The gifts that Jesus gives are unlike anything else we will ever receive – like a well that will never run dry – and a life that is abundant and satisfying. In a world that challenges us every day, where do we get this living water?
In these weeks of Lent we will be reflecting on some of the different dimensions of the person and the work of Jesus. This morning focusing on the “living water” that Jesus speaks about with the Samaritan woman at the well.
Let’s listen to those words again: Jesus said to the woman, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
Now, on the one hand, I get it – the gifts that Jesus gives are unlike anything else we will ever receive – like a well that will never run dry – and a life that is abundant and satisfying.
And yet, as I was thinking about this “living water” that Jesus offers, a movie scene kept popping into my head. This scene is from the 1991 movie City Slickers – Billy Crystal and a couple of his friends escape their uptight, city lives for a dude ranch experience, moving a herd of cattle with a real cowboy played by Jack Palance.
What’s the one thing? That’s what you’ve got to figure out.
I think this is where I’m at this week – trying to figure out the one thing.
In a week when our country has experienced yet another gut-wrenching school shooting – with 17 lives tragically and suddenly ended – what is the one thing?
When young voices cry out in pain, cry out for change, cry out for help to feel safe, to change the culture, to not live in fear – what is the one thing?
I listened to an interview this week with the Stoneman Douglas High School Head Football Coach Willis Mays, perhaps you heard it too. Coach Mays was meeting with several players and some college recruiters in his office when he heard the code red call come over his walkie talkie.
Coach Mays locked the players and recruiters in his office and went to help his two friends and colleagues with the yet unknown situation. He never made it to them – Athletic Director Chris Hixon and Assistant Football Coach Aaron Feis did not survive.
NPR’s Mary Louis Kelly was the one conducting the interview, she suggested that with their response that day, that his colleagues were heroes. Coach Mays responded by saying, yes ma’am, but the truth is, they were heroes every day – they took care of the kids every day, they supported and loved their community every day.
The coaches’ comments really moved me and struck a chord. And I think it has something to do with the “One Thing”.
In thinking about Jesus’ words about living water, my mind goes to baptism, especially this morning as we baptize Lillie Ann. In baptism we are named and claimed by God for life – that is to say that we are named and claimed to be who God created us to be – to become as our baptism liturgy suggests: “children of God…disciples of Christ…a servant people…the communion of saints…proclaimers of God’s wonderful deeds”.
It may well be that “The One Thing” is finding that thing that we care about – that keeps us up at night – that matters to us – to be who God created us to be.
And in relationship to responding to a world where violence and fear feel so prevalent and close – aside from being more active, aware and engaged in the electoral process – we can listen to one another – we can listen to the young people in our lives – listen to their fears and anxieties, to their hopes and dreams – we can support and care for them – for their parents and families.
In fact, this is what we promise as a congregation, as a community of faith when we baptize – a promise that lasts throughout their lives:
We pledge our support and offer our love, our resources, and our faith so that the one who is baptized may grow and learn in the community of the church.
This is what we do – and when we do what we do, be prepared for the living water to flow.
A number of years ago, Will Willimon, Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, got a call from a VERY upset parent. “I hold you personally responsible for this,” the parent said.
“Me?” Will asked.
The father was hot, upset because his graduate school bound daughter had just informed him that she was going to chuck it all and go do mission work with the Lutherans in Haiti. “Isn’t that absurd!” shouted the father. “A BS degree in mechanical engineering from Duke and she’s going to dig ditches in Haiti.”
Will responded, “Well, I doubt that she’s received much training in the Engineering Department for that kind of work, but she’s probably a fast learner and will probably get the hang of ditch-digging in a few months.”
“Look,” said the father, “this is no laughing matter. You are completely irresponsible to have encouraged her to do this.
As the conversation went on, Dr. Willimon pointed out that the well-meaning but obviously unprepared parents were the ones who had started this ball rolling. THEY were the ones who had her baptized, read Bible stories to her, took her to Sunday School, let her go on mission trips and to youth gatherings. Will said, “You’re the one who introduced her to Jesus, not me.” The father replied meekly, “But all we ever wanted her to be was a Lutheran.” (adapted from David E. Leininger, Collected Sermons, Adapted from William Willimon, Pulpit Resources, September 10, 1995, p. 45.)
The search for the “One Thing” – the search for meaning and purpose and passion can be life-long. And as followers of Jesus, we trust in the promise of God’s presence on that search – we trust in the gift of living water from Jesus to sustain and refresh us, especially in the challenging days and weeks of our lives. Days and weeks where hope and possibility seem far away.
In closing this morning, a quick story about hope and possibility – A man was driving home from work one day, saw a little league baseball game in progress and decided to stop and watch. As he sat down in the bleachers, he asked a kid through the chain-link fence what the score was. “We’re behind 14 to nothing,” he answered with a smile.
“Really,” he responded. “I have to say you don’t look very discouraged.”
“Discouraged?” the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. “Why should we be discouraged? We haven’t even been up to bat yet.” (Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com)
Let us pray…Amen.
Rev. John Berg
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Northbrook, IL