God’s Love for Man and Man’s Love for One Another – SS1 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

God’s love for man is his free, self-giving care for all people, shown clearly in the way Jesus Christ treated the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4).

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. narrate the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well;
2. explain what Jesus meant by “living water”;
3. state the significance of Jesus as the living water;
4. list lessons from the conversation between Jesus and the woman of Samaria;
5. give ways in which Christians can show love to one another.

What is love in Christian teaching?

Love in Christian teaching is agape, a self-giving love that seeks the good of others.

• Love (agape): a self-giving love that seeks the good of another person without expecting a reward.
• God’s love for man: the free and constant care God shows to all people, whether good or bad.
• Man’s love for one another: the duty of believers to treat other people the way God treats them.
• Discrimination: treating people badly because of their tribe, religion, sex or social class.
• Humility: being ready to lower oneself and respect others.

How does God show his love for man?

God shows his love for man through creation, daily provision, the gift of Jesus Christ, forgiveness and an offer of salvation to all.

• Creation: God made human beings in his image and gave them the earth to enjoy.
• Daily provision: he gives rain, food, health and life to all people.
• Sending Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16).
• Forgiveness: Christ died for sinners while they were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
• Salvation offered to all: Jesus offered living water to a Samaritan woman, an outsider to the Jews.

What happened between Jesus and the Samaritan woman?

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, asked her for a drink and offered her living water (John 4).

Background

• Place: Jacob’s well, in the country of Samaria, on the way to Galilee.
• Time: about noon.
• Jesus: tired from his long trip, so he sat beside the well.
• The disciples: had gone into town to buy food.
• The relationship: Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with one another.

The story in order

1. A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water.
2. Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
3. The woman was surprised, because Jews and Samaritans had no dealings, and she hesitated.
4. Jesus answered, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10)
5. The woman asked, “Sir, where will you get that living water? The well is very deep, and you have nothing to get water with. Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob?” (John 4:11-12)
6. She asked Jesus to give her this water so she would never be thirsty again and would not have to come back to the well.
7. Jesus told her to go and call her husband. She answered that she had no husband.
8. Jesus said she was right, and told her about her life, including that she had had five husbands (John 4:17-18).
9. The woman said she saw that he was a prophet.
10. She went into the town and invited the people to come and see him, asking if he could be the promised Messiah.

What are the key points in the conversation?

How did Jesus show love to the woman?

Jesus showed love to the woman by speaking to her kindly, accepting her and offering her salvation.

• No discrimination: he spoke to a Samaritan, a woman, in public.
• Humility: he asked her for help, though he was the one with the greater gift.
• Acceptance: he knew her past and still treated her with respect.
• Salvation: he offered her living water freely.

What did Jesus mean by “living water”?

“Living water” is the spiritual life and salvation that God gives through Jesus Christ.

• Ordinary water: the water in the well only satisfies thirst for a short time.
• Living water: the spiritual life and salvation that God gives through Jesus.
• Effect: whoever receives it will not be spiritually thirsty again.
• Spring welling up to eternal life: the gift stays in the believer and leads to everlasting life (John 4:14).

What is the significance of Jesus as the living water?

Jesus as the living water means that he alone gives the salvation that satisfies the human soul.

1. Jesus described himself as the living water which brings salvation to the world.
2. By saying that it is a spring of water welling up to eternal life, he meant that the word of God would always stand the test of time and sustain whoever embraces it.
3. The offer is open to everyone, including people others look down on.
4. It meets a need that no earthly thing can satisfy.

What lessons can we learn from the story?

The story teaches humility, equal treatment of all people, forgiveness and sharing our faith.

1. Jesus Christ did not discriminate between Jews and Samaritans.
2. The conversation between Jesus Christ and the woman of Samaria is a true reflection of humility.
3. Christians should be ready to speak to people of other groups and beliefs.
4. Christ accepts people with a poor past and offers them a new start.
5. A person who has met Christ should tell others about him.

How should man love one another?

Man should love one another as God has loved him, by showing kindness in action and not only in words.

What does the Bible teach about love?

• Love comes from God: “Let us love one another, for love is from God” (1 John 4:7).
• Follow God’s example: since God loved us, we ought to love one another (1 John 4:11).
• Love is proved by action: a person who says he loves God but hates his brother is a liar (1 John 4:20).
• A mark of a disciple: Jesus said people would know his followers by their love for one another (John 13:34-35).

What are the ways to show love in daily life?

• Accepting others: treat people equally whatever their tribe, religion or class.
• Helping the needy: share food, clothes and money with those in need.
• Forgiving: let go of grudges against people who offend you.
• Visiting the sick: comfort neighbours who are ill or in trouble.
• Speaking kindly: avoid insults, gossip and bullying in school and at home.
• Humility: respect others and be ready to serve them.

Evaluation

1. Where did Jesus meet the Samaritan woman, and what did he ask her for?
2. Why was the woman surprised at his request?
3. What did Jesus mean by “a spring of water welling up to eternal life”?
4. State two lessons from the conversation between Jesus and the woman of Samaria.
5. Give three ways in which Christians can show love to one another.

Assignment

In your own words, write a short account of the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, and say what it teaches about how we should treat other people.