You See, the Best Thing About the Story Is It S True

GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / PRAYER REQUESTS
PHILIPPIANS 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
DATE / PRAYER REQUEST
DATE / PRAYER REQUEST
CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS / 1
GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

A Christian author cited the below passage from a children’s Bible storybook as the most helpful introduction to biblical theology he has ever read:

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should do and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done.

Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you’ll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.

No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne—everything—to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about the Story is—it’s true.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.[1]

As we consider the story of that special baby this season, we will be reflecting on more than just the traditional nativity stories from the Bible. We will start “in the beginning” with John 1, 1 John, and then Genesis 1-3, during this first week. The John 1 and 1 John 1 texts will paint in broad strokes the meaning of the coming of Jesus. Then, we will go back to Genesis to consider the beautiful will of God in creation, his original intent, how it all went wrong, and the lasting curse on creation as a result of man’s rebellion. As you do your daily devotions, please reflect on each passage in light of the larger story of God’s creation, man’s fall, and God’s redemption of man through his “Prince,” and our “Hero,” Jesus.

CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS / 1
GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / INTRODUCTION
CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS / 1
GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / HYMN: WHAT CHILD IS THIS?
/ HYMN

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

Author: William Chatterton Dix

What Child is this, who laid to rest
On Mary’s lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet

With anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ, the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christian, fear:

For sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant, king, to own Him;

The King of kings

Salvation brings;

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS / 1
GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1
/ BIBLE STUDY

Read the passage several times, identify significant words or phrases and then explore the relationship among them before moving on to the study questions.

John 1:1–18 (ESV)

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

/ STUDY QUESTIONS

Reflect on the words describing the true nature of Jesus (“the Word”) in this passage, and the fact that he came and “dwelt among us” (v.14).What does this reveal about the heart of God?
What did Jesus come to make possible?
How can I come to know God?

P(raise) Psalm 147:1
1Praise theLord!
Forit is good to sing praises to our God; forit is pleasant,anda song of praise is fitting. / R(epent)1 John 1:8-9
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. / A(sk) Philippians 4:6-7
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. / Y(ield)Galatians2:20
20I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS / 1
GRACEPOINT DEVOTIONALS 2015 / WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2
/ BIBLE STUDY

Read the passage several times, identify significant words or phrases and then explore the relationship among them before moving on to the study questions.

1 John 1 (ESV)

1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

/ STUDY QUESTIONS

“It is interesting that in verse 2 the authority behind John’s affirmation is not merely some tradition or doctrinal convention. It springs from experience. It would be one thing for John to defend the particularity of the Incarnation as a logical requirement of some theological system. And no doubt he could do this. The repeated emphasis on personal experience — seeing and testifying what was revealed to us — is not just a way to shore up his defense of the Incarnation. John’s authority rests in what he knows to be true because he has touched it. He is making a compelling appeal; he is offering a testimony, not just to coherent, orthodox theology, but to a living Word, Jesus Christ, whose reality is the principal reference point of his life.”

1 John 1:1-2

How did John experience the reality of Jesus?
Meditate on the fact that with the person of Jesus “the life was manifest.”
In what ways have I experienced life after encountering Jesus?

“Embracing this word, experiencing this life, gaining this reference point — these are all prerequisites for Christian community. The purpose of John’s letter is fellowship, ‘so that you also may have fellowship with us’ (v. 3a). The Greek word translated ‘fellowship’ in theNIViskoinonia, which means to have something in common.Koinoniamay describe a shared labor (such as the fishing of James, John, and Simon, Luke 5:10) or the common enjoyment of some gift or experience.[2]

1 John 1:3-9

What is the goal of Christian proclamation?
What defeats fellowship, and what promotes it?
Reflect on the promise of v.9. What is God’s heart behind the exhortation to confess?

Re-read John’s prologue (John 1:1-18) and 1 John 1 with Christmas in mind.

Read the passage several times, identify significant words or phrases and then explore the relationship among them before moving on to the study questions.

John 1:1–18 (ESV)

1 John 1 (ESV)

/ STUDY QUESTIONS

List all the things Jesus came to give.
Reflect on God’s desire to connect to man (and to me) through the coming of Jesus.
Pray a prayer of gratitude toward God’s love reflected in his desire to bring us life, light, fellowship, and new birth as children of God.

Read the passage several times, identify significant words or phrases and then explore the relationship among them before moving on to the study questions.

Genesis 1 (ESV)

1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

6And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.