Gospel According to John

Teachers

Art Clark Teacher

Tommy Stringer Teacher

Lesson Summary

The class began with a brief prayer before diving into John chapter 3, where Art Clark reviewed verses 34‑35, emphasizing that the Father gives the Spirit without measure and that belief in the Son must be paired with obedience. He contrasted the believer who receives eternal life with the disobedient who faces God’s wrath, referencing John 3:16‑17 and Ephesians 5:6 to show that love and judgment coexist in God’s nature. The discussion then transitioned to John chapter 4, focusing on Jesus’ journey through Samaria and His encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. The teacher explained the cultural context of Jews avoiding Samaritans, the geographic route from Judea to Galilee, and the significance of the well narrative. A highlighted question from a previous week concerned the early baptisms performed by Jesus’ disciples before the cross. Using historical resources such as J.W. Shepard’s "Handbook on Baptism," the class concluded that those baptisms were likely sufficient for salvation, but the recipients may have been re‑baptized at Pentecost to receive the Holy Spirit. The session closed with reflections on how belief, obedience, and baptism fit together in the Gospel message.

Key Scriptures