Articles

Word of the Week: Change

“I am the truth.”
- Jesus, as recorded in John 14:6

The Mini Message

Looking for a change?

People don’t usually ask questions when everything’s going great—when things are “fine”, you just keep going. People tend to get spiritual and seek Jesus when something in life isn’t working.

If everything’s actually not fine in your life right now, you may be ready to discover a different way.

Real change begins when we decide to pursue what is true.

Now, here’s the key: Jesus said, “I am the truth.” (Not, "I will teach you what is true.”)

If Jesus is right, it means truth isn’t an idea—it’s a person.

It also means that the closer we get to Jesus, and the more we become like him, the more true and real life becomes.

More Like Jesus is a devotional/Bible study focused on what it means to be with Jesus, become more like him, and live like he did.

When we seek to become more like Jesus, what we discover is joy.

The Five Minute Version

Rule of thumb: people only change when the pain of staying the same becomes worse than the assumed pain of trying something new.

Change isn’t easy. It often involves pain, which no one likes.

But, what kind of change do we seek? Not change for the sake of change. What we really want is to get rid of the lies.

No one wants to live a lie, right? No one enjoys hiding things, having fake friends, or pretending to enjoy a job they don’t like. We can all agree that truth is better. Truth sets us free.

But what is truth? Truth is something that matches reality. And in a world that feels more fake, we need truth. We need to know what’s real. Authentic.

Now, here’s the key: Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

If that’s right, it means truth isn’t just an idea—it’s a person. The closer we get to Jesus, the more real life feels. The further we are from him, the more fake things seem.

This makes Christian faith different. It’s not just about agreeing with ideas or a philosophy. It’s about a relationship with Jesus. The goal is to be close to him and learn to live like him.

This is why we created a new Bible study called More Like Jesus.

The goal is to learn what it means to be with Jesus, become more like him, and live like he did. This study focuses on action, not just knowledge.

Of course, learning matters because bad ideas lead to a bad life. But the problem is that many resources focus only on beliefs, treating faith as a list of “doctrines” to accept or reject.

For example, every warning label is the result of someone’s lawsuit. Like the label that says, “Do not iron shirt while wearing it.”

Really, is that necessary? Yes, apparently it is, because at some point, someone hurt themselves and sued the company because of their own ignorance. Doctrines are like warning labels. Over the last 2000 years, a lot of people have ironed the shirt while wearing it.

In other words, we tend to do dumb stuff.

However, focusing only on doctrines can make it hard to understand who Jesus is because it puts the emphasis on knowing rather than living. When we start with doctrine, it might seem like knowledge alone is the goal.

Think of doctrines like a behind-the-scenes commentary, helping us understand why. But the point is the person. Without the person, and the story of his life—and death and resurrection—the documentary makes no sense.

Faith is a story to be lived, not a artifact to be studied.

The goal of your spiritual journey is not just to know but to live. So, we’re going to start with Jesus himself: who he is, what his story is, and why it matters today.

Mark’s gospel is a good starting point because it’s the earliest one, written around 65-70 AD, about 35 years after Jesus died. Though that may seem like a long time, people in an oral culture had strong memories. Mark, a young follower of Jesus, likely remembered Jesus well from a key time in his life. Some scholars also believe Peter helped him write the gospel.

Mark’s gospel is also the shortest. It gets right to the point, often using words like “immediately” and sticking to the basics. Mark doesn't waste papyrus.

A quick note on style: this study is formatted like a devotional, but it’s a little different. Many devotionals are short, simple, and focus on our lives today. I believe the best inspiration comes from knowing Jesus’ story well and letting God’s Spirit show us how it connects to our lives. So, this study goes deeper than most devotionals.

My goal is simple: Together, I want us to discover who Jesus is, what happened, and why it matters today. Let’s learn what it means to live more like Jesus. Hopefully, as we get closer to Jesus, we’ll find truth—and that truth will bring us peace, joy, and confidence.

A more real and more abundant life.

Pray
Lord, teach me who you are. Help me face the things I need to change, and give me the courage to learn to live more like you. Amen.

Live It
How does thinking about truth as a person instead of a set of beliefs change things for you?