Introduction
The Gospel of John gives us one of the clearest and most compelling portraits of Jesus—His words, His works, and His heart for the world. Written so that we "may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in His name" (John 20:31), this Gospel invites us not just to know about Jesus, but to truly know Him and follow Him.
This devotional is designed to walk alongside our The Word Made Flesh sermon series. Each entry draws from Scripture, points us to Jesus, and encourages us to live out the truth of the Gospel.
My prayer is that as you read, reflect, and respond, the words of John's Gospel will take deeper root in your heart. May you see His glory more clearly, trust His promises more fully, and follow His ways more faithfully, day by day.
Table of Contents
Day 1: It All Begins With Jesus
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." - John 1:1-3
There's something deeply comforting about how John begins his Gospel. He doesn't start with a manger, a miracle, or even a man. He starts with eternity. "In the beginning…" Before there was light, time, or breath, there was Jesus. Not an idea, not a force, not a philosophy. A Person. The Word. The One who both was with God and was God. That means Jesus isn't just part of the story. He is the story. He's not a new character introduced midway, He's the author from page one.
John calls Him the Logos. The Word. And in that one title, centuries of longing find their answer. The Jews longed for the God who speaks, the One who hovered over the waters and spoke light into being. The Greeks searched for the logic behind existence, the force that held the cosmos together. John says, "It's Jesus. He's what you've been looking for."
And here's the beautiful part: the One who was there in the beginning is also the One who offers you a new beginning. Not just once. Not just on the day you got saved. But again and again and again. Every day.
Some of us need to be reminded of that. Because life has a way of piling on. Wounds don't always heal overnight. Shame doesn't always lift after a single prayer. The past doesn't always stay in the past. But Jesus knows that. And still, He comes to you, not with condemnation, but with invitation.
A new beginning. A fresh start. Not a do-over that denies your past but a redemption that transforms it. Maybe today feels heavy. Maybe you've been stuck in shame or swallowed by disappointment. Maybe you've let yourself believe that the best you could do is just keep limping forward. But Jesus isn't done with you.
He was there at the beginning of all things and He is here now, offering to begin something new in you. You don't have to manufacture it. You don't have to earn it. You just have to come to Him. Because that's who He is. The One through whom all things were made… and the One who holds all things together. Let Him hold you together today. Let Him start again with you, not because you failed, but because this is what grace does.
Jesus was in the beginning, and He comes to bring you a new beginning. Not just once. But every morning. It really does all begin with Him.
Day 2: The Life That Fills the Soul
"In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it....And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:4-5, 14
We all feel it. A kind of tiredness that runs deeper than sleep can fix. It's the quiet weight behind our striving, our scrolling, our schedules, and our restlessness. We are alive, yet often aching inside like something's missing. The truth is, apart from Jesus, we are not just tired... we are spiritually dead.
That sounds harsh at first, but it's the condition every one of us starts in. Dead in our sin. Disconnected from God. Longing for something more, but unsure where to look. We were made for life, but not just the kind that fills our lungs. We were made for life that fills the soul.
The Bible has a word for this kind of life: Zōē. It's different from bios, which means physical life. Zōē is spiritual life. It is fullness. Wholeness. It is the kind of life you were created to live. And John tells us where this life is found. "In Him was life."
Not around Him. Not in ideas about Him. Not even in the good things He made. Life is in Him. And here is the good news. That life has come for you. The Word became flesh. God did not remain distant. He came close. He put on skin and bones and stepped into the brokenness of our world.
Jesus didn't stay in the garden, untouched by pain. He left the garden to walk with us through the thorns. He knows sorrow. He knows temptation. He knows what it feels like to be misunderstood, rejected, and weary. And yet He comes, full of grace and truth, shining light into the darkness. Why? Because He wants you to have life. Not just at the moment of salvation, but every day after.
You don't have to live on yesterday's grace. You don't have to carry the weight of who you were last week, or even who you were this morning. The God who raised the dead to life still raises hearts that have grown cold, dim, or discouraged.
Maybe today you feel a bit like the world John describes. Made by Him, yet unaware of Him. Or maybe you've received Him before, but right now you feel stuck, dry, or distracted. Let this be your reminder. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling with you. He didn't just save you so you could get by. He saved you so you could live.
And if in Him is life, then it means life is always available. Today. Right now. So take a deep breath. Return to the Tree of Life. Let His light shine in your darkness. Let His grace speak louder than your shame. Let His presence fill what feels empty.
Jesus didn't just come to bring you out of death once. He came to bring life into every part of who you are, every single day. It's still true. In Him was life. And it still is.
Day 3: Light in the Darkness
"In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." - John 1:4-5
When Jesus entered the world, He didn't come into a cozy or comfortable place. He came into darkness. Not just physical darkness, but spiritual blindness. A world confused, broken, and lost. And yet, He didn't flinch. The Light shined anyway.
The darkness didn't understand Him. The world didn't recognize Him. But the Light kept shining. It still shines today. And if we belong to Him, then His Light now shines through us.
That's an amazing and sobering thought. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." He passed the torch. He filled us with His life, not just to keep it inside, but to let it shine through every part of our lives. In our work. In our families. In our conversations. In our choices. We don't just carry light. We are light.
But here's the thing. Light is most visible in the dark. That means the places that feel the most broken or uncomfortable or even hostile are often the places that need your light the most. It can be tempting to retreat. To play it safe. To hide the light under a basket. But Jesus never did that.
He went to the places no one else would go. He touched the people others avoided. He stood firm when it would've been easier to blend in. And He calls us to do the same. So don't be afraid of the darkness around you. You were made to shine in it.
You don't need to be loud or flashy to shine. You shine by being kind when others are cruel. By telling the truth when it costs you. By being steady when the world is panicked. You shine when you forgive. You shine when you serve. You shine when you love people who have no reason to love you back.
And here's the encouragement. The darkness cannot overcome the light. It never has. It never will. You may feel small. You may feel like your efforts aren't making much of a difference. But light always wins. Even a single candle can drive out a room full of shadows.
So shine today. Not by your own strength, but with the light of the One who now dwells within you. He is the Light of the world, and now His Light lives in you. Let it shine.
Day 4: He Gets Us
"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14
One of the most astonishing claims of the Christian faith is that God became human. The eternal Word, the very voice that spoke the universe into being, put on flesh. He entered into the world not as a distant ruler or celestial observer, but as one of us.
This is not a metaphor. It's not poetic language. Jesus really became flesh. He took on the full human experience. He cried. He hungered. He bled. He felt betrayal, loneliness, exhaustion, and even grief. He didn't skip the hard parts of life—He entered into them willingly.
And that matters more than we sometimes realize. Because it means you don't have to be afraid of Him.
So many people walk around carrying shame. They avoid prayer. They keep their distance. They hide their sin, not just from others, but from God. As if He wouldn't understand. As if He would respond with scolding or indifference. But the Word became flesh so that you would never have to wonder how God feels about you. He gets you.
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses..." - Hebrews 4:15-16
This tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. That does not make Him cold and unrelatable. It makes Him compassionate. He faced every pull and pressure you face, but He endured it all. Not so we would be impressed, but so that we would know that He knows what it's like to be…us.
He knows the battle. He knows the pain. And He is not ashamed of you. You don't need to fake it in front of Jesus. You don't need to wait until you've cleaned yourself up or figured everything out. You can come just as you are, with trembling hands and a heavy heart, and find grace.
So draw near today. Not because you're doing great, but because He already did. He drew near first. He became flesh. He walked among us. He was tempted. He understands. And now He invites you to come close, without fear.
Day 5: The Father Revealed
"No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known." - John 1:18
For many believers, there is an unspoken struggle in the heart. We feel at ease with Jesus. He is gentle and approachable. But when we think of the Father, something shifts. He feels distant. Stern. Almost... disappointed.
We may never say it aloud, but we live as if the Father is the angry one and Jesus is the one who steps in to soften Him. But John puts that idea to rest in a single sentence. "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son... has made Him known."
Jesus didn't just come to rescue us. He came to reveal the Father. Colossians 1:15 says, "He is the image of the invisible God." Hebrews 1:3 calls Him "the exact representation of His nature."
You want to know what the Father is like? Look at Jesus. He is not a different version of God. He is the image of the invisible God. To see Jesus is to see the Father.
When Jesus heals the leper, that is the Father's heart on display. When He weeps at Lazarus' tomb, that is the Father's compassion. When He draws near to the broken and dines with sinners, He is revealing the Father.
So do not be afraid of God. He is not distant. He is not waiting to strike. It was the Father's plan to rescue you. It was the Father who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. Jesus did not talk the Father into loving you. The Father sent Jesus to prove that He already does.
There is no division between Jesus and the Father. They are one. And they are united in love for you.