The Power of Grace: Samaritan Woman's Encounter with Jesus

About this sermon

Learn More | https://trbc.org/encountering-jesus-study/ Watch Week 2 | https://youtu.be/9ECWqX9woxw Watch Week 4 | https://youtu.be/Ynv2-xe9C0o Giving | http://TRBC.org/GIVE Subscribe for weekly content | http://youtube.com/@ThomasRoadChurch?sub_confirmation=1 DISCOVER: What does the passage say? Who is the author and what is the time period that the passage was written? ◊ The Bible provides compelling internal evidence supporting the following conclusion: It is apparent that John, an integral member of Jesus’ inner circle, fulfilled the role of writing this chapter. ◊ The book of John was finalized sometime AD 85 and AD 95, during his time of serving with the Church of Ephesus. What is the setting? When did it happen (look at the chapter before)? Where was it? Who is the audience? ◊ This section takes place in the town of Samaria during Jesus’s three years of active ministry. Judeans often avoided going through Samaria, but Jews in Galilee often used that route. Jesus prepared this trip to intentionally go through Samaria and minister there. ◊ In this passage, Jesus made it clear that His role as the Messiah was not limited to the Jewish community, but rather it was extended to anyone who held faith in Him. This includes the Samaritan woman who was known as a sinner of great magnitude. Jesus demonstrated His omniscience as He was aware of every sin the Samaritan woman had committed. Despite this, He cherished her enough to actively pursue her and reveal to her that He was the key to everlasting life; that He was the Messiah. Are any key words or phrases repeated? Which ones are the most important? ◊ Two words are repeated numerous times in this passage: thirst and water. Both have a physical aspect and a spiritual representation. Thirst represents the spiritual need of all human beings as sinners, while the water represents the Son of God who can meet the spiritual need with forgiveness and everlasting life. LEARN: What is the passage teaching? What was the biggest lesson you learned from today’s teaching? ◊ Jesus is the eternal fulfillment of our spiritual thirst. ◊ Although she was a Samaritan and a sinner, the woman had a hope for the Messiah. At this significant time in His ministry, Jesus publicly unveiled Himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman. Despite her reputation for sinning, Jesus purposefully sought her out because of His great love for her that existed long before they crossed paths at the well. ◊ The Samaritan Woman believed, and her life was transformed, making her a bold witness of Jesus. She left her water jar behind because she realized she did not need it anymore. She had just found the Living Water: Jesus! She began telling everyone about Jesus the Messiah, and others came to believe because of her testimony. Because her spiritual thirst was satisfied when she met the Messiah, and she became a spring of Living Water. What do these verses teach about God (the Father, Son, and Spirit) and His character? ◊ This passage reveals that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, the awaited Messiah, and when we believe in Him, His Spirit transforms our thirsty soul into a spring of living water so we can bless others with the message of Jesus. ◊ The Father loves the Son equally to how He loves us (John 17:22-23). He loved us so deeply that He came looking for us amid our thirst and shame. Lovingly, He makes us aware that He knows everything about us, even the shameful details. He convicts us through His Holy Spirit and tells us to leave behind our broken cisterns and drink of the living water. How do these verses reveal the nature of humanity to you? ◊ Just like this anonymous woman, we were separated from the people of God (Jews hated the Samaritans). We all have shameful thoughts or regretful decisions from our past. At times, all of us have looked to fulfill our spiritual needs and desires with earthly pleasures, only to find ourselves lost in a desert, thirsty and craving the Living Water. APPLY: What are you to do with the passage? 1. Have you recognized what broken cisterns are in your life? What actions, addictions, and habits do you cling to, to calm your inner spiritual thirst? 2. Meditate on how much the Father loves you. Before you even gave your heart to your Heavenly Father, He had already sent Jesus to save you. 3. The Jews hated Samaritans, and Jesus, being a Jew, went the extra mile to find this woman, treated her with respect and love, and told her the good news. Consider someone you know who is different from you. Perhaps they grew up differently from you either socially, ethnically, racially, or politically. How can you seek out that individual with love and share the good news of Jesus, the Living Water? 4. As a reflection of Christ to others, are you acting like a spring of living water or a dried up well? Explain. – Stay connected with our church. Instagram | http://instagram.com/ThomasRoad Facebook | http://facebook.com/ThomasRoad – Timeline 0:00 Intro

Topics

• Grace
• Jesus Christ