Gracious God: Finding Healing from Shame | Chase Gardner

Hope Community Church

This Is Our God: Week 2
Chase Gardner

Description:

It’s not that hard to believe that God could love us when we’re at our best, but how could He possibly love us when we’re at our worst? In week two of the series, Chase Gardner uses the story of the Samaritan woman at the well to show how Jesus goes out of His way to meet us in our shame.

Message Notes:

God is gracious and we don’t need to prove ourselves.

John 4:3 (ESV)

Jews and Samaritans saw each other as unworthy of dignity or respect.

Jesus intentionally goes to Samaria.

John 4:7a (ESV) - The Samaritan woman goes to the well at a time when she knows no one will be around.

John 4:7b (ESV) - Jesus speaking to this woman would have been seen as scandalous.

John 4:9 (ESV) – Jesus isn’t worried about what people are thinking; He just cares about this woman.

John 4:10-14 (ESV) – Jesus is talking about her spiritual thirst.

John 4:15-17 (ESV) – People often misinterpret that this woman is an adulterer.

What if the problem Jesus was trying to fix was actually shame?

Jesus is breaking every social rule to meet this woman at the epicenter of her shame.

At our worst, Jesus still wants to draw near.

John 4:19-26 (ESV)

Jesus is the answer to receiving the forgiveness, acceptance, transformation, redemption, and unfathomable grace that you have to experience to truly believe.

John 4:27-29 (ESV)

The woman leaves her shame and runs to the people who have harmed her because they have no power over her anymore.

Not only did God freely forgive her and love her, but He used the rest of her life in a powerful way.