THE SAMARITAN WOMAN - John 4 - Teen Bible study

In this lesson, we will learn about the woman at the well from John 4:1-42. This lesson relates to pre-teens and teens, and by the end of this lesson, they should have learnt about the following:

Jesus alone can satisfy
God’s grace is bigger than our sin.
God meets us in the everyday
The power of personal testimony.

BIBLE PASSAGE: John 4:1-42

MEMORY VERSE: “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.” John 4:14

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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN pdf – preteen and teen Bible lesson

BIBLE STUDY NOTES FOR TEENS

Jesus and his disciples had been ministering in Judea. More and more people were coming to Jesus, but the religious leaders were also making it difficult, and the situation was becoming dangerous. Jesus decides it is time to return to Galilee.

There were three routes to travel (1) Along the coast, (2) along the Jordan valley, or (3) along the central road through the mountains (Look at a map online or in the back of some Bibles). The central mountain road was the fastest and most direct, but it travelled through Samaria. The strictest Jews avoided the route not to encounter a Samaritan. The Samaritans would also often cause trouble for Jews travelling through the area.

In our Bible reading, it says Jesus “had to” take this route. It was possible not only because it was faster but because Jesus had a divine appointment with a woman at Jacob’s well.

The Samaritan woman: The Bible doesn’t tell us her name, but we know she was female and a Samaritan. We know she has had five husbands and is currently living with her boyfriend. We also know that women in Jesus’ day typically drew water in groups in the morning (it was a social occasion and a daily task). Being alone at midday suggests she was a social outcast.

She represents the lowest of the low. A female in a society where women were overlooked. She is of a race hated by its neighbours and living in shame and sin as a social outcast.

Yet, Jesus goes out of His way to meet her and change her life forever. This conversation is also the longest recorded between Jesus and any other individual in the Gospel of John.

KEY POINTS FROM THE PASSAGE

1. JESUS CAN FREE US FROM SIN (JOHN 4:25-26)

According to the cultural norms, the woman at the well was someone who Jesus should not have interacted with. Not only was she a Samaritan, but a known sinner. Jesus knew her sins and reminded her of them. Can you imagine how she felt? Shock at Jesus knowing? Questions of who told this stranger about her? Full of shame and guilt?

No matter our social status, Jesus is there for us. He loves us and wants to bring us peace and eternal life. He does not care what sins we have committed or how dirty we are. No matter the sin, He has already paid the price for all the sins we’ve ever made and will ever make. Jesus wants to bring us His forgiveness and peace. Even when the world turns its backs on us, Jesus calls us to Himself. (John 12:32 & John 6:37)

Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we can stand confident in the knowledge that Jesus wants us to follow Him. He seeks those who are lowly and sinful to bring them to repentance.

When you are at the lowest place you could ever imagine, and the sins you committed feel heavy and destructive. Jesus can and will reveal Himself to you and show you the meaning of His forgiveness and grace.

2. JESUS ALONE CAN SATISFY (JOHN 4:13-14)

Jesus tells the woman that He will give her Living Water. Not water that will ease physical thirst on long, hot days (like those in the Middle East), but our thirst for something more. We all urge something more than we have here on earth. Something we cannot find on our own. Something Heavenly. Jesus is the only thing that can quench that longing, desire, and thirst.

Everyone who has ever lived wants to know what will make them happy. We anxiously seek the person, place, or thing that can satisfy our needs. We think if only we had more money, better looks, fame, or the perfect job, we would be satisfied. The Samaritan woman looked to men to satisfy her longing. But five husbands later, she was still unfulfilled and more desperate than ever. Always drinking, but never satisfied.

Jesus alone is enough to satisfy our souls. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Jesus will never dissatisfy. Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

If you seek pleasure and satisfaction in anything other than Jesus, turn to Him. Accept His invitation for eternal life. “In His presence, there is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

3. DON’T MISS JESUS IN THE MUNDANE (JOHN 4:7)

We may have expected the Samaritan woman to meet Jesus after a long period of prayer, fasting and repentance at the temple. But Jesus waits at the well for her while she is doing her daily activities. He does the same for us. We must be careful not to miss God in the mundane. He is in the day-to-day chores.

The mundane moments often precede miraculous encounters. Moses was keeping sheep when God spoke to him through the burning bush. David was delivering good when He defeated Goliath. Jesus fed a multitude after a boy made a packed lunch. There are hundreds of miracles recorded in the Bible, but most of them follow a mundane moment.

We don’t need to wait for a “spiritual high” at a worship service, conference, or church camp to meet with Jesus. He is there calling us and speaking to us in the everyday. You may not feel like what you are doing today is important or even spiritual. But as we faithfully carry out our everyday tasks of homework, cleaning, training and so on, we can and should be expectant for God to meet with us and do something extraordinary. (See also Colossians 3:23)

4. TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS (JOHN 4:39-42)

The first thing the woman did after speaking to Jesus was to tell the other Samaritans about Jesus. Her words made an impact. “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony” (v. 39). Jesus stayed there for two more days, and “many more became believers” (v. 41). The Samaritan woman testimony led many to Jesus.

We also have the incredible privilege of sharing the good news of Jesus with others. Sometimes we make evangelism more complicated than it is. The Samaritan woman shared her story. We all have a story (testimony) of how Jesus met with us. What life was like for you before you came to Jesus? How did you feel? What did God use to draw you to him? Be ready for openings to share your story of what Jesus has done in your life.

The Apostle John wrote, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:2-3). The Apostle Paul, when speaking to King Agrippa in Acts 26 about his life before salvation, how he met Christ, and what his life was like now.

You are the only person in the world with your testimony. Be ready to share it with others. God can use it to bring many others to Himself.

CONCLUSION

Jesus ignored cultural barriers to meet a woman in need. It can be easy to allow social or cultural barriers to stand between us and those who need to hear of God’s love. Let’s follow Jesus’ example and go out of the way to share the gospel with those in need.

Listen to the study

YOUTH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

WATER RELAY

Fill a large bucket or pool with water. On the other side of the space, create a starting line, and split players into teams.
Give each group a smaller container or bucket and a cup.
Players must race to fill up their buckets. If playing in teams, only one person can go at a time.
If they don’t mind getting wet, have them hold the cup of water above their heads on the way back.

DON’T GET CAUGHT

Place several cups inside a hoop on the floor (if outside, fill with water). Next, have someone with their back to the hoop standing near it, and the other players facing the hoop.
Starting a fair distance away, the players facing the hoop must try to sneak up and collect water from the ‘well’ without getting caught moving. The person next to the well can turn around at any time. Any player found moving must return to the starting line.

THREE MINUTE TESTIMONIES

Ask for volunteers to share a short and personal testimony in around three minutes or less.
You may also choose to find a few video testimonies to listen to online.