want to dive deeper into
sunday sermons
When you hear a sermon on Sunday morning or see it online later, do you want to dive deeper into the sermon topic?
From time to time on this page, we'll provide some discussion guides and devotions to help you gain more insight from the sermons.
These tools are aimed to equip you with more fuel for your faith journey.
understanding jesus
fully human & fully divine
The Nicene Creed, created in 325 AD, remains one of Christianity's most important statements of faith. For 1700 years, it has helped believers understand the complex nature of Jesus as both fully divine and fully human.
What Makes Jesus Both Divine and Human?
Jesus exists in two important ways:
As God the Son (divine nature)
As the Son of God (human nature)
The Nicene Creed explains that Jesus came down from heaven, was born of the Virgin Mary, and became truly human while remaining fully divine. This unique dual nature allows Jesus to deeply understand all human experiences and emotions.
How Does Jesus Relate to Human Emotions?
Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions and feelings:
Because Jesus was both human and divine, these experiences weren't just human feelings - they were also God experiencing these emotions through Jesus.
Why Does Jesus's Humanity Matter to Us?
Jesus's humanity creates a profound connection between God and people:
God understands our struggles because He experienced them through Jesus
We can turn to God knowing He truly comprehends our pain and joy
God isn't distant but has walked in our shoes
Through Jesus, God knows firsthand what human life feels like
Life Application
This week, consider how Jesus's dual nature impacts your relationship with God.
Questions to reflect on
Challenge:
Next time you experience a strong emotion - whether positive or negative - take a moment to pray, remembering that God knows exactly how you feel through Jesus's human experience. Share your feelings openly with God, knowing He truly understands.
5 day devotional:
the living christ
sermon from may 11, 2025
Day 1: The God Who Became Like Us
Devotional
Have you ever felt that no one truly understands what you're going through? In those moments of loneliness, there's an incredible truth that can change everything: God chose to become one of us. Through Jesus Christ, God didn't remain distant but stepped into our world, experiencing life just as we do. This wasn't a partial experience or a divine being merely observing humanity from the outside. Instead, Jesus lived a complete human life while remaining fully God. This truth transforms how we view our relationship with God - He's not unreachable or disconnected from our reality, but intimately familiar with every aspect of human existence.
Bible Bible Verse
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." - John 1:1,14
Question Circle Reflection Question
How does knowing that God chose to experience human life change the way you view your personal relationship with Him?
quote-left Quote
We do not have a God who is far off in the heavens somewhere. We have a God who walks on this earth.
Praying Hands Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for choosing to understand us by becoming one of us. Help me grasp the depth of your love shown through Jesus's willingness to live as we live. Draw me closer to you today. Amen.
Day 2: Understanding Our Struggles
Devotional
When life becomes overwhelming, it's natural to wonder if anyone truly understands our pain. Yet there's profound comfort in knowing that through Jesus, God has experienced the full spectrum of human emotions. He knows what it feels like to be tired, frustrated, or overwhelmed. He's felt physical pain, emotional hurt, and even abandonment. This wasn't just a surface-level experience - it was God fully immersing Himself in the human experience, feeling every sensation and emotion just as we do. When we struggle, we can find solace in knowing that our God understands not just theoretically, but through personal experience.
Bible Bible Verse
"The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.'" - Luke 1:31-33
Question Circle Reflection Question
In what specific situations do you need to remember that God understands exactly what you're going through?
quote-left Quote
When I feel abandoned, God knows what that's like. Because God has felt abandoned through Jesus. And when I hurt and when I suffer, God knows how I feel, because God has suffered.
Praying Hands Prayer
Dear God, thank you for understanding my struggles firsthand. Help me find comfort in knowing that you've experienced what I'm going through. Guide me through my challenges today. Amen.
Day 3: The Divine Connection
Devotional
Imagine having a friend who not only listens to your struggles but has experienced them personally. That's exactly what we have in Jesus - the perfect bridge between humanity and divinity. His unique nature as both fully God and fully human means that when we pray, we're speaking to someone who truly understands our experiences from both a divine and human perspective. This isn't just theological theory; it's a practical reality that can transform how we approach God in every situation. Whether we're celebrating or grieving, succeeding or failing, we can trust that God comprehends our experience completely.
Bible Bible Verse
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1
Question Circle Reflection Question
How does knowing that Jesus bridges the gap between humanity and divinity affect your approach to prayer and worship?
quote-left Quote
Jesus, who is God, the Son, but also the Son of God, connects humanity to God. Jesus, who is God made flesh, embodies God's willingness to experience what we experience, to experience everything that humanity experiences so that God can know.
Praying Hands Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for bridging the gap between heaven and earth through Jesus. Help me to approach you with confidence, knowing you understand everything I face. Amen.
Day 4: Never Alone in Our Emotions
Devotional
Joy, sorrow, anger, excitement, exhaustion - these aren't just human emotions that God observes from a distance. Through Jesus, God has experienced every emotion we face. When we celebrate, we can know that God understands our joy. When we grieve, we can trust that God comprehends our pain. This intimate understanding of our emotional life means we never have to hide our feelings from God or pretend to be something we're not. We can come to Him exactly as we are, knowing He understands perfectly what we're experiencing.
Bible Bible Verse
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1
Question Circle Reflection Question
What emotions do you find difficult to share with God, and how might knowing He understands them personally change your approach?
quote-left Quote
And when we are angry or upset or hurt or feel left out and abandoned, God knows.
Praying Hands Prayer
Lord, thank you for understanding every emotion I experience. Help me to be honest with you about my feelings, knowing you comprehend them completely. Amen.
Day 5: Finding Comfort in God's Understanding
Devotional
Life's journey includes moments of triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow, confidence and doubt. In every single one of these experiences, we have a God who understands. Not just as an observer, but as one who has lived through similar experiences through Jesus Christ. This truth offers incredible comfort - we never walk alone through any situation. Whether we're facing our greatest victories or our deepest valleys, God knows exactly what we're experiencing. This understanding isn't superficial; it's deeply personal and complete, allowing us to find true comfort and strength in our relationship with Him.
Bible Bible Verse
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1
Question Circle Reflection Question
How can you apply the truth of God's personal understanding to a challenging situation you're facing right now?
quote-left Quote
No matter what is happening, God knows. And we can turn to God in every moment, mad or sad, hungry or hurt, excited or exhausted, because God knows.
Praying Hands Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for understanding every aspect of my life. Help me find comfort and strength in knowing you've experienced what I face. Guide me through every situation, knowing you understand. Amen.
