Elevate City Church

In this teaching from our “Come and See” series through the Gospel of John, we look at what happens when Jesus is at the height of his fame and says the hardest thing he has ever said. In John 6:41-71, the crowds that wanted to make Jesus king suddenly head for the exits when he says, “I am the bread of life.” We unpack why Jesus refused to be a political leader or a vending machine, what he meant by “eat my flesh and drink my blood,” and why this is the first time he uses the “I am” language from the burning bush with a metaphor. We explore the difference between being a fan and being a disciple, what happens when the gift becomes more desirable than the giver, and why we so often try to fill legitimate needs in illegitimate ways. Peter’s answer, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”, asks every one of us the question: is Jesus enough? Whether you’re wondering why Jesus said such confusing things, feeling like you’re chasing things that never satisfy, or looking for a deeper study of the Gospel of John, this message will help you see Jesus like you’ve never seen him before.

In this teaching from our “Come and See” series through the Gospel of John, we dive into John 6:1-35 and the feeding of the 5,000, the only miracle besides the resurrection recorded in all four Gospels. Discover why a small detail, that “the Passover was at hand,” changes how we read this entire story, and how Jesus is reenacting the Exodus as the new Moses with parallels to the mountain, the sea, and bread from heaven. We unpack why this was no peaceful picnic but a political powder keg, why Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread when he already knew what he would do, and what it means that Jesus is looking for available resources, not sufficient ones. We explore how a boy’s five barley loaves and two fish became more than enough in the hands of Jesus, how we can stop “running the numbers without God,” and why the crowd that followed Jesus for a free meal missed the bigger invitation. Whether you feel like what you have to offer is too small, you’re wondering if Jesus is still working miracles today, or you’re hungry for something that finally satisfies, this message will help you see Jesus, the Bread of Life, like you’ve never seen him before.

Why did the religious leaders want Jesus dead? Was it because of His miracles, His teachings, or something much more controversial?

In John 5, Jesus makes a claim that changes everything: He is equal with God.

This wasn't simply another religious teaching. It was a declaration that challenged everything the religious leaders believed about Him—and ultimately led them to seek His death.

But that same claim confronts us today.

Can Jesus really be just a good teacher? Can we admire His words without surrendering to His authority? And what happens when the real Jesus challenges the version of Jesus we've created for ourselves?

In this message from our Come & See series, we explore John 5:16–47 and discover why Jesus is the One You Can't Ignore.

Whether you've followed Jesus for years, have questions about Christianity, or are still deciding what you believe, this message is for you.

Scripture: John 5:16–47

Series: Come & See | The Gospel of John

Church: Elevate City Church

Learn more: https://elevatecc.church

#Jesus #John5 #Christianity

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Elevate City Church is a Jesus Over Everything Church that launched in the Atlanta Perimeter area on October 4th, 2020.

Jesus Over Everything.

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In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we dive into John 5:1-17 and the healing of the paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. We start with why God invented the biblical feasts (spoiler: he's after your joy), then look at the surprising archaeology behind the pool, which skeptics once called fiction until it was uncovered in 1888 exactly as John described it. We take a seminary-style look at why John 5:4 is missing from many Bibles and why that should increase our confidence in Scripture, not shake it. Then we unpack the cultural context that changed this story from Pastor Joey's least favorite passage to one of his favorites: a pagan healing cult, a rigged system that took advantage of the sick and poor, and Jesus walking in to drain the fake pools. Along the way we ask the question Jesus asks a man who waited 38 years, "Do you want to be made well?", and explore how the "pools" of career, relationships, success, and approval promise wholeness they can't deliver, why some of us get comfortable in our pain, and what it looks like to finally pick up your mat and walk. If you're stuck in a long season, wrestling with whether the Bible can be trusted, or ready for a fresh look at one of the most misunderstood miracles in the Gospels, this message will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we look at Jesus' second miracle, healing a dying boy from 17 miles away with nothing but a spoken word (John 4:43-54). A desperate father, a royal official likely serving in Herod's court, begs Jesus to heal his son, and Jesus responds by simply saying, "Go, your son will live." We unpack why Jesus healed at a distance, what it means that this father had to believe before he could see, and the striking parallel between this second sign and Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana. This message explores what it looks like to have faith that doesn't depend on signs and wonders, why our most desperate seasons often form us more deeply than our comfortable ones, and how Jesus cares just as much about healing our souls as he does about healing our circumstances. Whether you're waiting on an answer to prayer, wrestling with unanswered questions, or wanting a deeper study of the Gospel of John, this message will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we explore one of the most beautiful and scandalous stories in all of Scripture: Jesus and the Woman at the Well in John 4. Discover why Jesus intentionally walked through Samaria, a place Jews avoided at all costs, to have the longest recorded conversation of his ministry with a woman society had cast aside. We unpack the meaning of "living water," why this woman came to the well alone in the middle of the day, the surprising truth about her "five husbands," and how Jesus moves from confronting her deepest shame to revealing himself as the Messiah. This message explores themes of racism, rejection, identity, and the ache for something in life to finally satisfy, and shows how Jesus meets us exactly where we are, knows everything about us, and loves us anyway. Whether you're carrying shame, searching for acceptance, or just want a deeper study of the Gospel of John, this teaching will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we look at what happens when your dreams get crushed and ask the question: is Jesus really enough? In John 3:22-36, John the Baptist watches the crowds leave him for Jesus, the very thing he built his life around is suddenly being taken away, and yet he responds with joy instead of jealousy. We explore what it means to know your role instead of trying to be the star, the ancient wedding tradition of the "friend of the bridegroom" and what it teaches us about pointing to Jesus instead of ourselves, and the difference between a self-focused life and a Jesus-focused life. Whether you're wrestling with unmet expectations, watching someone else "live your dream," or just tired of a culture that says happiness comes from self-improvement, this message will help you see how real joy is found when Jesus increases and we decrease.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we dive into one of the most important conversations in all of Scripture: Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3. Discover why a respected religious leader who "knew all the answers" came to Jesus in secret, and why Jesus told him that knowing about God isn't the same as knowing God. We explore six powerful invitations woven through this conversation: seeing the unseen Kingdom of God, what it truly means to be "born again," the mysterious work of the Holy Spirit compared to the wind, Jesus' claim to speak of heavenly things, the connection between Jesus on the cross and the bronze serpent in Numbers 21, and finally the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. Whether you're wrestling with doubt like Nicodemus, trying to earn your way to God through religion, or simply want a deeper study of what it means to be born again, this message will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we look at one of the most surprising scenes in Jesus' life — Jesus overturning tables and driving out money-changers in the temple in John 2:13-25. Just one chapter after turning water into wine at a wedding, Jesus shows a radically different side of himself: righteous anger, holy zeal, and a fierce protection of what his Father's house was meant to be. We dig into why Jesus cleansed the temple, what the money-changers and sacrificial animal sellers were really doing wrong, the connection between Passover and the Exodus story, and the stunning claim Jesus makes about himself — that he is the new and greater temple, the true meeting place between God and humanity. This message challenges the "soft, cuddly" version of Jesus many of us grew up with and reveals a Savior who is both full of grace and full of truth — a bridegroom who fills our tables and a King who isn't afraid to flip them. If you've ever wrestled with reconciling the gentle Jesus with the zealous Jesus, or want a deeper study of the Gospel of John, this teaching will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.

In this teaching from our "Come and See" series through the Gospel of John, we dive into John 2:1-12 and Jesus' first miracle — turning water into wine at the Wedding at Cana in Galilee. Discover why Jesus' inaugural sign wasn't a healing or an exorcism but a party trick to save a wedding from embarrassment, and what that reveals about a God of abundance, joy, and celebration. We unpack the deep symbolism behind the "third day," the six stone purification jars, the significance of Jesus' words to his mother Mary, and how this miracle points forward to the new covenant, communion, and the transformation Jesus offers each of us — turning empty lives, empty marriages, and empty hope into something new. Whether you're studying the Gospel of John, exploring the meaning of Jesus' first miracle, or looking for a fresh take on faith, abundance, and grace, this message will help you see Jesus like you've never seen him before.