Follow The Signs: Discussion Guide

2.6.22
In Person Series
John 4-5
Follow The Signs

“Unless you people see signs and wonders,“ Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
John 4:4

OPEN
Name one of your best friends. How long have you known them? How did you meet? At
what point did you know that they were going to be a good friend? What is it about them
that makes them such a good friend? What have they done that has convinced you they are a
good friend?

NEXT
Jesus was tired. Let that soak in.

John shares this detail in John 4:6. In verse 8 he shares that Jesus was thirsty. In verse 9 he
tells us Jesus was hungry (or at least the disciples were…a little later Jesus tells them he
already has food to eat.). Tired. Thirsty. Hungry. “The Word (who was God according to
John 1:1) became flesh.” God in person. Jesus was human. Why does it matter? What
difference does it make if Jesus was fully human or not? Why is John so careful along the way
to share details that reveal Jesus as both fully God and fully human?

Jesus saw things that he had no way of seeing. He knew things that he had no natural way of
knowing. In chapter one he saw Nathaniel under a fig tree, even though he wasn’t physically
there. And here in chapter 4 he told a woman from Samaria who he had never met
“everything I have ever done.” And Jesus did things that defied common explanation. Six
massive jars of water became the finest wine of the banquet and a royal official, who was also
a father, realized that his gravely ill son got better at the “exact time at which Jesus had said
to him, ‘Your son will live’ (4:53).”

Why did Jesus do these things? Simply because he could? Out of obligation? Out of
compassion?

John intentionally uses the word “signs” to describe these events. Why does he use that
word specifically?

How did Nathaniel respond to the “sign?” How did the disciples respond at the wedding
banquet? How did the Samaritan woman respond? How did the royal official and his whole
household respond?

In chapter 5 Jesus singles out an unnamed man and asks, “Do you want to get well?” And
moments later this same man, who had been dragging his useless legs around for thirty-eight
years, was now carrying his mat around instead of laying helplessly on top of it. And how
did the man respond? And how did the Jewish leaders respond to an event that defied
explanation? (John 5:9-15)

Do “signs” produce faith? Perhaps there is not a simple answer to that question. Wrestle
with it. If signs do not produce faith, where does faith come from? Why do some believe
while others do not?

CLOSING
In a sentence or two, what do you believe about Jesus? Why do you believe that?
Pray together.