Gospel of John

John 4:20-24 | "Jesus Answers Two Questions About Worship"

 
 
John 4:20-24 | "Jesus Answers Two Questions About Worship"
Pastor Will Stern
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John 4:19–24

If you attended church for 50 years, you would spend thousands of hours gathered with God's people in worship. Worship is not only a central part of the Christian life—it is the very purpose for which we were created. In this sermon from John 4:19–24, Jesus answers two foundational questions about worship: Where should we worship? and How should we worship? As Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well, he reveals that true worship is no longer tied to a sacred place but is centered on a Savior. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Christ becomes the true temple, gathering worshipers from every nation who worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Outline

  1. Where Should We Worship? (John 4:19–22)

    • Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem?

    • Salvation is from the Jews.

    • Christ, the true Temple.

  2. How Should We Worship? (John 4:23–24)

    • Worship in Truth

    • Worship in Spirit

    • True worship: fire and wood together.

  3. Warning, Encouragement, and Challenge

    • A warning about false worship.

    • An encouragement that the Father is seeking worshipers.

    • A challenge to join God's mission of gathering worshipers.

Questions for Reflection

  • Why was the debate between Mt. Gerizim and Jerusalem so important to the Samaritan woman?

  • What does Jesus mean when he says that "salvation is from the Jews"?

  • How does Jesus fulfill and replace the Old Testament temple?

  • What does it mean to worship God "in truth"?

  • What does it mean to worship God "in spirit"?

  • Which danger are you more prone to: truth without spirit or spirit without truth?

  • How can you better prepare your heart for worship each Lord's Day?

  • In what ways can your family life and private devotional life become more centered on worship?

  • How does evangelism relate to God's purpose of gathering worshipers for himself?

  • What is one practical way you can prioritize worship this week?

Key Verse

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
— John 4:24 (ESV)

John 4:16-19 | "Grace and Truth"

 
 
John 4:16-19 | "Grace and Truth"
Pastor Will Stern
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Grace and Truth
John 4:16–19

In this sermon from John 4:16–19, we see Jesus as the searching Savior who is “full of grace and truth.” As Christ lovingly exposes the Samaritan woman’s deepest sins, we are reminded that Jesus does not ignore sin, nor does He crush sinners with shame. Instead, He shines the light of truth into the darkest places of our hearts in order to lead us to repentance, forgiveness, and transformation. This message explores how Christ confronts our “keystone sins” with truth while drawing sinners to Himself with remarkable grace and compassion. 

Outline

  1. Jesus Is Full of Truth

  2. Jesus Is Full of Grace

  3. Grace and Truth at the Cross

Questions for Reflection

  • What areas of your heart would Christ’s searching light expose?

  • Are you tempted to think of Jesus as all grace without truth—or all truth without grace?

  • How does the cross display both God’s holiness and His mercy?

  • In what ways can Christians show both grace and truth to others.

John 4:7-15 | “Living Water"

 
 
John 4:7-15 | “Living Water"
Pastor Will Stern
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In John 4:10–14, Jesus meets a broken and cynical Samaritan woman who has spent her life searching for satisfaction in things that could never truly fill her soul. Using the imagery of “broken cisterns” from Jeremiah 2, this sermon explores how we all seek meaning, joy, and identity in places that ultimately leave us empty. But Christ offers something infinitely better: living water that wells up to eternal life. Listen as we consider the emptiness of false saviors, the free offer of the gospel, and the soul-satisfying gift of the Holy Spirit found only in Jesus Christ.

Outline

    1    Broken Cisterns

    2    Living Water

Questions for Reflection

    •    What “broken cisterns” are you tempted to look to for satisfaction instead of Christ?

    •    Why do good things like family, success, or comfort fail to satisfy our deepest thirst?

    •    What does Jesus mean when He offers “living water”?

    •    How does the Holy Spirit satisfy and transform believers?

    •    What does it look like to keep “coming to Christ” as a believer?

John 4:1-7 | “Sinner-Seeking Savior”

 
 
John 4:1-7 | “Sinner-Seeking Savior”
Pastor Will Stern
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Sermon Summary:
In John 4:1–15, we meet a deeply broken Samaritan woman—but before she ever sought Jesus, Jesus was already seeking her. This sermon explores how Christ is a sinner-seeking Savior who came into the world to draw near to sinners, become weak for them, and initiate a relationship with them. Jesus “had” to pass through Samaria because it was the will of His Father to seek and save the lost. Through His weariness at the well and His conversation with this outcast woman, we see the grace of a Savior who crosses every barrier to bring living water to spiritually thirsty people.

Sermon Outline:

  1. Jesus seeks sinners by drawing near to them

  2. Jesus seeks sinners by becoming weak for them

  3. Jesus seeks sinners by initiating a relationship with them

Key Takeaway:
Jesus is not waiting for sinners to clean themselves up before coming to Him. He is the One who takes the initiative, draws near, and offers living water to all who are spiritually thirsty.

Application Questions:

  • Do you believe Jesus could truly seek and save someone as broken as you?

  • In what ways are you trying to satisfy your spiritual thirst apart from Christ?

  • How does Christ’s willingness to draw near to sinners shape the way you view other people?

  • What might it look like for you to respond to Christ’s invitation today?

John 3:22-30 | “He Must Increase, I Must Decrease”

 
 
John 3:22-30 | "He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"
Pastor Will Stern
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What if your lack of joy, constant comparison, or tendency to argue is actually rooted in pride? In this sermon from John 3:22–30, we examine how pride subtly shapes our hearts—and how true humility leads to freedom, joy, and a life centered on Christ.

John the Baptist’s disciples reveal three common marks of pride: being argumentative, competitive, and self-exalting. In contrast, John himself models true humility—marked by thankfulness, joy, and a desire to exalt Christ above all.

At the heart of this passage is John’s well-known confession: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This is not only a statement about John’s ministry, but a call for every believer. As we grow in the Christian life, we learn to take our eyes off ourselves and fix them more fully on Christ—finding that our greatest joy is found in Him.

Outline:

Three Marks of Pride:

  1. Argumentative

  2. Competitive

  3. Self-exalting

Three Marks of Humility:

  1. Thankful

  2. Joyful

  3. Christ-exalting

Key Verse:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Questions for Reflection:

  • Where does pride show up in my relationships or conversations?

  • Do I find myself comparing or competing with others?

  • Is my joy rooted in Christ—or in how I measure up to others?

  • What would it look like today to decrease so that Christ might increase?