JOHN 4:5-42 | DIVINE DESPITE US

DIVINE DESPITE US

JOHN 4:5-42

MARCH 19, 2017

LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT PRAYER AS CONVERSATION WITH GOD.  TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE.

AND WHAT WE SAID WAS, THAT SUCH COMMUNICATION SHOULD COME OUT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DIVINE.  LIKE TALKING TO AN OLD FRIEND.  SPEAKING AND LISTENING.

BUT WHAT IF THE CONVERSATION WERE MORE LIKE THE ONE WE JUST READ?  WHAT IF IT WAS LIKE JESUS SPEAKING WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL?

FRANK, HONEST, OPEN; NO SUPERFICIALITY HERE, BUT A REAL GETTING DOWN TO IT; HEART TO HEART; SOUL TO SOUL, WE MIGHT EVEN SAY.

MUCH OF WHAT’S BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS PASSAGE IN THE PAST IS SIMPLY WRONG, AND I’D LIKE TO START WITH THE “MOST WRONG THING” ABOUT IT.

PRACTICALLY FOREVER, THIS PASSAGE HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT AS IF THE WOMAN IS SOMEHOW OF ILL-REPUTE; THAT SHE’S DIVORCED FIVE TIMES OVER; PERHAPS, A WOMAN OF LOOSE MORALS.

HOWEVER, HERE’S THE THING: IN HER TIME, IN THE TIME OF JESUS, WOMEN COULD NOT DIVORCE MEN; ONLY MEN COULD DIVORCE WOMEN.  THE FACT THAT SHE’S HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, AND IS NOW LIVING WITH A MAN WHO IS NOT HER HUSBAND, LIKELY SAYS MORE ABOUT THEM THAN IT DOES ABOUT HER.

IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT SHE’S THE VICTIM HERE; SHE’S THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN PASSED AROUND LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT; SHE’S THE ONE WHO, LIKELY, HAS BEEN MISTREATED AND ABUSED BY THEM; SHE HAS NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER OF WHAT’S HAPPENED TO HER.

THIS PASSAGE ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT HER CHARACTER, AS IT IS ABOUT WHERE SHE’S COME FROM, AND WHAT SHE’S ENDURED.

PERHAPS, THIS IS WHY SHE’S A BIT GUN-SHY WHEN JESUS ASKS HER FOR A DRINK OF WATER… “NOW, WHAT DOES THIS MAN WANT WITH ME?” SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THINKING.  AND A JEWISH MAN, AT THAT.

JEWS AND SAMARITANS DID NOT CONVERSE.  THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER.  THEY WOULD HAVE CROSSED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, JUST TO AVOID ONE ANOTHER.

IN THE TELLING OF SOMETHING OF THIS SAME STORY, THE REVEREND FRED CRADDOCK SAYS THAT ONE DAY HE WAS IN THE GROCERY STORE LOOKING FOR PEANUT BUTTER.

UNABLE TO FIND IT, HE FINALLY ASKED A WOMAN IF SHE KNEW WHERE THE PEANUT BUTTER AISLE WAS.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO HIT ON ME?” THE WOMAN ASKED.  “NO,” HE SAID; “LADY, I’M JUST LOOKING FOR PEANUT BUTTER.”

“LATER,” HE SAYS, “WHEN I FOUND IT ON AISLE FIVE, THERE SHE WAS.”  SHE SAID, “OH, YOU WERE LOOKING FOR PEANUT BUTTER.”

“I TOLD YOU I WAS.”  “WELL,” SHE SAID, NOWADAYS YOU CAN’T BE TOO CAREFUL.”  HE SAID TO HER, “YES, YOU CAN.”

WHO KNOWS WHAT SORTS OF EXPERIENCES THIS WOMAN HAD HAD TO CAUSE HER TO REACT THE WAY SHE DID;

AND WHO OF US, HASN’T BEEN TOO CAREFUL, AT TIMES, THAT IT CUT US OFF FROM CONTACT, FROM CONVERSATION, WITH ANOTHER FROM WHOM WE MIGHT TRULY BENEFIT?

JESUS WOUND UP IN CONVERSATION WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THIS AREA OF SAMARIA, AS A SHORTCUT FROM WHERE HE’D BEEN IN JUDEA TO WHERE HE WAS GOING IN GALILEE.

AND WHAT A STRANGE CONVERSATION IT WAS: THIS, BETWEEN THE DIVINE, JESUS, AND THE HUMAN, WOMAN.  (WHO, BY THE WAY IS NEVER NAMED HERE, GIVING US FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STANDING OF WOMEN IN THAT DAY.)

THERE IS A GENDER GULF, MADE WIDER BY THE SORT OF TREATMENT SHE WAS USED TO AT THE HANDS OF MEN.

THERE’S A RACE DIFFERENCE, HE A JEW, SHE A SAMARITAN.

AND THERE IS A RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE WHILE BOTH BELIEVED IN THE SAME GOD, WHEN THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS SPLIT, GOING THEIR SEPARATE WAYS, EACH GROUP ESTABLISHED ITS OWN PLACE OF WORSHIP;

THE JEWS AT THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, AND THE SAMARITANS, HERE ON THE MOUNTAIN IN SYCHAR, WHERE THIS CONVERSATION WAS TAKING PLACE.

SO, THIS IS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO OF THE MOST UNLIKELY PEOPLE EVER: DIVINE/HUMAN; A MAN AND A WOMAN IN A TIME WHEN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SPOKEN TO EACH OTHER UNLESS THEY WERE RELATED OR KNEW EACH OTHER;

DIFFERENT RACES; DIFFERENT CULTURES; DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.

AND YET, A CONVERSATION DID OCCUR, AND NOT JUST THE KIND OF CONVERSATION WHERE ONE PERSON TALKS FOR 30 MINUTES AND THE OTHER PERSON LISTENS, THE WAY WE SOMETIMES CHARACTERIZE CONVERSATION;

AND NOT ONE WHERE THE OTHER PERSON’S JUST WAITING FOR THE SPEAKER TO STOP TALKING SO THEY CAN SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, WITHOUT EVER REALLY HEARING WHAT THE FIRST PERSON IS SAYING;

AND NOT ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHERE EACH INTERRUPTS THE OTHER; OR GETS AHEAD OF THE OTHER; OR WHERE ONE STARTS TALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A THOUGHT, AS IF THE OTHER PERSON ALREADY KNOWS WHO OR WHAT THE SPEAKER IS TALKING ABOUT.

NO, THIS WAS A REAL CONVERSATION; WITH GIVE AND TAKE, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS; DELVING DEEP INTO THE HEART OF EACH OF THEM.

AND WHILE BOTH, AT TIMES, SEEM TO TAKE THE CONVERSATION IN A DIRECTION THE OTHER DOESN’T NECESSARILY WANT TO GO, SOMEHOW REAL COMMUNICATION HAPPENS.

AND THE “REAL STUFF” OF EACH OTHER’S LIVES HAPPENS;

AND A REAL CHANGE OCCURS IN BOTH FROM THIS EXCHANGE.

IT STARTS OFF SIMPLY ENOUGH: JESUS ASKS THE WOMAN FOR A DRINK OF WATER FROM THE WELL.  SHE HESITATES, AT FIRST, AS WE SAID, BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN, AND A JEW, AND SHE WAS A WOMAN, AND A SAMARITAN, AND, PERHAPS, BECAUSE OF HOW SHE HAD BEEN TREATED BY MEN IN THE PAST.

WHEN JESUS ANSWERS RATHER CRYPTICALLY, THAT IF SHE KNEW TO WHOM SHE WAS SPEAKING, SHE WOULDN’T HESITATE TO GIVE HIM A DRINK, AND “OH, BY THE WAY, I CAN GIVE YOU LIVING WATER;”

SHE’S A BIT STUPEFIED AS TO HOW HE CAN DO SUCH A THING, GIVEN THAT HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A BUCKET WITH WHICH TO DRAW WATER.

JESUS RESPONDS BY TELLING HER THAT THE WATER OF WHICH HE SPEAKS, IS A KIND OF WATER BY WHICH NO ONE WILL EVER BE THIRSTY AGAIN.

AFTER TAKING SOMETHING OF A SHOT AT JESUS, ASKING HIM IF HE’S A BETTER PERSON THAN THEIR CO-ANCESTOR JACOB, THE WOMAN WELCOMES WHATEVER SORT OF WATER JESUS MIGHT HAVE TO OFFER HER.

NOW IT’S JESUS WHO TAKES THE CONVERSATION IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, SPEAKING TO THE FACT THAT THE WOMAN SHOULD, PERHAPS, CALL HER HUSBAND, AND SHE’S FORCED TO CONFESS THAT SHE HAS NO HUSBAND.

IT’S JESUS WHO TELLS HER THAT SHE’S NOT ONLY HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, BUT THAT THE MAN SHE’S WITH NOW, IS NOT HER HUSBAND.

WHATEVER IT WAS THAT ENABLED JESUS TO KNOW THIS, THE WOMAN NOW BELIEVES HIM TO BE A PROPHET OF SOME KIND.

IT’S THE WOMAN WHO TAKES THE CONVERSATION IN A SPIRITUAL, THEOLOGICAL DIRECTION, AS TO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JEWS AND SAMARITANS, AND WHERE THEY WORSHIP, AND HOW;

“THE JEWS WORSHIP IN JERUSALEM, WE WORSHIP HERE, ON THIS MOUNTAIN.”

BUT JESUS CUTS HER OFF, TELLING HER THAT THE TIME IS COMING, AND IS NOW HERE, WHEN PEOPLE WILL NOT WORSHIP HERE OR THERE, IN THIS WAY OR THAT;

BUT WILL WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.

ASSUMING JESUS MEANS THE TIME WHEN A MESSIAH WILL ENTER THE WORLD, SHE TELLS HIM SHE NOT ONLY KNOWS ALL ABOUT THAT; BUT BELIEVES IT;

AND BEFORE SHE CAN FINISH HER THOUGHT; JESUS TELLS HER THAT IT IS HE; THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH, NOW COME, WHO IS SPEAKING WITH HER.

IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT THEIR CONVERSATION IS INTERRUPTED BY THE DISCIPLES WHO HAVE ARRIVED AFTER GOING INTO TOWN TO BUY FOOD AND SUPPLIES.

SEEING WHAT’S BEEN TAKING PLACE, THE DISCIPLES ARE ASTONISHED, FOR ALL THE LEGAL, CULTURAL, MORAL, AND PREJUDICIAL REASONS WE MENTIONED EARLIER: WOMAN/MAN, SAMARITAN/JEW; DIFFERENT RELIGIONS…

THE WOMAN TAKES THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE, EVEN LEAVING HER WATER JUG BEHIND;

WHILE JESUS TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, NOW WITH HIS DISCIPLES, ABOUT HIS MISSION, AND THEIRS, AND SOME OF WHAT’S ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE…

THE WOMAN RUNS BACK TO TOWN, TELLING EVERYONE SHE MEETS ALL THAT JESUS HAD SAID AND DONE;

CONVINCING THEM TO GO AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES; AND JESUS WINDS UP STAYING THERE, TEACHING AND PREACHING, FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS;

AND MANY OF THE SAMARITANS, WE ARE TOLD, CAME TO BELIEVE IN HIM AS THE MESSIAH, NO LONGER BECAUSE OF HER, BUT BECAUSE OF HIM;

BUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF HER, AS SHE WAS JESUS’ FIRST EVANGELIST IN THIS TOWN; AND YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE, THAT SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO BELIEVE IN HIM AS WELL.

AND ALL BECAUSE OF A CONVERSATION; A DISCUSSION BETWEEN A DIVINE AND A HUMAN; A MAN AND A WOMAN; OF TWO DIFFERENT RACES; TWO DIFFERENT RELIGIONS; TWO DIFFERENT CULTURAL, SOCIAL BACKGROUNDS.

WHAT THEN, DOES THIS SAY TO US?

WELL, FIRST, IT’S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO HAVE A RELIGIOUS CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE; SO, IF YOU’VE EVER WANTED TO DO SO, OR NEEDED TO DO SO, GO BACK AND RE-READ THIS PASSAGE, AND LISTEN TO IT AGAIN.

IT’S ALSO A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW NOT TO LET THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US AND OTHERS BECOME AN OBSTACLE, AN EXCUSE, PERHAPS, TO HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

AND SPEAKING OF CONVERSATION, AS WE SAID EARLIER, THIS IS ALSO A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE “ART OF CONVERSATION” OF HOW TO TALK, AND HOW TO LISTEN, AND HOW TO CONNECT WITH ANOTHER.

THAT, IN ITSELF, IS WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION.

BUT HERE’S SOMETHING ELSE FOR US TO CONSIDER, UNDER THE TITLE OF MY SERMON: DIVINE DESPITE US.

AS YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, ON ANY NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, GOD IS GOD, AND WE ARE NOT.

WE SHOULDN’T PRETEND WE ARE.  WE SHOULDN’T MAKE GOD IN OUR IMAGE, INSTEAD OF BEING MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE.

WE SHOULDN’T SPEAK FOR GOD, AS IF IT IS GOD WHO IS SPEAKING; BUT RATHER, SPEAK FOR GOD AS ONE OF GOD’S PEOPLE.  THAT, IS TO SAY, WE SHOULD SPEAK OF OUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD.

THE WAY THE WOMAN IN OUR STORY DID TO THOSE IN HER TOWN.

WE SHOULD SPEAK TO OUR LIFE IN GOD; IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ANY MORE, OR ANY LESS, THAN THAT.

THERE ISN’T A RIGHT WAY AND WRONG WAY TO EXPERIENCE GOD; TO LIVE IN GOD; THERE’S JUST OUR WAY; AND THE WAY OTHERS DO IT; AND OUR WAY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THEIR WAY; AND THEIR WAY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE OUR WAY.

WE NEED TO MAKE ROOM FOR DIFFERENT WAYS OF EXPERIENCING GOD; OF LIVING IN GOD; OF EXPRESSING FAITH IN GOD; RATHER THAN TRYING TO NARROW THE FOCUS TO “OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!”

JESUS DIDN’T CONDEMN THIS WOMAN FOR HER LIFE, HER FAITH, HER RACE, HER GENDER, HER ANYTHING…

IN FACT, IF ANYTHING, HE EMBRACED HER FOR ALL THESE THINGS, AND SPOKE OF A STILL BETTER WAY AVAILABLE TO HER, IN HIM; IN CHRIST, THE MESSIAH.

JESUS TOOK HER WHERE SHE WAS, AND OFFERED HER THE LIFE TO WHERE HE WAS GOING; WHERE SHE COULD GO; WHERE ALL OF THEM, AND ALL OF US, WISH TO GO: TO A WAY, TO A TRUTH, TO A LIFE, IN GOD.

SO, MAYBE THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE ASKS US WHERE THE PEANUT BUTTER AISLE IS, WE CAN PUSH PAST OUR DEFENSIVENESS, AND STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION; OR AT THE VERY LEAST, TELL THEM WHERE IT IS, IF WE KNOW.

AND THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE ASKS US ABOUT OUR FAITH; OR SAYS, “OH, YOU GO TO CHURCH!”  OR, “SO, YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN…”

RATHER THAN CUT AND RUN, MAYBE WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD; NO MORE, NO LESS, JUST OUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT WE BELIEVE.

HOW ELSE, WILL PEOPLE LEARN?  HOW ELSE, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT THEY THINK BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS, AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO US?

WE DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRIST;

WE DON’T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE THE BIBLE – CHAPTER AND VERSE;

WE DON’T HAVE TO KNOW ALL THE THEOLOGICAL JARGON;

WE JUST HAVE TO TELL THEM OUR STORY OF FAITH; WHAT WE BELIEVE; HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE.

AND IF THEY ASK QUESTIONS YOU CAN’T ANSWER, TELL THEM YOU DON’T KNOW;

AND PIVOT TO WHAT YOU DO KNOW, WHAT YOU BELIEVE, HOW YOU HAVE COME TO EXPERIENCE GOD, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOUR LIFE.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY TO “CONVERT” ANYBODY;

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE “WHOLE ENCHILADA” DRONING ON AND ON;

GIVE THEM THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION; TELL A STORY FROM YOUR LIFE;

TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT YOU DO FOR OTHERS, HOW YOU CARE, BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH IN GOD.

LEAVE IT AT THAT; AND POSSIBLY, LEAVE THEM WANTING MORE.

TRUST GOD TO TAKE THEM THE REST OF THE WAY; INTO THE TRUTH; TO A NEW AN EXCITING WAY OF LIVING.