The Jesus Experience Library
Meet Jesus
Forget for a moment what someone told you Christianity was, whether it drew you in or pushed you away. Read what Jesus actually said, and watch what he actually did. These are real encounters from the Gospels, sorted by the state a person was in when they met him. Find the one that sounds like you, and then, this is the whole point, go read it for yourself.
Where do I start? Find the one that sounds like you
Whatever state you are in right now, there is a moment in the Gospels where Jesus met someone in exactly that place. Start there.
| If you feel | Meet |
|---|---|
| Rejected, looked down on, left out | Zacchaeus → |
| Condemned, exposed, beyond forgiving | The woman they would not stone → |
| Lost, drifted off, unnoticed | The lost sheep → |
| Ashamed, wanting to come home | The prodigal son → |
| Grieving, mourning a loss | Lazarus → |
| Afraid, overwhelmed, sinking | Jesus calms the storm → |
| Doubting, wanting to believe | Thomas → |
| A failure, ashamed of what you did | Peter → |
| Searching, still thirsty | The woman at the well → |
| Curious, but not ready to be seen | Nicodemus → |
| Sure it is too late for you | The thief on the cross → |
| Desperate, needing to cry out | Blind Bartimaeus → |
| Held back by something you grip | The rich young ruler → |
| Weeping, unable to see hope | Mary Magdalene → |
| Wondering how to love others | The good Samaritan → |
All the encounters
ZacchaeusWhen You Feel RejectedThe Woman They Wanted to StoneWhen You Feel CondemnedNicodemusThe Question You Only Ask at NightThe Woman at the WellWhen You Are Still SearchingPeterWhen You Have Failed the Person You Loved MostThomasWhen You Want to Believe but CannotThe Thief on the CrossWhen You Think It Is Too LateLazarusWhen You Are GrievingJesus Calms the StormWhen You Are AfraidThe Prodigal SonWhen You Are Ashamed to Come BackThe Lost SheepWhen You Feel LostThe Good SamaritanWhen You Wonder Who Your Neighbor IsMary MagdaleneWhen You Are Weeping and Cannot See HimThe Rich Young RulerWhen You Cannot Let GoBlind BartimaeusWhen You Have to Cry Out for Help
Or simply start reading. The Gospel of Mark opens fast and moves quickly: Read Mark 1 → You can also step back and ask who Jesus is.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Meet Jesus?
- It is a small library of real Gospel encounters, sorted by how a person felt when they met Jesus. Feeling condemned points to the woman in John 8; grief points to Lazarus in John 11; doubt points to Thomas in John 20. Each page sends you into the actual passage to read for yourself.
- Do I have to believe anything to read these?
- No. These pages simply show you what Jesus said and did, in his own words from the Gospels, and invite you to read the passage yourself. You do not have to believe anything in advance. Just come and look with an open heart.
- Why read the Gospel instead of an explanation?
- Because Jesus is a person to be met, not just an argument to be won. Explanations can help, but the point of every page here is to send you into the actual words of Jesus, where you can meet him directly rather than only hearing about him.
✝
Come and see
You do not have to take anyone’s word for it, ours least of all. Read the encounters, watch what Jesus does, and see whether he is who he says he is. The whole invitation is simple: come and see.
Start reading the GospelWho is Jesus?Find a churchAsk for prayerJesus Christ is Lord.
