culture – Harmony Bible

Week 23 | Section 35a

In today’s study we explore the message and meaning of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. Its a message of truth, honor, and love in which Jesus offers freedom, a future, and the promise of living water sure to satisfy her every thirst.

Scripture:

John 4:5-26
5 So he came¹ to a city of Samaria,² called Sychar,³ near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well⁴ was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.⁵ 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water.⁶ Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water?⁷¯⁸ 12 Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well,⁹ and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?”¹⁰ 13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water,¹³

Group Dialog:

When have you felt “left out”? What emotions sweep through you in such instances? How might you imagine this woman was feeling?
How has the grace of God overcome your shame, guilt and restored your dignity?
What sin and activities result in creating social outcasts in your community?
How might you have expected Jesus to interact in this instance? How do the actual events change and challenge your under of God’s grace and our resulting behavior?
What cultures (sub-cultures) and pains do you feel called to reach?
How does the expectation of conformity injure the soul?
What then can we learn about discipling others from this lesson?
Pray for those who feel rejected, and extend the grace of God to them this week.

Learning Objectives:

receive the gifts of God grace, let your soul be renewed and behavior will change, respect, love the sinner, the foreknowledge of Jesus, mercy, discipleship

Study Notes:

Week 12 | Sections 16, 17, 18, 19

Sometimes unfortunate events turn out to be an integral thread of God’s handiwork in the tapestry of our lives. Jesus’ childhood journeys to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Egypt and Galilee are evidence of such and the experiences of Jesus early years helped prepare him for a lifetime of ministry.

Scripture:

Section 16
[one_half last=”no”]Matthew 2:19-23
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.” 21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Luke 2:39
39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
[/one_half]

Section 17
Luke 2:40
40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Section 18
Luke 2:41-50
41 His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.” 49 He said to them,“Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.

Section 19
Luke2:51-52
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Group Dialog:

What lessons of faith are you learning now?
How has your life thus far prepared you for a unique ministry with others?
Are you prepared to give a reason for the hope in you?

Learning Objectives:

Parenting, Spiritual Parents, individualism and community, hi-low context culture, autonomy and interdependence, discerning God’s leading, making sense of our past, spiritual growth, the soul yearns for God.

Study Notes: