Samaritans

Read John 4:50-42

In groups discuss these questions

Samaritans

In 721 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. Many of the people of Israel were led off to Assyria as captives, but some remained in the land and intermarried with foreigners planted there by the Assyrians. These half-Jewish, half-Gentile people became known as the Samaritans.The Samaritans, being a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. 

They established as their centre of worship a temple on Mount Gerizim, claiming it was where Moses had originally intended for the Israelites to worship. They had their own unique version of the five books written by Moses, the Pentateuch, but rejected the writings of the prophets and Jewish traditions. The Samaritans saw themselves as the true descendants of Israel and preservers of the true religion, while considering the Jerusalem temple and Levitical priesthood illegitimate. 

1. Jesus surprised everyone by talking to the Samaritan woman. Who is surprised when you share the gospel?

9The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) …

27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman.

2. What water was Jesus talking about?

13Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’

See John 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

1. Do you know anyone who has “drunk” this water? What’s it like?

2. Do you know anyone who wants this water?  How can they get it?

See verse See Luke 11:11-13 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

3. How long will this last?

See verse 14.

See Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

4. How much does Jesus know about you? What difference does it make?

29‘Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?’

5. Could this happen in Bellingen?

39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony

6. Jesus had food and work. What was it? What is our food and work?

34 ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.