Sermon Notes: From Epiphany to Lent: Living Water in a Dry Land
By Pastor Paulo Andrade
(March 8, 2025)
- Pastor Paulo suggests that while many things in life may “taste great,” they simply cannot ___________ our deepest thirst.
- The season of Lent is intended to __________ the thirst that we have been too distracted to notice.
- Jesus’ journey through Samaria was not a geographical necessity, but a ________ one, reflecting the “outworking of the divine plan.”
- Instead of taking a detour around broken places, Pastor Paulo notes that Jesus ________ toward them.
- The “Living Water” Jesus offers is His life-transforming, Eternal-Life-giving ________.
- Relying on “salt water” to satisfy our souls is dangerous because it only ________ us further.
- Quoting Augustine of Hippo, Pastor Paulo reminds us that our hearts are ________ until they find their rest in God.
- During the Lenten season, we are called to take time to expose ________ wells in our lives.
- Jesus revealed that the physical location of worship is no longer the point; instead, true worshipers must come in ________ and truth.
- This Lent let’s worship in spirit & truth, not just by observing
man-made ___________ or ____________.
Answer Key: quench, name, theological, moves, dignity, Spirit, dehydrates, restless, contaminated, spirit, traditions (or) rituals.
Grace Collective Small Group / Personal Study Guide
Series: From Epiphany to Lent
Message: Living Water in a Dry Land
This study guide is based on the message preached by Pastor Paulo on March 8, 2026. It is designed to help us explore the deep spiritual thirst we often ignore and the “Living Water” only Jesus provides.
The Big Idea
Lent is a season that names the thirst we have been too distracted to notice. Just as Jesus sought out the Samaritan woman at the well, He moves toward our broken places to offer us grace and truth.
Key Bible Verses
- John 4:13–14: “Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
- Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- John 4:23–24: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth…”
Key Points from the Message
- The Necessity of Grace: Jesus “had to” pass through Samaria. Pastor Paulo notes that this wasn’t about geography or saving time, but a “theological necessity”—the outworking of a divine plan to bring grace to a broken place.
- The Scandal of Grace: Jesus broke every social, ethnic, and religious barrier to speak to the Samaritan woman. He did not avoid her “spiritual Samaria” but moved toward her, acknowledging her dignity and value.
- Spiritual Dehydration: We often try to quench our soul’s thirst with “coffee” (distractions) or “salt water” (things that dehydrate us further), such as achievements, the approval of others, or romantic fulfillment.
- Grace and Truth Together: Jesus knew the woman’s entire story—including her five husbands—yet He did not shame or condemn her. He created a space where truth could be spoken and grace received.
- True Worship: Jesus revealed that worship is no longer about a physical location (a mountain or a temple) but about a relationship in “spirit and truth”.
Memorable Quotes
- “He does not detour around broken places; but moves toward them” — Pastor Paulo.
- “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless UNTIL they find their rest in you” — Augustine of Hippo.
- “This necessity is not geographical but theological—it reflects ‘the outworking of the divine plan'” — D.A. Carson.
Discussion Questions for Small Groups
- Pastor Paulo mentioned that we often rely on “coffee” for hydration, which doesn’t actually work. What are some “spiritual substitutes” you find yourself turning to when your soul feels dry?
- The message describes Samaria as a “broken place” that most people avoided. Is there a “Samaria” in your life—a situation or a part of your past—that you feel Jesus might avoid? How does this message change that perspective?
- Jesus knew the woman’s story completely and still offered her living water. Why is it often difficult for us to believe that God knows our “every thought, word, and action” and still loves us?
- How do we “limit God to a place” (a building, a ritual, or a denominational identity) today, and what does it look like to worship Him in “spirit and truth” instead?
- What “contaminated wells” is the Holy Spirit prompting you to expose during this Lenten season?
Live This Out: Practical Applications
- Audit Your Spiritual Hydration: This week, take ten minutes each morning to sit in silence and ask: “What am I thirsty for today?” instead of immediately jumping into your to-do list.
- Confession Without Fear: Identify one “truth” about your life that you’ve been hiding from God. Bring it to Him in prayer, remembering that He already knows it and meets you with grace, not condemnation.
- Move Toward the Barrier: Think of someone in your “Samaria”—someone you might usually avoid due to social or personal barriers. Find one small way to acknowledge their dignity this week, just as Jesus did for the woman at the well.
- Worship Beyond the Walls: Practice an act of worship outside of a church setting. Whether through a walk in nature, serving a neighbor, or mindful prayer, remind yourself that God is not confined to a building.
Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You that You do not detour around our brokenness. Thank You for meeting us at our “wells” and offering us water that truly satisfies. This Lent, help us to let go of what keeps us thirsty and drink deeply from Your grace. Amen.