Bible Reading
John 16:7-11 “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
[46:12]Acts 2:22-24, 36-38 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
[01:04:49]John 4:1-26 “Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The 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.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but 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.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
[01:20:09]Observation questions
- What were the disciples facing as Jesus prepared to leave, and what advantage did he promise his departure would bring? [54:53]
- In John 16:7–11, what reasons does Jesus give for the Spirit’s work concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment? [01:11:56]
- In Acts 2:36–38, how did the crowd respond when Peter confronted them about Jesus, and what next steps did Peter give them? [01:06:05]
- In John 4:1–26, how does Jesus address both the Samaritan woman’s personal life and her understanding of who he is? [01:20:09]
Interpretation questions
- How does the courtroom picture of the Helper deepen the meaning of conviction in John 16:8? Why is that more serious than simply feeling bad about a mistake? [57:22]
- Why does Jesus identify unbelief in him as the central issue in John 16:9? How would that shape a believer’s conversation with someone who thinks Christianity is mainly about behaving better? [01:08:43]
- How does Jesus’ return to the Father challenge the idea that a person can be good enough for God? What makes trusting Christ’s righteousness different from trying to improve a moral record? [01:12:25]
- What does the crowd’s response in Acts 2 reveal about the relationship between speaking the gospel and the Holy Spirit’s work? Why should neither a positive response nor rejection be treated as a measure of the believer’s ability? [01:06:31]
Application questions
- Jesus is God, Lord, and Savior—not merely someone who offers good advice. Where do you find it hardest to trust or submit to him in your own life? What questions about his identity do you still need space to explore? [01:17:41]
- When you feel that you have disappointed God, do you tend to rely on Christ’s righteousness or try to make yourself acceptable by doing more good things? What might trusting Christ look like in a recent situation? [01:12:49]
- Think of a recent conversation about faith or someone’s choices. Did you focus more on correcting behavior or helping that person understand Jesus? How might you approach a similar conversation differently? [01:10:21]
- When has fear of being disliked or misunderstood kept you quiet about Jesus? Is there someone with whom you could take a small, respectful step toward a more honest conversation about faith? [01:18:36]
- Gospel truth can challenge people, while love, mercy, humility, and service draw them in. Which side of that balance needs attention in your life? What could that look like in one relationship this week? [01:16:23]
- When God exposes sin in your life, what helps you move toward repentance and forgiveness rather than remain trapped in shame? How could this group support you in taking that next step? [01:21:22]
- Whose response to Jesus are you tempted to manage or force? How could you remain faithful in speaking and loving while entrusting that person’s response to the Holy Spirit? [01:21:45]
