It was a great night in THP Students as we continued our series, A Well Story by Taylor Johnson. We kicked off with this week’s video then had a surprise birthday celebration for one of our students! Then broke down into our small groups!
Taylor talked about the woman at the well questioning where Jesus could get “living water” without a bucket, and her follow-up question: Is Jesus greater than “our father Jacob”? He walked through who Jacob is, from the line of Abraham to Isaac to Jacob, and talked about the Old Testament heroes as accomplishing what God called them to do while also failing along the way- heroes who could change outside circumstances but not transform a heart. Taylor said we need someone better than Moses, better than David, better than anyone, and that’s the hope for a Messiah, a Christ. When the woman brings up the coming Messiah, Jesus tells her plainly, “I who speak to you am he.”
Taylor then moves to the moment when the woman asks Jesus to settle the disagreement between Jews and Samaritans over where to worship: on the mountain or in Jerusalem. Jesus tells her a day is coming when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, not by picking a location. Taylor said this challenged him; many face the temptation to want Jesus to settle arguments and prove themselves right rather than reconcile people. He defined reconciliation with a deck-of-cards picture: a brand-new deck in perfect order (creation), scattered into chaos by sin and death, and put back in order through the work of Christ. He closed by saying Jesus reconciles even those who feel furthest from him, even the Samaritans, even this woman, and that Jesus sees the people who feel far away from you with the same love he has for you.
Discussion questions
Getting into the story
- When the woman asks where Jesus will get this water without a bucket, she brings up Jacob and asks Jesus directly, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” What does Jesus’s answer tell us about who he is?
- The Old Testament heroes Taylor mentions, Moses, David, and others, accomplished what God called them to do but also failed along the way. What’s the difference between what those heroes could change and what only the Messiah can change?
- Right before Jesus tells her who he is, the woman says something that shows she’s already thinking about the Messiah. What does she say?
- The woman asks Jesus to settle the disagreement between Jews and Samaritans over where to worship. What does Jesus say will matter instead of the location?
Digging in
- Jesus says a day is coming when worship won’t be about mountains or temples, but about worshiping the Father in spirit and truth. What do you think it looks like to worship God in spirit and in truth?
- The video had a great illustration involving a deck of cards: once in perfect order, then scattered into chaos by sin, and put back in order through the work of Christ. What area of your life feels scattered right now?
- Jesus reconciles people who are furthest away from him, not just the ones already close to him. Who is someone that feels hardest for you to imagine being reconciled with, either personally or with Christ?
- It’s easy to want Jesus to prove you right in an argument instead of bringing reconciliation. Have you ever wanted to be right more than you wanted things made right? Has that ever helped a situation or healed a relationship?
Questions from the video
- Think of a time when what you wanted was the exact opposite of what you needed. What was it?
- What kind of situation feels impossible for reconciliation?
- Who is someone who feels far away from God that you want to pray for this week?
- How can you help others with reconciliation?
For parents, if you only have five minutes in the car
- Was there ever a time you wanted something as a kid that turned out to be the opposite of what you actually needed?
- Is there a relationship in your life right now that feels too broken to fix? What would it take for you to believe it could be?
- Who’s someone far from God that you could be praying for this week?
