JOHN 4:1-27
Lesson # 7
THE WOMEN AT THE WELL: BEING A WITNESS
Introduction:
Q? When was the last time you shared your faith with a non-believer, someone unchurched?? What happened?
Note:?? Jesus shared the faith!? He was a master at it.? Lets see how He does it.? (Your goal as the teacher is to speak as little as possible.? Ask questions, but answer next to nothing.? Jesus made the woman think, make your audience do the same.)
II.? Setting the Scene:? John 4:1-6
Have someone read John 4:1-6.
?Q? What do you know about Samaritans?? What is unusual about Jesus traveling there?
An = Samaritans were hated by the Jews on racial and religious grounds.? They were half Jewish in their racial background and heretical in their beliefs.? They hassled the returning Jews after the exile and the Jews had burnt their temple to the ground in the century before.? There was much bad blood between their two groups.? Jews did not travel through that region.
Q? So why does Jesus travel through there, what does that mean for us?? What “regions” are there like that in our area?
?Q? Is it OK to be tired?? Can normal situations, normal human needs set up the occasions for Christian witness??? Can you give me some examples?
Q? How do we best share the faith, what is the best approach?
An = After their answers are given and noted, then…let’s see how Jesus does it.
III.?? The Interaction With the Woman At the Well:? John 4:7-26
A.? Opening Lines:? Jesus Challenges Convention.? John 4:7-9
Have someone read John 4:7
Q? What is Jesus’ opening line?
An = He puts Himself in debt to her.? He puts her in the driver’s seat, she is doing Him a favor.
Q? Why does He do this?
An = He surprises her and does not put her in the defensive mode of:? “I am superior to you and therefore listen to me, you spiritual loser”.? One of my students went to a foreign country (a moslem country) and she was on the receiving end of evangelistic fervor and she was very uncomfortable.
Q? How many of you have had spiritual truth shared with you by someone placing themselves above you?? How did you feel?
Have someone read John 4:8-9.
Q? What has Jesus’ request for water opened up?? How has the women taken it, is she surprised, why?
An = His vulnerability has brought into question politically correct conventions.? He has crossed, vulnerably, serious racial and spiritual lines.? This is like a Serb asking water from a Kosovo villager.
B.? The Illusive Metaphor:? Jesus Challenges Her Mind.? John 4:10-15
Have someone read John 4:10
Q Has Jesus answered her racial question?? What does that mean?
Q? To what area has Jesus turned the discussion?
Have someone read John 4:11-12.
Q? Does she understand Jesus’ illusion to Himself, or the spiritual matters?
Q? Does Jesus’ method of sharing the faith begin with “telling” or with “asking”?? Why does He do that?
Q? What is her question?? What is the challenge she issues to Jesus?
Have someone read John 4:13-14.
Q? How does Jesus answer her question?
Q? Does Jesus defend Himself (his being greater than Jacob) or does He go back to His illusive? “eternal water”?
Q? Why doesn’t Jesus defend Himself, what is He after?
Have someone read John 4:15.
Q? Does the woman see the metaphor’s true meaning?? Does she understand Jesus’ spiritual meanings or does she see only the physical meanings?
C.? Going For the Throat:? Jesus Challenges Her Morally.? John 4:16-19.
Have someone read John 4:16.
Q? What has Jesus done with this question?
Have someone read John 4:17-18.
Q? How has she answered?? Has she given all the information or has she held some of it back?
Q? Does Jesus push further and into embarrassing realms?
Q? Why does He do this?
Q? How did Jesus know her moral condition, and is such ability available to us, or are Jesus’ actions inspiring but of no use to us as guides as to how we should witness?
Q? Is true witnessing a “man made” thing, a mere matter of finding the superior propaganda methods needed to convince people?
Q? Must true witnessing contain an element of the supernatural?
Have someone read John 4:19
Q? How has the woman taken the probing, is she offended?
D.? Jesus Challenges Her Religion, and all Religion:? John 4:19-24.
Have someone read John 4:20.
Q? What has the woman tried to do with her question?? Has she changed the subject (to what)?
Q? Has the discussion come back to the politically “hot-potato” brought up in verse 9?? Why does the woman return there?
Have someone read John 4:21.
Q? Does Jesus say all religions are the same.
Have someone read John 4:22.
Q? Does Jesus say all religions are the same, does He exalt Judaism over Samaritan distinctives?
Have someone read John 4:23-24.
Q? What has Jesus said here?
E.? Jesus Reveals the Truth About Himself:? John 4:25-26.
Have someone read John 4:25-26.
Q? Who brings up the issue of the Messiah?
Q? Is Jesus illusive here or direct in His answer?? Why the difference in tactics here?
Q? Has Jesus been trying to bring the woman to see the right doctrines or to win an argument?
IV.? The Aftermath:? John 4:27-32.
Have someone read John 4:27
Q? What has surprised the disciples?
Q? Will witnessing sometimes seem to be out of place?