When All Hope Is Gone

Key Passage: John 4:1-42

Introduction

Hope is a word of optimism and expectation that looks forward to a promising future, yet multitudes of people have lost their hope. Some feel hopeless about specific areas such as their marriage, children, health, finances, or job. But for others, this emotion permeates their entire lives. They exist but have no hopes, dreams, or goals. This is not the way God intends for us to live. He created us to live with purpose, working toward goals with a sense of anticipation for things to come. The story of Jesus and a Samaritan woman, found in John 4:1-42, is one that gives hope to those who have lost it.

Sermon Points

Various life circumstances cause people to experience hopelessness.

This was the case for the Samaritan woman.

First of all, she made wrong choices.
Second, she repeatedly failed.
Third, she may have felt trapped.
Finally, she was isolated from her community.

A personal encounter with Jesus Christ radically changes people’s lives.

Jesus broke all the established social barriers by starting a conversation with the Samaritan woman.
The woman was immediately interested in the living water He offered.
When Jesus asked about her husband, she perceived His prophetic insight.
After Jesus claimed He was the Messiah, she immediately believed.
This once discouraged and ostracized woman became the city evangelist for Christ.

Summary

The Samaritan woman began that day as a rejected and hopeless woman but found her hope restored in Jesus because He accepted her and loved her unconditionally. As believers, we are called to pass the living water on to thirsty people who don’t know where to find it and to lead them into a relationship with Him, just as Jesus did for the Samaritan woman.

Copy Sermon Outline

John 1:1-42

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, `He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"

16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?"

20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ."

21 They asked him, What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, I am not." Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, No."

22 Then they said to him, Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

23 He said, I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, `MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.

25 They asked him, and said to him, Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 John answered them saying, I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, `After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'

31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water."

32 John testified saying, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, `He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'

34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,

36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God!"

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, What do you seek?" They said to Him, Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?"

39 He said to them, Come, and you will see." So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah" (which translated means Christ).

42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Aired On 04 Dec 2015