A Caring Community With a Global Vision to develop every person into a fully devoted follower of Christ
 
September 28, 2003
Rev. Rurel Ausley

SO NONE SHALL THIRST
John 4:4-15; 2 Sam. 24:18-25; Matt. 14:15-18; John 6:1-13

1. Read John 4:4-15. How does this entire episode provide a model for ministry for us? What steps should one take in relating to another person for Christ?

2. Why did Jesus go through Samaria? The obvious answer is that it is the straightest pathway to Galilee. But let’s look deeper. What do you know about the Samaritans? (Look up in study Bible or Bible dictionary.) What do you know about the relationship of the Jews with the Samaritans? With this in mind, what was different about the way Jesus went into Samaria? (John 4:9) Why do you think Jesus stopped and talked with this Samaritan woman? (John 4:10)

3. What people in your life walked a “different road” and impacted your life? Take a moment and praise God for their lives and that they were obedient to Him! Why would it have been easier for Jesus just to ignore this woman? How much time, energy, and effort would he have saved himself? Why would it be easier for our church not to try and reach new people? How much time, energy, and effort would we save? What would be the results of that kind of approach? Why did Jesus not make that choice? What happens to churches that choose to take the easy road and just be concerned about their own needs? What is the difference in vision between two churches with these different outlooks?

4. What were the results of Jesus traveling a different road? What happened to the life of the Samaritan woman? What risks did He take in speaking to her? In witnessing to her? How many others believed because of her? (John 4:39-41) Describe the “ripple effect” of the impact of one life? What starts the ripples? How can you and our church be one that “starts the ripples”? Someone has to reach out first! Why do you want to be a person that impacts others? How does the expansion of our facilities provide a way to “start more ripples”? How are we taking a bold step to make an impact on our community?

5. Read 2 Samuel 24:18-25. (You may want to read the entire chapter to fully understand the context here.) What was David coming to do? Why? What did Araunah offer David? King David could have obeyed God without any personal costs. What did David say to Araunah? (2 Sam. 24:24) Why did he refuse Araunah’s offer?

6. Why is there such a close relationship between my money and me? (Matt. 6:21) In what sense is your money really you? What are the implications of that for our spending? Discuss this: “Where I put my money is where I put my life.” How powerful a symbol is our gift?

7. What determines the value of a gift to God? Is one gift better than another? Is God more receptive to some gifts than others? (Gen.4:3-5) What makes any gift valuable? Is it the cost? (Ask any mother this question.) Why did Jesus never equate a person’s contribution with a financial amount? (Mark 12:41-44) What was the value of the widow’s offering to Jesus? Why is the greater the gift’s value is to its giver, the greater its value to God? (Mark 14:3-9) What does it mean when we say “not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice”? How can you offer a sacrificial gift to God?

8. Read Matt. 14:15-18; John 6:1-13. What was the response of the disciples to Jesus’ command to feed the crowd? For our first response, note Matt.14:15. What was the first suggestion to do with the crowd? How does this express an “everyone for himself” attitude? What is un-Christian about this attitude? What do we lack when we don’t want to be bothered with the needs of others? What does it mean about us when we don’t give our time, our service, our abilities, and our finances to help meet the needs of others?

9. The second response comes from Philip in John 6:7. What does Philip say about the situation? How was this the practical response? Yet, in his calculating, what had he left out? Have you ever left Jesus out of your calculations? Will you leave Him out when you figure how much time you are willing to give to Him in service? When you calculate what you should give financially? When you figure out how in the world Niceville First UMC will seek to meet the needs of all these people....will we leave Jesus out of our calculations? I hope not.

10. The third response comes from Andrew in John 6:9. What does Andrew say about the situation? How far will they go among so many? I’m not sure that question ever got answered that day. What if 10,000 had been there that day, would there have been enough? How far will it go? It depends in whose hands it stays!!! How far would the fish go in the little boy’s hands? In Jesus’ hands? Don’t ever underestimate what you have to offer or what someone else has to offer!!

11. Now, we come to the little boy’s response in 6:9. What was the little boy’s response to the situation? Why would it have taken courage for this boy to offer his 5 loaves and 2 fish? How was this a sacrificial gift?