He Moved In Next Door

Getting To Know Jesus #1

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If you've ever felt like God is real, but not reachable — like he's out there, somewhere, running everything, but not someone you could actually know — this passage is for you.

If we look at the gospel of John he says God made the universe — then moved in next door, and that's not a metaphor for poetic effect.

In the best case, worldly logic would say, if God is real, just look at the immensity of creation – and he would obviously be much bigger than that. God is unknowable.

John 1:1-5, 14:

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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. — John 1:1–5, 14 (ESV)

This paragraph sits at the very front of John's Gospel, and it's answering a question before you even know to ask it: who is this Jesus we're going to get to know?

Here's why that matters right now: if Jesus is just a really good teacher, or a prophet, or even an angel sent from God — then "knowing him" has a ceiling. You could know everything about him and still not be touching God himself. But if John is right about who Jesus is, that changes everything about what's actually possible for you.

Think about what it feels like to find out someone you only ever knew about has been standing closer than you realized the whole time.

Picture an architect — the person who designed an entire building, every beam, every wire, every measurement, down to the smallest detail. Most people on that job site have only ever seen this person's name on the blueprints. But one day, the architect shows up — not in a suit with the plans tucked under their arm, but in work boots and a hard hat, helping pour concrete alongside the crew. The workers watch the one who designed the whole thing from nothing get dust on their hands, take a water break, and ask how everyone's doing. The one who drew it all up is now standing in the dirt with everyone else.

That's what John is telling you happened. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God… all things were made through him." That's the architect — the one whose name is on everything, the one who designed life itself. And then: "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." That word "dwelt" is the same word used for how God's presence lived in a tent in the middle of Israel's camp, generations earlier. God didn't visit. He pitched his tent in the middle of human life. The Architect came down into the dirt.

But what kind of nearness is this? Because "the architect is standing next to you" isn't automatically good news — depending on why he's there – it might be an inspection, not an invitation. But John doesn't leave you guessing. He tells you straight away: this Word, this God-in-the-dirt, came "full of grace and truth." Not an inspector here to find what's wrong with the build. Not a distant boss checking up on the crew. He came near — and on your side.

WHAT THE TEXT SAYS HERE IS… The Word — fully God, present before anything existed, the one through whom everything was made — became a real human being and lived among real people. This isn't a partial God or a messenger standing in for God. It's God himself, arriving — not to inspect, but full of grace and truth.

AND THIS MEANS… The Jesus you're getting to know isn't a created being, a good teacher, or just an idea about God — he's God himself, who chose to become someone you could actually meet, and meet on terms of grace, not judgement. You don't have to climb toward him, prove yourself to him, or figure out the right spiritual technique to reach him. He came to us. He opened the door from his side..

Father, you are infinitely bigger than anything I can picture, and that used to make me feel small and far away.

Thank you for sending the Word to become flesh and live among us — for moving in with us on purpose.

I confess I’ve often treated you like an idea instead of a Person I could actually know.

Help me see Jesus this week as someone real, near, and reachable —

In Jesus’ name we pray —

REMEMBER:
The Word who made everything became flesh moved in among us — and this means the God you’re getting to know isn’t far away. He came to where you are. You’re not starting a long climb toward a distant God — you’re getting to know someone who already moved in next door.