Read John 1:14 aloud together. The sermon explained that John uses the term "Word" (Logos) intentionally to connect with Greek philosophical thinking. Why would John use language his audience already knew, only to confront them with something radically different?

The Logos Became a Person

1. In Greek thought, the Logos was an impersonal force or principle that gave shape and coherence to reality. How does        John's claim that this Logos "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" overturn that understanding?

2. The sermon pointed out that we still speak in similar ways today — "the universe led us together," "everything happens          for a reason," "a higher power." What is appealing about this kind of language? What is ultimately unsatisfying about it?

3. If what stands behind all reality is not an impersonal force but a person who longs to be with us, how does that change        the way you understand your own existence and purpose?

4. The sermon argued that both ancient philosophy and modern self-help put all the weight on us — to figure life out, to          be enough, to reach the divine. How is the story of Christmas the opposite of this?

God Made His Dwelling Among Us

1. The word for "made his dwelling" literally means "tabernacled" — it echoes God's presence in the tabernacle and                   temple in the Old Testament. What is John claiming about Jesus by using this language?

2. In the Old Testament, God's presence was behind a veil because sin still separated his people from him. What had to            happen for God to now dwell with us permanently and for us to see his glory?

3. The sermon described how our separation from God is not because we are physical and he is spiritual, but because of        our sin and rejection of him. Why is this distinction important for understanding what the incarnation accomplishes?

We Have Seen His Glory

1. When Moses asked to see God's glory, God told him he could not see it and live — he could only hear God declare his           character (Exodus 34:6-7). What has changed that John can now say "we have seen his glory"?

2. In Exodus 34, God declares himself "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness...            yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished." How does Jesus embody both of these realities — abundant love and               dealing with sin?

3. The sermon said that in John's Gospel, the "hour" when Jesus' glory is fully revealed is the cross. How does the cross             display God's glory rather than hide it? What does this tell us about what glory actually means?

4. John describes Jesus as "full of grace and truth" — or as the sermon put it, "abounding in love and faithfulness." How do        grace and truth work together in who Jesus is and what he does for us?

Personal Reflection and Application

1. The sermon said that encouraging words only help us when they are true, and that being told "you are enough" can             actually lead to despair when we know we are not. How does the gospel offer something different than mere                           encouragement?

14. If the Logos behind all reality is not distant but has pursued you and taken up residence among you, how does that               change the way you approach your struggles, your inadequacy, or your need for help?

15. As we prepare for Christmas, how does meditating on John 1:14 — that God himself took on flesh to dwell with you and         to deal with your sin — shape the way you worship and celebrate this week?