What would you do if Jesus moved into your neighborhood? 

As a new family moves into the neighborhood there is excitement and questions. Who are our new neighbors? Do they have kids? Will they mow their yard? Will their dogs bark throughout the night? 

Can you imagine if Jesus moved into the house, apartment, or dorm room next to you? Would you rush outside to clean up your yard to have a presentable house? Would you invite him over for a meal? Would you change the way that you interact with your children when they play in the front yard? Would you stay inside and never interact with him? 

The truth is that Jesus did move into the neighborhood. 2,000 years ago Jesus came to earth in the form of a human to bring us grace, truth, hope, and salvation. He came to earth for that exact aim – to have his Spirit reside with you. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The Message translation says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14). Jesus journeyed from heaven to earth so that you would journey with Him on earth and in heaven. 

What is the correct response for Jesus coming to earth and “moving into the neighborhood”? One incorrect response is to try to impress Jesus with everything that you are doing. This is what the Pharisees did in the New Testament. They sought to show their religious devotion in an arrogant way and missed true spiritual growth. Another incorrect response is to avoid Jesus. Sadly, many people chose to reject and avoid the grace and truth that is found in Jesus. The Bible tells us that the correct response to Jesus’ arrival is to receive him and submit to his Lordship for our lives. 

Jesus came to dwell among humanity to bring grace, truth, hope, and salvation. 

His mission wasn’t condemnation but liberation. 

His mission wasn’t rejection but salvation. 

Jesus is pursuing you even when you aren’t pursuing him. 

Jesus is looking for you even when you aren’t looking for him. 

Live It: 

• How have you responded to Jesus “moving into the neighborhood” by coming into the earth? 
• Do you live to impress Jesus, avoid Jesus, or receive Jesus?

Christ Chronological: John 1:1-18, Mark 1:1, Luke 1:1-4

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Light and darkness are used through the Scriptures to describe the conflict God and evil. When we talk about the conflict between God and evil it is important to state that God is not struggling to overcome darkness. Referring to Jesus, John 1:5 tells us plainly “That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5). Jesus is not struggling against a power that is equal to his own. Satan is not all-powerful but a being created by God who rebelled against God. All the forces of evil try to extinguish the light of Jesus. But evil is incapable of overcoming God in the same way that darkness is unable to extinguish the light. 

• Jesus shines in the darkness. 
• Jesus drives back evil.
• Jesus is light. 

The conflict present between light and darkness but arises because humanity choses wandering in the darkness over walking in the light of Jesus. The world doesn’t understand the light of God or, sadly, they don’t see the need for the light. Some believe that illumination is found through intelligence or experiences. Intelligence and experiences are good bases for understanding but are not the source of illumination. Jesus is in all things, has created all things, is before all things, and all things point to Him. (Colossians 1:16-17) True illumination can only come from the source of light and light. 

There is a truth about light and darkness – your eyes will adjust to darkness. If you spend time in a dark room your eyes will adjust to help you see your surroundings. You can become familiar with the darkness around you. Even though they adjust in the darkness, you will never see a full picture until light fills the room. You are unaware of the dangers that surround you. You are unaware of the opportunities around you. 

Darkness traps and disorients but light illuminates and liberates. Walking apart from Jesus is to walk in the darkness of the world. You might be able to navigate around some obstacles every now and again when you wander in the darkness but you will never have a clear picture of the plan and purpose that God has for your life.

What you decide about Jesus will change the course of your life. Life isn’t found by wandering. Life is found through following Jesus. 

Jesus is the source of life and light in our lives. 

• Light gives vision. 
• Light gives direction. 
• Light brings liberation. 
• Light gives perspective. 
• Light overcomes darkness. 

Live It: 

• Do you follow Jesus? 
• Are you looking for a solution, direction, or understanding outside of a pursuit of Jesus? 
• What are some ways that you can submit and follow the Light of Jesus today? 

Christ Chronological: John 1:1-18

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Your cell phone has “Airplane Mode” to keep your cell phone from interfering with the critical systems of an airplane during takeoff and landing so that the plane won’t crash or be delayed. Airplanes have so many important systems that they are unwilling to take a chance on your device interfering with the flight. Airlines ask that cell phones are turned off so that they limit the risk of a crash. 

In Mark 6:31 we see the disciples return from a period of doing ministry. The account tells us that they were so busy serving others that “they did not even have time to eat.” Instead of celebrating the full days of work Jesus ministered to the disciples by taking them to a quiet place to rest. The disciples were exhausted, hungry, and spent. Jesus invited them to rest in His presence and to be ministered by Him. 

I believe that Jesus is asking us to silence a few things so that they don’t interfere with what God is doing in our lives. So many of us are so busy working for Jesus and we forget to spend time with Jesus. Our schedules run us into the ground. Our phones cause us to become zombies. Our need for progress keeps us from slowing down and enjoying life. Jesus is inviting us to silence a few things in our lives so that we can rest in His presence. 

If we cultivate a rhythm of silencing areas of our lives: distractions, other’s opinions, sins, and even our phones, we will limit the crashes as delays in our lives. Silencing an area of your life may be permanent, like silencing sinful habits, or it might be short-term, like putting your phone in another room so you can be fully present during your devotion time or while having dinner with your family. 

Live It: 

• Where do you need to slow down? 
• How can you rest in the presence of Jesus today? 

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 I never had issues with seasonal allergies before moving to Georgia. I’m convinced that something that grows down here is trying to kill me! Growing up in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains I thought that I was immune to outdoor allergens. Lucky for me, there is a random plant in Georgia that causes me to swell up in the spring and fall. 

Pollen is the way that trees and other plants fertilize plants of the same species. A healthy tree will grow and reproduce (which causes many of us the unfortunate side effect of allergies). If a tree isn’t healthy, it won’t grow or reproduce.

The Bible is filled with language that describes spiritual maturity as growth. Jesus mentions in John 15 that He is the vine and we are the branches. Galatians 5 mentions the Fruit of the Spirit. Even the Great Commission is an instruction to multiply believers through evangelism and discipleship.

One thing is for sure, healthy things grow. And this applies to Christians. If you aren’t growing in your faith in Jesus then there is possibly something unhealthy in your life – a relationship, sin, ideology, pride, a busy schedule, etc. – that is keeping you from abiding in Jesus.

If you detach an apple from the tree – it’s source of life – it looks the same as it did on the tree. In reality, that apple will not continue to grow once it is detached from the tree. It is slowly dying because it has been removed from it’s source of life. 

We cannot manufacture or fake spiritual growth. 

• Jesus is the only one who gives spiritual life. 
• Jesus is the only one who gives spiritual growth. 

 If you aren’t growing then something might be unhealthy in your spiritual life that you are allowing to interfere with your connection to Jesus. Jesus is our source of spiritual life and spiritual growth. We must stay connected to Him through reliance on the Holy Spirit and daily spiritual disciplines to remain in Him.

Live It: 

You don’t have to comment, but are you growing in your relationship with Jesus?

• Do you love the people that Jesus has created?
• Do you serve sacrificially as Jesus served?
• Do you share the gospel as Jesus did in spirit and truth?

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Have you realized that there are people who are going to find fault in everything that you do? 

The older you are the more you begin to realize that you are unable to please everyone. There are some people who are bitter with life and have taken it upon their shoulders to make life bitter for everyone around there. 

Timothy was a young pastor, probably in his thirties, leading a large group of young Chrisitans in Ephesus. First century churches were full of new converts to Christianity and old traditions of previous religions. Without a Bible to preach from and explain the core doctrines of the Christian faith (remember, they were living at the time that the New Testament was being written) groups and individuals were giving their personal thoughts and opinions on what it meant to follow Jesus. Paul wrote letters to churches and leaders to encourage their faith and to correct false teachings of Jesus. These groups and individuals would look for any reason to invalidate a spiritual leader’s authority. If a leader fell then these false teachers would step up to lead with their own hopes and opinions.

Paul told Timothy to “Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Timothy lived as a spiritual example of what a believer truly can be. His practice of godliness and the demonstration of Christian character could compensate for the lack of calendar years. The term “example” signifies a pattern or a model. Paul desired that people in Ephesus develop godliness by modeling Timothy. 

People will try to despise you because of your faith. “To despise” means to discard someone as one who is unworthy. People will may you feel like you are beneath them – because of your age, skills, personality, past. 

How would people in your workplace act if they were modeling your spiritual life? 

Set an example with your outer and inner life. 

Speech and Conduct point to the outward traits that others observe. 

Love, faith, and purity are inward traits of spiritual growth and integrity. 

Live It: 

• Would your co-workers, friends, or family develop godliness if they modeled your life? 
• How can you strengthen your outer or inner life to walk with Jesus and live as an example of faith to others? 

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Have you ever thought about if it was easy for Jesus to avoid sin? 

Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. If you think that Jesus lived an easy life then you are mistaken. Jesus was homeless, rejected, abused, and tempted. 

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus “has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus experienced various temptations during His earthly ministry. Think about it, Satan tempted Jesus for 40 straight days in the wilderness. There is evil that tempts us to walk away from God, but I highly doubt that many of us have been through temptation from Satan for 40 days. Jesus, being fully man and fully God, would have felt the weight of those temptations. But the allure of sin did not cause Jesus to give in. Jesus was tempted but He never sinned against God. 

We follow a God who has experienced temptation and the emotional complexities it takes to stand firm in a situation. That is why the writer of Hebrews says “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was tempted but stood firm. He has experienced trails, suffering, rejection, and temptation. He knows what you are going through, not only because of His infinite knowledge, but Jesus has firsthand experience with pain, temptation, and suffering. He knows how we feel and ministers to us in precisely the ways that we need. 

Each day brings new mercies (Lamentations 3:22-23) and new temptations. You will be faced with temptations today – temptations to stand on your own, to disobey God’s Word, to put down someone else, or to follow your own plan instead of God’s. Through Jesus, you are able to stand firm in moments of temptation. No one, other than Jesus, is perfect. We all succumb to temptation at some point. However know that temptation isn’t a sin until you give in.  

Live It: 

• How does Hebrews 4:15 change the way that you approach Jesus when you are being tempted to give in to sin? 

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