Rev. George Miller
Jan 30, 2022
John 4:7-15,21-30, 39-42
Two weeks ago we discussed the concept of being “in” and being “out.”
Last week we were with Jesus and John the Baptist by the river.
We discussed-
1)
The joy of knowing who you are and who you are not
2)
The joy of “abundant” water
Today all 3 concepts come together in a wonderful way.
It’s the story of Jesus meeting a woman at the well and through God’s abundance,
those who were once considered out are welcomed in.
First, a review.
John’s Gospel was written for a group of people being kicked out of worship
spaces because of what they believed.
They thought that God came to earth in human flesh. That in Jesus, God was bringing forth a New
Creation, and grace upon grace was now given to all.
The religious leaders of the day didn’t approve of this new theology, so
they kicked out all who proclaimed Christ.
Instead of apologizing, or hiding their light, John and his peers double
down.
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was
God, and we’re going to show you how.”
And boy oh boy, girl oh girl, they sure did with this masterpiece of storytelling
in John 4.
The scene: Samaria. The absolute
last place anyone would expect a rabbi to go, let alone God-In-The-Flesh.
The Samaritans were the most looked down upon, despised, dejected, people
of the day.
Today’s tale is as “outside” and “unpopular” as possible…but then it goes
a step further.
Jesus doesn’t just meet a Samaritan; he meets a female Samaritan.
Just when you think you couldn’t go any lower on the social ladder, oh,
it gets even lower.
She’s had 5 husbands. She’s alone by
the well at noon, in a culture in which women did such things together.
This is not a story of Jesus interacting with an outsider, this is the
story of Jesus standing before the outsider of the outsiders of the
ultimate outsiders.
This woman is so low on the ladder that she’s the dirt beneath the dirt.
She’s the among the most despised peoples.
She’s a woman. She’s lost 5 husbands.
No one wants to walk with her.
There’s no mention of her having kids.
She has nothing. Nada. Zip.
But…because there is always a “but”, do not underestimate this
woman.
In many ways she is perhaps the most powerful person in the entire Gospel.
Why?
Because sometimes the 1 with nothing left to lose becomes the most forceful
and revolutionary person there is.
What could Jesus say or do that could make her any more unpopular than
she already is, or her life any more difficult?
She has zero to lose and if you notice, this amazing woman stands her
own, goes toe to toe with Jesus.
She engages him in one of the most intellectual, illuminating conversations
you will find in all of the Bible.
Jesus and the Woman from Samaria volley conversation back and forth, like
perfectly matched counterparts
There’s request, question, answer, instruction, illumination, metaphor,
history, appeal, witness, celebration, evangelism.
While the rest of the town is having lunch and sipping soup this woman is
creating history.
While the 12 disciples are off doing who knows what, she and she alone
brings an entire city before the feet of Jesus to meet God in the Flesh.
This is a radical story about how God is recreating a new world in which the
unpopular now are welcome to eat with the Beauty Queens and Jocks.
This is a radical story in which those who have been kept out are now discovering
that they are welcome in.
This is a story in which water plays a prominent part, and just like last
week, this water is in abundance.
Abundance.
A well full of water so deep, so wide that everyone and anyone is invited
to come and take and sip and enjoy.
A well of water so deep, so wide that not only is there enough for all,
but 2,000 years later there’s still plenty for each person who is here.
A well of water so deep, so wide that even those who feel they have
nothing, or are nothing discover they are somebody, they have a place, and Jesus
Christ is Savior of the World.
Are you feeling lonely?
Come to the well.
Are you surrounded by scorching heat?
Come to the well.
Are you feeling like you can not lose 1 more person, 1 more thing, 1 more
part of your life?
Come to the well.
Are you feeling like you are empty or not enough?
Come to the well.
Discover just how amazing, how smart, how strong you really, really are.
Jesus is at the well.
Jesus is ready to have a chat.
Jesus is ready to offer each and every one of us
Living Water.
Fresh.
Free.
Abundant.
For that, let us say “Amen.”
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