Jesus: Questions and Answers

1. The Man Who Came at Night (John 3:1-21)

Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night. He wanted to understand more about this man who had been performing miracles. Nicodemus believed that Jesus must be from God, but he was uncertain about what it meant to follow Him.

Jesus, knowing his heart, immediately spoke to him about the need for a spiritual rebirth. “You must be born again,” Jesus said, explaining that this wasn’t a physical rebirth, but a spiritual one, through the Holy Spirit. Jesus compared the Spirit to the wind: invisible, yet powerful, moving in ways that are evident by its effects.

When Nicodemus questioned how such a thing was possible, Jesus further explained that being born again meant receiving eternal life through faith in Him. Jesus revealed that God sent His Son into the world not to condemn it, but to offer salvation to everyone who believes.

Nicodemus left, still pondering Jesus’ words, recognizing the contrast between Jesus’ teachings and those of the Pharisees. Although Nicodemus didn’t fully understand at that moment, he would eventually have to choose between the old ways of religion and the new life Jesus offered.

2. The Woman Who Came for Water (John 4:1-42)

One day, Jesus was resting by a well in Samaria, when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. This was a strange encounter, as Jews typically didn’t speak to Samaritans, let alone a woman. Jesus, however, broke the social norms and asked her for a drink.

Surprised, the woman asked, “How can you, a Jew, ask me for a drink? I am a Samaritan woman.” Jesus replied, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Perplexed, the woman responded, “You have no bucket, and the well is deep. How will you get this living water?” Jesus explained that the water He offered was not the water of the well, but a spiritual water that would quench the deepest thirst. “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst again,” He promised, “It will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

When the woman mentioned that she had no husband, Jesus gently revealed her past, saying, “You have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.” Astonished by His knowledge of her life, the woman ran back to the town, telling everyone, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”

The people from the town came to see Jesus for themselves. After listening to His teachings, they declared, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

In these two powerful stories, we see Jesus breaking societal boundaries to reach individuals in need of truth and transformation. To Nicodemus, He revealed the necessity of a spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit, offering him eternal life through faith. To the Samaritan woman, He offered living water—an invitation to quench the thirst of her soul, filling her with the truth of His love and power. Both encounters reveal Jesus’ compassion, wisdom, and willingness to share the message of salvation with anyone who is open to receiving it.