God’s Draft – The Wrong Everything

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God’s Draft – The Wrong Everything                  8-9-20

Bottom Line: It is impossible to be so far from God that his love cannot reach us.

Introduction:

 A. Our them text for this series – Proverbs 3:5-6 – following God’s direction!

   1. We want it to be about our direction & our judging

   2. God’s acceptance is not based on our evaluations.

 B. Roan doing communion in the 80’s at Fairfax

   1. All wrong – looks – dress and hair very different

   2. Amazing prayers that I remember today

 C. God drafts/calls us but we respond but don’t follow through! We don’t grow, expand, or use our talents.

   1. Excuses or rationale – wrong age, gender, social status, and loyalty (to far removed from disciples)

   2. Feel so unworthy = wrong everything!

 D. Our struggle with unworthiness never ends!

   1. Eph.2:8, saved by grace; Rom.5:1-5 Key words

   2. Rom.5:6-8 Saved by his love though we are all wrong!

 E. Lets share two major stories found only in John!

   1. Favorites of mine already but also in The Chosen

   2. Two people called by Jesus with everything wrong!

1. The Religious Enemy – Nicodemus!

 A. Only three appearances in John 3:1-21; 7:50-52; 19:40

   1. Only in John, the people Gospel – a man searching

   2. Religious leaders the only consistent & constant enemies of Jesus – from beginning until the end!

 B. What do we know about him?

   1. Earnest, afraid, confused, didn’t understand Jesus’ metaphorical teaching!

   2. What was wrong with Nicodemus? Rich – Educated – Pharisee – Sanhedrin – Fearful (?) – Confused

 C. What did Jesus do? Patient, non-judgmental, challenging, guiding!

   1. A religious scholar & leader sitting w/ a carpenter

   2. Jesus told an enemy who he was!

2. The Historically Social Enemy – The Woman at the Well!

 A. Samaritans remained behind when 722 captivity happened – mixed marriages & gods

   1. Declared Mt. Gerizim the mountain of God – Temple of Zeus

   2. In 539 when people returned – condemned & alienated! Enemy, unclean, looked different, & worshipped differently

 B. What was wrong with the woman at the well?

   1. Samaritan! Jews circled to keep from go through it

   2. Woman! Alone, midday, never talked w/o husband present! Scandalous and improper. Her sarcasm…

   3. Unclean! Samaritans were all unclean to Jews – drink from her cup! Unthinkable! Even asking…

   4. Sinner! Avoided others, Jesus knew she was marked…

 C. Jesus connected and shared – she was suspicious

   1. Living water = laughable but helpful

   2. Get your husband = How? Wow?

   3. Diversion with theology:  Where to worship? God is Spirit! Light, love, & consuming fire! Worship = in relationship w/ Him!

   4. Jesus was inclusive w/o being condescending, revealing w/o condemning, spoke truth w/o debating!

Conclusion: What do we learn from Nic & Well Woman?

A. All our self-doubt & excuses are invalid

B. Jesus loves us in spite of us! Pharisee to foreign enemy!

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Bible Study for Sunday, August 9, 2020

God’s Draft – The Wrong Everything

1.  Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us God will direct our paths. How does he do it?

2.  Have you ever misjudged someone because of how they looked? When? Why? Has it happened to you?

3.  Why do we fail to use all the talents God gave us?

4.  Why do we struggle with feeling unworthy and yet being declared worthy by God?

5.  Why is grace the only way to find spiritual balance between our unworthiness and God making us worthy?

6.  What is surprising about Nicodemus wanting to meet with Jesus?

7.  How would you characterize Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus in John 3?

8.  Why is Jesus’ conversation with the women at the well so surprising? Why wouldn’t his disciples have done it?

9.  How did Jesus treat her? (John 4)

10. How did she change her thinking and feelings about Jesus?

11. What do the encounters of Jesus with Nicodemus and the well women teach us about Jesus?

          – About how we should treat others?

          – About our excuses for not doing what he wants us to do? 12. Where they qualified to become followers of Jesus? Why or why not?