How Jesus Treated Sinners...Continued
Based on our discussion last week, this appears to be a very relevant subject! We only managed to discuss one out of the three scenarios we had planned..."the Samaritan woman at the well" and we had lots of discussion! So today we will be discussing "the woman who anointed Jesus' feet". I will attempt to post the lesson from last week here. "Attempt" is the operative word.
Blessings on you all - Chuck & Mimi
"Christ in you, the hope (expectation of good)
of glory" (God's view and opinion...of YOU) Colossians 1:27
Jesus
and the Woman at the Well
John
4:1-43
In the first century, in Jewish culture [and many other cultures-if
not all] women were usually treated as second class citizens with few of the
rights men had. Jesus crossed those
barriers. Jesus treated all people with equal respect. [As a non-Jew, Luke possibly was more
sensitive to other “outsiders” and he records five events involving women that
are not mentioned in the other Gospels.]
BACKGROUND: Read John 4:1-6
The story of the Samaritan woman meeting Jesus, around noon, at a well, which Jacob had given1
his son Joseph,
is only recorded in the Gospel of John. Jesus’ choice
to take a shortcut to Galilee through
Samaria3 reveals a mindset very different from his Jewish
culture. Samaritans were a hated “mixed” race of Jews4 who
had intermarried with the Assyrians when the northern kingdom of Israel had
been captured. The pure Jews felt the Samaritans
had betrayed their people and the nation. [Bridge Over River Kwai -principle
vs. expediency?] The Samaritans had set up an alternate center for
worship on Mt Gerizim5 to parallel the temple at Jerusalem, but it
had been destroyed 150 years earlier. 5[Mt. Gerizim: Joshua after crossing Jordan separated the people at the foot of two mountains: Gerizim “Mt. of Blessing” and Ebal-“Mt of Cursing” ... revealing keepers of law & breakers of law.]
Note: Why did Jesus leave Judea? [We will revisit with “how Jesus treated the Religious.”]
RELEVANCE for
TODAY: Read John 4:7-9
Meeting a 6Samaritan 7woman no less, and a8known
sinner 9in a public place…what was Jesus thinking? No respectable Jewish man would talk to
such a woman under such circumstances.
What
are our parallels today? __________
UP CLOSE &
PERSONAL: Read John 4:10-26
- Discuss “Living
water” – God is called Fountain of Life Psalm 36:9 and the Spring of
Living Water Jer.17:13.
- Jesus
was revealing his identity as Messiah in a gentle way. How can
we be gentle?__________
- Comparing
spiritual functions with physical functions make concepts natural. How can
we use this
technique?__________
- It
takes time to understand something that changes the very foundations of your
life. Jesus allowed the woman time to
_ask_ _questions_ and to put the pieces_ together for herself. What does this require from
us?__________
- When
the woman discovered that Jesus knew all about her private life she _changed the
subject. Why
do you think?__________
- What
did Jesus do? Location vs.
attitude. Jesus brought things back to
the heart – _her deepest need.
How can we do this?_______________
IMPACT
of PEER PRESSURE: Read John 4:27-34
- Surprise
… how do you react when surprised?_________
- What
was the “food” Jesus was referring to? _More than Bible
study, prayer, and attending church, spiritual nourishment also comes from
following God’s leading, helping to bring his work of salvation to completion.
- Nourishment
comes by food we take in and also by what we give out! Science has proven this also. What does this mean to
you?_______
SHARING THE GOOD NEWS: Read John 4:35-43
- Do we still “finish God’s work”? [John 17:4]
_________
- How do we participate in Jesus’
work?__________
- What are some of the pitfalls we face
in sharing the Good News ‘wherever’? ______
Sooooo much more here to discuss!!!
