Awakening to Grace: The Living Water of Christ

Summary

Easter is a celebration of new life, hope, and the unbreakable love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. As the world awakens in spring, with flowers blooming and the sun returning, so too are our souls invited to awaken to the wonder and glory of the risen Christ. God’s creation, in all its intricate beauty, points us to the Creator’s care and the promise of renewal. Through the resurrection, we are assured that fear, sorrow, and even death itself are defeated, and we are invited to trust in the promise of a better tomorrow.

The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is a powerful reminder that God seeks out those who feel most unworthy, most excluded, and most thirsty for meaning. Jesus intentionally goes to Samaria—a place avoided by many—and meets a woman burdened by shame and rejection. He offers her “living water,” a deep, soul-quenching grace that satisfies the longings and restlessness within us all. This living water is not just for the outwardly broken, but for anyone who tries to fill their inner emptiness with things that cannot truly satisfy.

True worship, Jesus teaches, is not about a place or ritual, but about authenticity—worshiping in spirit and in truth. It is about encountering God in the reality of our lives, in our questions, our pain, and our longing. Jesus does not shy away from the woman’s past or her difficult questions; instead, he gently exposes her need and offers her a new identity, free from shame. When she receives this grace, she is transformed—her shame is replaced with boldness, and she becomes a witness to her community.

This encounter is not just a story from the past; it is an invitation for each of us. Jesus meets us at our own wells—those places of hidden thirst, anxiety, and longing. He invites us to exchange our brokenness, our attempts to numb or fill the void, for his living water. This exchange is not earned by effort, but received by grace. As we are refreshed and revived, we are called to become agents of this grace, bringing hope and testimony to a world in need. The living water of Christ is for everyone—no one is beyond his reach. As we receive, so we are sent, shining his light and love into the world.

Key Takeaways

- The Promise of Resurrection Transforms Our Present
Imagining the future hope secured by Christ’s resurrection can reshape how we live today. When we remember that all will be made well, we are freed to love more deeply, forgive more readily, and trust God’s goodness even in the midst of trials. This hope is not wishful thinking, but a reality anchored in the risen Christ who promises to bring us home. [18:37]

- Jesus Seeks Out the Excluded and the Thirsty
Jesus intentionally goes to those whom society deems unworthy or unreachable. The Samaritan woman’s story shows that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, no matter their past or present shame. Christ meets us in our places of deepest need, offering living water that satisfies the soul’s true thirst. [39:17]

- True Worship Is Rooted in Spirit and Truth
Worship is not confined to a location or tradition, but is an authentic encounter with God in the reality of our lives. It happens when truth breaks through our confusion and we respond with awe, gratitude, and surrender. God desires worship that is honest, heartfelt, and grounded in the truth of who He is and who we are. [43:21]

- The Great Exchange: Our Brokenness for His Living Water
Jesus invites us to bring our shame, guilt, and failed attempts to satisfy our deepest desires to Him. In exchange, He offers living water—His grace, forgiveness, and new identity. This exchange is not something we can achieve by our own strength, but is received by simply asking and trusting in His sufficiency. [46:04]

- Transformed Lives Become Testimonies of Grace
When we encounter Christ’s living water, we are changed from the inside out. Our story becomes a testimony that can draw others to seek and find the Savior for themselves. As we live out this transformation with authenticity and love, our lives bear witness to the reality that Jesus is the Savior of the world, and no one is beyond His reach. [56:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[11:02] - Springtime Praise and Creation’s Wonder
[15:56] - Prayer for the Holy Spirit’s Renewal
[17:21] - Imagining the Future Hope
[18:37] - The Assurance of Resurrection
[19:27] - God’s Presence in Our Dark Nights
[20:23] - Every Morning is Easter Morning
[22:50] - Children’s Lesson: Thirst and Living Water
[25:40] - Jesus’ Ministry and the Call to Repent
[32:12] - The Kingdom’s Healing Power
[33:43] - Jesus’ Mission to Samaria
[36:52] - The Outcast at the Well
[39:17] - Jesus’ Radical Engagement
[43:21] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
[46:04] - The Great Exchange: Shame for Living Water
[47:34] - The Woman’s Transformation and Testimony
[49:00] - Jesus, Savior of the World
[50:24] - Meeting Jesus at Our Own Wells
[53:31] - Conviction, Grace, and Personal Testimony
[55:08] - The Universality of Christ’s Salvation
[56:48] - Living as Agents of Grace
[01:01:30] - Prayer for Living Water and Blessing
[01:03:30] - Prayers for Peace and the World
[01:06:40] - Final Blessing and Sending

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Living Water and New Life (Easter & John 4)

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### Bible Reading

John 4:1-30, 39-42 (ESV)
*(The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well)*

> 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” ... 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” ... 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ... 23 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” ... 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” ... 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” ... 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

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### Observation Questions

1. What reasons does the sermon give for why Jesus chose to go through Samaria and speak to the Samaritan woman, even though most people avoided that route?
[[33:43]]

2. According to the story, what is “living water” and how does Jesus describe it to the woman at the well?
[[41:23]]

3. What does Jesus reveal about the woman’s life, and how does she respond to this revelation?
[[45:08]]

4. After her encounter with Jesus, what does the Samaritan woman do, and what is the result in her community?
[[47:34]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to reveal his identity as the Messiah to someone considered an outcast by her own community? What does this say about who Jesus seeks out?
[[36:52]]

2. The sermon talks about “the great exchange”—giving Jesus our shame and brokenness in return for his living water. What does this exchange look like in practical terms?
[[46:04]]

3. Jesus says true worshipers will worship “in spirit and in truth.” What does it mean to worship God in this way, and how is it different from worship based on location or ritual?
[[43:21]]

4. The woman’s story becomes a testimony that leads others to Jesus. Why is personal transformation such a powerful witness to others?
[[49:00]]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon says Jesus meets us at our own “wells”—places of hidden thirst, anxiety, and longing. What is one area in your life where you feel spiritually thirsty or restless right now? What would it look like to bring that to Jesus this week?
[[50:24]]

2. The Samaritan woman’s shame was replaced with boldness after meeting Jesus. Is there an area of shame or regret in your life that you need to exchange for Christ’s living water? What step could you take toward that exchange?
[[46:04]]

3. The promise of resurrection is meant to transform how we live today, not just our future hope. How might remembering the resurrection change the way you approach a current challenge or relationship?
[[18:37]]

4. Jesus intentionally sought out someone who was excluded and overlooked. Who in your life or community might feel left out or unworthy? What is one practical way you could reach out to them this week?
[[39:17]]

5. The sermon says true worship is about authenticity—encountering God in the reality of our lives. What would it look like for you to worship God “in spirit and in truth” this week, especially in your struggles or questions?
[[43:21]]

6. The woman’s story became a testimony that drew others to Jesus. What is one way you could share your own story of God’s grace with someone who needs hope?
[[49:00]]

7. The sermon mentions that the “living water” is not earned by effort, but received by grace. Are there ways you’ve been trying to “earn” God’s love or acceptance? How can you practice simply receiving his grace this week?
[[54:11]]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite group members to pray for one another, especially for areas of thirst, shame, or longing, and to ask Jesus for his living water and new life.

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Offers Living Water to Satisfy Our Deepest Thirst
Jesus meets us in our places of need, offering not just physical refreshment but a living water that quenches the deepest longings of our souls. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, we all have hidden thirsts—desires for love, meaning, and acceptance—that nothing in this world can truly satisfy. Jesus invites us to bring our emptiness and shame to Him, exchanging our brokenness for His grace and fullness. When we accept His offer, we find a new source of life that revives and transforms us from within, no matter how parched or unworthy we may feel. [46:04]

John 4:13-14 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel a deep, unfulfilled longing? Bring it honestly to Jesus today and ask Him to meet you with His living water.


Day 2: True Worship Happens in Spirit and in Truth
Worship is not confined to a particular place or ritual, but is rooted in authenticity and reality—a heart open to God, filled with the Holy Spirit, and grounded in truth. Jesus teaches that true worshipers are those who come to God sincerely, letting His light shine into their questions, doubts, and struggles. In moments of awe, gratitude, or even pain, we are invited to encounter God honestly, allowing His presence to transform our worship into something real and life-giving. [43:21]

John 4:23-24 (ESV)
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Reflection: Where in your life do you find it hardest to be honest with God? Take a moment today to worship Him by bringing your true self—questions, doubts, and all—into His presence.


Day 3: Jesus Seeks Out the Outcast and Offers Grace
Jesus intentionally goes to those whom society has rejected, crossing boundaries of culture, reputation, and shame to offer love and acceptance. The Samaritan woman was despised and isolated, yet Jesus met her with compassion and dignity, engaging her in conversation and revealing her true worth. No one is beyond the reach of His grace; He seeks us out in our loneliness and brokenness, inviting us to experience the transforming power of His love and to find our identity as beloved children of God. [39:17]

Luke 19:10 (ESV)
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Reflection: Who in your life feels overlooked or excluded? How can you reach out to them today with the same grace and kindness Jesus has shown you?


Day 4: The Great Exchange—Trading Our Shame for Christ’s Grace
Jesus invites us to a profound exchange: to give Him our shame, guilt, and failed attempts to satisfy our souls, and to receive His forgiveness, healing, and new life. Like the woman at the well, we are called to bring our hidden struggles and addictions into the light, trusting that Jesus will not condemn us but will offer us living water that cleanses and restores. This exchange is not earned by our effort, but received by faith—simply asking Jesus to take what we cannot carry and to fill us with His grace. [54:11]

Isaiah 61:1-3 (ESV)
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Reflection: What is one burden of shame or guilt you are carrying? Offer it to Jesus in prayer today, and ask Him to fill you with His grace and freedom.


Day 5: Sharing the Living Water—Becoming Agents of Hope
When we encounter Jesus and receive His living water, our lives are changed—and we are called to share that hope with others. Like the Samaritan woman, who ran to tell her community about Jesus, we become witnesses to the transforming power of Christ. Our testimony, rooted in real change and ongoing grace, can draw others to the well of living water. As we allow the Holy Spirit to refresh and revive us, we become channels of God’s love, peace, and light to a world in desperate need. [56:48]

Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Reflection: Who is one person you can encourage or share your story of hope with this week? Pray for an opportunity to be a source of living water to them.

Quotes

``Sometimes we need to jump into the future by way of our imagination to speak to ourselves in our present moment. Reminding ourselves that things do work out. We do make it. The trials will end. Hope will be secured and has been secured through the resurrection of Jesus. Sometimes we need to preach to ourselves the message in our dark night that all isn't lost. The King reigns. We get there. By his grace, he's promised to take us there. [00:18:37] (38 seconds)  #FutureHopeInGrace Edit Clip Translate Clip

And so I want to encourage you this morning, all will be made well in your life. He will get you home. He is with you in the dark night. He will lead you before all your enemies. He will help to lift up your cup and anoint your head with oil, his blessing, because you are beloved, his beloved, today, tomorrow, and for all eternity. [00:19:27] (29 seconds)  #BelovedAndBlessed Edit Clip Translate Clip

Worship, true worship, God -honoring worship happens in spirit and in truth. That worship that means something to God is something that's rooted in reality. And it's rooted in a right heart. It's authentic. It happens within our soul, in those moments where truth shines through the fog of our thinking, like sunshine on a foggy day. And its warmth melts us and we have a sense of awe. [00:42:58] (46 seconds)  #AuthenticSpiritWorship Edit Clip Translate Clip

And so Jesus is saying there needs to be an exchange. You give me your cup of water, and I will give you living water, and you'll never thirst again. Can we do the exchange? Can I take the stuff that is full of shame and guilt and all the ways in which you've tried to satisfy your desires without me leaving you? Can we do the great exchange? [00:46:39] (30 seconds)  #GreatExchangeOfGrace Edit Clip Translate Clip

She came in shame, and she went back and started to engage with the very people who were her enemies, wanting them to experience what she experienced. This cleansing, this renewing, this reviving, this transforming, this living water that began to wash away her shame, and to give her her name, a daughter of part of the kingdom of heaven. [00:48:47] (29 seconds)  #TransformedByLivingWater Edit Clip Translate Clip

But it's in those moments that Jesus comes and meets us and begins to have a dialogue with us, often by way of the Holy Spirit, whose goal is to convict us of our need for forgiveness, forgiveness, the need for an exchange of our well water, our cistern, and that Jesus would take it upon himself and then grant us living water that quenches the thirst within us. [00:50:52] (40 seconds)  #ForgivenessThroughSpirit Edit Clip Translate Clip

And then he's letting me know that I can't do the exchange in my own strength. I can't earn it or deserve it. But I simply have to ask him for it. Yes, Lord, I recognize. I'm trying to satisfy the deepest desires of my own soul in a way that is destroying me. Would you, I agree with you. Can you give me living water? [00:53:56] (32 seconds)  #GraceTransformsFall Edit Clip Translate Clip

And when we finally say yes to Jesus, we're satisfied. I have a question for you. Where's your need? Where's your thirst? What questions does Jesus need to answer so that you would believe he is your Messiah? What do you want to exchange with him? Your complaining, critical attitude? With one filled with hope and optimism and faith? Those places where you're not walking at the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self -control, and truth? Where do you want that exchange? [00:55:48] (63 seconds)  #SurrenderForLivingWater Edit Clip Translate Clip

And the good news is that the Holy Spirit is going to meet you at this place. and heal you so that you too can be like the Good Samaritan going into your community and saying, this is my experience. Could he be the Christ? And they're going to see something's changed in you. You have new peace, new life. You hope they'll watch you. They'll see if it's just a momentary thing. But when they see it's rooted and real, that the kindness and love and grace of Jesus is in you, then your testimony bears more and more and more credibility. And one day too, you might find them at the well, experiencing Jesus, the Savior of the world. [00:56:51] (59 seconds)  #SatisfiedInJesus Edit Clip Translate Clip