Small Group Questions s3

Small Group Questions John 4:7-30, John 7:37-39, John 8:25-30 Sermon Series: I AM THAT I AM, #4 Sermon Title: THIRST Week of 9 June 2017

THEME/ CONCEPT:

In this series exploring the I AMs of Jesus throughout the Gospel of John, we dive in to the Jesus’s claim of being the water of eternal life. In this message, we explore the thirst we each have and how Jesus is the only way to quench that thirst, as we are extended an invitation to come to the source (John 7:37-39). Through one “accidental” conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus tears down the five (5) big barriers: gender, race, morality, social/class, and religious barriers. In Jesus, barriers caused by sin are removed and true life is restored. Jesus then challenges the woman—and challenges us—to move from deflection to ownership, and from quick fixes to eternal fulfillment, from the one who truly knows us and yet loves us. Encountering Jesus moves this woman from personal and cultural confusion to bold confession and purpose (John 8:25-30)

Opening Question

After making each individual feel welcome to the small group, a question or series of questions like the following can give everyone an opportunity to participate, start thinking about a concept from the passage and gradually share more openly the deep work that God is doing in our lives.

O1. Have you ever had an unexpected invitation—whether from an unexpected source or for an unexpected event? How did you respond?

Scripture References: John 4:7-30 (NIV); John 7:37-39 (NIV); John 8:25-30 (NIV) -John 4:7-30 (NIV) 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. -John 7:37-39 (NIV) 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. -John 8:25-30 (NIV) 25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.26 “I have much to say in judg- ment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

Understanding the Scripture A question like one of the following may help your group understand the content of the passage. Answering all of these questions exactly as written isn't necessary or recommended. Allow time for the application and Mission Statement questions. U1. Understanding Jesus’ deliberate interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well requires us to analyze the expected interactions between a Jewish man (Jesus) and this unnamed Samaritan woman. In what ways was this en- counter defying expectations of Jesus?

U2. Why do you think that Jesus, after the woman asked for the living water, asked her to go and get her husband and then come back—especially when He already knows about her living situation?

U3. What is the relevance of the discussion regarding the place of worship (John 4:20-24)? How does Jesus’s answer ultimately reframe the question? U4. Who would have been Jesus’s audience at the time of His statements in John 7:37-39? How was this audience different than those He addressed in John 8:25-30?

U5. John 7:39 explains that although many believed in Jesus at that time, the spirit would come upon them later. What is this referencing?

U6. Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus is questioned about his identity repeatedly. Compare and contrast His answer to the Samaritan woman in John 4:25-26 with His answer in John 8:25-27. Why are His answers different? Why do you believe He gave the more direct answer to the Samaritan woman?

Applying the Scripture Small groups are a primary way of building a community fully alive in Christ. A small group facilitator can use questions like the following, adapted to the context of the particular small group, to help the group move beyond understanding the passage to allowing Jesus Christ to fully change our lives by the passage.

A1. The woman’s responses to Jesus in John 4:7-30 are revealing in many ways, including that Jesus takes every objection she throws His way, and does not overpower her, but intrigues her to question further. What are some objections that you have when studying scripture? How does Jesus intrigue you to question further? A2. After Jesus reveals that He already knows about the woman’s unconventional living arrangements/marital history, the woman goes on to state that He must be a prophet, and then goes on to ask questions about religion. Does her answer surprise you? If a stranger revealed that they already knew private infor- mation about your personal life, how would you react? What can we learn from the focus of her questions? A3. John 4:27 indicates that despite their surprise, none of the disciples questioned the woman about her conversation with Jesus. Why do you think this was? What does this tell us about the unexpected people now who are encountering Jesus, and how we ought to respond? A4. John 4:28 states that the woman left the jar behind at the well and went to tell others about Jesus. How are we to take similar actions in our daily life? What might the jar look like in your own life today? A5. John 8:25 has Jesus identify himself by referencing prior identifications—“just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” How in your life have you seen this to be the case? What does this tell you about His character?

Missional Strategy: Invite, Connect, Grow and Serve Use questions like the following, adapted to the context of your particular small group, to work toward the milestone for the year.

Milestone: By this time next year each of us will have taken at least one step to become more like Jesus in our upward connection (connect), inner strength (grow) and outward focus (serve).

M1. Jesus’s interaction with the woman at the well breaks down barriers that would have kept the woman from engaging with who she believed God (or the God of the Jews) was, including (1) race, (2) gender, (3) social class, (4) religion, and even (5) morality. Jesus did not allow any of these categorizations to exclude the woman from God’s plan of salvation through Him, yet all too often we find that we are erecting similar barriers to keep others from Christ even today. Taking each one of these barriers individually, discuss how the barrier presents itself in our church, community, or even nation, and how we can ensure that everyone hears the gospel?

M2. Of the five barriers enumerated in Question M1, which do you feel is most pernicious? In what ways are you being called to help break down this particular barrier?

M3. Are any of these barriers excluding people from joining your small group? How might you overcome these barriers to extend the invitation to fellowship beyond those already engaged in your community?

M4. How might your small group look to serve others who might currently be struggling with one of these barriers? (For example, volunteering as a small group with Family Promise, which would reach out to those of a different social class, or other service opportunities.)

Closing Prayer

If your small group prays together, some of the following concepts might be helpful to invite the Holy Spirit to help each member of the group grow in areas that may have come up during the group's discussion.

Pray through

 Ways we can help break down barriers that might keep others from knowing Jesus on a personal level;  Any barriers in our own lives that keep Christ at arms’ length;  Ways to serve others beyond our comfort zones;  Ways to include others in your small group.