Confronted By Truth - John 4:7-19; 28-30

(Samaritan Woman)

by David Woods

This New Testament story is an intriguing look at one of Jesus' witnessing experiences. I find several important truths in this story for us as individuals and as a church as we attempt to evangelize our world for Christ.

1. We must be willing to initiate contact, v. 7.

Discussion: Why do you think Jesus began the conversation with this woman? Do you think she would have spoken to Him?

Discussion: Should we expect witnessing to be easy and completely within our comfort zone? Why or why not? Do our actions show that we are only willing to witness "when it's safe"?

Discussion: Do you think the Samaritan woman was under conviction before Jesus spoke to her or only after Jesus spoke to her?

2. We must package the truth in relevant ways, v. 10.

Discussion: Why did Jesus offer the Samaritan woman "living water"?

I think this is one of the hardest truths of evangelism for conservative holiness people to accept. We consider ourselves to be guardians of the Truth. Therefore, we tend to look upon any new way of doing things with extreme skepticism.

In so doing, I believe we needlessly limit ourselves. Jesus continually repackaged Gospel truths to be relevant to His audience.

Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again. We are never literally "born again." Neither do we actually drink "living water" as Jesus offered the Samaritan woman.

In another place (John 6) Jesus told the people that to gain eternal life, we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. In each of these situations, Jesus was using literary devices to explain spiritual truth.

Complicating everything is that we have used these literary devices so much to explain spiritual truths that we are unable to separate the two in our mind.

Therefore, while we call Jesus "Saviour" and "Lord" without hesitation, we look with suspicion upon those who call Jesus "Rescuer" and "Leader" (though these names are virtually identical.)

Discussion: Let us say that we are trying to reach families (one- and two- parent). Our strategy will be to win the parents of these families. What are the temporal needs of families that mirror mankind's eternal need? What could we use as a slogan for this outreach attempt? What activities/programs could we advertise that would appeal to the interest of our target group?

3. We must allow people to question the Truth, vv. 11-12.

Discussion: Why are we afraid to allow questions and objections to the Gospel?

Discussion: Why should we allow questions?

4. We must offer people something they really need, vv. 13-14.

If point two seems like an extreme, this point is the qualification or correction.

Please note that in saying, "we must offer people something they really need", I am not saying that our "hook" to get people interested in the Gospel must be attractive to them. That is obvious.

Rather, I am saying that our offering to people, while packaged relevantly, must be the timeless truth of the Gospel. Note that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman "living water."

He could have offered her 500 gallons of water so that she would not have needed to return to the community well for a long time. He could have offered to build her a personal well so she did not have to endure the scorn of the community. Instead, Jesus offered her "living water" - eternal life through Jesus Christ.

I have read of one church that surveyed its community for felt needs. The most recurring need was for basic parenting skills for parents. This church taught young parents how to potty-train their kids.

One might easily criticize such a program - an outreach effort - as "unspiritual." Although, I also wonder how effective and spiritual the typical Christmas program that is accepted by most traditional churches is.

Do people really come to Christ as the result of our Christmas program? Or is it just an opportunity for parents to show off their kids before the rest of the church?

Sometimes, churches put on programs and activities that they consider to be "pre-evangelism" efforts. In other words, these events are designed to attract the unreached, break down barriers between the church and community, and prepare hearts to hear the Gospel message.

Discussion: How can we maintain our focus of sharing the Gospel while attempting to be relevant? How can we gauge whether we are going to extremes of 1) compromise for relevance's sake, or 2) irrelevance for truth's sake?

5. We must insist on true conversion, vv. 16-19.

In these verses it almost looks like Jesus will lose the prospect. Like a fisherman yanking too quick on the line, it almost looks like this "fish" will get away.

Discussion: Why did Jesus ask the woman to get her husband?

Discussion: What are the elements of true conversion?
(Repentance of sin, transfer of trust from Self to Christ, surrender to Christ's Lordship)

Discussion: In what ways are we sometimes tempted to compromise the demands of the Gospel?

Discussion: What can we do to ensure that a person's profession of faith is genuine?

6. We must be a people of kingdom priorities, vv. 27-38.

Discussion: Why should Jesus not have talked with this woman?
(She was a Samaritan; He was a Jew - scandal to "good" Jews, She was a woman; He was a man - not proper, She was a notorious sinner.)

Discussion: Why did Jesus talk with the Samaritan woman?

Discussion: What are some of the excuses we give for not witnessing to people (as individuals) or attempting to reach people (as a church)?

Discussion: What was Jesus' priority?

Discussion: Do we as individuals and as a church operate by kingdom priorities?