Title of Message: Jesus, the Messiah, Giver of Eternal Life
Sermon Notes:
I. Jesus, Breaker of Barriers (John 4:7-9)
1. The Racial Barrier
2. The Geographical Barrier
3.The Gender barrier
4. The Social Barrier
5.Jesus came to break down walls, not create them
II. Jesus, Giver of Living Water
1.Jesus came to convict, not condemn (John 3:16-17)
2.Jesus makes you see the solution to your real problem (John 4:21-24)
III. Jesus, the prophesied Messiah
1.With Jesus, your identity is received, not achieved (John 4:28-30)
2.Your identity was meant to point to the Messiah (John 4:42)
Digging Deeper:
Read John 4:1-42
1. Last Sunday’s message talked about how identity formation gives you a sense of self (who am I?) and a sense of worth (am I good at who I am?) Let each one share an identity role that you think you are good at and one identity role that you think you are not very good at, and explain why. Share how that makes you feel about yourself. (Example: I am a good father but not a good brother).
2. The Samaritan woman based her identity from her destructive relationship with men (Her ex-husbands). How do you think that has affected her life in a negative way? Why do you think she made those choices even though it caused her pain? What similar choices do people make today that cause them heartache and pain, but they still keep making bad choices anyway? How are those bad choices related to their identity formation?
3. Read John 3:16-17, John 4:34. Based on these verses, what is Jesus’ identity? How did knowing that identity guide Jesus in the everyday choices that he made on earth? How can Jesus be a model for us to follow regarding where to base our identity?
4. Read John 7:37-40. Drinking living water is about believing in Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit in your heart. Read John 4:19-26. What was it that attracted the Samaritan woman to believe in Jesus? Read John 4:28-29. What kind of changes or transformation did the woman have because she believed in Jesus as Messiah? Read John 4:39-42. What was the result of that transformation? What transformation happened in your life when you trusted in Jesus? How did your transformation affect the people in your life?
5. Read Acts 6:1-8, and Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus broke several barriers in order to reach out and save the Samaritan woman. That shows how much Jesus valued her, even though she was considered an enemy of his culture. What are ways you can reach out and share Jesus to someone different from you?
Taking it Home:
What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?