Lesson 12B – John 4–5

1. Lesson 12B – John 4–5 Made Whole

2. The Power of Spiritual Life • Two stories about the spiritual overcoming the physical • The woman at the well • The cripple at Bethesda • Some common themes • Water • Physical Need • The power of Christ

3. The Woman at the Well • Let’s review • A Samaritan woman at the well • Christ asks for a drink • Woman: Why are you asking me? • “If thou knewest the gift of God… [I] would have given thee living water” • John 4:13-14 • “a well of water springing up into everlasting life”

4. The Woman at the Well • What/Who is the “Living Water”? • Christ • How? (write down 5 ways Christ is like water/provides water)

5. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin “These latter days are a time of great spiritual thirst. Many in the world are searching, often intensely, for a source of refreshment that will quench their yearning for meaning and direction in their lives. They crave a cool, satisfying drink of insight and knowledge that will soothe their parched souls. Their spirits cry out for life-sustaining experiences of peace and calm to nourish and enliven their withering hearts. The Lord provides the living water that can quench the burning thirst of those whose lives are parched by a drought of truth. He expects us to supply to them the fulness of the gospel by giving them the scriptures and the words of the prophets and to bear personal testimony as to the truth of the restored gospel to alleviate their thirst. When they drink from the cup of gospel knowledge, their thirst is satisfied as they come to understand our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness.”

6. Concern for Physical Need • The woman at the well only understood physical needs (thirst), whereas Jesus provided for spiritual need (everlasting life) • John 4:20-23 • Again, concern over the physical, the temporal • The mountains don’t matter, only worshipping in “spirit and truth” • v22 – “for salvation is of the Jews” • Christ is salvation, He is of the Jews

7. The Pool of Bethesda • John 5:1-5 • The belief was that once the pool was “stirred” by an angel (think a rising and falling natural spring), the first one in the pool gets healed. • v5 – What is an “infirmity” • Physically crippled. How could he possibly be the first one in the pool? • Yet he still had hope • John 1:6-9 • “Wilt thou be made whole?” • Kind of an obvious question… what’s the real question? • It was not the pool that made him whole, but Christ • Where do we find him later? (v14)

8. Miracles on the Sabbath • John 5:15-18 • They first judged the healed man, because he carried his bed on the Sabbath • Then they found out Christ had healed Him, and redirected their attention • What was Jesus’ answer? • “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” • Doing the Father’s work does not break the Sabbath • Continues with great sermon on the relationship between Christ and the Father. • Can we think of the Sabbath as a day of work instead of a day of rest? The Lord’s work?

9. The Stone in the Stream • Imagine a small flowing stream down a hill. • You have a rock (any size) and you need to stop the flow of water. What do you do? • No matter where you put the rock or even how big it is, the water still finds a way through and continues to flow. • Not deterred by physical obstacles • The Pharisees tried to put rocks in the stream that is Christ, but to no use. They have lost control of the gospel. • What rocks to we put down to try and hinder the flow of spirituality in our life? • Let us drink of the water and be made whole.

10. Notebook Ideas • How do you partake of the living water in your life? What do you feel as you “drink”? • What drives you to want to share that living water with all of those around you? • How can you do the Father’s work on the Sabbath?