Sidney UMC - 5th Sunday in Lent - 03/29/20 - Sermon - “New Life: Literally!” ("The New Life of Easter" - Series - Part 2 of 4)

Sunday 03/29/20 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:            “New Life: Literally!”

                    (“The New Life of Easter” Series: Part 2 of 4)

Old Testament Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

                                           

New Testament Scripture: Romans 8:6-11

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 11:1-45

          My friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome once again on this our Fifth Sunday in this the holy season of Lent. These 40-days, where we are called to give up, to give away, to sacrifice, to pray, to fast, to love each other, and to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

          I as said last Sunday, quoting someone else, I have never given up this much for Lent before. Many of us have given up things to observe this holy season of Lent this year and in previous years, yet I have never given up this much. This year during this season of Lent we are not able to do many of the things that we normally do. Whether we like it or not then, our Lenten disciplines and experiences, have now been broadened. We are forced to give up more, for a little anyway. We’re not completely choosing what we give up or give away, as some of these decisions have been for us. I never thought that I would have give up this much for Lent.

          With this said, some of us might be working from home right now, some of us might be quarantined at home right now, we can’t go to eat at a table in restaurant, and we are asked to have no unneeded travel. The summer Olympics in Japan has been postponed, and many things have been canceled. So, on and so forth. Talk about giving up a lot for Lent! Many of us find ourselves in this sort of “Limbo,” where we are stuck and waiting for this Coronavirus to run its course. Yet this too shall come to pass, and when it does, we will be stronger, more united, and have deeper faith because of it!

          Last Sunday, I began a new sermon series, called “The New Life of Easter” sermon series. In the first part of this sermon series from last week, I talked about how Jesus is, “The Light of the World.” In our gospel lesson from last week, Jesus said in John 9:5:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9:5, NRSV).

          Through the darkness and the struggles that we are facing with this Global Coronavirus Pandemic and in general, Jesus is “The Light of the World.” This light that is in us through Jesus Christ, is light that we can share freely with each other. We can’t share it physically face to face right now, but we can call, we can send letters, we can text, we can video chat, and in many other ways we can still share the light and the love of Jesus Christ. We are not powerless right now. We are indeed still the church right now, but for the time being we must function differently. Make no mistake though, we are still functioning!

          This morning is my second instalment of this “The New Life of Easter” sermon series, my sermon for this morning is called “New Life: Literally!” This morning in our very lengthy Gospel of John reading, we once again have the miracle of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead (Jn. 11:1-45, NRSV). Meaning, that Lazarus was dead, entombed, and Jesus physically brought him back to life.

          Our scripture readings for this morning, as they always do, are thematically interconnected. Today these thematic interconnections center around death and new life. So, there is death, despair, fear, brokenness, and then there is hope, love, newness, and new life. Jesus is not only “the light of the world,” but Jesus came to give us new life, and give us this new life abundantly.

          Before jumping into the gospel of John lesson more central this morning however, I want to talk briefly about our scriptures from Ezekiel and Romans for this morning.

In Ezekiel we hear about dry and dead bones, being made flesh and alive. Aren’t we going through nationally, and worldwide a valley of dry bones right now? Some feel anxious, worried, troubled, and have little hope, but friends, Jesus came to give us new life and give it abundantly.

          In looking more closely at our scripture reading from the Book of Ezekiel for this morning it says:

“The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord” (Ez. 37:1-6, NRSV).

          This reality of dry bones, of death, and of no life, might be striking a chord within us right now during this Global Coronavirus Pandemic. Ezekiel once again is asked by God to prophesy, and he was a prophet. God asks Ezekiel to prophesy that the dry bones and death in this valley, would become new life. Ezekiel the does prophesy, and as he does, the dead bones assembled, and sinews and flesh covered them (Ez. 37:7-8, NRSV). Ezekiel then prophesied that these newly assemble bodies would have breath and life, and then they did (Ez. 37:9-10, NRSV).

          God then tells Ezekiel that these bones that have just assembled and were made alive again, was all of Israel (Ez. 37:11-12, NRSV). God then tells Ezekiel that he will raise the dead from there graves, give them new life, and that God’s Spirit would be in them.

          This beautiful scripture for this morning from the Old Testament Prophet Ezekiel is maybe not, as I said, all that different from how some people, or maybe you are feeling during this Coronavirus Pandemic. For some us, we might feel like we in are in that valley of lifeless dried bones right now. Maybe we are quarantined, our lives have been disrupted, trips have been canceled, and so on and so forth. Yet, this will end, and we will have “New Life: Literally!” New life, in that what we are experiencing right now, is temporary, and at some point, soon when this threat of the Coronavirus ends, we will all gather here for worship, and what a day that will be!

           In our reading once again for this morning, we have the same thematic distinction of death and new life, of despair struggle and hope. Once again, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:6-11 this:

“To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you (Rom. 8:6-11, NRSV).

          The example of life and death, despair and hope that the Apostle Paul gives here, is comparing our flesh and our souls. If we are focused on our flesh and our sin, we will turn from God, but if we seek him, we will find life and peace.

          Through this time of this Global Coronavirus Pandemic, some of us have worries about our flesh, our bodies. We have taken multiple precautions and are being safe. We are praying for each other, but I hope dear friends, that we are not questioning God’s love, nor our salvation through Jesus Christ. Our worries in this situation have hopefully only been around our flesh, not our faith. God is with us, let us continue to be safe, and Lord willing we will arrive at the end of this together. Let us be safe, make good choices, but let us also seek the hope of Jesus Christ through this pandemic.

          This scriptural theme of death and lifelessness to life and hope, from despair and sorrow, to joy and peace, leads me this morning to our Gospel of John reading. Again, this is the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. It’s a long scripture, so once again, let’s dive right in!

          This is once again how our Gospel of John reading begins for this morning, as it says:

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (Jn. 11:1-6, NRSV).

          So, Lazarus is gravely ill, and Jesus gets a message to this effect from Mary and Martha. Yet, instead of going to heal Lazarus immediately, Jesus stays where he is for another two days. I wonder how many more says it will take until this Global Coronavirus Pandemic is over? I mean we’re worried now, and some are sick now. Why can’t this Global Coronavirus Pandemic just end now?

          Jesus then heads to Judea after these two additional days, even though his disciples encourage him for his safety not to go there (Jn. 11:7-10, NRSV). Jesus then tells his disciples that their friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, and that they were going to wake him up. Jesus however, meant Lazarus had died, and then he told his disciples this (Jn. 11:11-14, NRSV). Jesus allows Lazarus to die, so that in raising him to new life, that we will believe in Jesus. Today Jesus offers us “New Life: Literally!”

          When Jesus arrives in Bethany, near Jerusalem, Lazarus had been dead for four days at this point (Jn. 11:17, NRSV). Mary and Martha are very upset about the death of there brother Lazarus, as many came to console them (Jn. 11:18-19, NRSV). Martha then heard that Jesus was near, and she went to him, as Mary stayed at home (Jn. 11:20, NRSV). Martha tells Jesus that if he had been there, then Lazarus would not have died, and then Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus will be alive again (Jn. 11:21-23, NRSV). Martha thinks that Jesus is referring to the resurrection of the dead in end days, and Jesus explains that through him all have can new life (Jn. 11:24-27, NRSV).

        At this point, Martha goes to get her sister Mary, and Mary comes to see Jesus (Jn. 11:28-31, NRSV). Some people followed Mary thinking that she was going to weep at Lazarus’ tomb. Instead, Mary arrives to Jesus, she falls at his feet weeping. Mary told Jesus that he had been there, then Lazarus would not have died. Moved by Mary’s emotion, Jesus ask’s Mary where Lazarus tomb is, so that he might go to it.

          We then have the shortest, or one of the shortest verses in scripture, which is John 11:35. This verse is:

“Jesus began to weep” (Jn. 11:35, NRSV).

          In John 11:35 in the New Revised Standard Version of the bible ,John 11:35 is four words, but in some bible translations, this verse is simply “Jesus wept.”

          Jesus our Lord and our savior was crying since Mary and others were so upset over Lazarus. In fact, the onlookers commented on how much Jesus loved Lazarus, and they wondered why Jesus didn’t heal Lazarus (Jn. 11:36-37, NRSV).

          Jesus then gets to Lazarus’ tomb, and tells the people to remove the stone from Lazarus’ tomb (Jn. 11:38-39, NRSV). Martha warns Jesus that it will smell bad as Lazarus has been dead for four days, Jesus insists, and the stone is moved (Jn. 11:38-40, NRSV).

          Jesus then prays to the Heavenly Father that he might raise Lazarus from the dead, so that all may believe that he is truly the Son of God (Jn. 11:41-42, NRSV). After this prayer, Jesus shouts for Lazarus to come out the tomb, and Lazarus physically gets up and walks out of the tomb. Jesus then tells the on lookers to remove Lazarus’s burial cloths and other bindings, and to let him go (Jn. 11:43-44, NRSV).

          This very lengthy gospel of John reading then ends with 11:45, that says:

^“Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him” (Jn. 11:45, NRSV).

          The Gospel of John then continues beyond this morning, to say that some people then conspired to kill Jesus. The people were flocking to Jesus, he spoke truth, he performed miracles, and as a result, some saw him as a grave threat to their own power and authority.

          I don’t think that it is a coincidence that we have this gospel of John reading for this morning, on the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Further, the resurrection and the healing of Lazarus did not come when it was desired or even expected. Yet Jesus offered Lazarus and us “New Life: Literally!” In a similar way, we do not know when this Global Coronavirus Pandemic will end, but we know it will. Even though it might not seem like it now, and even though Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to come and heal Lazarus earlier, Jesus arrived. The end of this Global Coronavirus Pandemic is coming, and when it does, we will have a joyous service of worship physically together!

Until that day, and until we are allowed to physically gather for church once again, and as soon I know this, you will know this, I ask this friends, stay safe, make good choices, continue to boldly love each other, and know that I and the church remain here for you. Friends, this will end eventually, and when it does may rejoice that we have “New Life: Literally!” Amen.

Sidney UMC - UMCOR Sunday/4th Sunday in Lent - 03/22/2020 - Sermon - “The Light of the world” ("The New Life of Easter" - Series - Part 1 of 4)

Sunday 03/22/20 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:            “The Light of the World”

                    (“The New Life of Easter” Series: Part 1 of 4)

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 23

                                           

New Testament Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 9:1-41

          Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome once again to our Sunday March 22^nd 10:15 am worship service here at the Sidney UMC. We once again have just a few people here to run this worship service. Again, we are recording this service, as to give us all the feeling that we are in church together physically.

          We are still in this season of Holy Lent, which is the season where we spend 40-days walking with Christ together. This 40-day season models Jesus’ temptation and fasting in the wilderness, and we are invited to give up, give away, share, love, sacrifice, and grow closer to Christ through this time leading to the empty tomb on Easter morning. This morning, once again is the Fourth Sunday in this season of Lent.

          So, I saw a face book post about a week ago that really put Lent 2020 into great perspective for me. Given everything that we are all going through right now, this person, who I think is a pastor, posted “I didn’t think that I would have to give up this much for Lent.” If we think about this for a minute, due to our current Coronavirus Pandemic, we have all given up so much. Our lives right now are changed, and probably living through this Coronavirus Pandemic will change us all forever. Jesus was tempted and fasted in the wilderness for 40-days and 40-nights. Given what is going on right now in our country and in the world, is sort of scandalizes us giving up chocolate or Facebook, doesn’t it?

          To be brutally honest, this is the first Lent that I have given up this much. I have always given up or given away a lot, but this Lent for Melissa and me, is truly one of great sacrifice. I have never given up this much for a season of Lent before. Maybe you have, but I haven’t. It does really bring home for me though the importance of Lent, and why we need to stay focused on Jesus Christ. Sacrificing and having less, can remind who is truly in control in our lives.

          This Sunday is also UMCOR Sunday, or United Methodist Committee on Relief Sunday. UMCOR is the relief organization for the entire United Methodist Church, and when disasters occur, UMCOR responds with help and resources. If we were all here physically this morning, we would have a giving envelope in our church bulletins. We can still give on www.UMCgiving.org/giveUMCOR however. I can imagine with this Global Coronavirus Pandemic that there will be no shortage of opportunities to give in varies ways. Friends don’t underestimate what God can use you to do right now. God is and will continue to use us to do amazing things.

          With this said, I am beginning a new sermon series this morning, called “The New Life of Easter” sermon series. The first part of this series for this morning is called, “The Light of the World.” In our gospel lesson for this morning from John 9:5, Jesus says:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9:5, NRSV).

          In a world with so much darkness, and in a world that right now is covered with the darkness of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic, Jesus is the light of the world.

          Our scripture readings this morning very rightly contrast light and dark, and struggle and hope. In our reading from this morning from Psalm 23, we have a Psalm that I read at virtually every funeral that I do. It is Psalm that reminds us that:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4, NRSV).

          This Psalm is read at many funerals, and virtually all the ones I have officiated, because in this Psalm, the Psalmist reminds us that God is with us through anything. This Psalm reminds that God will be with us forever (Ps. 23:1-6, NRSV). Psalm 23 is a Psalm that is meant to comfort, to draw us to closer God, and to give us hope. I bet that many of us need this more today, than on previous March 22^nd’s.

          In looking at our New Testament reading from the Apostle Paul’s epistle or letter of the Ephesians for this morning, once again, we hear about how before we knew Christ, we walked in darkness. The world is full of darkness, sin, and brokenness, and the Global Coronavirus Epidemic is simply another reality that shows us this.

          In looking once again at our reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians for this morning, he says once again:

“For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, or everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you”                          (Eph. 5:8-14, NRSV).

          In this scripture the Apostle Paul tells the church in Ephesus, or the Ephesians, and us, that the darkness they walked in has vanished, as they are now walking with Christ. Will they still experience darkness, sin, and pain? Sure, they will. Now however, they have the light of Jesus Christ within them. Paul also tells us that the fruit or the product of the light of Christ in is:

“found in all that is good and right and true” (Eph. 5:9a, NRSV).

          In times like this, during this Global Coronavirus Pandemic, will we as God’s people bear the light of Christ, or will we succumb to sin and darkness? Will we do:

“what is pleasing to the Lord” and will we “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph. 5:11, NRSV)?

          I know that I will. If someone right now is hoarding things, or selling products at ridiculous prices to cheat people, I will definitely expose them. Yet, the Apostle Paul reminds us once again, in ending this reading from the Book if Ephesians that:

“but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:13-14, NRSV).

          So, during this time of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic, that there is darkness, worry, and brokenness, let us not forget what Jesus tells us once again in John 9:5:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9:5, NRSV).

          During times like this and always, the Apostle Paul tells us that everything will become in visible in the light of Christ. Now is the time to show the world the light of Christ, which is “The New Life of Easter,” that is coming on Easter morning. Now is the time to call each other, to check in, and to do what we can, even if we are quarantined at home. We can still love, care, reach out, and be there for each other, even if we are not interacting face to face.

          In our very long gospel of John lesson for this morning, not only does Jesus tell us, as my sermon title says, that he is “The Light of the World,” but we also have the story of Jesus healing a blind man. Jesus does this by spitting on some mud, rubbing this into a paste of sorts, and then applying it to this blind man’s eyes. This man was blind from birth, and Jesus disciples assumed that this blind man or his parents had sinned, to cause his blindness. In effect, the sin caused the punishment that was this man’s blindness. The scripture says though:

“Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9:3-5, NRSV).

          Jesus then spits on the mud, covers the man’s eyes in this muddy paste that he has made, and tells the man to go and wash at the:

“pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see” (Jn. 9:7, NRSV).

          Quickly people see this, and see this man regain his sight, and many questioned. Some assumed that this seeing man, was a man that looked like the blind man, as he could now see. People were astonished and perplexed, so the man that was once blind, explained to all the people what Jesus had done for him.

          Some of the people then brought this healed man to the Pharisees, and the formerly blind man told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Some of the Pharisees, however, say of Jesus:

“This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet” (Jn. 9:16-17, NRSV).

          So, there is now debate over who Jesus is, as the blind man can now clearly see. Some of the Jews and Pharisees then get the formerly blind man’s parents and question them. The parents then say of their formerly blind son that he was indeed born blind. The parents then said to their questioners to ask formerly blind man himself, as he can speak for himself, as they were afraid of being ostracized by the faith community that they were part of.

          So, the Pharisees called the formerly blind man back again to question him a second time. The scripture then says of this:

“So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”  He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out” (Jn. 9:24-34, NRSV).

          The man who was formerly blind is now questioned second time, and then is shunned and driven out as the Pharisees are not satisfied with this man’s answers. So that’s nice, Jesus heals this man, he is interrogated twice, his parents once, and then he is kicked out of the synagogue and shunned to boot!

          Jesus then gets wind of this. As a result of this, the scripture ends this morning say:

“Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (Jn. 9:35-41, NRSV).

          Jesus sees the formerly blind man, and the man believes in Jesus and worships him. Jesus is then challenged again by the Pharisees telling them that there is visual eyesight and spiritual eyesight. We can be blind literally, or spiritually blind to our sin and our brokenness.

          During this time of the season of Lent, and during this time of this Global Coronavirus Pandemic may we seek and share light and the healing of Jesus Christ. May we also remember that we can be physically blind or spiritually blind. May we not be blind to each other and the need of others through this time we are going through now. Know that God is control, and that this all to shall come to pass. The church and its leaders are here for you. We’re praying for you, and you are loved. Amen.

Sidney UMC - 3rd Sunday in Lent - 03/15/2020 - Sermon - “A man who told me everything I have ever done!”

Sunday 03/15/20 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “A man who told me everything I had ever done!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 95

                                           

New Testament Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 4:5-42

          Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, welcome once again on this our Third Sunday in this the Holy Season of Lent. In this season of Lent, we are invited to model Jesus’ Forty-Days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness. We are invited to give up, give away, sacrifice, and to draw closer to Jesus Christ. In this Holy Season, if we are giving something up, if we are giving things away, if we are making special sacrifices, tearing down sin strongholds in our lives, or whatever we decide to do to observe in this season of Lent, may it bring us closer to Christ and to each other.

          As we continue in the Season of Lent, we have a very power gospel lesson this morning. One of my favorites. This lesson is from the gospel of John and is once again, what many refer to as the story of the “Woman at the Well”.

          Before getting into this more though, as an example of the woman at the well, I want to talk to you for a minute about Mary. By Mary, I mean Jesus’ mother Mary. In the gospel of Luke 1:26-38, we have the story of the “Annunciation of Mary.” Cutting through this fancy language, this is the story when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would bear the Christ Child. Mary would carry, deliver, and would be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 1:26-38, NRSV).

          Mary doesn’t resist or reject this request from God, delivered through the Angel Gabriel. Perhaps Mary didn’t event think about the realities that would surround her decision, as she just wanted to serve God.

          As many of us know at this point, Mary was engaged or betrothed to man named Joseph, Jesus’ soon to be adoptive father. Most scholars that I have read or have heard, think the Mary was likely a teenager. Mary in fact, may have been as young as fourteen years old, and Joseph was likely much older. Since Joseph was likely financially established, he was in the position to furnish Mary with a home, and the resources for a family.

          In Nazareth, where Mary grew up and lived, the religious and Jewish cultural beliefs were very traditional. Having a child outside marriage was not something that was ok in Nazareth. Mary now found herself pregnant, unmarried, and likely a teenager.

          Now you can think back to your childhood, as to how a young girl in this situation might have been regarded or treated here in Sidney. Imagine about 2,000 years ago, and in a society that stoned people for egregious sins. We don’t know this from the gospel of Luke, but I wonder how Mary was received by her family and the community of Nazareth when she told them that she was pregnant?

          She wasn’t yet married to Joseph and he was devastated, but later would reconsider marrying Mary after having a visit from an angel in a dream. I wonder though, how Mary’s parents reacted to her story that “God did it?” I wonder how the community in Nazareth treated and regarded her after she knew that she was pregnant? Oh, and by the way, after Jesus was born, he was then brought back to Nazareth by Mary and Joseph and raised there. I wonder if people continued to gossip and treat Mary, and maybe even Joseph differently.

          Imagine being ostracized from society, from your church, because the supposed sin that you committed was incredibly higher than everyone else’s sins. We don’t know this for sure, but I can imagine that Mary’s parents, family, and all of Nazareth were not happy to hear Mary’s news of her pregnancy. They probably thought that she was lying to them, and that she had made a bad choice that did end the way she had hoped.

          Imagine if Mary was treated different from then on and imagine what that would feel like. I would like to think that after Jesus was brought home and raised in Nazareth that community would embrace them again, but there are those unspoken parts of the scripture. How was Mary treated? I can imagine not to well.

          So, I am attempting this morning to tie in how Mary, Jesus’ mother may have been treated after announcing that she pregnant and unmarried. If Mary was rejected by her parents, family, and all of Nazareth, I wonder how the woman at the well felt this morning?

          In getting into our gospel of John reading for this morning, let us first look at our readings once again from Psalm 95 and Romans 5:1-11. Once again, in Psalm 95 we hear:

“O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” (Ps. 95:1-2, NRSV).

          This Psalm goes on to say that God is great, that God created everything, is in control of everything, and we should listen to Him and follow Him.

          This morning, the Woman at the well was completely ostracized from her community and the people that she loved. Did she love God? What do you think?

          In our reading from the Apostle Paul’s epistle or letter to the Romans for this morning, we hear about what is needed to be forgiven and to have eternal life with Jesus. This reading begins with one of my favorite verses of scripture, Romans 5:1, which says:

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Rom. 5:1, NRSV).

          So according to the Apostle Paul, all we need to be good enough, to be forgiven, is to have faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus is enough, and we are called to do good works as an extension of our faith. How we live and treat others should be because of our faith, not to save us. We might even suffer for our faith Paul tells us, but this should give us the hope of God in Jesus Christ. Through anything we have the love and the hope of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our hope (Rom. 5:1-11, NRSV).

          In looking more closely at our very lengthy gospel of John reading for this morning, we once again have the story of the woman at the well. Let’s look at this gospel lesson more closely. It says of Jesus:

“So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water”                   (Jn. 4:5-10, NRSV).

          So, Jesus sits by a well, engages a woman he has never met from another culture, who is largely rejected by her community. Jesus asks her to give him a drink. She is startled and asks Jesus why he would break the cultural norms, speak to her, and ask her for some water. Jesus then begins to explain who he is and talks about giving the woman “living water”.

          Then the gospel says:

“The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “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.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water” (Jn. 4:11-15, NRSV).

Jesus then, knowing the woman at the well’s story and history says:

^“Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem” (Jn. 4:16-20, NRSV).

          If Jesus’ mother Mary was cast out by her parents, her family, and the people of Nazareth, this woman at the well was certainly cast out to. Jesus, nevertheless, goes to her, as he went to all people. Yet, Jesus still invites her to change and to turn from her sin and her wrongdoing.

          After this, the gospel lesson then says:

“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you” (Jn. 4:21-26, NRSV).

          Jesus, “Friend of Sinners,” as is one of his many biblical titles, went to a woman whose community had rejected her. So rejected, that this woman went daily get water in the hot noon-time sun, when no one else was around. Jesus goes to this woman whose own community has shunned and discarded her. Jesus sees her value, and further, invites her to turn from her sin and follow him.

          Then suddenly, Jesus’ disciples show back up. The gospel then says:

“Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him” (Jn. 4:27-30, NRSV).

          This woman who was cast out, was called by Jesus, forgiven, and transformed. The gospel then says:

^“Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor”                                    (Jn. 4:31-38, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying that he has come to redeem everyone. This mean all people, and that all people are invited to repent of our sins, and to turn and to follow him.

          This gospel lesson once again ends by saying”

“Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world”                            (Jn. 4:39-42, NRSV).

          The woman at the well, was rejected, sinful, lowly, and likely was feeling broken and unworthy. Jesus, “Friend of Sinners,” goes to her, forgives her, tells her to turn from her sin, and to live for him. This broken woman is now restored and through the word of her testimony and Jesus himself, many people came to believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus came for us all.

          As some of you know I have been part of year long leadership training cohort. The model of this leadership that we are learning, and that our entire Upper New York Annual Conference is embracing, is called the “L3” model. This model is to Love, Learn, and Lead.

          Jesus radically loved all people. Jesus got to know all people, even the people that society rejected. Jesus loved them, listen to them, and the led them to forgiveness, redemption, and new life in him. My training that I have undertaking the past seven months, has been to further help me and us all to better Love, Learn, and Lead.  

          Friends, how many women at the wells do we have in this community? How many people are broken, cast out, and feel unloved. Jesus went to all people. Are we willing to love those around us, to love the people that we work with, and that live nearby us with the love of Christ?

          Further, are willing to sit and listen to there stories, and learn from them. Are willing to not just love them, but to hear what they have been through.

          Lastly, are willing to lead them to Jesus Christ? I think that the Sidney UMC does the “L3” model very well. We love others, we learn from them, and we then led them to Christ. Jesus came for us all, but he didn’t want us to stay the same. Jesus came to the woman at the well, but he also invited her to repent of her sin and change. Jesus came for us all, out of love, but to change us.

          Every person that visits this church, every person we encounter that is rejected or outcast, is another person that Christ wants us to love. These people have hurts, stories, and pains. If we listen to them, if we sit with them in coffee hour, and care about them, then maybe, just maybe, God can use us to lead them to Christ.

          Jesus loved, learned, and led. As a church, may we be like Jesus, loving all, learning about them, and leading them to Christ. Jesus came for us all, even the lowly, even a rejected woman at a well. Amen.