AFTER THE SERMON-Bridges Over Barriers
We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. Take a moment to process and discuss what God may be trying to say to everyone in your home or in your community group. If no one is with you, have a personal conversation with God, He is with you.
SERIES: Building Bridges
Sermon Title: Bridges Over Barriers WATCH SERMON HERE
Main Scripture: John 4:1-42
(If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read or paraphrase through some of the provided scripture to catch everyone up!)
Overview:
Pastor Ryan unpacked portions of John 4 showing us the intentionality and the purposeful love Jesus had for the people of Samaria. We learned that historical and cultural barriers can be broken down if were willing to stop avoiding and start embracing people different than us. Jesus shocked the Samaritan woman and his own disciples through this encounter at the local well in Samaria. Jesus built a bridge by going through Samaria and caring for one woman. One woman became a bridge for the whole town of Sychar. One-stop for water, one conversation began to heal years of conflict. Who do you not understand? Who do you not like because you don’t understand them? Who could you pursue to begin listening, understanding, and caring for? That’s building a bridge for further conversations.
Takeaways:
Building bridges will put you in uncomfortable situations.
Jesus showed us to intentionally and purposefully connect with those who are different than us.
Historical and cultural barriers can be broken down if we stop avoiding and start embracing one another.
In order to make a difference, we have to value people who are different from us.
In the midst of national tension, choose to build bridges instead of more barriers.
Followers of Jesus follow His example.
We all need water and we all need the living water, Jesus Christ.
It’s hard to build barriers when we’re busy building bridges.
There’s never a time to build a barrier between Jesus and our community. Jesus came for everyone!
Discussion:
What was one big takeaway for you from this message?
What did you sense the Holy Spirit was saying to you during this message?
Why reasons did Jesus have for going through Samaria?
Why do we tend to avoid people and situations that make us uncomfortable?
What kind of things, such as the need for water, can God use to start a bridge-building conversation?
Who have you been building bridges with or who could you begin to pursue that you normally wouldn’t?
Pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son’s example that teaches us how to love those who are different from us. Give us the courage to build bridges with those we don’t like or are not like us. Remind us to focus on what makes us equal and the greatest need we all have is Jesus. Give us success this week and may we build with the gentleness and truth of Jesus. Amen!
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!