Women of Courage –The Woman at the Well - July 19,2014

Women of Courage –The Woman at the Well    - July 19,2014

We began by once again reviewing the words of the scriptures: John 4: 4-42

We are now at question #7 which has 3 parts to it

            What did the Samarian woman do after her conversation with Jesus :

She went to others to invite them to him. She didn’t question the change of subject from the living water and into the question about her husband.  At this point she believes what has been told to her, but she wasn’t really clear about what had happened.  She went to tell those around her with boldness to come see that man that had told her all things.  These would be the heads of the households.  She left her water pot to go tell others.

In what ways was hers a “normal” response? What about her response was unusual?

She was doing what all new converts do, proclaim the Lord.  She moved directly to tell others. When something wonderful happens to us we want to share it. She knew that she now had a hope and she knew that others needed to hear this man!  She was a different person now. We all think back on our conversion, our responses, and the joy the Lord gave to us.

It would be unusual to those that knew her before.  There had been a change in her.

There should never be a “normal” response from us to the Lord. His work is supernatural.  Our response should be filled up and over flowing.

Question #8 – Compare how the people of Sychair responded to Jesus to the way in which various groups of Pharisees and scribes responded to Him during His early ministry.  (Luke 15:1-2, 19:1-10, Matt. 11:18-19, Matt. 9:11-13, Luke 5:29- 32, and Matt. 8:28-34).

The men of Sychair believed Jesus’s words and the Pharisees did not believe his words. 
The men of Sychair knew that they were sinners as well, they may have had relations with this woman (since she had had 5 husbands) they recognized their sins.  The Pharisees and scribes didn’t see their sin, only that they followed the law and that they were righteous in their own eyes.  They felt they had earned their salvation, they had done everything they needed to do. The men of Sychair realized that there was nothing they could do to get rid of their sin and their searched for this man that had moved the heart of this woman.

We all have a tendency to judge.  But we should be able to forgive and embrace those that have fallen, but have turned to the Lord for forgiveness.  We are to bring them back, to love them in spite of their past sin.  To show them that God loves those that turn their heart to them and trust in His forgiveness.

Zacchaeus sought the Lord, trying to understand who Jesus is.  He runs ahead to see the Lord.  God knows the heart.  Zacchaeus turns and repents. He was a changed man and he determines to restore the things he had taken from others.  He automatically has his whole life turned around… just like the woman at the well.

Let’s not have a cold heart of self-righteousness or prideful, but instead realize that our sins are just as bad at any other person’s sin.

We finished by reading Philippians 3.