1. The Woman at the well finds Christ
February 22

2. Think About It … What kinds of things divides people from each other?
What separates all peoples from God?
Today we look at the importance of crossing barriers to introduce people to Jesus

3. Listen for why the woman in the passage was surprised.
John 4:4-9 (NIV) Now he had to go through Samaria. [5] So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

4. Listen for why the woman in the passage was surprised.
[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.)

5. Jesus Crosses Major Barriers
Why did Jesus sit down by Jacob’s well?
Why was the Samaritan woman surprised that Jesus spoke to her?
Note the non typical route Jesus took from Jerusalem to Galilee

6. Jesus Crosses Major Barriers
How might a person feel awkward due to another’s background, nationality, or race?
What kind of barriers did Jesus break down in initiating a witness with this woman?

7. Jesus Crosses Major Barriers
Jesus set aside prejudice and ministered to Samaritans
Look up each reference and note what Jesus did for one or more Samaritan people
Luke 9:52 – 55
Luke 17:11-14
Luke 17:17
Acts 1:8

8. Jesus Crosses Major Barriers
How can prejudice affect a Christian’s witness?
Why was his approach of asking for water such a good one?
Some might consider this meeting a “coincidence” … How can we avoid missing what are actually divine appointments?

9. Listen for how Jesus continues to gain the interest of the woman
John 4:10-15 (NIV) 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 flocks and herds?"

10. Listen for how Jesus continues to gain the interest of the woman
[13] Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him 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."

11. Jesus Meets Human Needs
She was wondering why Jesus would ask her for a drink. How did Jesus answer her question?
What did the Samaritan woman think Jesus was talking about?
 She is taking Jesus literally – at least at first.
How can confusion about spiritual things open the door for more discussion?

12. Jesus Meets Human Needs
Note that Jesus did not argue with her or try to answer her questions.
What did he say would be the result of “drinking” the water he offered?

13. Jesus Meets Human Needs
Note Jesus’ use of water as a metaphor to teach about salvation. He spoke to a tangible need and moved on to spiritual needs.
How would you use some of these tangible needs to transition into spiritual issues?
Bread
Light
Breath

14. Listen for a basic need of the Samaritan woman
John 4:16-22 (NIV) 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.

15. Listen for a basic need of the Samaritan woman
[20] Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." [21] Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, 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.

16. Jesus Cures the Sin Problem
What do we learn about the woman in this passage?
Note that Jesus did not respond to her request for special water
 He continued to expose her need for spiritual water.
Why is it essential that this woman, and any of us, be confronted with the sin in our lives?
This may be one of the hardest parts of witnessing … the Holy Spirit must do the convincing.

17. Jesus Cures the Sin Problem
Why would sharing your own testimony of how Jesus forgave your sins ease the transition into confronting sin?
How did the Samaritan woman respond to Jesus’ statements about her situation?
Why is it important to continue to bring people’s focus back on Jesus rather than try to debate all the sidetrack issues?

18. Application Keys to being an effective witness wherever you are …
Ignore human barriers
Engage the needs of others
Lead them to consider Jesus as life’s ultimate thirst quencher

19. Application Consider the phrase “Truth is more caught than taught.”
People will respond to the Gospel when we live it before them
Pray that Jesus’ love and kindness will be demonstrated in your life
Look for ways to help, encourage, meet the needs of people around you

20. Application Closing prayer together:
Thank you Lord for reaching out to me, in spite of my sin, to give me new life in Christ. Thank you for people who cared enough to tell me about the truth of God’s grace for me. Open my eyes to any prejudices that keep me from seeing people as God’s treasure. Show me how I can be a more credible witness of the truth that all people are God’s treasure.

21. The Woman at the well finds Christ
February 22