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May 15, 2005

Sermon Archive

LIVING WATER

    

SO, WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM JESUS ENCOUNTER WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL?

AMONG OTHERS, THREE THOUGHTS COME TO MIND.

FIRST, LET'S NOTE FIRST AN INSIGHT THAT JESUS OFFERS TO THE WOMAN ABOUT HIMSELF, VERSE 10. "IF YOU KNEW THE GIFT OF GOD AND WHO IT IS THAT IS SAYING TO YOU 'GIVE ME A DRINK," YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM AND HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU LIVING WATER."

NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN JESUS SAYS IN REFERENCE TO HIMSELF, "HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU LIVING WATER."
ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS THIS. THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT ANYONE OF US DEAL WITH IN LIFE. THERE ARE HEALTH CONCERNS, RELATIONSHIP ISSUES, SPIRITUAL THINGS, FAMILY CONCERNS, JOB RELATED THINGS, AND MANY OTHERS TOO.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I HAVE YET TO HAVE A CONCERN OR ISSUE IN MY LIFE WHICH JESUS HAS NOT ALREADY ENCOUNTERED. IN OTHER WORDS, AT LEAST IN MY LIFE, JESUS HAS ALREADY DEALT WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE. AND, I HAVE NOTICED THAT HE HAS ALREADY DEALT WITH ALL THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES OF OTHERS THAT I HAVE MET TOO.

SO, TO SAY IT ANOTHER WAY, JESUS HAS ALREADY DEALT WITH ALL THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES OF LIFE.

AND, NOT ONLY HAS HE EXPERIENCED ALL THE ISSUES OF LIFE, HE ALSO HAS FOUND A WAY TO OVERCOME THEM.

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

WHEN I SERVED AT MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN THE INNER CITY IN BUFFALO, ONE DAY I VISITED AN OLDER COUPLE WHO LIVED IN A HIGH RISE APARTMENT BUILDING.

ALMOST AS SOON AS WE HAD SAT DOWN, THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD A QUESTION FOR ME THAT THEY ALWAYS ASKED A PASTOR WHEN HE VISITED THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME. I QUICKLY HAD A FEELING THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE ANY ORDINARY QUESTION. IN OTHER WORDS, I KNEW THAT COULD BE IN TROUBLE RIGHT AWAY.

THEN THEY BEGAN TO TELL ME THE STORY OF THEIR ONLY CHILD, A SUCCESSFUL SON IN BUSINESS. ONE DAY HE HAD FLOWN IN A SMALL PLANE ON A BUSINESS TRIP AND, VERY UNFORTUNATELY, THE PLANE CRASHED. NO ONE SURVIVED INCLUDING THEIR SON. IT WAS VERY UNDERSTANDABLY AN INCREDIBLY DEVASTATING LOSS.

AS I WAS TALKING WITH THIS OLDER COUPLE, THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS TRAGIC EVENT HAD HAPPENED THIRTY YEARS AGO. YET, THEY COULD NOT GET OVER IT. AND, THEY STILL BLAMED THE COMPANY OF THEIR SON FOR THE ACCIDENT THAT HE HAD TO GO ON THE BUSINESS TRIP.

AS THEY WERE TALKING AND I WAS LISTENING, I ALSO WAS REALIZING THAT THEY WOULD BE ASKING ME TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF ANSWER.

SO, AS I LISTENED TO THEM, I FOUND MYSELF ALSO REFLECTING ON HOW JESUS HAD DEALT WITH SIMILAR CONCERN, A LOVED ONE DYING, UNEXPECTEDLY AND TRAGICALLY WHEN IT WASN'T THERE FAULT.

AND THE INCIDENT THAT CAME TO MIND WAS FROM JESUS OWN LIFE. JESUS HIMSELF HAD TO FACE DYING TRAGICALLY WHEN IT WASN'T HIS FAULT EITHER.

AND, HOW DID JESUS DEAL WITH THAT? I THEN REMEMBERED JESUS FIRST WORDS FROM THE CROSS, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO?" THE FIRST THING JESUS DID WAS TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO CAUSED HIS SUFFERING.

SO, AFTER THIS COUPLE TOLD THEIR STORY, I SIMPLY SHARED WHAT I REMEMBERED AS TO HOW JESUS DEALT WITH A SIMILAR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, HOW HE FORGAVE THOSE WHO HAD CAUSED HIS DEATH.

AND THE OLDER COUPLES RESPONSE? "YOU HAVE ANSWERED OUR QUESTION."

THEY NOW KNEW THAT IN ORDER TO MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES, THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO FORGIVE THE COMPANY WHO THEY HAD BEEN BLAMING FOR THE LOSS OF THEIR SON FOR ALL THOSE YEARS.

THE POINT IS THAT JESUS HAS DEALT WITH ALL THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES OF LIFE IN A WAY THAT REALLY WORKS. IN THAT WAY, HE IS THE "LIVING WATER."

I HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR BULLETIN TODAY A LITTLE SPIRITUAL EXERCISE. IN THE BLANKS IN THIS WRITTEN PRAYER YOU CAN FILL THEM IN WITH THE FEELINGS, ISSUES YOU MAY BE FACING.

THEN, YOU CAN NOTICE THE SENTENCE BELOW, "REFLECT ON JESUS LIFE, DEATH, AND/OR RESURRECTION IN RELATION TO YOU ISSUE UNTIL YOU FEEL THE POWER OF A NEW SOLUTION."

AND WITH YOUR CONCERN AND REFLECTING ON HOW JESUS DEALT WITH THE SAME ISSUE, YOU WILL SENSE AN ANSWER, A SOLUTION THROUGH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

AGAIN, THE IDEA IS TO REFLECT ON HOW JESUS DEALT WITH SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES SO YOU CAN FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF HOW JESUS IS "LIVING WATER."


THE SECOND LEARNING FROM TODAY'S SCRIPTURE STORY IS THAT PERSONS OFTEN CHOOSE SOMETHING OTHER THAN JESUS AS "LIVING WATER," IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THEIR LIVES.

LET'S RETURN TO OUR SCRIPTURE STORY FOR TODAY TO SEE WHAT OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WOMAN IS TRYING FOR HER LIFE.

JESUS SAYS TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, "GO, CALL YOUR HUSBAND AND COME BACK.

THE WOMAN ANSWERED HIM, 'I HAVE NO HUSBAND.'

JESUS SAID TO HER, 'YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING, 'I HAVE NO HUSBAND'; FOR YOU HAVE HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, AND THE ONE YOU HAVE NOW IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND. WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IS TRUE."

SO, WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS AS TO HOW THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR HER LIFE.

WE DO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT HER EVEN BEFORE JESUS ASKS HER THIS QUESTION.. FOR THE FACT SHE HAD ARRIVED AT HIGH NOON TO GET WATER FROM THE WELL SUGGESTS THAT SHE IS BEING SHUNNED BY THE OTHER WOMEN OF THE VILLAGE. FOR THEY WOULD COME IN THE COOL OF THE EARLY MORNING AND EVENING, NOT IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY.

AND WITH ALL THE HUSBANDS SHE HAD AND THE ONE WITH WHOM SHE WAS LIVING NOW NOT BEING HER HUSBAND, PERHAPS THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR HER LIFE THROUGH SEX. ONE POSSIBILITY.

OR, THE FACT THAT SHE HAS HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, PERHAPS SHE HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR HER LIFE THROUGH A MAN, NOT ACKNOWLEDGING HER OWN IDENTITY AND STRENGTH AS A WOMAN, AN INDIVIDUAL IN HER OWN RIGHT.

AT ANY RATE, THE SOLUTIONS SHE HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING WITH HER LIFE, WEREN'T WORKING. SHE HAS ENDED UP BEING SHUNNED BY THE WHOLE VILLAGE AND HAVING TO GET HER WATER ALONE IN THE HIGHEST HEAT OF THE DAY IN THE ARID DESERT.

I ENJOY SERVING ON GROUP CALLED PARTNERS FOR PREVENTION. THEY ARE A GROUP IN OUR COUNTY THAT WORKS WITH YOUTH. AND THEIR PURPOSE IS TO SEEK TO LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS THAT YOUTH MAY CHOOSE.

SOME OF THE STAFF OFFER COURSES IN AREA HIGH SCHOOLS CALLED "MEDIA LITERACY." AND IN IT THEY TEACH YOUTH TO CRITICALLY REVIEW THE ADS THEY SEE IN MAGAZINES AND ON TV.

BY STUDYING THESE ADS CRITICALLY, THEY SOON REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CHOOSING TO DO THINGS THAT THE ADVERTISERS WANT THEY TO DO THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO DO THEMSELVES.

THE ADS, BY EFFECTIVELY APPEALING TO CERTAIN EMOTIONS AND IN OTHER WAYS, GET THEM TO DO AND BUY THINGS THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT REALLY WANT TO DO.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE ADVERTISERS WANT THEM TO CHOOSE A SOURCE OF "LIVING WATER" THAT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR THEM.

AS SOON AS THE YOUTH FIND OUT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN LETTING THE ADVERTISERS ALMOST DICTATE THEIR TASTES, THEY BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT THEY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN AND OFTEN MORE HEALTHY AND LEGAL CHOICES.

BUT THE SAME CAN BE TRUE FOR OUR LIVES, WE TOO CAN MAKE CHOICES IN WHICH WE CHOOSE SOMETHING OTHER THAN "LIVING WATER."

WE HAVE BEEN KNOW TO MAKE DESTRUCTIVE CHOICES WITH OUR LIVES, TO USE AN OLD FASHIONED WORD, SINFUL CHOICES.

RATHER THAN CHOOSING THE "LIVING WATER" THAT CHRIST OFFERS IN TERMS OF HOW TO LIVE OUR LIFE, WE SOMETIMES HAVE CHOSEN TO DO SOMETHING ELSE AS AN ATTEMPT FOR A SOLUTION TO OUR LIVES. AND FURTHERMORE, WE KNOW IT ISN'T REALLY WORKING.

IN FACT, THE MORE WE TRY THESE OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO A SOLUTION FOR OUR LIVES, THE MORE OUR LIFE GETS OUT OF CONTROL. IT IS LIKE WE ARE STILL LEFT THIRSTY, UNSATISFIED, UNFILLED.

WHEN WE DO THAT, WE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING WHAT COULD BE CALLED IDOLATRY, CHOOSING SOME THING OR SOMEONE TO WORSHIP OTHER THAN GOD AS OUR SOLUTION, CHOOSING SOMETHING IN GOD'S CREATION RATHER THAN CHOOSING THE CREATOR.

AND WHAT DOES JESUS SAY TO THIS?

WE NOTICE THAT HE DOES NOT CONDEMN THE WOMAN. HE POINTS OUT TO HER WHAT SHE IS DOING BUT HE DOES NOT CONDEMN HER. HE THEN OFFERS HER ANOTHER DIRECTION FOR HER LIFE, TO HELP HER FIND SOLUTIONS, TO OFFERS HIMSELF. IN ESSENCE HE SAYS "I AM THE LIVING WATER."

AND THE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HERE IS THAT THE WOMAN AT THE WELL BEGINS TO CATCH ON.

FOR SHE GOES BACK INTO TOWN AND TELLS EVERYONE, SHE SEES, "COME AND SEE A MAN WHO HAS TOLD ME EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER DONE."

BY BEING UNDERSTOOD AND NOT CONDEMNED FOR WHO SHE REALLY IS HAS BROUGHT HER SOME REAL SATISFACTION IN LIFE. SHE SENSES THAT THIS MAN JESUS MAY BE ABLE TO HELP HER FIND SOME SOLUTIONS FOR HER LIFE THAT MAY REALLY WORK.

IN FACT, OTHERS COME OUT TO THE VILLAGE TO HEAR JESUS. AND HE HELPS THOSE WHO LISTEN TO HIM.

AND THIS IS THE CLINCHER, JESUS SAYS IN ESSENCE NOT ONLY "I AM THE LIVING WATER" BUT ALSO "EVERYONE WHO DRINKS OF THIS WATER WILL BE THIRSTY AGAIN, BUT THOSE WHO DRINK OF THE WATER THAT I GIVE THEM WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY. THE WATER THAT I WILL GIVE THEM WILL BECOME IN THEM A SPRING OF WATER GUSHING UP TO ETERNAL LIFE."

THAT'S QUITE A PROMISE NOT ONLY THAT JESUS IS THE "LIVING WATER" BUT "THOSE WHO DRINK OF THE WATER THAT HE GIVE THEM WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY."

SO, WHO ARE WE TO BELIEVE THE ADVERTISERS WHO SAY THEIR PRODUCT IS GOOD FOR OUR SOUL, IS SATISFYING , WILL TURN OUR LIFE AROUND, MAKE US HAPPY FOREVER.

OR ARE YOU TO BELIEVE CHRIST, WHO SAYS I AM THE "LIVING WATER," THOSE WHO DRINK OF THE WATER THAT I GIVE THEM WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY?"

THE WOMAN AFTER TRYING OTHER SOLUTIONS TO LIFE DECIDED TO TRY A NEW DIRECTION AND LEARN MORE FROM JESUS HOW SHE TOO COULD HAVE THAT "LIVING WATER."

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DECIDE? WHO ARE YOU GOING TO ASK TO HELP YOU QUENCH YOUR THIRST, HELP YOU FIND YOUR SOLUTIONS FOR LIVING?


LET US PRAY.

DEAR GOD,
WE ARE THANKFUL THAT JESUS OFFERS TO US "LIVING WATER."
HELP US TO FIND HOW THE "LIVING WATER HE OFFERS EACH OF US CAN WELL UP IN OUR LIVES INTO ETERNAL LIVING.
AMEN.


 

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