HanJo

Have you ever been laughed at for your faith? Maybe someone teased you for praying or made fun of you for going to church. It hurts, doesn’t it? That feeling of being judged for what you believe.   But here’s the good news — you’re not the first. The earliest followers of Jesus went through the same thing.   1. The Insult That Became Our Identity   Acts 11:26 – “The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”   In the city of Antioch , people started calling them “Christians.” Today we wear that name with pride. But back then, it was a joke. People laughed and said, “Look at those little Christs — always talking about that man who died on a cross.”   Antioch was a thriving city — wealthy, busy, and full of idols. In that culture, people worshiped power, money, and pleasure. Then came this small group of believers who lived differently. They didn’t lie or cheat. They forgave freely. They cared for the poor. They shared what they had. They stood out. ...

Some stories in the Bible hit closer to home than others. Maybe that’s because they speak directly to what many of us wrestle with—feeling rejected, carrying shame, or wondering if we’ve messed up too much for God to still want us. One of those stories is in John 4 . It’s about a woman with a complicated past, a bad reputation, and an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. But before we dive into the moment at the well, let’s look at why this meeting was so unexpected—and so powerful. Jews and Samaritans Hated Each Other To understand this story fully, we need to know the backstory between the Jews and Samaritans. Their division ran deep—and had for centuries. 1. Historical Division Hundreds of years before Jesus, the nation of Israel split into two: The north became Israel (with Samaria as its capital). The south became Judah (with Jerusalem as its centre of worship). In 722 BC, the Assyrian empire conquered the northern kingdom. Foreigners were brought in, people intermarr...