The pen-sketches in John's Gospel introduce us to men and women whose experiences resonate with us today, as they fix our eyes on the person who changed their stories forever.

Each of these people had their problems, whether the great teacher with national prominence but no new life, or the broken-hearted woman who was known for all the wrong reasons. And all of them had to decide- from the confident disciple who buckled under pressure, to the woman who worshipped in spite of what others might think-how they would respond to Jesus Christ. Would they continue on their own path without him, or would they believe?

With his combined skills as an expositor and storyteller, David Gooding traces for us some of these individual journeys of faith in which the Lord Jesus himself was leading the way. By considering their backgrounds and listening as Christ diagnoses their problems, we not only begin to feel that we know these people but also to realize that the one who spoke to them is still speaking through their stories to us today.