HEAVEN CAME DOWN AND GLORY FILLED MY SOUL
(JOHN 4:1-42)
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Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. On the same day the Indy 500, also known as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, one of the oldest and three most prestigious motorsports events in the world, was staged with approximately 300,000 in attendance and $2.5 million awarded to the winner. Last week (May 29, 2017) the surprise winner was 40-year old Japanese driver Takuma Sato, the first Asian in the sport’s storied history. He'd never finished inside the top 10 in the storied race during his seven previous starts
Sato’s victory was cheered as history-making except by sportswriter Terry Frei who had spent 30 years with the Denver Post and was four times Colorado sportswriter of the year. Frei’s father, whose fought against the Japanese in the second world war, tweeted: “Nothing specifically personal, but I am very uncomfortable with a Japanese driver winning the Indianapolis 500 during Memorial Day weekend." In turn on Monday, the Post's president and CEO Mac Tully and editor Lee Ann Colacioppo published a short statement : “We apologize for the disrespectful and unacceptable tweet sent out by one of our reporters. Terry Frei is no longer an employee of the Denver Post. It’s our policy not to comment on personnel issues. The tweet doesn't represent what we believe nor what we stand for. We hope you will accept our profound apologies."
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/05/terry-frei-tweet-indy-500-takuma-sato-denver-post
A Sunday school teacher asked her little children, as they were on the way to church service, “And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?” One bright little girl replied, “Because people are sleeping.”
To the Salt Sea in the north and Dead Sea in the south in Jesus’ time flows the River Jordan, in which the western portion of the river was Israel that was divided into Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Most Jewish travelers from the south or north would be more than willing to bypass the despised and discriminated Samaritans, preferring to cross the River Jordan to head east before returning west. The Samaritans were distanced and disregarded because they were children of foreign invaders who married the local women (2 Kings 17:24) after the fall and exile of the northern kingdom. Jesus not only did not pass by Samaria, he sat down by a well where people had to get ??water. Weary is a rare translation that other translations have as “toil” (Matt 6:28) or “labor” (Matt 11:28). It need not imply he was physically tired, although rest and recuperation were welcomed at noon, one of the hottest time of the day. His visit was intentional, initiated and insistent. Sitting (v 6) by the well was as good as making onself at home. Jesus could have chosen a better place with shade or chosen a different time.
Who does God accept? How does God want us to worship Him? Why is worship more than just a day in the week? Person, past and place?
Be Delighted – Your Wants are Delivered (John 4:7-15)
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (John 4:9-15)
An American chaplain in the Civil War asked a wounded soldier, “Would you like me to read you something from the Bible?” The soldier said, “I’m so thirsty, I’d rather have a drink of water.”
After he had drunk it the man said, “Could you put something under my head?” The chaplain took off his overcoat, rolled it up, and placed it under the man’s head as a pillow.
“Now,” said the soldier, “if I had something over me. I’m so cold.” The chaplain took off his jacket and covered the man. Then the wounded man said,
“For God’s sake, man, if there’s anything in that Book that makes a man do for another what you’ve done for me, let me hear it!”
The purpose of the woman at the well was one only: to draw water (v 7), but Jesus startled her with the imperative mood: “GIVE” me to drink, of whch “drink” is repeated an astonishing six times in the text (vv 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14), but still short of the more powerful verb “give” that occurs eight times (vv 5, 7, 10 2x, 12, 14 2x, 15). Why? Because God’s gift of salvation is freely given to those who ask, accept and acnowledge Him.
The Giver of Life, the Messiah, who is called Christ: (v 25), the Great I Am (v 26) and Christ, the Saviour of the world (v 42) had made contact with a woman, a stranger and a foreigner, of all people, a Samaritan, prompting and prodding her to express her thoughts, explain her reasons and exchange her views. That is why the true seeker in the Bible in Jesus, who came to find lost souls, not the other way around.
The Samaritan woman was more than intrigued with the Jewish Jesus’ willingness to approach her for a drink because the two groups did not associate with each other. It is as uncommon as the verb “associate” (v 9 sugchraomai = sum + hand). How uncommon? It appears only one time in the Bible.
Like the verb “give,” the noun “water” is repeated eight times in the passage (vv 7, 10, 11, 13, 14 3x, 15). This water has three characteristics: (1) it is living (vv 10) – an adjective to describe the drink, expressing quality; (2) the drinker shall never thirst again (v 14) – a verb to describe the drinker; and (3) it will be a “well” – a noun - of water “welling” (v 14) into eternity or eternal life, with the welling translated as springing and leaping (Acts 3:8, 14:10). There is more mention of the word “eternal” (17x in John) than the other three gospels combined (14x). In short the water is living, quenching and eternal.
The first round ended in reverse. Previously Jesus requested the woman, “GIVE” me to drink (v 7). Now the woman pleaded in the imperative mood, “Sir, GIVE me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water” (v 15), but she added a “hina subjunctive (in order to)” with a two-fold purpose - that I not (me) “thirst” (subjunctive verb in Greek) or “come” to draw water. Jesus got her to admit her needs. She admitted and acknowledged how tired and troublesome, tyrannical and tough life was and how needy and helpless she was.
Be Deepened – Your Worth is Defined (John 4:16-19)
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:16-18)
Many critical Christians are like that Persian youth who was very meticulous about his religious duties. He would rise up in the middle of the night to watch, Pray, and read the Koran. One night as he was engaged in these exercises his father, a man of practical virtue, awoke while his son was reading. “Behold,” the religious youth said to his father, “thy other children are lost in irreligious slumber, while I alone wake to praise God.” “Son of my soul,” the wise father answered, “it is better to sleep than to awake to notice the faults of thy brothers!” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths # 419)
The Samaritan woman faced rejection all the time. First, she was rejected for her race as a Samaritan, so she had trouble understanding why the Jewish Jesus would associate with her (v 9). Second, she was rejected for her role as a woman. Third, she was rejected for her reputation as a woman. Jesus gave her three commands, “GO, CALL your husband and COME back.” The woman rightly protested, “I have no husband.” Jesus, however, clarified, “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” (vv 17-18). She was a messed-up woman with five husbands previously and an affair presently. Drawing water in the sizzlig sun was an extreme, an escape and an embarassment Noon is when you have the most direct sunlight overhead, the most intense solar radiation, even though the hottest time of the day is later in the afternoon.
Here was a man who could see right through her, who could X-ray and CT scan her, knowing that men, marriage and morality were not her contentment, confidence, consolation, choice or concern in life. Jesus moved from physical or outer (water to drink), to emotional or inner (husband to share).
Be Devoted – Your Worship is Demanded (John 4:20-26)
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. (John 4:19-30)
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42)
Here is my history of my experience with worship trends and practices:
1. 1977 – youth fellowship has guitars, later drums, but not main church, while neighbor church has no musical instruments.
2. late 1970s – rise of charismatics, with suspicion of hand- raising.
3. USA semianry days – many churches I go to sing contemporary songs.
4. USA second church – first, third and fifth week hymn singing; second and fourth week praise team, one adult and one youth.
4. I took one D.Min. course where the hymnal-favoring lecturer and the contemporary-style students were so upset at each other in class that the teacher wrote a letter to apologize. This was when the worship wars were at it sheight and in full battle array.
5. One church in HK sang a response song for every sermon point – poorly, though.
6. Our megachurch supposedly leads with praise team only in worship services, implying no solo leader, according to a praise leader. Other trends suggested including young adults sing 30 minutes, and adult services changes incude not allowing parishoners to take the bread and cup by themselves, moving the offering to after the sermon and more responsive readings.
Who V 20, The Father – His relationship with us. (Later: His relationship with Israel (Chist, v 25) and the world (Saviour of the World, v 42)
Not patriot, patron or politician
What V 20, Worship
Where V 20, Neither this mount (Gerizim), nor in Jerusalem
When V 23, now is
How V 23, 24 in spirit and in truth
Why V 23, for the Father seeketh such to worship him
Regardless of person, place Jesus, in this instance, preferred to use “the Father” in contrast to the woman’s use of “our father(s) (vv 12, 20). God does not distinguish from Jew or Samarita, man or woman, saint or sinner. He is the Father (v 20, relationship with his children or us), the Messiah (v 25, relationship with the Jews) and Savior of the world (v 42, relationship with the world).
What is worship, which occurs a record-breaking nine times in the chapter (vv 20 2x, 21, 22 2x, 23 2x, 24 2x)? The frst person or record of worship is the magi’s purpose to worship infant Jesus (Matt 2:2). In English the word “worship” refers to a person’s praiseworthiness, person, perfection, power and provision. In Greek and Hebrew it is a verb, and not a noun, to prostrate oneself (OT) and pay homage (NT), so worship is a devotion and not a discussion, an action and not an argument, a relationship and not about rituals. True worship is not restricted to people, place or personality. It must be stripped of pride, pretension and promotion. It s also not about the music, the melody or the mixer. It is God’s revelation - His walk with us and His work in us. His walk with us means He demands to reside and reign in your life. His work in us means He requires from us a response, a role and a responsibility – to Him, the world or others. For some it is reconciliation or reparation, for others it is redemption or restoration, and for most it is reflection or rexamination. Spirt and truth is subjective and objective.
When? Now is means any time and all the time, today and not tomorrow, every day and not not just Sundays, with or or without a pastor, praise team or musical instruments.
Where? Not in mount (Gerizim) or Jerusalem. Jerusalem was burnt and ransacked later. It can be in a church, a home, or where two or three are gathered in My name (Matt 18:20).
How? In spirit and truth.
Spirit Truth
Faith Facts
Conviction Comprehension
Song Sermon
Spontaneous Scripture
Spirit means attitude over ability, more heart than head, and motivation rather than methodology. In truth means holiness, humilty, and honesty over hypocrisy, haughtinesss and hurriedness.
Why? Seek (v 23) means desire (Matt 12:46), require (Luke 12:48), inquire (Acts 9:11) and endeavor (Acts 16:10).
God gods
God finds man Man finds religion
Personal Impersonal
Active Abstract
Relationship value
Attributes Universal
Conclusion: Praise the Lord, theLord nor his gospel does not differentiate between people, their past or their previous practices. Worship is for everyone and not just the praise team, seven days and not just one day in the week, and not just one time but all the time. Are you a worshipper or churchgoer? Are you here out of routine, religion or reverence? Do you come to church or come to worship? Is your worship out of love or labor? Do you arrive late and leave early? Is your worship driven by feelings or by faith? Do you watch or withdraw, or do you worship and witness partaker? Do you “enter to worship, depart to serve”? Are you a praying, praising and practising worshipper – holy, godly, and faithful - one day or seven days in a week? Are you a CEO believer? Do you rejoice or resent when you offer? Do you hear and heed God’s word?
