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The Harvest Was Ready
In our sermon a few weeks ago, we examined the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4:1-42). The key point: Jesus offers living water to thirsty souls, and worship is the cup. As I’ve thought about this story in the weeks since, three points have come to mind.
First, Jesus allowed the woman at the well to be her authentic self without shame. Commentators often point out that people did not draw water in the middle of the day. They visited the local well in the morning. That way, they could start the day with enough water for cooking, washing, and other chores. That this woman was drawing water at midday reveals something about her. Her fellow villagers had likely ostracized her. She had been married five times, after all. But Jesus did not see the Woman at the Well as beneath him. In the same way, our worship assembly should be a place where those who have been wounded and rejected by the world can come without shame into God’s presence.
Second, when people find living water, they want to share it. The Woman at the Well went and told her village about Jesus. This led many Samaritans to become believers. Today, the best evangelists are often those who are new to faith themselves. They’ve found living water, and they want to share it with their non-Christian friends and family.
Third, the harvest was ready, but not where the disciples might have expected. Indeed, they balked at the idea that Jesus would even talk to a Samaritan. Jesus admonishes them, “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” Who are our Samaritans? Who in our community needs living water? Who in our community might be surprised to find themselves welcome in our church?
In His Service,
Pastor Corey
FCC, Hot Springs, AR
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