The Christian life begins when, by God’s grace, we are brought to repentance and faith in the true Jesus revealed in Scripture. John does not introduce Jesus as merely a wise teacher, a moral example, or someone who can improve our lives. He tells us that the eternal Word became flesh and lived among us (John 1:14). The eternal Son, who is God, came near in the flesh and revealed the glory of God—the glory Moses had longed to see (Exodus 33:18-23). Jesus did not stop being God when He became man, and He did not merely appear to be human. He entered our world, shared our humanity, obeyed the Father, suffered, died, and rose again so that sinners could be brought to God (Hebrews 2:14-17). When we want to know what God is like, we do not begin with our feelings, assumptions, fears, or culture. We look at Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture (Hebrews 1:1-3).
That means one of the most important habits of determined discipleship is learning to keep our eyes on the real Jesus. We can easily create a version of Jesus who agrees with everything we already believe, overlooks everything we do not want to surrender, and exists mainly to make our plans work. But the true Jesus is Lord, Savior, King, and the perfect revelation of the Father. He is full of grace toward sinners, and He is also full of truth that exposes what is false and sinful (John 1:14). The good news is that the One who shows us our need is also the One who came to save us. At the cross, we see both the seriousness of our sin and the greatness of God’s mercy (Romans 5:8). So be hungry to know Him, humble enough to let His Word correct you, and teachable when Scripture challenges the Jesus you may have imagined. The more clearly we behold Christ, the more our worship, relationships, obedience, and witness can be shaped by who He actually is (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Reflection Question: When you think about Jesus, are your thoughts shaped mainly by Scripture, or have you allowed personal preferences, fears, experiences, or culture to shape the Jesus you follow?
Practical Challenge: Spend ten uninterrupted minutes reading John 1:1-18. Write down everything the passage says about who Jesus is. Then ask yourself, “What did I see about Jesus today that I need to believe, worship, or obey?”
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, teach me to behold Your Son as He truly is. Guard me from creating a Jesus who simply agrees with my preferences or serves my plans. Holy Spirit, instruct me through Your Word so that I know the glory, holiness, grace, truth, compassion, and authority of Jesus more clearly. Remind me that the eternal Son came near, took on flesh, carried the judgment my sin deserves, and rose again so that I could be reconciled to You. Give me grace to worship Christ as Lord, trust Him as Savior, and follow Him with a hungry, humble, and teachable heart. As I come to know Him, shape my life so that others can see something true about Jesus through the way I speak, love, forgive, and obey. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Psalm: Psalm 86:15 — Meditate on the Lord as merciful, gracious, patient, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
Reflection Song
Song: “Behold Our God” — Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge
This song fits today because the first call of the devotional is simply to behold God as He has revealed Himself. It directs our attention away from ourselves and toward the greatness of God and the saving work of Christ.
✨✝️ Watch the whole sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1bBRSMZFFk&t=2208s