A story for the 3rd Sunday in Lent:
A conversation with Jesus helps many believe
(From the Gospel of John, chapter 4, verses 5-42)
One day,
Jesus and his disciples 
were passing through a town in Samaria. It was noontime and they'd been walking all morning. So they all decided to take a break. Jesus sat down beside the town well.
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"Why don't you all go into town and look for food? I'll wait here for you." |
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"OK. We'll be back soon." |
While they were away, a woman 
came to get some water from the well. She began to draw water out of it and pour it into the large clay jug she had brought from home.
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"Give me a drink." |
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"Aren't you Jewish? Don't you know that Jews and Samaritans aren't supposed to have anything to do with each another?" |
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"If you knew who am I, you would ask me for a drink and I would give you living water." |
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"And just how do you plan to get this 'living water'of yours? You don't even have a bucket!" |
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"Everyone who drinks the water out of that well will be thirsty again, but those who drink the water I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I give feels like a fresh spring deep within you, bubbling up and making you feel alive forever and ever." |
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The woman took a long hard look at Jesus. There was something about him that was full of life and energy and joy, and it made her begin to feel that way, too. "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty again." |
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"Go, call your husband, and come back." |
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"I don't have a husband." |
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"You're right! You've been married 5 times, and now you're living with someone who is not your husband." |
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"How did you know that? Sir, you must be a holy man or a prophet. If that's true, then I've got a question for you. My people, the Samaritans, worship on this mountain. But your people, the Jews, say the right place to worship is in Jerusalem. Who is right?" |
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"Woman, believe me, it really doesn't matter which group you belong to, or where you worship God, or even how you worship God. It's the kind of person you are and the way you live your life that matters most to God. God wants people just to be themselves with Him -- to search for God's truth in their lives, and then to join their lives with God's." |
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"I know that someday God is going to send One who will explain everything to us." |
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"I am that One. You don't have to wait for the Messiah any longer." |
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"Really? You are the One from God we've all been waiting for?" She left Jesus at the well and ran back into town, yelling as she went. "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! I think he might be the Messiah!" |
People
came out of their homes to hear what she said. Many stopped what they were doing and went back to the well to meet Jesus. He and his disciples ended up staying in that town for two full days. And many believed everything he told them.
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"Now we know that this is truly the Savior of the world." |
Questions to think about:
Have you ever felt like you had energy bubbling up inside of you?
What do you talk with Jesus about?
Do you ever tell other people about Jesus? What do you tell them?