Listening and Loving: Reflecting Jesus in Our Lives

Today, the focus is on how to truly love our neighbors in a way that reflects the heart of Jesus. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that sharing faith is about delivering information or winning arguments, but Jesus models something radically different. In his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus begins with a simple request and then listens deeply to her story, asking questions and engaging with her as a person, not a project. He doesn’t judge or rush to correct, but instead creates space for her to open up, to be known, and to be loved. This approach is not just a strategy—it’s the very heart of the gospel.

Listening is more than a technique; it’s an act of love. When we listen, we honor the other person’s story and show them that they matter. Too often, Christians have been guilty of talking at people rather than with them, eager to share their own stories or opinions without first building trust or understanding. But genuine relationships are built on mutual respect and care, not on treating people as conversion targets. Jesus calls us to see others as beloved children of God, worthy of our time, attention, and empathy.

This kind of listening requires humility and patience. It means setting aside our own agendas and being willing to be uncomfortable, even when we disagree or feel offended. Jesus himself demonstrated this on the cross, choosing forgiveness and love over offense. If we want to see lives transformed, we must be willing to love as he loved—sacrificially, personally, and without precondition.

But love is not just spoken; it’s shared in the rhythms of everyday life. Jesus often broke bread with those on the margins, using meals as opportunities to build bridges and break down barriers. When we invite others to our tables, ask about their lives, and listen more than we speak, we create space for God’s love to be experienced in community. This is how hearts are changed—not through flashy programs, but through faithful presence, prayer, and hospitality.

The challenge is simple but profound: pray for someone God has placed on your heart, listen deeply to their story, and share a meal with them. Ask about their hopes, fears, and joys. Let’s be a people who listen and love like Jesus, one conversation and one meal at a time.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Listening is an act of love that builds genuine relationships. Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman shows that before offering truth, he first listened and engaged with her story. We are called to honor others by truly hearing them, not just waiting for our turn to speak. This kind of listening opens hearts and builds trust. [49:44]
• 2. People are not projects; they are beloved by God. When we approach others with an agenda to “fix” or “convert,” we miss the heart of Christ, who sees each person as valuable and worthy of love. Our motivation must be to love as Jesus loved, not to notch spiritual victories. Only then can our words carry the weight of authentic care. [51:39]
• 3. Offense is a choice, but love is a command. It’s easy to be offended by others’ beliefs, lifestyles, or words, but Jesus calls us to look past our discomfort and love sacrificially. On the cross, he forgave those who hurt him, modeling a love that overcomes offense and seeks reconciliation. We are invited to do the same, even when it’s hard. [57:37]
• 4. Sharing meals breaks down barriers and builds bridges. Jesus often ate with those whom society rejected, using the table as a place of acceptance and transformation. When we invite others to share a meal, we create space for connection, vulnerability, and the tangible experience of God’s love. Hospitality is a powerful tool for the gospel. [65:00]
• 5. Transformation happens through presence, prayer, and hospitality, not programs. The vision for our community is not built on flashy events, but on the faithful, everyday acts of loving, listening, and sharing life with others. When we see people as God sees them and invest in real relationships, we become conduits of Christ’s love and hope. [68:38]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [14:27] - Community Connection Time
• [17:51] - Lifting Our Situations in Praise
• [40:37] - The Challenge of Being Heard
• [41:58] - Sharing Faith: Old Paradigms vs. New Realities
• [43:49] - Praying for Our Neighbors
• [45:34] - Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
• [47:58] - The Power of Listening
• [49:44] - Building Trust Through Genuine Engagement
• [51:39] - People Are Not Projects
• [52:31] - Listening Before Launching In
• [53:29] - The Importance of Listening in Relationships
• [55:44] - Lessons from Job’s Friends
• [57:37] - Choosing Love Over Offense
• [58:58] - Jesus’ Transformative Love
• [60:25] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
• [63:24] - Breaking Bread: The Power of Meals
• [65:00] - Zacchaeus: Transformation Over a Meal
• [67:20] - The Vision for Our Community
• [68:38] - The Challenge: Listen, Love, and Share a Meal
• [69:17] - Practical Steps for Meaningful Conversations
• [72:21] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

John 4:4-26 (ESV) — > And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
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> A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 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.”
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> The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 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.”
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> The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
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> The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 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.”
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> The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Observation Questions

1. In Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, what are some ways he shows that he is truly listening to her and not just waiting to speak? (John 4:7-26; [45:34])
2. According to the sermon, what is the difference between treating someone as a “project” and treating them as a person? ([51:39])
3. What role does sharing a meal play in Jesus’ ministry, based on the stories of Levi (Matthew) and Zacchaeus? ([01:03:24] and [01:05:00])
4. How does Jesus respond to people who might offend him, both in his conversation with the woman and on the cross? ([57:37])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus begins his conversation with the Samaritan woman by asking her for a drink, instead of immediately telling her who he is? What does this teach us about building trust? (John 4:7; [45:34])
2. The sermon says, “Listening is an act of love.” In what ways can listening be more powerful than speaking when it comes to sharing faith? ([49:44])
3. The pastor mentions that “offense is a choice, but love is a command.” What does it look like to choose love over offense in real-life situations, especially with people who are different from us? ([57:37])
4. How does hospitality—inviting someone to a meal or into your life—create opportunities for transformation that programs or arguments cannot? ([01:05:00])

Application Questions

1. Think of someone God has placed on your heart. What is one practical way you can listen to their story this week, without trying to “fix” or “convert” them? ([43:49])
2. When was the last time you felt truly listened to? How did it make you feel, and how can you offer that same gift to someone else? ([49:44])
3. Are there people in your life you tend to see as “projects” rather than as beloved by God? What would it look like to change your approach with them? ([51:39])
4. Is there a situation or relationship where you have felt offended or uncomfortable? What would it look like to choose love and forgiveness instead of holding onto offense? ([57:37])
5. Who could you invite to share a meal with you in the next two weeks? What might you ask them about their hopes, fears, or joys to show you care? ([01:09:17])
6. The sermon challenges us to “listen more than we speak.” What is one habit or practice you can try this week to help you become a better listener? ([01:10:19])
7. The vision for the church is to see lives changed through presence, prayer, and hospitality—not just programs. What is one small, faithful step you can take this month to be more present and hospitable in your neighborhood or community? ([01:08:38])