Dwelling in the Word: Cracking the Code

Reverend T.J. Lucas

March 9th, 2026

The Language That Shapes Us

This past Sunday, we continued our “I Am” Lenten sermon series, diving deeper into the idea that we are built from the inside out by the language we speak. In a world saturated with partial truths, and sometimes very little truth at all, we have to ask where we actually put our trust. What words do we even use to describe what we believe or trust? What words do we use to describe who we are?

If we listen only to the world, we can become trapped in what I called a linguistic cage—a narrow vocabulary that keeps us small, fearful, and reactionary. We see this in the Exodus story from last Sunday. God’s people had been liberated from slavery, yet they were so used to a world of lack that lack was still all they could see, even with miracles unfolding around them. They had a language of lack that shaped their worldview. They needed new words for their new life.

Spending time in God’s Word breaks the chains of this world’s language and influence. It reforms us. It recodes us in the way of our Creator.

We have to remember: You are coded by the Divine Word.

God created the whole world with His Word and the gospel of John pushes this point immediately by revealing to us that Christ is the Word of God in John 1:1. Which means everything is created through, for, and by Christ. If we are created by this full spectrum of light--this Living Word--then why do we accept the binary coding of our world that says we are 0s and 1s, yes and no, in or out, good or bad, etc. This is how we code computers--we are not machines. We are complex, unique, Divinely created. God speaks so much more into us than the world would have us believe.

When we know God, we finally begin to know ourselves beyond black and white--we begin to see life in color. We have been looking at the “I Am” statements of Jesus not just as theological facts, but as our own primary code. When Jesus says, “I Am the True Vine,” He is not only revealing something about Himself. He is also revealing something about us.

Identity vs. Weather

Most of us have been trained to use our “I Am” to describe our temporary emotions. We say, “I am angry,” “I am anxious,” or “I am overwhelmed.” But the Living Word of God does not set limitations such as these. The closer we draw to the Great I Am, the more we begin to understand that these things are not who we are, because they are not who God is either.

Think of yourself as a branch on that Divine Vine. A storm of anger or a cloud of difficult circumstances may pass through the vineyard. It may be loud, dark, and strong enough to shake the leaves.

But here is the truth: the storm cannot cling to your identity if you are secured to the True Vine.

An emotion or hardship is weather passing through the branches. It does not have the power to change the DNA of the Vine. When we begin to recode our language, we start to see our difficult days differently. I have a quote on my Facebook page that says, “I prayed to God for flowers, and He sent me rain.”

If we stay inside the world’s cage, the storm consumes us with fear and darkness. But if we are rooted in the Vine, we begin to see that the rain within the storm is where the power is. It is the very thing nourishing the soil. Growth often comes through the storm. When we remain connected to the Vine, we can flourish and grow outward even while the clouds pass overhead. Trust that God arches all things toward goodness.

Recoding Your Week

When we change our language, we begin to see the world differently. And we learn that new language by spending time in The Word. This week we move into the next part of the “I Am” series: “I Am the Good Shepherd,” alongside the Gospel story of the man born blind. It is a movement from darkness into a world of color. A shift from the world’s question—“Who sinned?”—to something far deeper: “Behold the glory of God.”

One question tries to trap us in a simple binary of right and wrong, in and out. The other invites us into the full spectrum of light that is revealed in the Word.

How will the Good Shepherd guide you this week?

Spend time in the Word and follow Him.

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Dwelling in the Word

Do not read these texts simply for information. Read them for formation. We moved away from the weekly Dwelling in the Word posts for a while because they were not getting much use. My hope is that by summarizing the past Sunday’s message and introducing the upcoming scriptures, we can rebuild a rhythm of engaging the Word together during the week. If words have the power to create or destroy, then let us return to the source that forms the language of our faith and our lives.

Instructions

Set aside a regular time and place during your week where you can sit quietly with God’s Word. It does not need to be long, but it should be intentional. Choose a space where you can slow down and give the text your attention.

Select one of the scriptures for the week and read the same passage each day. This practice is different from Bible study. In church or group study, we focus on history, theology, and proper interpretation. Those are important, but Dwelling in the Word is more personal and prayerful. Here, we are listening for how the Word is speaking to us.

Read the passage slowly. You may want to read it more than once. I suggest once quietly then pause and repeat it once out loud. Pay attention to the word, phrase, or image that stands out to you. Sit with it. Let it stay with you. Write it down or underline it.

Ask yourself simple questions as you read:

• What word or phrase is drawing my attention?

• What is bubbling up in me as I sit with it?

• Why might this part of the passage be standing out today?

  
  

Return to the same passage each day and notice what changes. Another phrase may stand out, or the meaning may deepen as the week unfolds. The goal is not to master the text, but to let the Word dwell in you and shape the way you see your life.

1 Samuel 16:1–13: God sees the heart, not the height

Psalm 23: The Shepherd leads us through the valley

Ephesians 5:8–14: Walking as children of the Light

John 9:1–41: From blindness to sight

As you read you can incorporate what we are working through with this series as well. Listen for the voice of the Great I Am and pay attention to your own identifiers. Who does the Word say you are?

Stop saying, “I am the storm,” and start saying, “I am the one the Shepherd leads.” When the rain begins to fall this week, do not just look for an umbrella. Look for the flowers that are about to bloom.

A Prayer for the Week

Great I Am and True Vine, Thank You that Your Word is the only absolute truth in a world of shadows and confusion. Thank You for the way Your Living Word recodes us for life and reminds us that we belong to You. Lord, we surrender our vocabulary to You today. Forgive us for allowing temporary storms of anger, fear, or worry to sit on the throne of our identity.

We are the branches, and You are the Vine. Let the rains of this week nourish our soil rather than drown our hope. Open our eyes, Good Shepherd, so that we may see the beauty You are growing even in the midst of the clouds. Recode us in the Way of Love and lead us in Your goodness, O Mighty Shepherd. Amen.