SERMON | Exodus 17:1-7 & John 3:5-42 | LENT: LEARNING TO LIVE INSIDE OUT - 3. "Give Me Water" by Rev. Joseph Sanford at Sellersburg United Methodist Church in Sellersburg, Indiana

Sellersburg United Methodist Church Sermon Podcast

Learning to Live Inside Out — a Lenten journey with Jesus… toward the cross… toward the death of sin and self We are fasting alongside of Jesus in the wilderness… but the fast we choose is that of God…to nurture righteousness in our hearts. The word for righteousness is the word for justice is the word for piety. δικαιοσύνη: righteousness, what is right, justice, the act of doing what is in agreement with God's standards, the state of being in proper relationship with God We live in a world full of injustice…unrighteousness…impiety… And we participate in it: more than we realize We cannot help it…we were born into a world of injustice—it’s all most people know. But WE KNOW of another way… the Kin-dom… the life of being a disciple of Jesus Christ… An eternal life with God that starts here and now. So…we fast to align more with that better way. We are walking the path of the better way by the leading of the Holy Spirit… We fall down…a lot…but we follow the one who does not fall. We are constantly seeking the opportunity to move from the familiar and comfortable in pursuit of the life God is calling us to in our world. At least…that’s the hope. But we come to our passages today confronting stories of thirst versus quenching of thirst. Need vs. provision of God. In Exodus 17 we find the Israelites freshly freed from the restrictive life of oppression and restriction in Egypt. They are traversing the wilderness…a massive body of people moving together…through a dry place. They’ve run out of water…again—and God is put on trial Just a couple of chapters prior they were thirsty but couldn’t drink the bitter water. They complained against Moses—the man who just led them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea!! We may judge them for such a quick assault against their gratitude and allegiance, but let’s remember…water is important. We can live for a week & a half without food, but we cannot live 3 days without water. They were wandering in the wilderness…a huge body of people…with no water. Parents, grandparents, spouses, and siblings…thirsty…vulnerable…and scared. Did Moses even have a plan?! Have we been led out here to die?! God instructed Moses and the bitter water was made potable. But two chapters later…we’re back in the predicament of thirst…and this time, they amp up their assault on Moses as a leader. They bring charges against him as their leader. They are ready to turn their backs on him. Moses gets mad. He is frustrated at the people and he lets them know it. He tells them that charging him is the same as charging God. Then Moses goes to God and seeks help. God displays an act of great humility by “I will stand before you.” The people are always the ones to stand before God…in God’s awesome and sovereign presence. But…this time…God stands before Moses. God shows an act of compassion and mercy toward one crying out… the same one who didn’t show compassion toward the crowd crying out against him. The people receive water and have their thirst quenched. But won’t they thirst again? At most they can go three days. The 40 years was more than providing for the physical needs of the people on their journey. They were learning to TRUST God… to place their FAITH in God alone. If they could…their deeper thirst would be quenched. If they can no longer depend upon their own understanding of how things work… If they can unlearn the ways of chaos in Egypt… If they can KNOW in their hearts that God provides what they truly need… they’ll experience a deeper quenching than that of their lips. Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman. Jesus is tired and thirsty — another act of humility by our God…to enter into the depth of our human need and sit before us feeling the same thirsts we do. He breaks all of the social rules of the day—talking with the Samaritan woman and asking to drink from her water. They enter into some playful banter in a way that mocks the social order. Jesus talks about water and thirst, but it’s not about actual water… At first she is confused, but she quickly picks up on what he’s talking about. This nameless woman brilliantly engages Jesus in a meaningful way… She asks for a drink from him…clearly not knowing what it is he has to offer. She sees no evidence that he can offer her anything, but she leans into the moment. “Give me this water, so that I don’t have to keep coming back to this well.” Jesus reveals himself to her in a way she can understand—as a prophet. She immediately inquires of him concerning worship of God. She longs to worship God wholly and reverently…but she is unsure how to do that. Should I worship here? Or there? Should I follow the leading of my people? Or your people? Jesus then shatters the question altogether: God is Spirit…and those who truly worship God will do so in Spirit and truth. Living rightly…justly…piously…will be how you worship God. Living inside-out. Letting the Spirit lead your heart will naturally lead you into righteous and just living. Letting the Spirit lead you will bring you into an entire life of piety. She GETS IT! She knows Messiah will come and make it all clear. He then fully reveals himself: “I am Messiah, the one who is speaking to you.” The woman leaves her jar and goes to the city to call people. Notice…she LEFT HER JAR… She knows that her thirst will no longer be quenched by that jar…the real thirst of her soul and heart and mind and body… Only by Jesus… Only by embracing what he is revealing… God in Spirit… worship in Spirit and in truth… Living inside-out. The disciples struggle as Jesus continues the metaphor with food… They don’t get it…but the woman does… And, through her…the Samaritan town does, too. So where are we in the story? (The woman…or the disciples?) Do we thirst? Or have we found that which springs up inside of us so that we will never thirst again? It’s important to be honest. Having the right answer that sounds good will be useless to you. Are you fulfilled in life? Do you hunger for more? Do you have a thirst you are trying to quench through your own buckets? Are you in a constant cycle of going to various wells to find what you’re looking for? Do you struggle with frustration? disapproval? or being disapproved of? Do you find yourself feeling despair? or hopeless? Do you feel the desire to just get up and walk away from things in your life? There’s a difference from being called to “go or come” and simply wanting to “walk away.” Are you like the woman at the well…wondering how to truly approach God: where, when, how? Do you feel disconnected? Do you feel parched? Living Inside-Out is a journey & process—toward the cross & the death of sin and self. We must start by leaning into what we have come to know of Jesus. We don’t need to have it all figure out, but we must be willing to leave our jars behind… We must recognize that the other wells in the world will NEVER quench our thirst. Wealth… status… policies… stuff… privilege… physical gratification… NONE OF IT will ever quench your thirst. Are you tired of returning to the well again and again only to find yourself thirsty? Are you ready for Living Water? Then consider putting down your jar… Lean in to Jesus more… Devote yourself to the truth he offers… Let FAITH in God be your well… Let Jesus Christ be your jar… Let the Holy Spirit be your ladle… Devote yourself… give your time and energy to growing into the better way of Jesus Christ. Give of yourself more to the body of Christ, your church. Invest energy discerning what that means, for you Trust that Jesus Christ though the Holy Spirit will quench your deepest thirst. Spend time in prayer focusing on how to live inside-out… How to turn your heart more towards Jesus Christ… How to trust in God to provide you with all you need… So that…we can then become people who extend this Living Water to those around us with grace and compassion and humility…as God has done for us. That we may become a people living inside-out bearing TRUTH to our world. That many more may believe because of what they SEE in us. That they may see in us a people…who are quenched.