"I love humanity; it's people I can’t stand!" Those well-known words from a member of the "Peanuts" gang still make us chuckle. But our smiles hide the fact that we sometimes feel exactly like that. John says very little about Jesus’ contact with the multitudes. But long sections of the Gospel are devoted to conversations Jesus had with individuals. In John 4 we see Jesus reach out first to a woman, then to his disciples, and finally to a grieving father. Watching Jesus give himself to people with love and compassion will help us care for those God puts in our paths.
Warming Up to God
When have you recently felt that you were being mobbed by the multitudes? Ask God to help you to take care of yourself even as you try to help others.Read John 4
Discovering the Word
- What is surprising about Jesus’ question to the Samaritan woman (vv. 8-9)?
- Why does the woman suddenly change the subject and begin talking about the controversy over the proper place of worship (vv. 16-20)?
- From verses 27-42, do you think the Samaritan woman genuinely believed? What do you see in the passage that supports your position?
- After his encounter with the Samaritan woman, what specific lessons does Jesus apply to his disciples and to us (vv. 34-38)?
- What does the "second miraculous sign" Jesus performs (vv. 43-54) reveal about him?
Applying the Word
- What has Jesus taught you in this chapter about meeting the specific needs of those around you?
- What present-day situations might arouse the same racial, religious and sexual prejudices as the Samaritan woman did?
- How could you reach someone who has been rejected by the world, as Jesus did?
