36). If they did not know where the Lord was going, how could they know the way to get there?
Jesus’ reply in verse 6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” is the sixth “I AM” statement in John’s gospel (cf. 6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; the seventh comes in 15:1, 5). Jesus does not merely show the way; he is himself the way. It is true that he teaches the way (Mark 12:14; Luke 20:21), guides us in the way (Luke 1:79), and has dedicated for us a new and living way (Heb. 10:20); but all this is possible only because he is himself the way (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 2: Exposition of the Gospel According to John. New Testament Commentary (267). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
Please turn back to John 10 (p.896)
All three concepts are active and dynamic. The way brings to God; the truth makes men free; the life produces fellowship (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 2: Exposition of the Gospel According to John. New Testament Commentary (268). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
John 10:2-9 [2]But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3]To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4]When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5]A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." [6]This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. [7]So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8]All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. [9]I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (ESV)
No-one else can bring people to God, for no-one else has seen God or made him known (1:18; 3:13), no-one else speaks and embodies the truth about God as he does, no-one else shares the very life of God, and no-one else has dealt with the problem of human sin so as to bring people back to a holy God. This means that no-one can claim to know God while rejecting Jesus his Son (5:23; 8:42) (Kruse, C. G. (2003). Vol. 4: John: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (294). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.).
Illustration: 2736 My Christmas Wish
Edward Bos wrote: I’ve wished a very special wish For you this Christmas-tide; It reaches far beyond today, ’Tis high and deep, and wide. I wish for you the angels’ song That tells of hope and love; I wish the radiance of the Star To guide your thoughts above. I wish for you the sturdy faith That led the Wise Men three Through cold of night, o’er desert drear, The Holy Child to see. I wish for you a humble heart, With purpose strong and true— The blessing of the Christ, our Lord— This is my wish for you. (Edward Bos as recorded in Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 661). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.)
In truly celebrating the birth of Christ, we celebrate His uniqueness as:
2) The Truth (John 14:7–11)
To bolster the disciples’ wavering faith, vocalized by Thomas (v. 7), Jesus pointed them back to the truth that He is God incarnate. “If you had known Me,” He chided them with the statement: “you would have known My Father also.” With verbs which are plurals, indicating that the Lord was no longer addressing Thomas alone as in v. 6, but all the disciples), If the disciples had fully grasped who Jesus was, they would have known the Father as well.
It was only after Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost (John 14:17, 26; 15:26; 16:13) that the disciples would finally understand Jesus’ deity and relationship to the Father (John 20:28; Acts 2:22ff.; 3:12ff.; 4:8–12; 5:29–32). Because that understanding would certainly come in the future, Jesus spoke of it as if it were a present reality in the phrase: from now on you do know Him, and have seen Him.
Thomas was silenced by Jesus’ reply to his question, but Philip in verse 8 was still not satisfied. Expressing the disciples’ continuing lack of understanding, Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father.” He was not content with indirect knowledge of God, even that given by Jesus Himself. Instead, he wanted a visible manifestation of the Father’s presence to sustain his faith. Perhaps he had in mind the experiences of Jacob (Gen. 32:30), Samson’s parents (Judg. 13), Moses (Ex. 33:18–23; 34:6–7), the elders of Israel (Ex. 24:9–10), Isaiah (Isa. 6:1–4), and Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:1ff.). Such a theophany, Philip added, would be enough to reassure them (the plural pronoun us suggests that Philip spoke for the others as well).
Please turn to Colossians 2 (p.984)
The Lord’s reply in verse 9, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip?” was a rebuke both to Philip for his faithless request and, by extension, the rest of the disciples for their wavering faith. (The first occurrence of you in the English translation reflects a plural pronoun in the Greek text.) Reiterating the truth of His deity and oneness with the Father (v. 7), Jesus told Philip and the others plainly, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (cf. v. 20; 1:18; 10:38; 12:45; 15:24; 17:11, 21–23). Christ’s words are tinged with sadness.
Who is He, and what should be our response:
Colossians 2:6-10 [6]Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, [7]rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. [8]See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. [9]For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, [10]and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (ESV)
Jesus shored up the disciples’ sagging faith by reminding them first of His words, in verse 10 which He did not speak on His own authority/initiative, but through the abiding power of the Father. John the Baptist testified of Christ, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God” (John 3:34). Jesus declared in John 7:16, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” In 12:49 He added, “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.” So powerful were the Lord’s words that at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, “when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28–29). Explaining to their superiors why they failed to seize Him, those sent to arrest Jesus said in awe, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks” (John 7:46). The powerful, divine words of Jesus Christ, which penetrate the heart and mind, are the answer to the cry of the redeemed, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5; cf. 2 Cor. 10:15).
Illustration: The Lord Jesus Christ whom we exalt at Christmas is not just a baby in a manger. He is not a character in a children’s story. He is far more. The first time he came, he came veiled in the form of a child. The next time he comes, and we believe it will be soon, he will come unveiled, and it will be abundantly and immediately clear to all the world just who he really is. The first time he came, a star marked his arrival. The next time he comes, the whole heavens will roll up like a scroll, and all the stars will fall out of the sky, and he himself will light it. The first time he came, shepherds brought him gifts. The next time he comes, he will bring gifts, rewards for his own. The first time he came, there was no room for him. The next time he comes, the whole world will not be able to contain His glory. The first time he came, only a few attended his arrival. The next time he comes, every eye shall see him.The first time he came as a baby. Soon he will come as Sovereign King and Lord (Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 59). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)
Finally in truly celebrating the birth of Christ, we celebrate His uniqueness as:
3) The Life (John 14:11-14)
Finally, not only is faith based on the words of Christ, but also on the unprecedented (John 15:24; cf. 9:32; Matt. 9:33; Mark 2:12), undeniable (John 3:2; 7:31; 11:47) miraculous works He performed. The Lord’s command in verse 11, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me,” suggests the cure for the disciples’ confusion and turmoil. Faith is not only the means of appropriating salvation (Eph. 2:8; cf. Acts 15:9; 20:21; 26:18; Rom. 3:22, 25–28, 30; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:7–9, 24, 26; Phil. 3:9; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:15), it is also the very essence of sustaining the Christian life (Acts 6:5; 11:24; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 6:16; 1 Thess. 5:8; 1 Tim. 4:12; 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; Heb. 13:7).
Therefore, He challenged the disciples, in verse 11“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or else/otherwise believe on account/because of the works themselves.” Faith is not merely adherence to certain intellectual propositions, but rather trust in a living person. So here Jesus calls on Philip and the others (the verb is plural) to believe him, not only to believe in him. Faith includes the recognition that what Jesus says is true (Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (573). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)
The astonishing promise in verse 12 to whoever believes in Christ is that the works that He does, such an individual: will also do; and greater works than these will he do. The greater works to which Jesus referred were not greater in power than those He performed, but greater in extent. The disciples would indeed perform miraculous works, as Jesus had (cf. Acts 5:12–16; Heb. 2:3–4). But those physical miracles were not primarily what Jesus had in mind, since the apostles did not do more powerful miracles than He had. When the Lord spoke of His followers performing greater works, He was referring to the extent of the spiritual miracle of salvation. Jesus never preached outside of Palestine, yet His followers would spread the gospel throughout the world. Jesus had only a limited outreach to Gentiles (cf. Mark 7:26ff.), but the disciples (particularly Peter and later Paul) would reach the Gentile world with the gospel. The number of believers in Christ would also grow far beyond the hundreds (Acts 1:15; 1 Cor. 15:6) that were numbered during His lifetime.
The power to perform those greater works would only be available because Jesus was going to the Father. It was only then that He would send the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; cf. 14:16–17, 26; 15:26; 16:13; Acts 1:5) to indwell believers (Rom. 8:9–11) and empower them for ministry (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:4–11; cf. Eph. 3:20).Christ’s promise to send the Holy Spirit offered further comfort to the disciples. Though Jesus would no longer be visibly present with them, the Spirit would provide them with all the power they needed to extend the work He had begun (cf. Acts 1:8).
Anticipating their concern, Jesus promised in verse 13 that even after He was gone, He would continue to supply the disciples’ needs from heaven. Repeating it twice for emphasis, the Lord reassured them, Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do… [14]If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. Prayer would bridge the gap between their needs and His abundant, limitless, undepleted resources (cf. Phil. 4:19). The ultimate purpose for Christ’s gracious provision, as is true of everything that God does, is as verse 13 clearly states: that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Please turn to Matthew 6 (p.811)
To ask in Jesus’ name does not mean to frivolously tack the words “in Jesus’ name” onto the end of a prayer. It is not a magic formula that obligates God to grant every selfish request that people make. To pray in Jesus’ name has a far more profound and serious meaning.
Matthew 6:25-32 [25]"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26]Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27]And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28]And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29]yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30]But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31]Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32]For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (ESV)
Finally, it is to express a sincere desire that God would be glorified in His answer. It is to align one’s requests with the Father’s supreme goal of glorifying the Son. When believers pray in this way, they pray in keeping with Jesus’ name—His person, His purposes, and His preeminence. Jesus came for this reason and we continue celebrating this reason this Christmas day and every day onward.
(Format Note: Some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2008). John 12–21. MacArthur New Testament Commentary (96–108). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.)
