Taking Up Residence
Read the Text: John 1
Memorize the Text: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Consider the Text: John 1:14
The Gospel of John opens with the declaration of the eternal nature of Christ. The Apostle wrote of the presence of the Word in creation and the coming of the Word to bring salvation. The purpose of Christ’s coming was expanded further as John depicted that Christ came to take up residence here on earth for a time, so that we could have a way to gain eternal residence with him. John described this in John 1:14 as he told of the Word becoming flesh.
John revealed JESUS CAME TO THE WILDERNESS. The wilderness is the world. The term wilderness defines a world that exists as marred by sin and running out of control. Each individual lives in a state of rebellion against the Lord by living in ways counter to the Lord’s truth and expectations. This state of wilderness leads to a condition of wandering. People wander through the wilderness because of hopelessness and not having a direction. They walk through life without the guidance of a shepherd and thus live with no sense of urgency or purpose. This is the world Jesus entered. He came as the needed shepherd to engage and lead needy sheep.
Jesus did not just come to the wilderness, but HE TOOK UP RESIDENCE. Jesus did not arrive and leave immediately, but he took up residence and made the wilderness his home. The underlying truth comes that the agent of creation took on the form of creation for the purpose of being the agent of salvation for his creation. When John mentioned Jesus as “The Word,” he referenced the readers back to the Genesis account of creation. Christ was the agent, “The Word,” by which the Lord created and came to be the agent to redeem a lost creation. He did this by taking up residence and being with us. He pitched the momentary tent of dwelling to form the only avenue for humanity to gain the eternal dwelling.
Jesus used his time in the flesh to BRING FORTH AND OFFER GRACE AND TRUTH. Jesus did not bring a partial grace but came and offered full grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward us. We have done nothing to deserve God’s act of offering salvation, but he offers it to us though we do not deserve it. God’s favor extends to us even while we deserve death because of our sin. This extension of grace coincides with God's extending of mercy. In mercy, God withholds the judgment we deserve so that we might have the life we do not deserve. When Jesus came to the wilderness, he brought with him grace and mercy that extended to the wildlings so that they could become sons and daughters of the One True God.
Jesus came and took up residence in the wilderness so that you and I could leave the wilderness and enter the promised land of heaven. God’s grace and mercy extended through Christ and became available to use after Christ’s work on the cross and in the resurrection. When Jesus left heaven for a time and took up residence in the wilderness, it was for a purpose, and that purpose was to form a way that anyone could have salvation through a relationship with Jesus. As you currently dwell in the wilderness, are you aligned with the one who provides an escape from the wilderness and entrance into the promised land?
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
