Face to Face with TRUTH

Encounters, Part 1 | March 15, 2026

Face to Face with Jesus

One encounter with Jesus can change the direction of your entire life.

John 3:1-2a (NIV) Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God…

✓ Curiosity

✓ Humility

FACE TO FACE WITH TRUTH

1. Truth: Knowing a lot about God is not the same as knowing God. 

Question:  Where have I grown so familiar with God that I no longer welcome a fresh encounter with Him?

John 3:2-8 (NIV) He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

2. Truth: We can never manufacture what can only be birthed by the Spirit.

Question: Lord, where am I striving to produce something that only Your Spirit can bring to life?

John 3:9-18 (NIV) “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

3. Truth: Jesus came to give life to the dying, not turn bad people good.

Question: Jesus, what in me has been empty or dying because I’ve been looking somewhere else for life?