MONTHLY ARCHIVES: October 2015

Like Us

Posted by Karah

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Think about someone who knows more about something than you do—a sport, skill, or topic—yet has been willing to come alongside you and teach you at your pace. Thank Jesus for doing the same thing when He came to live among us.

Why would Jesus—the Holy Son of God—humble Himself to come live among us? Read Philippians 2:5-11 in your Bible to discover the answer. As you read, circle the phrases that indicate Jesus’ divine nature. Draw a box around the words that point to His humanity.

“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men.” —Philippians 2:5-7c

Ask yourself:

Consider verse 6. What does it mean to say Jesus has equality with God? Write it in your own words.

Think about Jesus’ divinity. What rights, privileges, and glory did He give up to live among us? Explain.

Why is it important that Jesus was both God and man? Explain.

Look at verse 8. What was the reason Jesus took on our humanity and came to live among us? Why is that important?

Respond

Jesus is God. He has the exact nature of God, yet He became like us so that we can have a relationship with the Father.

Jesus emptied Himself to take on the role of a slave. Keep that same attitude yourself. Look for ways you can serve others today. Record two ideas in the margin.

Meditate on verse 8. Jesus willingly laid down His life so that you could have a relationship with the Father, a relationship your sinfulness makes impossible. If you are not a Christian, talk to your parents or someone in your church about what it means to follow Jesus. If you are a believer, celebrate and thank Jesus for what He has done on your behalf.

For further study, read “The Grace of Humility,” by Jeremy Taylor in Devotional Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith.

Behind the Story

When Paul wrote that Jesus “emptied Himself,” he meant that Jesus left behind His position, rank, and privilege to take on human form. Because He became flesh, Jesus faced temptation; experienced hunger, thirst, fatigue, and pain; endured an excruciating death on the cross. Jesus did for us all of this for us.

The Point

Jesus set aside the glories He rightfully deserved to become like us. In doing so, He made a way for us to have a relationship with the Father.


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Retro Friday: Ridgecrest and Crestridge

Posted by Karah

Over the last fifteen to twenty years, Camp Ridgecrest and Camp Crestridge have partnered in more and more activities as an entire camp. Current campers and recent alumni have become accustomed to soirees like carnival, midnight skating, and messy games. Typically there is a meeting between the boys and girls on more than one occasion. But did you know that in the early years of Ridgecrest and Crestridge the camps did not get together hardly at all? It was a much bigger “to-do” for the camps to interact. These pictures were found in a file from 1957 and 1958, and show one such occasion where the girls came over to the boys camp. From these pictures you can see that the girls rode over in the back of a truck to enjoy watermelon on the middle green with the boys. Compared to today, what are some differences and similarities you note in these pictures? What’s your favorite activity that the boys and girls do together? Comment below!

10-23-1510-23-15 (4)10-23-15 (3)10-23-15 (2)


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Jesus Became Flesh

Posted by Karah

cb39d6e6-38c3-49bb-a5f0-3c02107fce51Pause

You have the opportunity to meet with Jesus Christ today. Focus your mind on Him right now. Thank God for His Word and the opportunity to study it.

The Gospel of John uses a variety of names to describe Jesus. One of the names it uses for Jesus is “the Word.” Read John 1:14 below.

“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” —John 1:14

• Jesus existed at the beginning of time. He is God, the Son. He is full of glory. What does it mean for Him to take up residence among us? Take a moment to journal a few thoughts below.

Now, read John 1:1-18 in your Bible. As you read, circle any words or phrases that were used to describe Jesus. Think through these questions:

• List some of the words that you circled in today’s passage.

• What do these words reveal about Jesus, His character, and His purpose? Explain

• Read verse 18 again. What does it mean to say that Jesus has revealed the Father? How does He do that?

• Look over the words you circled one more time. How do they further illustrate that Jesus reflects the nature of God? Explain.

Because Jesus is God, He was able to reveal God and His character in a way people had never experienced before.

Respond

• Meditate on the nature of Jesus: fully human, yet fully God. What difference does it make in your life today that God became flesh? Record your prayerful response in your journal.

• Ponder this thought: Through Jesus, we received God’s clearest message. In Jesus, we see the very heart of God. Respond in your journal.

• For further study, meditate on John 14:7-11.

Behind the Story

The phrase translated “took up residence among us” in John 1:14 literally means pitched His tent or tabernacled. In the time after the exodus, God commanded Moses to make a tabernacle, a large tent, as a dwelling place for God (Ex. 25:1-8). God is present everywhere, but the tabernacle served as a visual reminder of His presence to the people of Israel. The wording of John 1:14 indicates that Jesus was the visual presence of God among His people.

The Point

Jesus is God in the flesh and came to live among us to make the Father known.


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