Coca-Cola use the slogan ‘it’s the real thing‘ to market their soft drink:

John is adamant that God is the ‘real thing.’  At the end of his first epistle, he writes ‘We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.‘ (1 John 5:20) This emphasis on Jesus being true is reiterated in his gospel (see John 15:1 where Jesus is described as the ‘true vine’; John 6:32, where He is described as the ‘true bread from heaven’ and John 1:9, where He is described as the ‘true light’, not to mention Rev 19:11, where He is described as ‘Faithful and True‘.) Eternal life, which John reminds us is one of the things we can know we have (1 John 5:13), is described as knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

One of the reasons idolatry is so futile and harmful is because it involves worship of something which is not genuinely able to help us. Hab 2:18-19 and Ps 135:15-18 remind us that that which is created by human hands, even if adorned with silver or gold, cannot actually help us. Idolatry does not simply refer to wooden or metal statues, of course. An idol is any kind of false god, anything which comes in the place of supremacy which only God deserves. We can put ourselves or other people in this place. We can end up valuing work (or the riches work brings) so much that it takes God’s place. Our hearts are deceitful (Jer 17:9) and we need to guard against this tendency to substitute the false for the genuine. John urges us to abide in Christ throughout this letter and reminds us that ‘we are in Him who is in true by being in His Son Jesus Christ.’ The ‘in Him’ statements in the New Testament are vast (see, for example, Col 1:17, 19; Eph 1:4, 7 , 13; 2 Cor 5:21; Col 2:6-7; 1 Thess 4:14). The One who holds all things together in the universe and in whom all the fullness of God dwells lives in us. His righteousness is given to us; we are rooted and built up in Him and will ultimately be raised to everlasting life if we die in Him. Why settle for a substitute? Let’s dwell in the real thing, the only true God!

John’s first letter was written, it seems, to counter some of the heresies faced by the early Christians and not surprisingly, therefore, the final verses look at knowing Him who is true and keeping ourselves from idols. (1 John 5:18-21) The false teachers mentioned throughout the letter and denounced as antichrists (1 John 2:18-23) are those who are counterfeit: not genuine, not authentic, no matter how they may initially seem.

The Bank of England informs us that although there were 2,500 prosecutions for passing forged notes last year and some £25 million was seized, one banknote in a hundred in circulation is a forgery, and numbers are on the increase. Being able to recognise forged notes is crucial. A genuine £5 note should:

• feel crisp (Banknotes are printed on special paper that gives them their unique feel. By running your finger across the front of the £5 note you can feel raised print in areas such as the words ‘Bank of England’.)
• have a metallic strip, (There is a metallic thread embedded in every banknote. This appears as silver dashes on the back of the £5 note. If you hold the note up to the light the metallic thread will appear as a continuous dark line.)
• a watermark (Queen’s head)
• sharp clear printing. (Using a magnifying glass, look closely at the lettering beneath the Queen’s portrait on the £5 note – you will see the value of the note written in small letters and numbers.)
• check the ultra violet feature (If you look at the front of the £5 note under a good quality ultra-violet light, the number 5 appears in bright red and green whilst the background remains dull in contrast.)
• Check the hologram (There is a hologram on the foil patch on the front of the £5 note. If you tilt the note, the image will change between a brightly coloured picture of Britannia and the number 5.)

Counterfeit goods (colloquially known as ‘knock-offs’) are big business for many people, reproducing goods such as shoes, boots, clothes, perfume, jewellery or electronic goods that are not genuinely made by the designer on the label. Sometimes, we are deceived into receiving forgeries or counterfeit goods. In the same way, the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4) and we are prone to walk in darkness at times without the true light to illuminate our hearts (see 1 John 2:11, John 1:9). At other times, we choose deliberately to purchase such goods because they are cheaper and feed our need for status and apparent importance. Idols – false substitutes for God, the illusory rather than the real (Blaikclock), clever facsimiles (The Message) – are much less demanding than God, who wants us to surrender our whole lives to Him. (Mark 8:34-37, Rom 12:1-2) But we need to understand that no substitute for God will ever satisfy and have to search our hearts continually to ensure we flee from idolatry. (1 Cor 10:14)

John’s Gospel does not contain the Nativity narratives found in Luke and Matthew, but does focus on Jesus as the Word of God and the Creator of everything. In the first chapter, we read ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.‘ (John 1:5) Alternative versions translate ‘overcome’ as ‘understood‘.

The world does not understand Jesus, and consequently does not understand Christmas. It focuses on parts it can understand (presents, celebration), but remains oblivious to the sacrifice and humility inherent in the Incarnation. As today’s song says, ‘You shone upon the Earth, but who will understand? You come unto Your own, but who will recognise?’ Let’s focus on John 1 amongst all the traditional nativity stories and reflect on Jesus our Creator who became flesh and made His dwelling among us. (John 1:14)

‘Oh Jesus, Son of God, so full of grace and truth
The Father’s saving word, so wonderful are You
The angels longed to see and prophets searched to find
The glory we have seen revealed

Light of the world, light of the world
Light of the world, You shine upon us
Light of the world, light of the world
Light of the world, You shine upon us.’ (‘Light Of the World’, Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman)

Christmas is God’s gift to us: ‘Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!‘ (2 Cor 9:15) But our response should be to offer all that we are and have to Him (see Rom 12:1-2). Today’s song is called ‘Christmas Offering’ and talks about the offering of worship we bring to Jesus.

‘Over the skies of Bethlehem appeared a star
While angels sang to lowly shepherds
Three wise men seeking truth, they travelled from afar
Hoping to find the Child from Heaven falling on their knees
They bow before the humble Prince of peace

The sun cannot compare to the glory of Your love
There is no shadow in Your presence
No mortal man would dare to stand before Your throne
Before the Holy One of Heaven, it’s only by Your blood
It’s only through Your mercy, Lord, I come.’ (‘Christmas Offering’, Casting Crowns)

Some people have asked me about sending Christmas gifts to Bedline. We will be sending a small gift and card to Bedline for Christmas. Below is the list of things which can be sent:

• postcards
• photographs
• paper stickers
• small note books
• small books
• coloured papers
• maps
• posters (folded)
• small calendars
• drawings or paintings

The following items cannot be sent, due to customs’ restrictions:

• musical greetings cards
• pencils, crayons, pencil cases (children will have access to colouring materials at the projects)
• jewellery, hair clips, ribbons
• clothing
• toys
• balloons
• leather or fabric bookmarks
• stickers which are foam or fabric (not paper)
• glue or craft tools
• oversized books or paper items that cannot be folded to fit into an A4 envelope

Compassion give the following information about financial gifts:

‘You can also send financial gifts to your child, their family and their project. This has the added advantage of helping your child’s community by introducing funds into the local economy.

Financial Gift Options:

• Individual Gifts are for your sponsored child – between £7 and a maximum of £60 (including birthday gifts). Two individual gifts can be sent per calendar year (i.e. an annual maximum of £120). The project staff will use the money you send to buy a suitable gift for your child.

• Family Gifts are for your child’s family – between £15 and an annual maximum of £600. Project staff will help the family to use the money wisely.

• Project Gifts are for the project your child attends – between £60 and an annual maximum of £1,200 per year. Staff at the project will use this money for the most pressing needs they have.

• Graduation Gifts are for your sponsored child during their final year in the Child Sponsorship Programme – between £7 and £1,200.

The entire amount of your gift will reach your child, their family or their project.’

Today’s song again looks at the theme of ‘Emmanuel’, God with us. ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.‘ (2 Cor 8:9) The fact that Jesus left His glory in heaven, that He laid down His crown to become as dust (man being made from dust originally, Gen 2:7) is one of the most amazing truths of the Incarnation. That we should become rich through His poverty is even more astounding! This divine exchange, whereby we receive all the blessings of heaven, causes our hearts to rejoice. All we can give in return are grateful hearts and surrendered lives.

‘Hallelujah, the King has come,
Beautiful Saviour God’s own Son.
Hallelujah, the Christ is here
So rejoice for our salvation’s near

Emmanuel, our humble King
We give you our hearts as an offering
You laid down your crown
And became as dust
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
God with u.’ (‘God With Us’, Jeremy Camp)