John 4:1-6
Life Group Questions:
1. If you were not able to hear this week’s sermon, consider going to the church website and listening to it. What are some main ideas that you gathered from the sermon? What, if any, questions did the sermon cause for you or do you desire to have additional clarification?
2. Explain the significance of “therefore” in John 4:1. How does this passage amplify or build on the previous passage’s teaching? What similarities and differences exist between Jesus’ previous encounters with people and this one?
3. Based on the Gospel according to John, what do you think the Pharisees and religious leaders thought about Jesus at this point in His ministry? How did their opinion of Jesus differ from their opinion of John the Baptist? Explain.
4. Describe the significance of Jesus making and baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist. Why do you think that John the writer included this statement?
5. Why do you think that Jesus left the area of Judea to go to Galilee? Doesn’t it seem strange that in the midst of such success that He would depart from the area? Why or why not? Have you ever struggled in leaving a place of success to follow God? Explain.
6. Look up the use of the phrase “it was necessary” (Greek dei) in John and the other Gospels (e.g., John 3:7, 14, 30; 10:16; 20:9; etc.). How is this word used in the New Testament? What significance is John expressing here by the use of this term? Why was it necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria?
7. Look up the following passages and describe some of the tension that existed between the Jews and Samaritans (2 Kings 17; Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4, 6). What is significant about Jesus leaving Judea to go into Samaria? What implications does this occurrence possibly have for our own relations with other people and our evangelistic work?
8. Look up the meaning of the word Sychar. What significance might there be in John mentioning this name here? Why do you think that John provides us with the information about Jacob and Joseph? What significance might there be in mentioning Jacob’s well? How does the idea of a well fit into the ensuing story?
9. Why do you think John tells us that Jesus was weary from His Journey? Does this statement interfere with the teaching that Jesus is God (John 1:1, 14)? Why or why not? How should knowing that Jesus became weary encourage us in our work of ministry?