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We all build our lives on some center other than Christ, whether religious or ethnic heritage, moral record or political tribe. When the real Jesus threatens it, we edit him or demonize him rather than lose it.

In a sobering passage, Jesus reveals to the crowd that they are following their father, the devil. Will we explore John 8, asking ourselves tough diagnostic questions to examine our spiritual family lineage: Is our Father in Heaven? Or is he the father of lies?

Jesus says hard words. They aren’t hard because they’re unclear, but because they cost us something we are reluctant to give up. The question the disciples then and today must wrestle with is this: where else are we going to go?

People often see Jesus as a means to an end of what we really want: full bellies, nice homes, good family, inner peace, stable life. But Jesus is not a means to an end; he is everything. The satisfaction we long for is only found in him.

In the episode of the feeding of the 5,000, as in many of the Gospel miracles, Jesus puts people’s faith to the test. Reflecting on this story, we should ask ourselves the question: have I placed my faith in Jesus and has that faith been tested?

Jesus is not officially in a courtroom, but he is very much on trial. The religious leaders have accused him of blasphemy for claiming equality with God. As in a courtroom, Jesus is going to call witnesses that verify the authenticity and truthfulness of his claims. In short, it’s all about Jesus. By the end of his speech, it is no longer Jesus on trial, but his accusers…and those of us still on the fence about who he really is.

In the story of the healing of the official’s son, we see Jesus exposing the sign-seeking hearts of the people around him, while demonstrating that true and lasting faith comes not through observing miracles, but by believing the word of Christ. Questions: 1. Why do signs and miracles so often fail to produce lasting faith? 2. What is the difference between a spiritual life that seeks more of the Word versus one that constantly chases signs? 3. Why do signs and miracles require careful interpretation? 4. Is there a legitimate role for signs and miracles in the life of the believer and, if so, what is it? 5. What would you say to a person who asks: “How can I believe in Christ when I have never seen him?”

What are you feeding on? In John 4:31-45, Jesus tells his disciples that his food is to do the will of the One who sent him, and in doing so, he reframes obedience, mission, and satisfaction entirely. Join us Sunday to explore what it looks like to find true nourishment in Christ.

“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.” How could that possibly be good news? Someone knows everything about you-every wound, every failure, every secret-and it is the best thing that ever happened to you? Because He stayed. Come and see. Small Group Questions Warm-up: Pastor Chuck's pet peeve is loud chewers at the movies. What is yours? And be honest: has anyone ever caught you doing the very thing that drives you crazy in others? 1. He walked away and crossed every barrier to reach her (vv. 1–9). Jesus abandoned an argument he could have won because there was a sinner to be sought. What argument, irritation, or busyness are you most tempted to stay and win? And who might you be overlooking while you do--the person you instinctively dismiss as "not my people"? 2. The wells we drink from (vv. 10–15). "Everyone in this room is drinking from something." What well are you presently drawing identity, approval, security, or comfort from? How has it kept you occupied, jar after jar, without truly satisfying you? Where has the gymnastics teacher already been proven right: "They all do. They all come to the end"? 3. The source moves inside you (John 7:37–39). Jesus tells us the living water is the Holy Spirit: and when you receive the Spirit, the flow reverses: you stop being a consumer hauling a jar, and you become a spring. Where are you still living like a consumer? And who in your life is drinking from what flows through you--the friend, the coworker, the family member who comes to you when everything goes haywire? 4. He went to her deepest wound…and stayed (vv. 16–26). When Jesus named the painful truth about her life, she changed the subject. What subject do you change when Jesus gets too close? What is one place where you want him to comfort you without confronting you? 5. He knew everything about her (vv. 17–18, 29). Do you tend to live as though Jesus is waiting to discover something about you and become disappointed, or as the Savior who already knows everything and stayed? What might change in the way you pray, confess, or ask for help if you fully believed the second? 6. The sixth hour and our turn (vv. 28–30, 39–42). At one sixth hour, Jesus said, "Give me a drink." At the other, on the cross, he said, "I thirst." He reached the bottom of the cup so that you never will. And here is the twist of the whole story: we are not the respectable people beside Jesus helping him rescue someone else--we are the Samaritan. Grace received becomes grace extended. Who is one specific person you will sit beside, start a conversation with, or invite to "come and see" this week?