What is the immediate context from John 3?  Why is Jesus traveling, and why does he decide to stop at this well?

Why is the Samaritan woman so surprised that Jesus initiates a conversation with her?  (4:9)  Why is it so remarkable that Jesus would do this?

Jesus is willing to cross a number of cultural and social barriers (male/female, Jew/Samaritan, moral/immoral) in order interact with this woman, and share the gospel with her.  What are we to make of this?  What can we learn from it?  How can we let it inform our lives, and how we interact with non-believers?

Compare and contrast the woman the the well (4:7-26) with Nicodemus (3:1-21).  How does Jesus interact with both of them?  What can we learn from this?  What theological realties can we derive from these two, and the way that we see Jesus interacting with them?

Jesus says that his living water will truly satisfy us, while the physical water that the world offers will only make us more thirsty over time.  (4:13-14)  What can we learn from this?  How does it speak to the sufficiency of the gospel?  To the joy that is available to us in Christ?  To the futility of trying to find joy in what the world offers?

It seems that the woman is trying to hide (or at least minimize) her sin, rather than confess it, and confront it.  (4:16-18)  How does Jesus expose her sin?  How is he calling her to respond?  

How does the woman respond when Jesus points out her sin, and the need for her to repent?  (4:19-20)

Have you seen a tendency in your own life (or others) to deflect or dodge when sin is brought to your attention (rather than confess, and confront, and repent)?  Why or why not?  If so, how does that tendency express itself?

Jesus says that God is less concerned with the external trappings of worship (physical location), and more with the essential substance of worship (who we are worshipping, and how).  (4:21-24)  What are we to make of this?  How should we let it inform our own lives, and how we go about worshipping God?

What does it mean to worship God “in spirit and in truth”?  (4:23-24)  How can we be intentional to be doing this in our lives?

In 4:26, Jesus says that he is the Messiah.  What does this mean?  What exactly is claiming?  Why is it significant?

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