Give Me Water

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In groups of two or three, have participants respond to the following: “Name a time you were physically or spiritually thirsty.”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Exodus 17:1-7, John 4:5-42, Psalm 95.

• In the Exodus passage, the people quarrel with Moses, and Moses cries out to God. What might we learn about humanity’s nature from this passage? What do we learn about God?
• What thirst or need of the Samaritan woman does Jesus satisfy?
• How does this empower the woman to become an evangelist for Jesus?
• How might the woman be a model for how we too can become evangelists for Jesus? What thirsts does Jesus satisfy for us?
• Why might some seek to fill their thirsts through fame, status, or prestige more than through the grace and mercy of Jesus?
• How does satisfaction of our thirsts come through letting go and laying down much as Jesus modeled for us in his life, ministry, and death? [In letting go and laying down our searching for fame, power, wealth, etc., we are better able to be filled by the Holy Spirit.]

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End by praying the following or a similar prayer:

Gracious God, You are not removed from our wrestling, searching, and suffering. Because of Jesus’ crucifixion, we know you can empathize with our weakness, struggles, and pain. Because of Jesus’ life, we see what true humanity empty of self-glorification looks like as well as full trust in the power of the Holy Spirit sent by the Father. This Holy Week, send us so that may we have the eyes to see the suffering and joy of your creatures. Amen.