The True Dwelling | Resources

Intro

In the opening of John’s Gospel, we discover that God’s covenant presence is no longer centered in a place but revealed in a Person. The Word who was with God and is God became flesh and “tabernacled” among us, bringing the glory once hidden in a tent into full view through Jesus Christ. In Him, God doesn’t just dwell near His people. He comes to dwell with them, and ultimately, within them.

EXODUS PICTURE: TABERNACLE, TEMPLE (EXODUS 25–40, 1 KINGS 8) 

JOHN’S FULFILLMENT: JESUS, THE TRUE DWELLING (JOHN 1, 2, 4) 

QUESTION: WHERE DOES GOD DWELL? 

Quote

“Jesus himself is the supreme meeting place between God and his new covenant people. - D.A. Carson

Discussion/Reflection Questions

1. When you hear “God’s presence,” what pictures or assumptions come to mind?

2. Read John 1:14. What does it mean that the Word “dwells” among us, and why is that significant?

3. How does Jesus’ cleansing of the temple in John 2:13–22 reshape our understanding of where God meets with His people?

4. In John 4:19–24, how does Jesus move the Samaritan woman’s question from the right place of worship to the kind of worshipers the Father seeks, and what does that reveal about approaching God?

5. How should the reality that God has made His dwelling known in Christ affect the way we approach Him this week?

Supplemental Reading

Day 1: Exodus 40:34–38

Day 2: 1 Kings 8:10–13, 27–30

Day 3: John 2:13–22

Day 4: John 4:19–24

Day 5: Revelation 21:1–4, 22–23

Prepare for Next Week: John 1:29

Gospel Connection

In Jesus, God comes near to us. Because Christ took our sin upon Himself at the cross, we do not need to find our way to a sacred place. We are welcomed into God’s presence through Him. Through faith in Christ, believers become the dwelling place of God by His Spirit and are invited to worship Him with confidence.

Response

Prayer Prompt: Thank Jesus that He has brought you near to God. Ask Him to make your life a place where His presence is gladly welcomed and worshiped.

Action Step: Set aside ten uninterrupted minutes this week to read John 1:14 and pray, thanking Jesus that God has come near through Him.