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Lifegroup map 3/15/09  “Liquidation”  John 4:1-26

 

Please choose any One of the following Ice breakers:

(Everyone doesn’t have to answer the same one… pick the one you like!)

·        How much time each week do you spend on the internet?

·        How do you feel about your future tonight?

·        What is your favorite snack food?

 

Life exploration time:  Read out-loud John 4:1-26

Brief background: The Samaritans were racially mixed; partially gentiles and partially Israelites (See II Kings 17:24-41 for more details.).  They lived in a region that was between Jerusalem and Galilee.  The Jews and Samaritans were bitterly at odds—ethnically and religiously.  The Samaritans only accepted the 1^st 5 books of the Bible… The Jews destroyed the Samaritans’ temple in 120 BC.  Since most Jews traveling north & south between Jerusalem and Galilee bypassed the region of Samaria to avoid being ceremonially unclean, Jesus is breaking several social norms of His day in this passage…

 

~ What is the significance of Jesus being weary and thirsty? 

 

~ We know from piecing together the social customs of their day (and her history of relationships…) that the woman at the well is an outcast.  She is drawing her water alone, and in the heat of the day.  Recognizing this, along with living an immoral lifestyle (Going through at least 5 men, and she wasn’t married to her current man...) what type of encouragement should we personally take away from this story as we see how Jesus interacts with her?

 

~ Jesus says in 4:14 that the water He offers will never leave us thirsty…

·        How should we view and handle times when we are in “spiritually dry” times?

 

~ Reading 4:20-22 the woman raises a question of “where” worship takes place.  The only use of the word “salvation” in John’s Gospel is here in 4:22… but notice that Jesus says not only is worship on the Samaritan mountain not key, Jerusalem also is not central/indispensable… 

·        In what ways is Jesus liberating worship from structures or locations in Jn 4:21?

 

~ Jesus declares the nature or essence of God is Spirit in 4:24. 

·        How does this impact our understanding of worship, according to Jesus?

 

~ Jn 4:25 indicates that the Samaritan woman was expecting what type of Messiah? 

(Hint: she says when the Messiah comes, “he will explain/declare/tell us all things”)

 

~ Overall, Jesus masterfully uses dialogue to bridge the many divides between Himself and the Samaritan woman; all the while not condoning her lifestyle OR condemning her…

·        How can we apply Jesus’ example of dialogue in our lives today, to build relationships with people we differ with?