| March 7
Providence, Rhode Island - March 7, 2010
Only the Gospel of John tells of Jesus’ encounter with the woman of Samaria, whom polite society and rigid religion conspired to castigate. It’s one o’ those “one-thing-leads-to-another-stories.” The second of seven signs in John is an evangelistic story that has the potential for scandal. Even though Jesus doesn’t do anything for her. He heals her of no disease; nor dazzles her by turning water into wine. All he does is talk. But even that’s a land-mine to the do-rights. It’s his longest recorded conversation in the gospels. Longer than he talked to the disciples, or his accusers, or his family. But what he said to the Samaritan woman -- whose name we never know -- still has impact, because it’s so full of grace, that Sychar nor the world was ever the same.
She came in the heat of the day to avoid the rush-hour gossip. The sun was hot physically. But it was merciful emotionally for her to be alone. To her good fortune, this time Someone Else was there. She had three strikes against her but that didn’t bother Jesus. As she approaches, he creigns-his-neck to break the barrier, "How about a drink?" And a lady who came to the well looking for drinking water, discovered a deeper well of living water.
It’s a story full of "firsts." She’s the first person to engage in a serious theological discussion with Jesus. The first to learn his true identity. And couldn’t keep herself from telling others about it. That makes her the first Christian evangelist. She’s effective too. Because of her John says, "Many came to faith." Not bad for a woman, who was a half-breed, full pagan! The moralists thought she was dirty, and went out of their way to make her feel dirtier by condemning her for the way she was born. And there’s no way out of that...but grace. Even the disciples went ballistic because he broke the gender code. Their prejudice mirrors the familiar experience others like her have had in church, when the Good News gets shelved for its most sacred sacrament, conformation. After 2000 years, the church still keeps turning away those who are different in gender, ideology, or lifestyle.
Strike number three was the biggest of all. Her promiscuity meant she was shunned by the respectable, and was someone good-folks loved to gossip about, because it lets them to enjoy the superiority she allowed them to feel. This is John, so Jesus knew her “reputation.” But it’s also Jesus, so she finally met a man who saw her more for what she could be, instead of what she used to be.
Jesus came to provide living water not ice water! Such a stark contrast to those cold-hearted folks at the well, who freeze out anybody who fails to live up-to-snuff. At first glance, she appears to be trading-in husbands like sports cars! But it’s not like she went around devouring men. Rather, she had been devoured by a patriarchal system -- that passed her off mano-a-mano, till there wasn’t much left of her to marry anymore.
But Jesus is more interested in naming our subjection than exposing our sins. He brought living water, not boiling water! A lot of church folks see it as their duty to consign others to the hot waters of hell! So his gracious words: "How 'bout a drink?" struck a chord. “Why is he talking to me? Surely he knows the rules..." No good Jew would touch his lips to a Samaritan vessel. But Jesus never let a silly custom stand in the way of somebody’s soul.
She handed him the ladle. And they have a conversation about it, though they're never on the same wave length. But the woman understands enough that whatever it is he’s offering, she wants it: "Sir, give me this water." “So I won’t ever have to come back to this well and face myself reflected in the eyes of my peers!" She shows that what we think causes our shame, doesn't! And what we think cures our shame, won't! Except there is one other matter. First “go fetch your husband.” And with that abrupt change of subject, she didn’t know what to make of the young rabbi with piercing eyes and gentle voice. But something on the inside of her said, “You better stay with this!” So she squares up her shoulders and eyeballs Jesus, "I have no husband!" And Jesus just melted! He wouldn't protect her from herself, because he knew all the water in the world couldn't release her from society’s guilt. So there’d be no illusions about the husbands. And with that shred of honest admission, he told her the real truth about herself.
But he did it in such a merciful way, there was no judgment. He didn’t tell her to quit sinning, because he saw her as sinned against. Unlike the self-righteous, who tried to force her to face her shame. Jesus just wants her to face him. That’s evangelism. Not showing people they’re sinners. But showing people who Jesus is. Living water, not stagnant water, and it hits the spot for people who haven’t had a fresh idea in years. But the intimacy makes her retreat into the safety of religion, drawing Jesus into the most divisive subject there is -- nationalism. Jews vs. Samaritans! It’s a lot less touchy-topic than how many husbands she had. But who can blame her? If this guy knows about her husbands, no telling what else he knows! And she'd just as soon not find out.
Ah, we all carry around our water jars ... full of “can'ts and oughts.” But the mental static is intended to shield herself from the man with X-ray eyes. So when she draws back, he steps up. She tries to shield herself from the light. He keeps peeling back the layers of denial. Jesus refused to allow her continue to deceive herself. She tries to show him less of herself. As he shows her more of himself. "I know the Messiah is coming," she says. That’s when Jesus dropped a bombshell! "I’m you’re Huckleberry!" The first time he said that to a living soul. (Well not exactly that, but you get the idea!) A bucket of well-water to slake her thirst was all she wanted. But Jesus gave her what she needed. So she left with living water! Because he gave her himself. And gave her back ... herself. That’s evangelism.
This text is dynamite! A woman happens upon a man at a well at noon that explodes into theophany. What he refused to say to Pilate when his neck was on the line, he freely said to her. And the veil is lifted, "The One you’re talking to right now, is the Messiah." A moment of full disclosure, in which the triple-outsider and the Christ of God stand face-to-face with no pretenses about identity. Fully exposed in the broad light of day -- while all the taboos, and procedures intended to separate them, melt away.
The best evangelism is knocking down relational barriers, so people who’ve been ostracized can re-join the community. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus’ most effective evangelist was a fallen female, too dirty to come to the well? But in Jesus’ eyes ... she was washable! All these two do is have a conversation. Because Jesus is somebody you can talk to; he’s one in whose presence you are accepted for who you are, genuine conversion comes through revelation, not manipulation.
Jesus is at the well crossing boundaries, totally ignoring our “4 spiritual laws.” He jettisons our cultural and religious legalisms, and tactfully removes the masks we use to disguise ourselves. That’s evangelism. He speaks to a downcast stranger like somebody she’s known all her life, and the grace bubbles up within her soul like a well that needs no dipper! So that she can face the people in confidence, telling it just like it happened: "Come see a man who told me all I ever did!"
Boys, that’ll bring ‘em in! The whole town came out too. Some, no doubt because they wanted to hear about “all she ever did!” With 5 husbands and a lover, that’s what sells! But for whatever reason, they came because she couldn’t not tell her story. “Ya’ll gotta come and meet this Guy! He told me everything I ever did!“ “This can't be the Christ...can it?" She knew the answer to her question.
But did you notice, she forgot all about her water jar? She didn’t need it anymore. Jesus lifted the heavy load from her shoulders. Salvation came to the well that day! Living water that never runs dry. Never had Jesus given so little to get so much! That’s why God has a much better chance to redeem bad people better than good people. Good people don’t think they have any sins. So they never change.
The only question I have, is God really like this? A foreign woman misunderstood most of what Jesus said, which always happens when you take him literally. She had such an unsavory past, it makes you wonder why on earth God would bother with her. But she planted a seed that would grow to cover the entire earth! “Can this be the Christ?” Not unless he’s determined to give us himself in spite of ourselves. But Lord she had five husbands! Still he accepted her! “Can this be the Christ?” Not unless that’s how bad he wants us to quit faking it. There’s no salvation without integrity about who we are and who Jesus is.
But what about all that stuff about “the proper place to worship God and true religion?” Jesus doesn’t bother to respond to our nationalism or whose religion is “right.” Because real worship isn’t about where we do it but who God is. We’re way more interested in national boundaries than God. We establish a firm border and dare somebody to cross it. God’s concern is how every moment and every place and any person, anywhere can experience “the spring of water gushing up unto eternal life.”
“This can’t be the Christ can it?” Is this what God is like? For John, that’s the sign. And all I wanta know is ... are you disappointed?
Providence Prayers (3-7-10)
We also gather around Thy word according to John the evangelist, who talked about the Word made flesh. When we sense Thy nearness, we become aware of what we’ve done. Thy revelation comes by the oceanful; we dole ourselves out by the drop. Divine love gushes; ours trickles. Some of us still prefer to come to the well in the heat of the day rather than ask for a drink of living water. Save us from self-deception.
Self-revelation is scary Lord, even though it allows us to remove our masks and quit pretending. May we have many such encounters that open the flood gates of living water, that carry us to the throne of grace. We are grateful too that he comes into our lives in ordinary places, but always with extraordinary grace.
May this church be a well of living water in Providence, available to all who need it and some that may even want it. Let us all seek to be Thy water carriers, offering the assurance of God’s love beyond these walls. Make Thy presence felt today by all to whom it is given to cope with illness, loneliness, discrimination, oppression and death.
May this worship enable each of us to be more honest about ourselves, more genuine in our relationships and more open in our encounters with Thee. Turn all our little puddles into an ocean of love. Do it, Lord, for the sake of a thirsty world. Through Christ our Lord.
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