The Last Battle got it right: once a stable contained something bigger than the whole world.
This is Scripture for Students. I’m Steve Whitacre, president of Trinity College and a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville. I want to help students build a daily habit for life-long Bible reading. Today is December 24, 2024 and this episode of Scripture for Students is called The Tent in the Stable. Grab your Bible and let’s get started.
Would you open your Bible to John 1? When I was a kid, my sisters and I were probably like many of you: one of our favorite rainy day activities was to make a fort in the living room. Stack up sofa cushions and pillows just so, and suddenly you’ve got yourself an upholstered Alamo, ready to defend against all attackers.
That was fun, but I have two sisters and—understandably—they were not that interested in fighting to the last man. They wanted to play house. Since I never cared much for tea parties with dolls, we eventually figured out a workable compromise: we stretched a bedsheet over my fort and, voila, we had a tent. Perfect: just domestic enough for the sisters, just adventurous enough for the brother. We spent a lot of rainy hours in the tent in the living room, coloring, playing with Legos and as much Monopoly as our sinful hearts could tolerate, which honestly, was not very much. The tent in the living room was a room within a room, and to our imaginations, that tent housed adventures far bigger than any living room could contain.
Our Scripture for Students today involves a tent, too, but this tent was not pitched in a living room. It was set up in a stable. We’re going to focus on John 1:14, but we’ll read 1–14 to get the context. Follow along and see if you can find the tent as I 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.
May the Lord bless the reading and the hearing and the keeping of his Word.
I can understand if you didn’t recognize the tent here, because our English Bible translation kind of hides it. John tells the whole Christmas story in extremely simple terms. It’s right there in the first half of verse 14: all he says is, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
That little phrase “dwelt among us” is the phrase we are interested in. There is the tent in the stable. Here’s what I mean by that. Lots of authors have words they like to use, and John loves to talk about remaining and dwelling, and living. This particular word is unusual because John is the only New Testament writer who uses it, and other than here, it occurs just a couple times in Revelation.
The word could be translated, “The Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us.” Why would John say it this way? I think he wants us to think of another tent in the Bible. The main reference to a tent is in the Old Testament: in the book of Exodus, God led Moses to build a rather large tent called the tabernacle. And the tabernacle had a room in it called the Holy of Holies: this was the physical place on earth where God dwelt among his people. So the tabernacle was a constant reminder that God loved his people and wanted them to live in his presence.
By the time Jesus comes on the scene, the tabernacle is long gone, so in John 1:14, Jesus is the tent in the stable. He is the new and better tabernacle. Rather than a physical tent, now the man Jesus Christ is the place where God is present with his people.
Don’t just blow past this truth, thinking, “sure sure, Jesus came to dwell among his people.”
It’s hard to remember that God has come near to us in Jesus Christ. For many people, Christmas is a busy, distracting, or tempting time of year. Some people may actually feel further away from the Lord at a time like this.
When we celebrate Christmas tomorrow, we are remembering that God drew near to dwell with his people in Jesus. Jesus didn’t stay here; he went back to heaven where he remains seated at the right hand of the father until it is time for his return. At Christmas, we remember that Jesus is near to his people. He has come near to strengthen, comfort, encourage, lead, protect, and provide. Whatever your needs are this Christmas, you can come to him. Remember what James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” You know that is true because he has already drawn near to us in Jesus Christ.
That’s all for today. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a friend and follow us on Apple Podcasts.
And, as we near the end of this Advent Edition of Scripture for Students, I hope you will plan on joining us in January and throughout 2025 for the Scripture for Students Read Through the Bible Challenge.
This content is sponsored by Trinity College of Louisville. We shape young men and young women for Christ and for the church. Learn more at TrinityCollegeLou.com. Until next time, keep growing!