Week 1- FOUNDATION STONES for Christmas
King’s Cross Ministries has prepared 3 special devotional studies for this Advent Season – 1 for each week leading up to Christmas. Each devotional study is based on an aspect of our Foundation Stones course.
Week 1
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:12, 13 forms the basis of our Christmas studies this week. In this passage, we read about those who have the right to become children of God. These ones are “those who believed in his name”. At first glance, we think we understand this very well. Yes, those who believe in Jesus, as opposed to Buddha, perhaps, or the Universe – are those who are the children of God.
But is that the fullness of meaning of this passage? What does it actually mean to “believe in his name”? Amongst other things, it most definitely means to know him as he truly is. Charles Spurgeon put it this way:
“My Master will not be satisfied with the acknowledgment that his character is lovely, his doctrine pure, and his moral teaching super-excellent; he will not be content with your admission that he is a prophet greater than any prophet that ever came before or after him; he will not rest satisfied with your admission that he is a teacher sent from heaven, and a being who on account of his virtues is now peculiarly exalted in heaven: all this is well, but it is not enough; you must also believe that he who as man was born of the virgin, and was dandled upon her lap at Bethlehem, was as God none other than the everlasting Lord, without beginning of days or end of years. You do not receive Christ in very deed and truth unless you believe in his proper humanity and actual Godhead.”
As you prepare for Christmas day this year, prepare yourself spiritually as well, prepare yourself to “receive him” again – in very deed and truth in his proper humanity and actual Godhead. Take this week as a special time of meditating upon the humanity and Deity of Christ. Every aspect of your marvellous Saviour is revealed to you as you do so.
Unless you, like Philip, have recognised the absolute ordinariness of your human Jesus, the man from the obscure village of Nazareth - and have leaned upon his flesh and bones shoulder to share with him your very human joys and sorrows, you have not truly “received” him.
Unless you, like Thomas, have fallen on your knees before Jesus and declared, “My Lord and my God,” you have not truly “received” him.
For who but a true human being could carry the guilt of humanity to the guillotine of God? And who, but God Himself, could shoulder the weight of forgiving those sins.
Meditate upon one or two of these Scriptures every day this week
‘Who do you say I am?’ Luke 9:18–36
‘What think ye of Christ?’ Matthew 22:42
Consider the second person of the Godhead—Christ in eternity before creation John 1:1–2;Colossians 1:16–17; 1 Peter 1:18–20
Christ in Old Testament history John 8:56–58; 12:41–42
Christ in the womb before Christmas Matthew 1:18,20,23; Luke 1:31,35.