Thoughts before worship:
Friends in Christ, grace to you and peace.
Welcome to Bethlehem —
like the old children’s song:
"I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we're the church together!
"The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place; the church is a people."
"The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place; the church is a people."
What a strange, eerie, surreal, anxiety-inducing season this is, that the most loving thing we could do is stay away from each other, call regular gatherings of God’s people off, and stay home.
None of us thought last Sunday was our last worship together in body for some time, but here we are, and we’re all feeling our way through this…
But we are not cancelling worship.
Still we worship, still we gather albeit not in the way and under the circumstances we ever wanted — moment to find our bulletin, find a Bible…and a bowl of water.
Offer some reflections on our faith tradition as we begin (and as you search for the bulletin at BLCLife.org)…
Friends, God promises never to leave us — Lo, I am with you always, Jesus says.
Rome: Early Church sneaking around giving, helping and worshiping...maybe this is the new “underground” worship?
Early Christians believed that the world was literally going to end any minute now. Despite that, Paul and countless others urged kindness, humility, gentleness, hard work and trust in God...all in response to God's first loving us! When everyone else was hoarding and obsessed with defending only themselves, Christians were sneaking around sharing bread and caring for the sick.
In Martin Luther's 16th century "Treatise on The Plague," he wrote about taking care of both our neighbors and ourselves. He allegedly proclaimed: "Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I'd still plant my apple tree today." That's a resurrection statement. What's our "resurrection statement" even in these Lenten days?
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples to be "wise as serpents" (10:16). Read, study, pray, work and strive for wisdom. Or in the words of the prophet Micah: "Do justice, love mercy and walk shrewdly with our God" (6:8). Taking precaution and doing self-care is faithful too.
Jesus also talked about caring for "the least of these" (Matthew 25:30). Those on the margins will be affected the most.
Finally, the Bible says 67 times, "Do not be afraid." Even amid terror and violence, even amid disease, persecution and despair. We faithfully embrace this strong word again.
Let’s begin. Using the same service. But perhaps the ancient words hit us differently, given our current situation.
Prayers of Intercession, were adapted from our friends at Faith Lutheran in Arlington and from the ELCA website.
Sermon:
“Come and see the One who knows everything about me...and loves me anyway.”
Last week, we heard from John’s Gospel of the conversation with a man under the cover of deep darkness, and of the grace that those moments can offer. Today, we hear of a conversation with Jesus at the polar opposite time of day: at noon. The sun is the highest and the hottest. The light is the greatest.
Last week, Jesus met a man at the center of power, at the center of temple life in the ancient Jewish world, a Pharisee, a man with a name: Nicodemus...and by night. Today, Jesus meets a woman on the edge, on the fringe, a Samaritan, who doesn’t even worship at the temple in Jerusalem. And her name is not even mentioned...and this is by day.
It’s a wonderful and very stark contrast from last week’s Gospel to this week’s. Christ is in both places...and all places. And always “staying” (abiding)!
Honesty is a powerful theme in these Chapters 3 & 4 of John. Jesus’ conversation today with the Samaritan woman draws us right into this theme and others: honesty, changing of ways, even beliefs, place of worship, letting go and moving out...
--
The woman at the well has, for years, been assumed to be a prostitute or a harlot, even as we have no concrete evidence that this is the case. Some have assumed that since she has had 5 husbands, that it must be her fault and she gets around. But in recent years, many scholars and theologians have wondered and asserted differently. Maybe she’s lost 5 husbands, to disease or war. Or, in that day in age, a man could permissibly divorce and literally throw his wife out for just about any reason...often for not bearing children.
And being cast out, especially again and again, made a woman ritually unclean to the whole community. One scholar was even so bold as to state: “Jesus is not slut-shaming this woman, so let’s not ever understand this passage in that way again. She doesn’t disgust us; she inspires us with her witness in bringing her whole community out to meet this Jesus.”
...but it starts with her being an outcast. That’s why she’s at the well by herself, at the least favorable time of day. If we had to draw water from wells in the Middle East, we’d probably all want to go in the morning or the evening when it was cooler. She’s been cast out of the comfortable times and circles of people. She’s been relegated to noon-time.
And this woman was hurting. No question. She could have been grieving, she could have been physically battered and bruised. And even if promiscuity or a certain sexual recklessness was part of her story — which many of us can relate to today, that is, being careless and hurtful to our own bodies and others) — even if it was that, well, she no doubt had a painful story. And she no doubt was living afraid.
She was “at the edge”. A nameless woman, a Samaritan, and divorced and chewed up -- the imagery of “other” couldn’t be more blunt for the first hearers of John’s Gospel. It always helps, when we’re talking about Samaritans, to think of who your Samaritan is today...in other words who makes your blood boil -- who is it that you can’t stomach…
it’s always helpful when we talk about Samaritans to draw our own lines, honestly (and deeply personally), and remember that Jesus is always there on the other side too, on the other side of the divisions that we make among ourselves...talking with the 5x-divorced, Samaritan woman.
--
And the site of this extra-ordinary meeting is this ancient well, Jacob’s well, a place still supplying water, just as it did centuries ago for Jacob and his flocks! Since the 4th century this has been one of the KEY baptismal texts for Christians. Many baptismal fonts in Europe and the Middle East, Northern Africa (and in some of our churches too) are designed to resemble a well. There is still water coming from the well: this is the place where Jesus meets us. There is still water coming from the well.
Jesus reaches out to this woman—and to all who are on the outside and hurting, all whose histories are messy and painful—and Christ offers healing, peace, truth and love.
“Come and see the One who knows everything about me...and loves me anyway!” she proclaims.
Just as there is grace in the darkness—as we were reminded last week—there is incredible grace and hope in bringing things to light...in bringing our stuff out into the open before Christ.
It starts in the dark, down deep in the soil, as the Spirit nudges us and stirs us, to be honest, and what a catharsis when it comes out. Growth happens. A new chapter begins — letting go of the past, moving outward into God’s future. Out of the deep, peaceful darkness (Nicodemus) certain things come to light (the woman at the well). Ah, the Gospel of John is rich!
Every Sunday (Luther even encourages daily) we offer our confession, splashed by the well waters of eternal life, and receive God’s mercy. It’s like “we’ve had 5 husbands.” We confess not just our sin but also our pain and sorrow: “Lord, we are grieving and hurting and scared and anxious; call us back to you. We’ve had 5 husbands.
Forgive us for what we’ve done wrong — for the things for which we must take responsibility. Comfort us in our pain and sorrow and fear — in the things over which we have no control. Draw us to you, as you point us back out (not inward) to be your people to the strange and the strangers.”
--
And, I’ve just gotta point out and love the scene of Jesus talking with a person who is so vastly different. (My Grandpa Hanske’s like this — he loves just chatting with strangers, and he’s genuinely interested.) Jesus meets and talks in the midst of difference... consider as you’re interacting online this week.
--
Finally, final movement of the story: this woman goes back to her community from whom she’s estranged, and in a twist, actually leads them out! She goes and opens their eyes to see in a new way.
Our call here, our vocation, is to be like this woman at the well. We meet Jesus in worship, in this unlikely place, in this unimaginable situation, at this water well, and then we go and call others, “Come and see the One who knows everything about me...and loves me anyway!”
There is still water coming from the well. Forgiveness, new life, hope for a broken world. Living water gushes and cleanses us now and nourishes us for faithfulness in the days ahead. Jesus meets us and sees us plainly again this day, all our faults and blemishes, all our pains and sorrows, clear in the light of this day...and loves us anyway.
Now that’s worth re-posting, that’s worth sharing! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayers of intercession:
As we gather together and separately in our homes, let us pray for the church, the earth, the world, and all in need, responding to each petition with the words “Your mercy is great.”
Gathered in the mystery of our baptism, O God, we pray
for Christians around the globe keeping Lent
for Christians who must stop holding on-site services,
for all church-sponsored hospitals and clinics
for our congregation
...
Hear us, faithful God:
Your mercy is great
.
Facing global climate change, we pray
for animals and plants with threatened habitats
for waters that are polluted
for areas that suffer from climate-based drought
...
Hear us, creator God:
Your mercy is great.
Facing violence throughout the world, we pray
for the United Nations and all efforts toward world peace
for all who serve in their nation’s armed forces
for the people of Venezuela,
Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen
for those maimed by war and terrorism
for displaced families and all refugees
for traumatized children
...
Hear us, sovereign God:
Your mercy is great.
Facing the coronavirus, we pray
for the thousands who have contracted the virus
for those who anxiously await test results
for all who are quarantined or stranded away from home
for those who have lost their employment
for those who are fearful
for children who have no school
for health professionals
who tirelessly work to care for others
for medical researchers
for the CDC and World Health Organization
for adequate and wise governmental policies
...
Hear us, benevolent God:
Your mercy is great.
Remembering all the sick, we pray
for all who today will die
for those who are hospitalized
for those who have no access to medical care
for those whom we remember before you now:
Hear us, compassionate God:
Your mercy is great.
God of living water, mend the hearts of those who grieve broken relationships, whether by conflict, abuse, divorce, or death. Draw near to all who are afraid. Assure those questioning your presence in the midst of doubt or suffering.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of living water, renew us in the promises of baptism. Join us together in worship, fellowship, and sharing your good news. Embolden us—even now—to serve others and to work for justice and peace.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of living water, we thank you for those who endured suffering and who now boast in your eternal glory.
We offer our thanks for the lives of those who have died. As they abide in your everlasting arms, may your comfort and peace be upon all who grieve. Pour your Holy Spirit into our hearts and give us peace as we live in the hope of our salvation.
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
We offer the prayers of our hearts to you (and feel free to post prayer requests):
Hear us, loving God:
Your mercy is great.
Into your hands, God of loving might, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment