‘Suddenly Bartimaeus could see clearly and he set off at once to follow Jesus.’ (Mark 10:52)
Do we see Jesus clearly in our everyday lives or do we allow thinks to cloud or obscure our vision of Him?
Bible Readings: Exodus 17:1-7 John 4:1-26
Perhaps more than at any other time in our life, it is in the aftermath of some disaster or tragic event that we stop to think about those things that really matter to us – and how many of those have we have in the last few years. We don’t even have to have been directly touched by the tragic events themselves. Just knowing about them and the terrible suffering, pain and loss of life they have brought about and suddenly we think more about our own loved ones.
And there may even be further consequences as a result of these reflections – both good and bad. But the most dramatic moments in any of our lives will all be followed by the need to go, the next day, and somehow move on with our lives. With all those everyday, mundane but essential task
Like going back to the well to draw more water from it…
It’s difficult to imagine exactly what the woman at the well initially felt in her encounter with Jesus at the well. It must have actually been quite a shock for her – having Jesus tell her about everything of importance in her somewhat complicated life. But note that Jesus doesn’t blame her or anyone else for what’s happened in this woman’s life, He just tells it as it is. And in many ways, that takes us to, what for me, is the real key to this story.
So much of this story is metaphorical and uses a great deal of parenthesis in an attempt to explain what all this means. And let’s not forget that at this point in time, there is still so much misunderstanding on who Jesus is – even within His own Disciples. However, the Samaritan woman herself is smart enough to engage in conversation with Jesus about the water. And perhaps it was something of a pleasure for Jesus to talk with someone who catches on so quickly. Indeed, He even reveals to her that he is the Messiah.
The disciples don’t understand Him. They don’t get that He is speaking in images when he talks about food – things like saying He is the Bread of Life. They don’t get him at all. But this Samaritan woman appears to.
Indeed, as we read later in this chapter she goes back to the city, illuminated by her short conversation with Jesus and she spreads the word. And she must have done so with an air of conviction and certainty because the people then go out to meet Jesus – and He stays and wins hearts and souls.
And that is where perhaps we find what many would say is the main purpose of this story – to highlight for need for evangelism. Going to share our experiences with Jesus with others. And of course there are many lessons on evangelism that we can take from this passage. However, there are many other lesson we can take from it as well.
The very next day that woman would need to go back to that well to get ordinary, every day water for herself and whoever she was living with in her house. And even although Jesus would tell her the hour was near. The fact remains that we are still waiting and the work of being alive goes on – day after day.
Life goes on – it always has and it always will. Even amidst the tragedies and disasters that we are part of or hear of and even although we can scare imagine how – life does go on. And somehow we have to try and find away to cope with that life and all that it throws at us. Even, or perhaps, especially, when living in the aftermath of some tragic event.
Of course it’s never easy but still the every day tasks, like going to the well to collect water are still necessary. Yet all too often we lack the energy or the enthusiasm. All too often these mundane duties no longer seem to be as important. How can they be in light of whatever has happened…
But the thing is, once we lose enthusiasm and energy, once it gets to the point that things no longer seem important to us. Once we get to that point, we begin to lose our faith. And when that faith goes, any hope we might may have had of a brighter future, begins to fade – to drain away from us…
Which is why we need to keep coming back to drink of that water…not the ordinary, every day water we find in the well, but the water of life we find in Jesus. Whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst, said Jesus…
But even at this point there is still one more lesson for us to remember.
Before Jesus offers the woman at the well his living water He first of all asks her to give him some water from the well. Even as he offers to her something more valuable than she can possibly imagine, He asks of something from her. You could say, give and take.
And that’s the kind of relationship God wants from us…
He wants us to trust Him with all the everyday things of our life. All that we are and all that we do, each and every day, God wants us to hand over to Him, to trust and believe in Him. To accept His Son as our Saviour – and in return He will give us life eternal.
Now you might think that this shouldn’t be that difficult. It should be as easy as giving Jesus some water in the way that this woman did. Why shouldn’t we trust Jesus with our lives every day. After all, did He not give his life. His whole life for us. Why not, indeed.
Yet some might argue that this suggests Jesus love is in some way conditional and so consequently our salvation is conditional. Is this not saying that if we don’t trust Jesus with our lives then we will not be saved.
Well, the short answer to that is no – and yes.
No Jesus love was not – is not – conditional. God gave His One and only Son for every man, woman and child on this earth – for now and all times. No exceptions, no conditions…
But we need to accept and receive that love…
Remember John 3:16, ‘…for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that and all who believed in Him would not perish but have life eternal. All who believed…
But here’s the thing, if we are not willing to trust Jesus with our lives, how can we say we believe in him – and if we don’t believe….
But if we do believe – ‘…the water I give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life…’
Amen…
‘…Go. Because you believe in me your sight has returned…’ (Mark 10:51)
Have we ever demonstrated this kind of belief in our faith lives.
‘Then Andrew brought to Jesus a young boy who had five loaves and two fish.’ (John 6:9)
What can we learn from this story? What have we brought to Jesus that He can use to His glory?
‘Why are you so afraid? Did you not believe in me? (Mark 4:40)
How often do we allow fear to get the better of us rather than put our faith in Jesus?
‘They would not listen to Jesus or believe in Him…’ (Mark 6:5)
How often do we fail to listen to Jesus? How often do we fail to believe in His promises?
‘ He went up the mountain and called to Him those whom He wanted…’ (Mark 3:13)
Do we believe Jesus has called us to Himself, and if so, how have we responded to that call?
‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…’ (Matt. 13:44)
How would we describe the Kingdom of Heaven? What does it mean to us?
Bible Readings: John 3:1-17
People are often heard to say, ‘it’s a sign of the times…’ But what exactly do we mean by this? All too often it’s perhaps not often something that is said when all is well, shall we say. Rather it’s maybe something we say when we’re dismayed about a situation; when we’re maybe despondent and perhaps even when we’re being cynical about something that has happened.
Something we say out of frustration, anger, dismay or whatever…‘it’s a sign of the times…’
And if we were to be asked to say what we think are the signs of the times that we live in today, what would we point to. People struggling to make ends meet. More and more people living on and below the poverty line. People having to choose between heating and food…‘It’s a sign of the times…’
John’s Gospel is itself, not only all about signs – signs that are there to reveal Jesus as the living Son of God, God Incarnate, the revelation of God Himself. It is full of stories of individuals who would apparently wish Jesus to show them some sign.
Of course, in all he says and does, Jesus offers them the obvious sign of his own ministry – at least that’s the way John presents his Gospel narrative. But no-one can be bothered to try and interpret that sign. The only signs that they are interested in are the miraculous healing signs that are such a strongly attested part of Jesus ministry…
But what do they believe they are signs of…Do they think of them as signs of the times…
Are they willing to look beyond the immediate sign itself and see what it might be pointing to, what this sign might herald, the real significance of what Jesus was saying and doing. Or do they see these signs, the miracles, as some kind of quick fix…
Nicodemus hasn’t come to Jesus looking for such a sign, although he has in all probability, already witnessed some of Jesus miracles for himself. Which is maybe why he has already come to his own conclusion that Jesus’ actions are in some way connected with the activity of God.
However, although Nicodemus may have it in his head that Jesus is indeed someone who has come from God. He doesn’t appear to be prepared to take a stance on that. He’s not yet willing to jeopardise his position and status as a leader of the Jews, until he is clear which is the winning side.
Nicodemus maybe thinks that he is backing a potential winner in Jesus, but as of yet he’s not wanting to take any risks in making his views known yet, just in case…
Yet the reality is, Nicodemus doesn’t know that he is seeing – not a sign worker – but God’s own Son. He doesn’t realise that he is standing in the presence, not of someone chosen by God, or even empowered by God. But of God Himself…
And when we’re confronted with the son of God in this way, inexpensive goodwill and qualified acceptance will not do. The luxury of sitting on the side-lines and hedging our bets, of not coming to a decision and taking responsibility for doing so – is not something that Jesus offers.
But what about the world we live in today…
It may be a sign of the times that we live in today where many come to God and to His Son only when they feel they need to, when they have no other option. Then they might come to God to see what He is like – what He can offer them.
But the simple fact is that the only way we can truly know what God is like, the only way that we can truly know what His purposes for us and indeed the world are, is to commit ourselves to the Son of God.
Whose lifting up on the cross was to be the true sign of God’s loving design for each and every one of us.
No matter what he may have thought when he came to Jesus, Nicodemus cannot possibly go home pretending to be baffled or confused by what Jesus said. He surely now has to know that the time for trying to have his cake and eat it has come and gone. He cannot have it both ways, he has to decide…And so do we today…
If we want to know God, to truly know God, then we have to come to Jesus – We have to make that decision…
When we look at the world around us today and see and hear all that is going on there is no doubt that there are many things that we could point to as being signs of the times in our society today. But I wonder if the one sign that we all need to sit up and take notice of is this. That for all the many reasons we might be able to give for the world being the way it is and all these signs of the times that we might talk about.
The one thing that lies at the root of them all is the fact that we have turned away from God.
And as a consequence, today more than ever, we need to look to Jesus Christ. We need to look to His teaching, to His example – and as best we can incorporate this into our way of life. And in saying this, that’s not to over simplify things or make light of so much that is happening in the world today,
But the reality is this, if we looked to the clear signs that Jesus showed himself to be the son of the living God…If we looked to the clear signs that point to Him being our Saviour…If we looked to the clear sign that we need His teaching and example so badly in the world today…
And if we followed those signs, if we allowed them to guide us through our lives and dictate how we should live. Then who knows what might be possible…
Amen…..
‘…just speak the word and my servant will be cured…’ (Luke 7:7)
The faith shown by the Roman Centurion in this passage is one of the greatest examples of faith in the New Testament. But how does our faith compare to this?