Find life
key words
biblical reference
John 4:1-42
lesson objective
To help the students understand that salvation is for everyone who believes in Jesus and receives him as Savior
memory verse
“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21a, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
Recently someone asked: “Do not you think that people love better those with whom they feel comfortable?” This makes me think and observe the people that are around me in the church I attend. I noticed a great resemblance between all of them, but I also noticed several differences. After thinking about that question, I realized that I did not agree. I do not believe that God has called us to form select groups and to distance ourselves from those people who are different from us.
In fact, I believe that this Bible story teaches us to do the opposite. Jesus teaches us to look beyond those with whom we feel comfortable. Jesus wants us to offer the gift of salvation to all who need to know him. Children are often extroverted when it comes to talking about Jesus and their faith. They love him and want others to know him.
Encourage your students to think beyond their family and friends in the church. Help them think of people who need the Lord. Then, start praying with your students for those people. As a teacher, you can help deepen their relationship with God in two ways. First, give them the opportunity to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Second, help them by offering them the tools they need to tell others about God’s gift: eternal life.
biblical commentary
This question is for you: Who can be a Christian? At first, this may seem like a simple question with a simple answer. You will say: Everyone, of course. Then let me ask you something else: Which person will find it more difficult to become a Christian? Someone with impediments or barriers, whether real or imagined, will have difficulty accepting the Lord.
In his conversation at the well, Jesus broke down two barriers that his society had raised. First, he dissolved the differences between those who were “chosen” and those who were “rejected.” The Jews, “the chosen race,” rejected the Samaritans. The Scriptures say: “For Jews do not associate with Samaritans” (John 4:9). Jesus paid no attention to that belief. He had not only associated with Samaritans, but used them as an example worthy of imitation by the Jews.
In the second place, Jesus broke a taboo by talking to a woman. It was not acceptable for Jews, and Jesus was a Jew, to talk to an good Samaritan woman (although the Jews doubted there was such a thing), but it was even worse for him to talk with the woman he talked with. She was even despised by her own society because of her marital problems.
In the eyes of Jewish culture, this woman was totally unacceptable. But still, Jesus saw her as someone who was worthy to hear the Good News he had for her. He discussed every objection the woman made to him, and patiently broke down each of the barriers that she had about the Messiah. Finally, she believed, and many more believed in the Lord because of her testimony about Jesus.
This is a story with a happy ending, although at first, the walls had to be demolished. This then brings us to another question: Who is not able to receive salvation today? Before you answer “nobody” and dismiss the idea, think about the barriers that people must face these days. For some, their race is a barrier, either to speak or hear the Gospel. Skin color and cultural differences can be hindrances to evangelism.
In the pluralistic cultures of today, almost every human being has different opinions. On many occasions the diversity of ideas is a barricade for evangelism. Some think and act as if those who belong to a political party different from theirs are not true Christians. Closed minds are real barriers. People of different religions have trouble understanding each other. If we do not know what Muslims, Hindus or Jews believe, how can we preach to them the Gospel of Jesus?
And what about the circumstances of life? Do we tend to despair because some are too poor, or too addicted, or too hopeless to be Christians? If so, we must tear down those walls. John 3:16 does not recognize the barriers that humans raise. There is no exclusion in “everyone”. Everyone, regardless of their circumstances, is worthy to hear the Gospel, and have the opportunity to believe.
introduce the lesson
Important words
“Followers of Jesus”, “Eternal Life” and “Living Water”
You will need more footprints and hearts, made on construction paper, for each child (see instructions in lesson 27). Write the words “followers of Jesus” and “eternal life” along with their meanings on the board so that the children can copy them. Make enough hearts and footprints for those who lost theirs and for new children and for the new words. Today they will take the cards home. Hand out the hearts and footprints. Allow time for new ones or those who lost their cards to copy what the board says.
“Followers of Jesus”: These are the people who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. A follower of Jesus loves him and obeys him.
“Eternal life”: It is to live forever. Those who accept Jesus as their Savior, when they die on earth, will go to live in heaven with him.”
“Living water”: it is the spiritual water that gives eternal life. The physical water that we drink quenches our thirst, but it is fleeting. The water of God is spiritual and eternal.
Let’s see what today’s story says about Jesus and the woman at the well. Tell the children to write the new important words with the definition on the side of their heart or footprint and put their name on it. Today is the end of unit 7. You can celebrate the end of this unit with the children. Review the Bible stories from lessons 27 through today, asking questions that you have prepared in advance. You can have small gifts like a pencil, a book with biblical portions, figures or stickers, etc. Give gifts to all children equally. Encourage them to continue remembering the verses they’ve learned and to continue telling the Bible stories.
teach the lesson
Jesus taught in Judea. Many people came to listen to what he was saying. Many believed and were baptized. The Pharisees did not like people listening to Jesus. “This is terrible!” they said. “The followers of Jesus are baptizing even more people than John the Baptist.” Jesus listened to what the Pharisees said and decided to go to Galilee. Together with his disciples, they went by the shortest route to Galilee and passed through Samaria.
“Are you sure that this is the best way?” asked one of the disciples. “We really do not like the Samaritans,” added another. “This is the right way to go,” Jesus clarified. Jesus and his disciples walked for a long time. The sun was shining brightly, it was hot, and the road was dusty. At last they came to a village in Samaria. There was a well on the outskirts. Jesus was tired.
“Please go to town and bring us something to eat,” Jesus told them, and then he sat down by the well to wait for them. “Yes, teacher,” they answered and his disciples left. A Samaritan woman approached the well. She carried her water pitcher to collect water. When she passed by Jesus looked at her. He knew everything about her. But above all, he knew that God loved her. Jesus knew that she needed a change of life. “Would you give me some water?” Jesus asked.
The woman looked at him, very surprised. “This is a Jew,” she thought, “but Jews do not talk to Samaritans, especially Samaritan women like me.” “Why do you ask me for a drink?” she asked Jesus. Jesus smiled at her. “If you knew who was talking to you! I would give you a great gift from God. I would give you “living water.”
“How!?” the woman exclaimed. “This is a deep well and you do not have a container to take it out. How will you get that water? Are you older than Jacob? He was the one who made this well.” She did not know what Jesus was saying. Jesus spoke of eternal life, and not of real water. Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks of this water will get thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I will give them will never thirst again.”
“I want that water,” the woman exclaimed. And she placed the pitcher to one side. She wanted to know more about God and more about eternal life. “Go get your husband and come back,” Jesus said. “I do not have a husband,” she answered.
“That’s true,” said Jesus. He knew that she had lived a life of sin. She needed God’s love and forgiveness. He told her several things about her. The woman heard him and asked him questions. “Lord, it seems to me that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say we must worship in Jerusalem. Why?”
Jesus told the woman that one day we will worship God together. She still did not understand. “Someday I’ll understand,” she explained. “The Son of God will come soon and will explain everything.” “I am the Son of God,” Jesus told her. “I’m the savior of the world.”
Then the disciples returned to the well. They brought food for Jesus. They saw the woman as she walked back to town.
“Come see a man who told me everything I did! He says he is the Son of God,” she said to the people in the town. Meanwhile, the disciples suggested that Jesus eat what they had brought from the town. But, Jesus made it clear that he had a better meal, which was to do the will of his Father, God. His task was to preach to all that God loved them. “You must do the same,” he emphasized to his disciples.
Then Jesus and his followers saw that the Samaritan woman was approaching with a large number of people. One of the men asked Jesus to tell them about the Son of God. “Please come to our town and tell us about God,” the Samaritans said. Jesus went to the village with his disciples and the people. He stayed there for two days preaching and teaching the people. Many met Jesus, and many received eternal life.
Finally, the other Samaritans told the woman, “We do not believe only because of what you have told us, but because we ourselves have heard and we know that this truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ.
connect the lesson
“The ABC’s of Salvation”
Give students Student Activity Sheet #240-A and #240-B. Tell them and show them how to follow the instructions for this activity. Ask them to mark the sheet with the letters A-B-C. Read each section with them.
Before this session, make copies of the following meaning of the colors to use in the moments before the altar call. If you wish, you can make a copy for each child, with the pages of the colors indicated below. On one side, place only the pages with the colors; on the back the meaning of each of them.
Dark color: It means SIN. We have all sinned. We all need God’s forgiveness for our sins.
White: FORGIVENESS. We need to tell God that we are sorry for having sinned, and that we are very sad about that. We can decide to not disobey and to not sin. The Lord forgives us. We can decide to love and obey God.
Red: SALVATION. Jesus died on the cross for everyone. Salvation means that we are forgiven by God through his Son, Jesus Christ. We decide to follow and obey God, knowing that he forgives us.
Yellow: ETERNAL LIFE. When we are forgiven and saved, we know that we have eternal life. That’s the life that God gives us. It means that we can live for him now, and then in eternal life with the Lord in heaven forever.
Green: SPIRITUAL GROWTH. When we decide to follow Jesus, we are starting a relationship with him. And like any relationship, we want it to grow. We grow in our relationship with Jesus by praying, by reading our Bible, and by coming to church.
practice the memory verse
Sweet verses
You will need: Student Activity Sheet #214-C and #214-D, a (candy) jar, scissors, construction paper larger than the jar, and colored pencils or crayons. Throughout the year, you will find additional cut-out sections, such as the memory verse for each unit, in candy or candy forms with the verses written on each one. When a child has memorized the memory verse, allow him/ her to cut out the candy from that unit and stick it inside or around the jar. At the end of the year, they will be able to take the jar with “sweets” to their homes. That way they can repeat to their families the verses they learned.
Write the memory verse on strips of paper. Then glue the strips to sweets or candies. If possible, place the treats in a large clear jar. Children should already know the verse well. Guide them to say it by memory. Everyone can receive as a gift a candy with the verse.
wrap-up
Pray
Pray that they accept the challenge of living as Jesus wants.
Encourage
Encourage the children to receive “eternal life” or “living water” and to put Jesus first in their lives. Talk with the pastor or with the children’s pastor, and with the parents of the little ones who accepted Jesus as their Savior. Plan a celebration to thank God for the children who passed from death to life. Enjoy the blessing of having been an instrument to take the children of your group to the feet of the Lord!
Invite
Before departing remind the students that we will begin a new unit in the next session, and encourage them to attend. Remind them that this is a good opportunity for friends to join the group.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™