We close our Exploring Faith series with a story in which Jesus invites even his closest followers to consider the depth of their faith and be nourished by the Bread of Life.

Jesus’ healing of a disabled man is a key to any exploration of faith: it shows us how the Son of God’s proximity, power, and passion can change even the most helpless situation.

Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well speaks to the deep thirst and longing within every human heart. After years of searching for satisfaction in broken and temporary places, she encounters the only one who can truly satisfy the soul and offer lasting life.

When Nicodemus, a respected religious leader, comes to Jesus at night with honest questions, Jesus invites him into an entirely new way of seeing. Here we discover a darkness to escape, a new kind of life to experience, and an identity strong enough to build our lives upon.

Jesus’ mission on earth was to clear a path between the presence of God and the people he loves. John’s Gospel puts Jesus’ cleansing of the temple front and center so that we read the entire story in light of this central action.

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine. With so much sorrow and injustice in the world, why start there? It turns out far more was at stake than a catering crisis. In this moment, Jesus offers a glimpse of what he has come to bring into the world.