2/19

IN A NUTSHELL:  Jesus made a purposeful decision to pass through Samaria in order to have a conversation with a Samaritan woman. This break with social customs of the day had huge ramifications for the people in her village who would get to know Jesus as a result of this encounter. It also speaks truth into our lives as it has for centuries. Jesus wants true worshipers, and real worship happens when we decide to drink of Jesus’ living water and choose to follow Him in obedience for the rest of our lives.   

TEXT:  John 4:1-42,

BULLETIN BLANKS:

  • Everything God does is purposeful, even when we don’t realize it in the moment.
  • Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman was unmistakable evidence that His message is for everyone.
  • Jesus forces us to deal with the inside in order for us to brought the point of genuine  worship.
  • True worship MUST be… in spirit and in truth.
  • Our deepest thirst is quenched by drawing from the well of living water offered by Jesus Christ. Our spiritual nourishment is doing His will and accomplishing His work.

HIS LIGHT AND LIFE

  1. Describe what the text say about the Samaritan woman’s spiritual and physical condition when Jesus approaches her.

  2. What does the text say about the lengths Jesus will go to save a lost soul and fulfill His purposes?

  3. How/why does the woman’s attitude and receptiveness toward Jesus change throughout the story?

  4. How is Jesus’ statement in verse 16 a “turning point?”

  5. In your opinion, what does it mean to worship “in spirit and in truth?”

  6. What was the lasting impact of the woman’s response to Christ’s message?

  7. What is Jesus “living water,” and how do we drink of it?

  8. We know that Jesus got hungry and thirsty, but that is not nourishment for Him (v. 32ff). How does He find nourishment and satisfaction?

HIS LIGHT IN MY LIFE

  1. Is there a time you didn’t sense God’s purpose in the moment but later realized it?

  2. Jesus used different methods for reaching different people. (Think about the different approaches he took when speaking to Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.) Think about somebody you know who has been uninterested in the gospel. Is there a different approach you could take in trying to reach them?

  3. What cultural taboos do we face that may keep us from talking with sinners about Christ?

  4. Do you thirst for Christ above all, or are there other streams that you sometimes run to seeking satisfaction?

OBJECTIVES:

  • To expose what the text reveals about what lengths Jesus will go to accomplish his purposes and to pursue true worshipers. He is not bound by custom or tradition. He is introducing a new way of worship.

OUTCOMES:

  • The worshiper will be challenged to run away from lusts and desires of the flesh and draw from the well of Christ’s living water. The sermon should inspire new commitment in believers’ hearts to put aside anything that entangles us.

  • The worshiper will be challenged once again to view worship as a lifestyle. It’s a holistic experience that involves both thoughts (motivation) and action. We must thirst for the right things and we must find our satisfaction in doing the right things.

ONLINE RESOURCES

THIS WEEK'S PLAY LIST: YOUTUBE 

  • THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS   Feb. 12 - 19,    John 4:1-42,
  • NEXT WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS  Feb. 20 - 26,  John 4:43-54
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