Encountering Jesus
Encountering Unsurpassed Greatness
Matthew Levant
January 10th, 2021
John 1:1-18
The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the eternal, preexistent, incarnate Word of God, who is
God Himself. The major themes that we’ll see throughout the book are presented in here:
life, light, truth, and the people of God. Jesus is unsurpassed greatness.
Encountering Manifested Glory
Matthew Levant
January 17th, 2021
John 2:1-12
Changing water into wine at the wedding is the first of the seven signs that “manifested His
glory.” When Jesus talks about His “hour,” He was describing the appointed time of His
death, burial, and resurrection. The wedding and the wine are a foreshadowing of the
consummation when His followers will enjoy the Messianic banquet.
Encountering a Holy Air Current
Matthew Levant
January 24th, 2021
John 3:1-21
Religion is powerless. We must be born again. The Holy Spirit must blow on us in order for us
to be made new, believe the Gospel, and have our eyes opened to the glory of Jesus.
Encountering a Spring of
Soul-Satisfying Water
Matthew Levant
January 31st, 2021
John 4:1-26
We are all thirsty. We try and drink from the “wells” of this world, but in the end they’re all
empty. Jesus is Living Water. Drinking deeply from this Living Spring leads us to worship Him
who alone is worthy.
Encountering Shocking Mercy
Colton White
February 7th, 2021
John 5:1-18
Jesus healing the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda is the third sign. In Aramaic,
Bethesda means “house of mercy.” This man desperately needed mercy. Jesus extends
mercy by healing him and calls the man to repent, but instead, he tells the religious leaders
about Jesus. Unbelievable. The mercy of Jesus toward sinners truly is shocking.
Encountering Soul-Satisfying Bread from Heaven
Matthew Levant
February 14th, 2021
The Spotify playlist referred to in the video can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7scTSLKghHK3ORAA8tGxtb?si=707ab174fe934581
John 6:1-71
Jesus feeding a multitude is the fourth sign. However, the point of the sign was to drive
people to love and trust Jesus, not to just get free food. In our sinful condition, we all want
what we can get from Jesus instead of just desiring Jesus Himself. He is the Bread of Life that
satisfies our deep soul hunger. We see the first “I am” statement: I am the Bread of Life. In
the middle of this story is the fifth sign of Jesus walking on water.
Encountering Eye-Opening Authority
Matthew Levant
February 21st, 2021
John 7:53-8:59
Jesus came to show mercy, bring light into our darkness, and
points to the cross as the means of accomplishing His mission. Trusting in Jesus means
having God as Father. Rejecting Jesus is having the Devil as Father. We share in either nature.
Jesus angers the religious leaders when He says “before Abraham was, I am.”
John 9:1-41
In John 9, we see the confrontation with the religious leaders escalate when Jesus heals a man that was born blind. This is the sixth sign of Jesus as the Messiah. We also see the second “I am” statement: I am the light of the world. Jesus has authority over evil, blindness, the sabbath, and the religious establishment. He is worthy of worship.
Encountering the
Resurrection and the Life
Matthew Levant
February 28th, 2021
John 10:31-42
Jesus makes it clear that He and the Father are one. Jesus is
God. The religious leaders understood exactly what Jesus meant! This confrontation leads to
the seventh and final sign.
John 11:1-57
John 11 describes the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus speaks the fifth “I am” statement: I am
the Resurrection and the Life. The resurrection of Lazarus directly leads to His arrest and
crucifixion.
Encountering Radical Love
Matthew Levant
March 7th, 2021
John 13:1-38
Now that John has revealed Seven Signs pointing to Jesus as God and Messiah, chapters 13-
20 describe Jesus’ farewell to His disciples, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus shows
extraordinary love to His followers when He washes their feet and calls them to love one
another with a similar radical love.
Encountering the
Messiah
Matthew Levant
March 28th, 2021
John 18:1-19:42
The betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus is filled with OT imagery that
clearly points to Jesus and the Promised Messiah. Jesus is Sovereign throughout the whole
process, including His death.
Encountering Something Real
Matthew Levant
April 4th, 2021
John 20:1-31
We live in a world filled with fake. We’re all looking for something real. The resurrection
proves that Jesus is God. There is nothing more real than the life, hope, and joy that Jesus
offers. Easter is proof that Jesus offers something real: Himself.
Encountering Restoration After Failure
Matthew Levant
April 11th, 2021
John 21:1-25
We all fail. And yet, the Resurrected Jesus is at work forgiving, restoring, loving, and
sending us out to fulfill His purpose for us. May we truly encounter Jesus!
