In this short prologue to the letter the Apostle John is doing several things at once. But most of all he’s focusing attention on who Jesus is. He says that when we know who Jesus is, we enter into a fellowship, a fellowship both with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and with all who know them personally. It’s a fellowship unlike any other we’ve ever experienced. So in this study we want to think about two things: who is Jesus? And what's the nature of this fellowship that we have in him, with each other, and that we want others to join along with us? May God open our hearts and speak to us through his word today.

   We might assume that those who wrote the Bible were really holy and righteous people. But Matthew shatters that assumption. He used to be a tax collector. It means he used to live for making money. Among his fellow Jews it was a disgraceful occupation. Squeezing money out of people made him cruel, selfish, and, an extremely lonely man. But after experiencing the grace of Jesus, Matthew changed dramatically. He left his former occupation and accepted Jesus’ message of the hope of the kingdom of God. Based on this hope, Jesus taught him a totally different value system.

“Save!” It’s a word used in many ways. In soccer or hockey it means to prevent the opponent from scoring. “Save” can mean to keep or store up. We save important documents on our computer, or memorable photos or sentimental items from childhood. We’re urged to save time or money, or save for retirement. “Save” can also mean to rescue or protect. We can be saved from death on the operating table, or saved from drowning by a lifeguard. But being saved can also go deeper, like being saved from substance abuse or a messed up relationship. Today Christmas means many things to many people: Gifts and trees and songs and lights and warm drinks and family and memories.

“Would you do me a favor?” It’s a common question. But there’s also the common saying: “Don’t do me any favors!” It can be humiliating to accept a favor, and we always feel we have to pay it back. We know about human favors, but there’s also God’s favor. What is it? God’s favor is a very special privilege, but it’s also available to the most humble, ordinary person. In the first part of chapter 1 an angel announces the birth of John the Baptist to his father, Zechariah. Now he announces the birth of Jesus to his mother, Mary. Unlike Zechariah, Mary has been the subject of so many books, music and art. Mary’s story has struck a chord in human beings all around the world.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Do I matter?” In a world full of problems and people sometimes we feel insignificant. Especially our personal problems and struggles can seem unimportant. But in today’s passage we find two people who really mattered to God. Usually history is written from the point of view of “the great people”— great leaders, thinkers, achievers. But Luke wrote a gospel history focused on ordinary people.

  This tells us that there’s real joy in serving Jesus and in leading people to him. It’s the joy of seeing people find their true Messiah in Jesus. It’s the joy of seeing people finding a real solution to their sin problem, finding the deepest satisfaction that nothing and no one else can give. In life we can be joyful about many things. Like when our favorite team wins. Or when we get whatever it is that we wanted. Or when people finally recognize us. But the greatest joy there is is when we get to be a part of leading someone to Jesus.

   Have you ever tried to talk to somebody who thought they were better than you? It’s hard, isn’t it? It’s so frustrating, and at times even infuriating. We’re in the middle of an event in which Jesus is trying to help a man named Nicodemus. But Nicodemus, though he came to Jesus, won’t accept his teaching about being born again. Intellectually he finds it ridiculous. But in this second half of the story we find that Nicodemus’ problem isn’t intellectual; it’s much deeper.