February 20, 2005

Lent 2 (Series: I Can’t But He Can!)

Hi!I’m kind of nervous, because this is a bit unusual kind of place for me to be.You see, I‘ve never been a church-goer.I’ve been what most church-goers would call a “heathen.”I haven’t always believed all the stuff in the book you got over there.And I certainly am no “saint.”No, I’m probably the kind of person you warn your children about.I’ve got a lot of baggage!I am no model citizen, so I’m not here to preach at you…

But I just have to tell you what happened to me today.It was incredible!At noon, as usual, I was walking to Jacob’s Well to draw some water.And as usual, I was alone.Everyone else comes in groups and gets to visit. But I was alone as usual, because my community has really cast me out.They don’t approve of my life.They don’t approve of my broken marriages.And they don’t approve of the fact I’m living with someone now.They say we should get married.They treat me as if I’m a demon.

So anyway, I get to the well, and a man is sitting there.A kind, harmless looking man, completely exhausted from his travels.Obviously, he wasn’t from around here.Even though Jews don’t travel in our country, I would have guessed that he was a Jew by what he wore.But when I heard his accent I knew he was a Jew!Here’s what he said: “Will you give me a drink?”

Now, I looked behind me to see who he was talking to, because there was no way he could have been talking to me!Jews never talk to us!They think it’s beneath them. But there was no one there but me!He was talking to me?Normally, they won’t walk through our country or step into our homes, but now this one is asking me a favour?Trying to be friendly?What does he really want?We’re supposed to be friends now?I mean, normally Jews don’t associate with Samaritans!Except when they’re thirsty, I guess. Why should I do this for him?I told him: “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan.How can you ask me for a drink?”

Here is where it starts getting weird.He said to me: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and we would have given you living water.”LIVING water?What is this guy up to?I didn’t trust him.I was skeptical – he had no bucket!How could he draw water?Is this just another Jew trying to show that he is superior?So his water is better than mine too?That’s what I was thinking, but you know what?This guy had my attention, that’s for sure!

Then he goes on:“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.”Hey – we have been living from water from Jacob’s well for centuries, and now this Jew comes along and tells me he can do better? Living water!Water he could give me that would quench my thirst for good!Never thirsty again?And he has no bucket?I was getting ready for a magic trick now!He had my attention.

And he continued: “Indeed, the water I give you will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”Wow!His offer just kept getting better and better!Now, not only would his water take care of my thirst for life, but even give me eternal life!Yeah, right!I couldn’t trust him farther than I could throw him.I didn’t even begin to believe what he was promising.But he had my attention.And my curiosity.Hey, I thought, if you can give me water that will keep me from having to come here every day, let’s have some of it!

But that is where our little conversation took a turn.“Go, call your husband and come back,” he said.I have no husband.Why would he tell me to do that?Once again, I’m being told to do something I can’t do!Go and get the husband you don’t have!It’s the same as being told in God’s law: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”I’m tired of being told to do things I can’t do!Keep your marriage vows.Marry this person you’re living with.Live a God-pleasing life!It has been impossible for me to do this!Hey – no one can be perfect!So no, I can’t go and get my husband.I don’t have one!And I admitted that to him!

He replied: “You are right when you say you have no husband.The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.” HOW DID HE KNOW THAT?He was dead right!Who is this guy?How could he know these things about me?I was so embarrassed!So ashamed.I felt like I was standing there naked in front of him and he could see right through me.He was right – my life has been a failure before God, and before others.But how did he know all that?The only way was that he was a prophet.A man of God.

Speaking of God, I knew I was in trouble.I had been living life, realizing that what I was doing was wrong, but since so many other people were living like I was, it hadn’t been bothering me.Until He said something about it.This man of God.He made me realize that I was in trouble with his God! I couldn’t stand the scrutiny any longer – I had to change the subject!

If he was really a prophet, he could answer this question I’ve always had about the church, something that bothered me, so I decided to ask him.To put him on the defensive instead of me!I asked him why the Jews insist we have to worship in a certain building in Jerusalem.We always used to worship God right here on our mountain, but they say that isn’t real worship.Guess what?He didn’t get defensive!He simply said that real worship doesn’t happen in a certain place.God doesn’t dwell in buildings.God is a spirit.It’s not where we worship.It’s how we worship.Real worship happens when there is real faith.It’s in the heart!

Now he was touching my heart.He didn’t give the stock answers we Samaritans are used to receiving.He cared about me.His words told me something was different about him.They made me think of the Messiah we have been waiting for.The Messiah I believe will come!So I admitted to him that I believe the Messiah will come, and can’t wait until he comes so he can explain all these things to us…

That’s when he floored me.“I who speak to you am He.”People, that’s when I got the goose bumps!That is when something changed in my heart and in my head.My soul screamed: “Yes!You are!I believe You!”You see, this guy could do things you and I can’t do.He knew all about me.He knew my past.He could read my heart.Normal human beings can’t do that.His words moved me.The way that He brought out my guilt.No one else could do that.People tried before, but I know they are just as guilty behind their closed doors.There was something pure about this guy.I couldn’t hide from Him.And then He comforted me like no one else could.He didn’t judge me after He exposed my faults.He showed love and care!You guys gotta’ Come and See this Man who Told Me Everything I Ever Did!I believe He’s the Messiah!

Now I understood what He was talking about with the Living Water.He wasn’t talking about the water in my bucket.He was talking spiritual!The WATER He spoke of is ETERNAL LIFE!And DRINKING that water is TRUSTING in HIM as the Messiah!By trusting in Him, our thirst for everlasting life is quenched!The water this guy gives lasts forever.And by drinking it, we become alive.With real life.Forever.

You see, we’ve always been thirsty people.The problem is that we have been going to the wrong place to gratify that inner craving, that unquenchable thirst for real life.We look for it in drugs and alcohol.In sinful pleasures.In relationships that aren’t good for us.In momentary satisfactions that have no commitments attached.And of course, in our mad craze for earthly wealth.But these things never quench our thirst!

This guy’s water does!When we drink his water, when we believe in the eternal life that He offers us, our guilty consciences finally can rest!Our haunting doubts dissolve!Our vain pursuit for real life without God is over.We are no longer so empty and hopeless!We are filled up and full of hope!This guy really satisfies our thirst!The words He spoke, the good news He gave me today, made me trust Him!The bond that connected us today quenched my thirst!

He showed me how much I needed his water by showing me how empty and misdirected my life had been.He showed me what forgiveness really is.He accepted someone like me, who has not been a saint!He gave me answers I have always been looking for, to questions I have always had about God, when He said, “I Am He.”When He said that, He ended my quest for how to have real life with God.No longer am I going to turn to hopeless relationships to find happiness.They can’t do that for me.No longer am I going to try to cover up my past.I will admit it openly to my Lord.I will always confess, “I Can’t, but He Can!”

That’s the greatest thing about this guy!What we can’t do, He can!We can’t be perfect!But He can!And He was perfect for us!This is the One we need!The only One who can fill our life with what we really need.Forgiveness from his sacrifice.Love from his life.Hope from his Living Water!So friends, Come, See a Man Who Told Me Everything I Ever Did!I believe in Him!I hope you will too!Amen.

 

Back to the Lent page
Back to the Pastor's Messages page