This short exploration of the “Words of the Architect” will help you excavate beneath the surface of “The Source” to ponder the true and greater story that inspired it. You will get the most from this brief study if you write out your responses, either electronically or in a notebook.

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If you don’t have a Bible handy, click the links to read the passages referenced. It can also be helpful, if you have a little more time, to read the chapter that surrounds these passages. Context notes are included to help you understand the historic or cultural background of some passages.  

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1. The Source

 

Context: The Jewish people at the time of Jesus had no dealings with Samaritans – descendants of the tribes of Israel living in the north who had intermarried with other people groups. They considered Samaritans “half-breeds” and “unclean.” It was also highly irregular for a man (especially a respected teacher like Jesus) to speak to a woman he did not know.

 

Read John 4:5-42

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• What does Jesus say about the water he is offering the woman?

• He does not seem to be talking about literal water like we drink, so what does the water he is offering stand for?

• What are the results of drinking the “water” that Jesus offers? (See especially vs. 14)

 

Context: “Messiah” means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek translation is Christos, which is where we get our English word “Christ.” For centuries, the Jewish people had been waiting for the Chosen One – Messiah – who prophets had spoken of with the promise that he would deliver them. The Samaritans, because of their partly Jewish ancestry, were also waiting for Messiah.

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• What claim does Jesus make?

• Why does the woman believe what Jesus said?

• Why did others from the city believe Jesus?

• What did they believe about him?

 

To learn more about the idea of “Messiah” in first century Jewish understanding, see the article What does Messiah mean?

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2. The grit

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Read John 8:31-36

 

Context: Sin is defined in the Bible as rebelling against our Creator and doing what is against his commandments.

 

• What does Jesus say about our relationship with sin?

• How can we be set free?

 

Read Romans 6:23

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• Why is sin a problem?

• How do we get eternal life, and how much does it cost?

 

Read Romans 3:21-30

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• Who has sinned?

• How can we be justified (declared righteous)?

• Is this offer available to just one type of people?

 

Read Romans 7:10-8:5

 

Context: This passage was written by Paul, who in his younger days had been part of the sect of the Pharisees who tried, through extraordinary efforts and self-discipline, to keep the law of Moses to the smallest detail. He was a young man at the time of Jesus, and did not believe that Jesus had been resurrected. Therefore, he considered followers of Jesus to be heretics and worked hard to imprison them and stamp out the growing group of believers. But after a miraculous encounter with the resurrected Jesus, Paul instantly became a follower of him and told everyone who would listen that Jesus was the promised Messiah. As a result, he suffered severe persecution, including multiple beatings, imprisonments, and intense hatred by the group he had once been a part of.

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• Did Paul’s rigorous attempt to keep the law (aka commandments) free him from sin?

• What finally freed Paul from being dominated by sin?

• What did Jesus do regarding the requirements of the law (tell us to ignore them, tell us they were wrong, or something else)?  

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3. The climb

 

Read Luke 9:23-25

 

Context: In the time of Jesus, a cross was a symbol of a painful death (like an electric chair or a hangman’s noose).

 

• Does Jesus indicate that following him is easy or hard?

• How hard?

• What is the reward for doing so?

 

Important context: In the following passage “hate” for mother, father, etc., does not mean to act cruelly toward or to disown family for no reason, but rather emphasizes that Jesus must have first place in the believer’s allegiance – far above any other person. In some cultures, when a person decides to follow Jesus their family is so offended and hurt that they consider the believer’s decision an act of hatred and they cast that person out of the family or even seek to kill them. If that is what it costs to follow Jesus, the believer must be willing to suffer the loss of those relationships. Likewise, renouncing all that we have does not mean a believer gives away all their possessions and move into a homeless shelter. But we must be prepared to give up whatever God calls us to, and we must at once give up anything that is sinful.

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Read Luke 14:25-33

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• What does Jesus say about the cost of following Him?

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4. The marketplace

 

Read John 14:6-7

 

• How many ways does Jesus say a person can come to God?

 

Read Exodus 20:1-4

 

• This is the beginning of the famous “10 Commandments” that God gave to Moses. What are the first 2 commandments God gives?

 

Read Acts 17:22-31

 

• Paul stands in the middle of first century Athens, whose people are known for worshipping countless gods and their eagerness to delve into any new religious practices they hear of. How does Paul describe the God he is telling them about?

• What does he say about the gods they worship?

 

Read Deuteronomy 13:1-4

 

• In this portion of the law that God gave to the people of Israel when he freed them from slavery in Egypt, he addresses what do to when someone shows them supernatural signs to persuade them to follow other faiths. What are his instructions?

 

Read Acts 15:28-29

 

Context: This is from a letter written by the Apostles (Peter, John and others) to the churches in other cities about Gentile (non-Jewish) people who had come to believe in Jesus. They were settling a question about whether non-Jewish believers should be required to be circumcised and keep dietary and other ceremonial laws from the Old Testament. They told them these believers were not required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial practices but gave them these few important points they must still follow. “Blood” and “things strangled” refer to pagan practices connected with idolatry, common in the cities where these new believers lived.

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• What four instructions are given to the Gentile followers of Jesus?

• What do 3 out of 4 of them have in common?

 

To dig deeper into this topic see Do all roads lead to God?

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5. The ending

 

Read 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

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• Paul made this comment in reference to those who are trying to lure believers to a “different kind” of Gospel. What does he say about those people?

• Are they straightforward about their goals?

• Who are they like in their methods and appearance?

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Read Mark 13:5–6

• What does Jesus warn against?

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Read Galatians 1:6-9

• How does Paul warn against believing “different gospels”?

• What are these messengers doing to the gospel of Christ?

• What does he say should happen to people preaching these other messages?

 

Read 1 John 4:1-6 

 

Context: This was written to a group of believers by John, one of Jesus’ disciples who followed him, loved him dearly and knew him well throughout his ministry.  When John speaks of “spirits” he is not talking about ghosts, but about attitudes or worldviews. The “antichrist” referred to here is not the world leader spoken of in the book of Revelation, but anyone who holds this attitude. The “world” refers to those who reject God and focus only on earthly things.  

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• Are we supposed to openly accept any message someone share with us?

• How can we tell which “spirits” (or worldviews) are from God and which are not?

• How does the Apostle John define an antichrist?

 

Does the ending bother you? If you’re wondering why you aren’t told what Cimona decides, complete this study with these passages.   

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Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

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• What would it mean to receive the grace of God in vain?

• When are we urged to choose salvation?

 

Read Joshua 24:15

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• Joshua, who become leader of the people of Israel after Moses’ death, challenges the people in this passage. What decision does he tell them they must make?

• Can we just decide not to decide, or does God expect us to choose?

• Have you chosen to follow and obey Jesus as your Lord and your Savior?

• Who do you think Cimona represents?

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