TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son, who came from the father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Read: John 1:14
Listen: John 1
TODAY’S MESSAGE
This verse is packed full of history and meaning. When it says, “The Word (meaning Jesus) dwelt among us,” the author is reminding them of a significant part of Jewish history about 500 years before the building of the temple. God dwelt in the tabernacle long before the temple. The tabernacle was in the center of the camp and showed that God desired to live right with his people. Using the language of Jewish history, John is saying that this “dwelling” has happened again in the person of Jesus.
The Message is a Bible translation that uses contemporary language to help us better understand the passage. It paraphrases this verse beautifully, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.”
One of the interesting things about the history of the tabernacle is that the cloud (the presence of God) would move, and the entire camp would then pack up and follow. It was a physical reminder of who they followed. They moved when God moved. Jesus is the physical embodiment of God himself. When Jesus calls us to follow him, this is both a call back in Jewish history and a call for us to remember who we follow.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Spend a few minutes memorizing John 1:14 in The Message. To help you remember it, write it on a card or type it in your mobile to place somewhere you will see it all weekend. Use this as a reminder that Jesus, God-in-flesh, calls you to follow him.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
