Sermon Notes:

Getting To Know Jesus: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

March 1, 2026 "The Light of the World"

By: Pastor Joel Philbrook


Sit with this...

When Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world,” He is not offering better advice or stronger motivation. He is offering exposure, healing, and presence all at once. Light does two things at the same time it reveals what is real, and it makes life possible. Which means the places we most want to keep hidden may be the very places He most wants to illuminate and not to shame us, but to free us. So here’s the deeper question: What part of your life have you learned to manage in the dark? What have you convinced yourself is safer hidden than healed? If Jesus truly is the Light, then stepping toward Him does not mean destruction it means clarity, warmth, and new sight. And maybe going deeper this Lent isn’t about trying harder… maybe it’s about daring to stand honestly in His light and trusting that what He reveals, He also restores.

  • John 8:12


    When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”


    John 3:19-21

    This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.


    Genesis 1:1-3

    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.



  • The Practice: Instead of saying, 

    “I deserve this darkness,”

    say, “Jesus, shine here.”


    Read John 8:12 out loud once this week.
    Remind yourself: The Light does not run from darkness.

    If needed, bring one trusted person into it. Light grows when it’s shared.

  • 1. Where am I most tempted to stay hidden right now — and what story am I telling myself about why that darkness is safer than the light?


    2. When Jesus exposes something in me, do I experience Him more as condemning or restoring — and why?


    3. If I fully trusted that Christ’s light brings freedom, what is one concrete step I would take this week to walk more openly in it?

What's Coming Next in "Getting to Know Jesus: The Man, The Myth, The Legend"

While the name of Jesus has reached legendary status over two millennia, we often settle for a "mythical" connection that treats Him as a transaction for gifts rather than a Person to be known. Just as a bride misses the point if she loves the ring more than the groom, we lose our way when we prioritize what Jesus does for us over who He actually is to us. It is time to stop chasing the benefits and start being enthralled with the Giver—the real Person behind the Man, the Myth, and the Legend.

  • Join us for...

    Week 1: 2/22 "Bread of Life" 

    John 6:35-51 by Pastor Joel

    Week 2: 3/1 "The Light of the World" 

    John 8:12-18 by Pastor Joel

    Week 3: 3/8 "The Gate and the Good Shepherd" John 10:7-18 by Pastor Joel

    Week 4: 3/15 "The Way, the Truth, and the Life" John 14:5-14 by Pastor Justin

    Week 5: 3/22 "The True Vine" 

    John 15:1-17 by Caroline Carpenter


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