Down to Earth

JESUS.

No other name is tied to so much emotion, and no other name sparks so many opinions. For some, Jesus is a symbol of religious duty and traditional moral boundaries. For others, Jesus is a symbol of social justice and universal acceptance.

The ancient writer John tells us that Jesus was someone else entirely. John tells us that in Jesus, God “became flesh and dwelt among us.” The story of Jesus is the story of how God came down to earth to offer life and to sacrifice his own.

In 2024, discover a God who moves into our neighborhood. This series will take you through John’s biography of Jesus, and give us a vividly fresh portrait of the Savior.

Dec 31

Introduction

The True STORY

Who is Jesus? What did he come to do? The gospel of John shows us that the true STORY of Jesus is deeper than we imagine or our culture tries to claim.

Jan 7

John 1

The True VOICE

Jesus is both the VOICE of God in creation and the VOICE of reason in philosophy. And as the Word made flesh, Jesus shows us what it means to be human.

Jan 14

John 2

The True BRIDEGROOM

In his very first sign-miracle, Jesus reveals something important about who he is and how he’s the answer to Israel’s longings and hopes—and ours as well.

Jan 21

John 3

The True TEMPLE

Jesus doesn’t just call sinners to repentance. He also comes to challenge our religious assumptions, both from the ancient TEMPLE and the church of today.

Jan 28

John 4

The True WELL

Everybody worships something. But the things we long for do not fulfill. As the true WELL, Jesus is the source of life who satisfies our hearts’ longings.

FEB 4

John 5

The True HEALER

We’re all broken people. Jesus comes to restore the hope of healing, and to challenge our frail attempts to play the victim or to insist that we’re okay.

FEB 11

John 6

The True BREAD

For some of us, Jesus is merely useful. We love him as long as he provides for us and gives us what we want. But Jesus wants us to see his eternal beauty.

Feb 18

John 7—9

The True LIGHT

Does Christianity have a place in the late modern world? The LIGHT of Christ pierces both moral and cultural darkness and invites us to explore his truth.

Feb 25

John 10

The True SHEPHERD

Advertisers, and cable news hosts deliver promises of the good life. But only the true SHEPHERD lays down his life so that we can live more abundantly.

Mar 3

John 12

The True KING

Some people long for a charismatic leader to guide them. Still others celebrate their own authority. The true KING challenges both, offering far more.

Mar 10

John 13

The True SERVANT

What is the greatest virtue? As the true SERVANT, Jesus shows us the true depths of God’s love in a culture of self-absorption.

Mar 17

John 15

The True VINE

Everybody has something they’re “into.” And what you’re into, you become. As the true VINE, Jesus invites us to abide in him for connection and purpose.

Mar 24

John 18—19

The True LAMB

Even our modern world can’t escape the specter of guilt. But as the true LAMB of God, Jesus lifts the burden of sin and grants us forgiveness and renewal.

Mar 31

John 20

The True LIFE

Christianity’s greatest claim is that Jesus historically rose from the dead. How does the resurrection promise LIFE and hope to all who believe?

April 7

John 21

The True FRIEND

Have you ever felt disqualified from your past? Jesus can be your truest and best FRIEND, offering you forgiveness and a new purpose in his kingdom.