Gospel of John | Episode 1: Knowing the Light— Will You Recognize Him?

The Road to Resurrection and Life  
A Study of the Gospel of John  
Will You Believe?

In this episode, we begin a new journey through the Gospel of John by looking at how Jesus is first revealed and how people respond when they encounter Him.

Before the miracles, before the crowds, and before the full understanding… there was simply an invitation: come and see.

But what happens when Jesus shows up in a way you didn’t expect?

⸻

Over the next several episodes, we’re walking through the life of Jesus as revealed in the book of John — not just to learn what happened, but to understand who He is and how that changes the way we live.

Because throughout this gospel, people encounter the same Jesus… but respond in completely different ways.

Some believe.  
Some question.  
And some see everything clearly and still choose not to accept Him.

So the question becomes personal:

Will you recognize Him?

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Hey girlies, welcome back to the Gospel Girlies, the Gospel Center Podcast community. I'm your host, Angel, and I'm out here with about honest faith, real life, and choosing obedience even when the road doesn't make sense. So, get ready to have your hearts filled, your souls lifted, and your faith ignited. If you're new here, welcome home girly. If you've been here, you already know the vibes. Hey girl, hey. Alright, let's just go ahead and get into it. Over the past several weeks, we've walked through the book of James and talked about what faith looks like in action. Now we're stepping into the Gospel of John to look at the question underneath all of it. Who is Jesus really? And will we believe him? Welcome to The Road to Resurrection and Life, a study of the Gospel of John. Throughout this series, we're going to walk through the life of Jesus and sit with the question the whole book keeps asking. And what I love about this shift from James into John is that James showed us how faith works, but John shows us where faith comes from. James is very practical. It teaches us how to live faith out. But John is more relational. It teaches us who Jesus is. So this series is not really about behavior first. It's about relationship with Christ. Because when you really begin to know who Jesus is, fruit should follow. And that matters because in John, Jesus is revealed in layers. He is revealed as king, as savior, as shepherd, as teacher, and as miracle worker. And ultimately, as the one who brings life to his people. So before we even get into this into the chapters, that's the lens I want us to carry through this series. We are not just studying events. We are watching Jesus reveal who he is. Yeah, we're watching Jesus reveal who he is. And he's a mighty good God. Okay. Alright, stomach. Relax, bro. We're gonna eat in a second. So what if you what if you've heard about Jesus, but you've never actually recognized him. Like what if he's been present in your life, speaking, moving, revealing, and you still missed him because he didn't show up the way that you expected. Because that's exactly what we're about to see in the book of John. Like, as we walk through this book together, I want you to notice how it unfolds. The Gospel of John moves in a direction. It has three parts. And in this first part of the book, we're stepping into what I like to call movement one, seeing Jesus. And that first movement is really about revelation who Jesus is. From John chapter one through John chapter twelve, Jesus is revealing his identity through signs, teachings, miracles, and personal encounters. And as he reveals who he is, people have to decide how they're going to respond. Some believe off-rip, some reject, and of course, some stay divided. And that tension matters because John keeps showing us that it's possible to witness the same Jesus, hear the same truth, and still walk away with different responses. This is where Jesus is revealing who he is through his words, his actions, his miracles, and his interactions with people. And so what we're going to see over and over again is this people are encountering the same Jesus, but responding in completely different ways. Of course, some believe, some question, and some see everything clearly and still choose not to accept him. That's crazy. So as we walk through today's chapters, we're not just looking at what happened, we're paying attention to what is revealed about who Jesus is and how people respond to him. Because one of the biggest things John shows us is this the evidence was never the issue. Jesus was never the issue. People saw the miracles, they heard the teaching, and they experienced his presence. But still, some chose not to believe. Which means belief is not just about what you see, it's about your heart posture when you see it. Belief is not just about what you see, it's about your heart posture when you see it. And I'm not even gonna tell y'all what to do. Y'all already know what to do. Make sure you got it. Yeah, get that. So, with that in mind, let's step into today's chapters and set the tone for this journey. The Gospel of John is not just a collection of stories, it moves with intention. At the beginning, we're watching people encounter Jesus and try to figure out who he is. You know, then in the middle, Jesus begins preparing his disciples, teaching them how to live, how to love, and how to stay connected to him. And by the end, everything moves toward the cross, the resurrection, and the question every person has to answer for themselves. Will you believe? So as we walk through this series together, I want you to keep that question in the back of your mind. Not just what did they believe, but what do I believe? And y'all, if y'all hear my fan on my computer just blowing away because it thinks it's working extremely too hard, don't let it distract you from the message. But John opens this book very differently from the other gospels. He doesn't start with a birth story, he starts by telling us exactly who Jesus is. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. Right from the start, John is making it clear, Jesus is not just a teacher, he is not just a prophet, he is God. And right here is where John sets the tone for everything we're about to see. The light came into the world, and the world did not recognize him. That right there is the tension of John. Jesus is fully present, fully revealing himself, and people still don't see him. We're introduced to John the Baptist, who understands his role clearly. They asked him, Are you the Messiah? Are you Elijah? Are you the prophet? And every time he says no. Listen, people could be asking me questions, and I'm I have to pop an attitude, like, why do you keep asking me the same question over and over again? I already told you the answer. Like, come on now, find something else to, find something else to do. But that one John the Baptist, because Lord knows, I do not like being asked the same question over and over again. And then after being asked all those questions, he points them to Jesus and says, Look, the Lamb of God. That moment is important because before people ever followed Jesus, someone had to recognize him and point him out. And this is where we first see the disciples begin to follow him. Not because they had everything figured out, not because they fully understood who he was, but because they were curious enough to follow. And as they began to follow, Jesus turns and asks them a simple question. What are you looking for? And instead of giving them a full explanation of who he is, he gives them an invitation. Come and see. That's how relationship with Jesus starts. Not with full understanding, but with an invitation. As the story continues, we move into chapter two, where Jesus performs his first sign, turning water into wine. And I like this moment because it shows something subtle but powerful. Jesus said his time had yet not come. Girl, what? He said his time had not yet come. Lord. And yet the miracle still happened. Not publicly, not for attention, but in a quiet, intentional way. And the people who needed to see it saw it. And that matters because Jesus was revealing who he was, but he was not revealing everything at one time. He was not moving on the crowd's timing timeline. He was revealing himself in the right way at the right time. And that matters for us too because not every move of God in your life is meant to be seen by everybody. Y'all didn't catch that. Okay, I'm gonna say that again. It matters for us too because not every move of God in your life is meant to be seen by everybody. Now people say like move in silence, don't announce like your next step or your big move or you get in a car or you moving or starting a business until it's solidified. Because some things are revealed in private before they are ever revealed in public. Sometimes God will do something quietly in your life before there is ever language for it, before there is ever a platform for it, and before anybody else can fully recognize what he is doing. Not because it is small, but because private revelation often comes before public responsibility. Tables flipped, animals driven out, and he says, Do not make my father's house a market. Okay, cuz don't be disrespecting my father like that. Okay. So now we're seeing another side of the same Jesus, the one who moved quietly at the wedding is now moving boldly in the temple. And rightfully so, because what y'all got going on? And this is where we begin to see something clearly. Jesus will not fit into one version of who people expect him to be. He is not just gentle, he is not just quiet, he is not just a teacher, he carries authority. And when they question him, asking for proof, he says something they don't understand at the time. Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days. They think he's talking about a building. Absolutely not, he's talking about himself, and that becomes a pattern all throughout John. Jesus is speaking spiritually, and people keep trying to understand him from a natural point of view. Oh my. What stood out to me in these chapters is how many people were right in front of Jesus and still didn't recognize him. Y'all know that like prank that everybody do of where they cover the kid with the blanket and then they pretend like they can't see him and they're invisible. And again, it's like, hey, I'm right here, y'all. Like, I'm I'm I didn't go anywhere. That's kind of that's a little bit of what I think about when I think about um Jesus being right there, and people still didn't recognize that he was there and who he was. And if I'm being real, I think we can do the same thing. Like we can be around the word, we can hear about Jesus, we can even follow him at a distance and still not fully recognize who he is in our lives. Some people needed signs, some people needed proof, some people needed explanations, but the ones who followed him first, they just responded to the invitation. You don't need full clarity to take your first step with Jesus. Because if we're honest, a lot of us are waiting to fully understand before we move. We want confirmation, we want details, we want to know how everything is going to work out. But the first disciples didn't have all that, they just had an invitation and they followed. And sometimes the step you're waiting to take is not going to come with full explanation, it's going to come with a simple come and see. Some of you are waiting for confirmation when God has already given you an invitation, and what's happening is you keep asking for more signs, for more clarity, for more reassurance, but God is waiting on your response to what he already said. All right, girl. Because at some point, faith stops being about collecting information and starts being about choosing to move. You can be around Jesus and still not recognize him. You can hear the word, be in the environment, see what he's doing, and still miss him because he's not showing up the way you expected. And that's what we see in John. Jesus is not hidden, he's present, but people are still missing him, and to this day, people are still missing him. You can be close enough to hear him, close enough to see him moving, but still hold on to your own understanding, your own expectations, your own control, and Relationship with Jesus requires more than being nearby, it requires surrender. Jesus will not always show up the way you expect. But that does not mean he is not present. And if you're only looking for him in one specific way, you might miss him completely. Because sometimes he shows up quietly, sometimes he shows up differently. And sometimes he shows up in ways that stretch your understanding. So I want you to sit with this for a second. What are you actually looking for from Jesus? Because if you're being honest, your expectation of him shapes how you respond to him. Are you looking for proof? Like, are you waiting for everything to line up perfectly before you trust him? Are you waiting for something visible? Sometiable? Something that makes it that makes sense? Because faith doesn't always start with proof. Sometimes it starts with trust. Are you looking for answers? Like, are you trying to figure out figure everything out before you move forward? Are you trying to understand every detail before you say yes? Because sometimes obedience comes before understanding. Are you looking for him to move the way you want him to move? Or are you willing to follow even when you don't fully understand yet? Because following Jesus means letting go of control over how he shows up, and trusting that how he shows up is still right. Because the truth is, some people saw the same miracles, heard the same words, stood in the same presence, and still chose not to believe. The evidence was the same. The response was different. So the question becomes personal. After seeing who Jesus is in this part of the story, will you recognize him in your own life? Today we saw what it looks like when Jesus begins to reveal who he is. And what's interesting is nothing about him was hidden. He was speaking, he was moving, he was showing people exactly who he was. And people still responded differently. Some of them followed, some of them questioned, some of them misunderstood. And some saw everything clearly and still chose not to believe. Because it's easy to read this and think about what they did. But the real question is, what will you do? As we continue through the Gospel of John, we're going to keep seeing people encounter Jesus and come face to face with that decision. And the same invitation that was given then is still being given now. Come and see. And as you see, as you listen, as you begin to recognize who he is, don't ignore what's being revealed to you. Because the invitation doesn't stop at seeing. Will you recognize him? Who? Man oh man, will you recognize? All right. Thank y'all so much for listening to today's episode. Like for real. As always, like if the episode resonated with you, please leave a review and let me know how it connected with your real life. And don't forget to follow the podcast and follow us on Instagram at GospelGirlies for encouragement and updates. Come talk to me for real. I just want to talk to y'all. This is community. This is words of encouragement. This is getting life into you. And so, like, also is helping me too. So if y'all come, come talk to me, send me a m on our Instagram. You can send a message, you know, through the podcast, whatever the case may be. Reach out. Especially if you're in a space where you feel like you don't know whether you're up, whether you're down, whether to go to the left, go to the right. Or you just need to talk to somebody. Come on in the room. Cause I will definitely talk to y'all. Um, I love helping. Like, I love talking to people. And so, like, for real, if you're in a space where you just really need to talk to somebody, hit my mind, hit the mind, hit my mind, hit my mind. I will be there, I will respond, I will help the best that I can. I will pray for you. Um, you know what I'm saying? I will, I will do all those things. So reach out, y'all. As always, adventure and faith begin today. Remember to walk boldly, live faithfully, and step into God's plan for you. Because it is greater than anything you could ever imagine. I'll see you next time on Gospel Girlies Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Bye.