Who Is Your Samaria?

What happens when Jesus walks straight into the places religion avoids?

In Week 1 of our journey through John chapter 4, we explore the powerful moment where Jesus intentionally goes through Samaria instead of around it. In a culture divided by prejudice, shame, and religious barriers, Jesus chooses relationship over comfort and compassion over convenience.

This message challenges us to ask a difficult but necessary question:

Who is your Samaria?

Who are the people we avoid?

Who feels unseen?

Who walks into church carrying shame, loneliness, addiction, hurt, or baggage—and wonders if they belong?

Jesus did not come to protect comfortable religion.

He came to seek and save the lost.

This sermon explores:

- Why Jesus intentionally went through Samaria

- The tension between religion and compassion

- Seeing people the way Jesus sees them

- Hospitality, discipleship, and real relationship

- Speaking truth with grace instead of using truth as a weapon

- Why exhausted believers must guard against hardened hearts

- How the Gospel moves toward people even when religion moves away from them

If you've ever felt unseen, judged, avoided, or spiritually thirsty… this message is for you.

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Chapters

00:00 - 01:27 Opening Reflection & Wrestling With God

06:24 - 09:36 Point 1: Jesus Moves Toward People Most Avoid

15:18 - 17:31 Point 2: Jesus Crosses Barriers To Reach People

21:55 - 23:22 Point 3: Jesus Meets People In His Weariness

29:49 - 31:01 Who Is Your Samaria? 

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NOTE:

This upload contains sermon audio accompanied by slide visuals only. No live camera footage/video is included in this presentation.