As you meet with each other this week, consider these questions:
During this week's sermon Pastor Charlie walked through John chapter 4, "The Woman at the Well." (Take a moment to read the passage before proceeding)
One of the most important points of that chapter is the concept of "Living Water." Jesus made the point that the water of this world will only make you thirsty again, but the living water that he gives will be a well inside of us. The woman asked for this living water, and Jesus went on to bring up the fact that she has had 5 husbands and the man living with her was not her husband. It is easy to see that the subtle point being made is that the "water" that she had been trying to drink, the water that was not satisfying her, was her pursuit of romantic relationships. In the sermon Pastor Charlie made the point that this is the essence of sin, trying to drink the "water of the world" and thinking it will satisfy what only God can satisfy. How have you seen this play out in your life? Discuss. (note for leaders: you may have to go first to set the tone as this is a question that requires some vulnerability).
Jesus tells his disciples that he has food that they don't know about and his food is "to do the will of him who sent me." He says this right after his encounter with the woman at the well, showing that his ministry to her was a source of spiritual nourishment for himself. It was his food. Have you experienced this nourishment? Or have you been feeling spiritually malnourished by not doing his will in this way. Discuss and pray for one another in this regard.
The woman put down her water jar and she went to be a witness to her people. And here we have a model of what we too are called to do. How has our pursuit of the "water of this world" hindered our focus on the mission? How can we do the things in this life (jobs, marriage, parenting, leisure) while keeping his mission the top priority?