The Way in a Manger: Finding True Direction

Devotional

Day 1: Gather regularly to encourage love and good works.

When Christians gather, they become a living map for one another—reminding each other of where they are and calling one another back to the path that leads to life. Regular meeting is not optional socializing but a discipline that stirs up love, motivates good works, and strengthens resolve as hope draws near. Make room in your rhythms to be seen, known, corrected, and encouraged by others in the community. [09:26]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another

Sermon Summary

I told a story about gathering quietly with believers in a small apartment—different languages, same songs—and reflected on how Christians have met on Sundays since the first empty tomb morning to pray, learn, and sing. Even in a digital age, we’re called to embodied community and mutual encouragement. Gratitude and generosity flow from knowing a personal God who sees, knows, and cares; giving becomes both thanksgiving for the past and trust for the future.

From there, I shared a hike that went wrong. Confident and moving fast, I took a “better” way down, only to discover canyons, dead ends, and a phone with no location services. That’s how life often works: by the time we realize we’re lost, we’ve been lost for a while. Speed doesn’t fix direction. Wisdom begins by honestly naming where we are. Solomon wrote, “There is a way that seems right… but its end is death.” We don’t have the aerial view; we need help outside ourselves.

Christmas is God’s answer to our lostness. John says the Word—the Logos—became flesh and lived among us. Jesus brings the Creator’s order into our chaos and meets us “full of grace and truth.” Not half-and-half, but fullness that both exposes what’s broken and embraces us with a love that does not flinch. That grace-and-truth presence is what our families, small groups, and friendships most need.

Jesus did more than teach a way; he said, “I am the way.” The better question in decision-making isn’t “What should I do?” but “Who will I follow?” The early believers called themselves followers of the Way—people close enough to their Rabbi that his dust would settle on their clothes. In this season, a simple prayer can reorient us: Heavenly Father, show me your will for my life. The way home, the way through, and the way forward is found in a manger—found in him.

Key Takeaways

1. Slow down and locate your soul. When we realize we’re lost, we’ve usually been lost for a while. Accelerating only deepens confusion; honesty gives us a map. Begin by naming where you truly are—spiritually, relationally, vocationally—so real course correction becomes possible. Courageous clarity beats hurried certainty every time. [33:14]
2. Choose who you will follow. Every decision sets you on a path, but the deepest guidance is personal, not merely procedural. Following Jesus closely—near enough for his “dust” to mark your life—shapes your steps more than any single answer ever could. The question isn’t “What should I do?” but “Who will lead me?” [61:08]
3. Live in grace and truth. Truth without grace crushes; grace without truth numbs. Jesus holds both together—exposing what’s real while embracing us without hesitation. Let his way shape your home and church: candid conversations anchored in compassion, courageous honesty held by mercy. [51:09]
4. Christmas reveals the way home. Humanity lost its way, and God came near—not with abstract advice, but with a Person to follow. The Way entered a manger so you could know the Father, find forgiveness, and receive direction. Pray simply and expectantly: “Father, show me your will,” and follow where Jesus leads. [66:45]
5. Gather and give with gratitude. Embodied worship matters; we were made to encourage one another in person. Giving is gratitude for God’s past faithfulness and a declaration of trust for what’s ahead. A personal God sees you, cares for you, and invites you into his generous life. [22:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:50] - Gathering matters: Hebrews’ call
[22:35] - Gratitude and generosity
[24:51] - The hill hike that went wrong
[33:14] - First step: admit where you are
[36:29] - The way that seems right
[41:24] - Why this matters at Christmas
[46:58] - John’s prologue: the Word
[51:09] - Full of grace and truth
[55:27] - Discipleship: dust of the Rabbi
[58:31] - Jesus says, “I am the way”
[61:08] - The better question to ask
[62:07] - A simple prayer for guidance
[64:14] - The way in a manger
[72:49] - Christmas Eve invite and details

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Read John 1:1–14.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 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.

Observation questions

What claims about Jesus’ identity and activity does John make in the opening verses (1–5, 9–14)? How do those claims reshape the way we think about direction and meaning? [46:58]
John says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” What concrete images or phrases in the sermon were used to explain “dwelt among us” (e.g., tabernacle imagery, camping with Jesus)? How do those images help you picture what “God with us” looks like? [50:56]
The phrase “full of grace and truth” appears in John 1:14. What two different responses or needs in people does that phrase address? How did the talk illustrate both sides? [51:09]
The idea of “the Way” was tied to discipleship: followers so close the Rabbi’s dust settled on them. What did being a disciple mean in the first‑century picture given, and what markers of that kind of following were mentioned? [55:27]

Interpretation questions (third‑person, objective)

If Jesus is both the eternal Creator and the Word who became flesh, how should that shape a person’s trust when they feel directionless or lost? What does that identity imply about God’s ability to guide ordinary decisions? [46:58]
Solomon’s proverb warns that a path can “seem right” yet lead to death. How should that proverb affect the way a community gives counsel and challenges one another’s confident choices? [36:29]
The phrase “full of grace and truth” resists balancing by halves. What does a full commitment to both require when confronting sin or failure in someone’s life? How does that change the tone and content of correction? [51:09]
Changing the question from “What should I do?” to “Who will I follow?” reframes decision making. What practical differences follow from choosing a person to follow (Jesus) rather than merely asking for a right option? [01:01:08]

Application questions (personal and specific)

Slow down and locate your soul: name one area (spiritual, relational, vocational) where you suspect you may be off course. What is one honest sentence that describes where you are right now? [33:14]
Gather with the body: are you consistently meeting with an embodied group of believers for worship, prayer, Scripture, and encouragement? If not, what is one concrete step you can take this week to join a local gathering? [08:50]
Give with gratitude: consider your regular giving as a statement of thanksgiving and trust. What change, if any, would demonstrate deeper trust in God’s provision in the coming year? (a small percentage increase, a new habit of weekly giving, or a plan to start) [22:35]
Choose who you will follow: who presently shapes your heart and decisions most—culture, career, family, or Jesus? What is one concrete habit you can start to follow Jesus more closely (scripture time, a disciple‑making relationship, a mentoring conversation)? [01:01:08]
Live in grace and truth: recall a recent conversation where either truth or grace was missing. What practical next step can you take to repair that relationship with both honest love and compassionate mercy? [51:09]
Practice the simple prayer: “Heavenly Father, show me your will for my life.” When will you commit to praying this each morning or at a specific moment this week, and how will you keep yourself accountable to listen for next steps? [01:02:07]
Invite someone to see the Way in a manger: who in your life seems to be searching or lost, and what specific plan will you make to invite them to a Christmas gathering or a conversation about Jesus? [01:12:49]

(End of guide)

Sermon Clips

He didn't leave us in the middle of a mystery about what it would look like to find our way. He didn't leave it up to us to each find our own way and discover our own path. He decided that he would show us, that he would in person show us what it means with flesh on, that he would show us the way, that he would show us a better way, a way forward, a way through, a way to move past and a way back to the God who loves you and created you and has purpose for your life. [00:41:54] (35 seconds) #JesusShowsTheWay

Regardless of what you believe, regardless of what your journey looks like today, we will all have a moment where we're face-to-face with Jesus. And John's trying to say to us that when you're face-to-face with Jesus, this is what you will experience. You will experience full grace. You will experience grace like you have never experienced grace. Someone who knows everything about you, who knows you better than you've ever been known and loves you more deeply than you can imagine being loved. That is grace. [00:52:36] (29 seconds) #FaceToFaceGrace

What kind of a family would that be like? What kind of a gathering would that be if you'd say, hey, you know what? We're going to be full of truth in here. We're not going to pull any punches. We're not going to hold back. We're going to be full of truth. Also, also, full of grace. We would race toward family gatherings. We would be counting the minutes down toward our next family gathering. Imagine if as a church we were full of grace and full of truth. Imagine if you and I lived as Jesus has demonstrated for us, full of grace and full of truth. [00:54:46] (40 seconds) #FamilyFullOfGraceAndTruth

And when we say yes to one thing, we're saying no to other things. And so when we make these choices, it's very important that we choose the right thing because we're not just choosing a thing, a job, a relationship, we're choosing a way, right? We're choosing a path. And so too often we're asking the wrong question. We're asking, what should I do? Well, what should I do is the wrong question. The right question is, who will I follow? [01:00:46] (26 seconds) #ChooseWhoYouFollow

Who will I follow so closely that his dust will be on my garments? Who will you follow? Will you follow the way that seems right to you? Will you follow the way that seems right to you but it could lead to death? It could be a dead end? That's the choice. The choice is in front of you right now. Are you going to follow the way that seems right to you? Or are you going to follow Jesus? Who will you follow? [01:01:13] (53 seconds) #WhoWillYouFollow

If you have spent your life wondering what God would think of you, I'm so glad you're here today. I'm so glad you're watching online because today you can know. You don't have to wonder. Jesus has made it so clear because he is full of grace and full of truth. You can know. The truth is that we are broken and we are rebellious and we are in need of a savior. The grace is that God has done all of it for us. There's no doing that we need to do. It is done in Jesus. [01:02:30] (43 seconds) #KnowGodsGrace

At the cross, we have full grace and we have full truth. The truth exposes us. The truth exposes us for who we are. The truth shows us that we need help and grace says help has arrived and help has already done everything that needs doing. And so there's a prayer that I would encourage you to pray in this season to just say Heavenly Father show me your will for my life. Show me the way. Show me your will for my life. [01:03:13] (35 seconds) #ShowMeYourWill

I believe that God has a way for you. That God has designed you on purpose with a purpose. And you can know that purpose you can know that way because you can know the person of Jesus. Jesus is the way. Which is why Christmas is so special. It is why we are saying this season that we can celebrate the way in a manger. [01:03:48] (35 seconds) #DesignedOnPurpose

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