At the heart of Christianity is the idea that God himself took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. While other religions suggest that God has made appearances on earth, in Jesus the true God dwelt among us as a full human being. This gives us remarkable hope in difficult times, support in our suffering, and a sense of purpose and meaning to our existence. Most of all it shows us the lengths to which God would go out of love to save us.

1. Why does John stress the fact that Jesus was fully human? What would we lose if Jesus only appeared to be human?
2. How might it help you to know that God knows what it is like to suffer as a human being?
3. How can the miracle of God taking on flesh give you hope in difficult circumstances this week?