In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Review/Introduction to Jesus and the Samaritan Woman February 1, 2008

In The Footsteps Of The Master:In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus ChristThe Life and Times of Jesus Christ

Review/Introduction to Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

February 1, 2008

www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Following JesusFollowing Jesus• God shows His goodness when He

simultaneously requires and enables our growth

• We can’t limit following Jesus to providing fire insurance to escape hell

• But following Jesus means we desire the life and character of Jesus – we become Christlike!

www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info 2

TransformedTransformed• “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the

Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

-2 Corinthians 3:17-18


ChristlikenessChristlikeness• The Spirit comes into our lives• We see the glory of Jesus (His nature, His

involvement in our world, the majesty of His creation

• Then the Lord transforms us, one step at a time, into the Image of Christ

• That represents God’s goal for us: To Be Like Christ

• ..You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – I Cor 6:19-20


What Have I Gotten Myself Into?What Have I Gotten Myself Into?• An open-ended, in-depth study of the Life

of Jesus, based on a Harmony of the Gospels

• Our goal is to cover three major areas in each lesson:– Geographical and cultural setting– An episode from Jesus’ life– Application for today

• Hopefully we can bring Jesus to life as we walk in His footsteps


How Do We Know What God Is Like?How Do We Know What God Is Like?

• What He likes and doesn’t like

• What pleases Him and what doesn’t

• This Question brings us to JESUS

• God is not playing some cosmic game of hide-and-go-seek.

• He put on Flesh and Bone


Fully God Fully ManFully God Fully Man• Jesus’ words are God’s words (12:49)

• Jesus’ actions are God’s actions (14:10)

• Whoever knows Jesus know God (14:7)

• Whoever has seen Jesus has seen God (14:9)

• Whoever hears Jesus hears God (14:24)

• Whoever loves Jesus loves God (14:21)

• Whoever hates Jesus hates God (15:23)

• Jesus and God are one www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info 7

A QuestionA Question• Do you really believereally believe that the

thingsthings youyou believebelieve are really really truetrue?

• There are things we believe and probably have believed for our entire lives

• Are we absolutely convinced that those things are true?–Why?


These Things Were WrittenThese Things Were Written• John 20:31

– “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of GodChrist, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

(NASB - emphasis added)www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info 9

What Are The Odds?What Are The Odds?• Over the ages, how many children were:

– Of Abraham’s lineage (the promise)– Of Isaac’s lineage (son of the promise)– Of Jacob’s lineage (promised confirmed)– Of Judah’s lineage (Lion of Judah)– Of Jesse’s lineage (root of Jesse)– Of David’s lineage (son of David)– “Seed” of woman– Born in Bethlehem– Worshipped by shepherds– Honored by kings– Fled to Egypt– Raised in Nazareth


What Are The Odds? (cont.)What Are The Odds? (cont.)• What if it is just a coincidence that Jesus

happened to fulfill those prophecies?

• Some have calculated the probability of one man fulfilling 48 of the major prophecies as 1 in 10157

– That’s a 1 followed by 157 zeroes


Birth Of JesusBirth Of Jesus• He comes to the planet in the alley behind

Inn (Hilton)

• Is heralded in the middle of nowhere to the poorest of poor (shepherds)

• Not the entrance we expected for the Savior of the world

• Just the first example of God’s heart for the lowly


Twenty-Five Questions for MaryTwenty-Five Questions for Mary• From Max Lucado’s God Came Near

– Did you ever feel awkward teaching Him how He created the world?

– Did you ever accidentally call Him Father?– What did He and his cousin John talk about

as kids?– Did His other brothers and sisters understand

what was happening?– Did you ever think, That's God eating my

soup?


Baptism of JesusBaptism of Jesus• God says” “This is my beloved Son, with

whom I am well pleased”

• Possibly pleased that Jesus has willingly shouldered the transgressions of all the people

• From this point on Jesus will demonstrate his capacity to forgive individuals their sins– Something not exhibited prior to His baptism– Satan immediately tries to dissuade Him in

the Temptation of Jesus


Jordan RiverJordan River


Jordan RiverJordan River


Temptation Of JesusTemptation Of Jesus• Said to be one of the most sacred of

stories, for it came from no other source than Jesus’ lips

• This story shows us Jesus’ choice for which He proposes to seek to win men to God

• Jesus rejected the way of power and glory

• Jesus accepted the way of suffering and the Cross


The Wedding FeastThe Wedding Feast• John 2:1-2

– “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.”

• Jesus attends a weddingcelebration with HisMother, Mary

• Perhaps family or friendswere involved


Marriage at Cana by Giotto

Response to NicodemusResponse to Nicodemus• Jesus is going to explain how we can find

ourselves in right standing before God

• Read John 3:11-13

• Step 1 – The Incarnation – God in the flesh

• Read vs 14 What’s that a reference to?

• Step 2 - The wrath absorbing cross


The Good NewsThe Good News• John 3:16-17• I’m going to die and in my brutal death, I will

absorb the wrath of God towards those who will believe

• Step 3 – whoever believes in HIM– You and I are justified before God, born again by

no action of our own but submission to the Holy Spirit’s calling and power in our lives

– Read Galatians 5:19-23– These things or fruits are beyond you– Can you just make yourself patient, gentle,

faithfulwww.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info 20

SamariaSamaria


SamaritansSamaritans• Substantial religious group inhabiting hill

country Galilee and Judea• Focus of their faith was on a form of the

Law of Moses• Added a commandment (based on Deut

27), to build an alter on Mount Gerizim• Other than the Samaritan Pentateuch, all

Samaritan sources date from periods considerably later than even the N.T.

• Read 2 Kings 17:24-41


Samaritans ContinuedSamaritans Continued• The colonists (of Samaria) adopted the

Israelite “god” alongside their own religions

• Their descendants (called “Cuthaens” in Jewish sources) are the Samaritans of the New Testament

• The hostilities between Judah and their “northern neighbors” are recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah

• AD 52 - Samaritans massacred a group of Galilean pilgrims


Breaking BarriersBreaking Barriers• The long account about Jesus and a

woman of Samaria is highly significant for understanding Jesus

• How he viewed Samaritans, women, and sinners

• By talking openly with this woman Jesus crossed a number of barriers

• Jesus did three things that were highly unconventional and astonishing for his cultural-religious situation


Unconventional and Astonishing Unconventional and Astonishing • He, as a man, discussed theology openly

with a woman

• He, as a Jew, asked to drink from the ritually unclean bucket of a Samaritan

• He did not avoid her, even though He knew her marital record of having had five former husbands and now living with a man who was not her husband


Next WeekNext Week• Jesus And The Woman At The Well

– Sir Bob McClanahan


Documents

In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Review/Introduction to Jesus and the Samaritan Woman February 1, 2008