Encountering Jesus - In Rejection [2] - Neil Ryan
July 13th, 2008 by sound
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We began last week a series on Encountering Jesus
Encountering Jesus – In Darkness
Today: Encountering Jesus – In Rejection
There are few things that stir us more and so deeply than rejection.
It strikes at the heart of our well being.
It lurks just beneath the surface of our lives every day.
I remember years ago a dinner with the Elders and Deacons of Church held at one of their homes.
I had been on phone for 2 hours with someone who was talking suicide – intense time!
By the time I finally arrived, I walked into the house and went to apologize for being late.
About 5 minutes later a lady came up to me and said,
“You are the rudest Pastor I have ever known”
I thought, “Yeh. I’m ten minutes late, but it’s not that serious!”
Then she went on, “Do you realize that when you walked into this room you walked straight passed me and didn’t even acknowledge me.”
Rejection is a disaster waiting to happen!
We feel it for other people.
I was out watching Madi play netball couple weeks ago.
She was so excited to be playing. First game season.
The coach put all girls on – Madi bench. – Devastated!
I felt like saying,
“You can’t do that. She’s my grand daughter. We don’t sit on the bench. We win games single handedly!!”
Then I watched and the coaches daughter couldn’t shoot a goal to save herself.
I wanted to go up and say,
“Can you see what I can see! Am I the only one here with an unbiased perspective! Get my grand daughter on court!!”
I love the story that’s told of Margaret Thatcher – British PM from 1979-1990. Iron Lady!
She visited a nursing home once and one of the residents wasn’t paying attention to her so she said,
“Do you know who I am?”
The lady replied, “Don’t worry love, matron will be along in a minute and she’ll know who you are!”
From Prime ministers to paupers – rejection goes deep!
This morning we come across a woman who has been rejected.
The fact that we find her fetching water in the mid day sun tells us she was something of an outcast in her community.
But worse than that, she has been rejected by at least 5 husbands.
Under Jewish law, a man could divorce a woman for any reason or no reason. He could divorce her because she spoiled his dinner or simply because he finds another woman more attractive, and the woman's consent to the divorce is not required.
Conversely a woman couldn’t divorce a man under any circumstances!!
Understandable – men are such loveable creatures.
So this dear lady had been served notice no less than 5 times that she doesn’t have what it takes.
She’s no longer required.
She’s not up to it.
There is someone better!
Don’t miss v4
Now he [Jesus] had to go through Samaria
They were on their way to Galilee.
Is John talking Geography here?
They HAD to go through Samaria because it was the only way to get there.
Not at all – most Jews crossed the Jordan and actually avoided Samaria when they went to Galilee.
Was it a time thing?
They HAD to go through Samaria because it was the quickest route?
No! Have you noticed when you read the gospels that Jesus appeared to operate on Divine Standard Time!
He allowed himself to be interrupted by nobodies;
He accepted strange dinner invitations;
He got a message from Mary and Martha to say his good friend Lazarus was at the point of death and he stayed where he was for another 2 days [John 11:6]
It wasn’t a time thing!
John makes it clear that Jesus HAD to go through Samaria to see the one person that no one else wanted to see!
He wanted to talk to the one person no one else wanted to talk to!
Will you write that word down some where?
Had…..
Have you thought that it might be said,
Jesus had to be at UPBC this morning….
Sometimes our theology makes Christianity so cold.
We know He is here because the Bible tells us that, but we need to lighten up a little and see he wants to be here, he had to be here this morning – why?
You’re the only one who can answer that question!!
He’s here to reclaim you!
He’s here to restore you!
He’s here to meet you and say, “I know!”
Jesus is sitting by Jacob’s well
I love v8
…. his disciples had gone into town to buy food
Really!
The whole 12 of them!
How many disciples does it take to bring back some falafels?
I love the way Jesus does things.
He knows his meeting needs personal and private.
This lady doesn’t need the distraction of more men around her.
When the lady arrives there is just Jesus!
John does not want us to lose the shock value of what takes place.
Read v7-9
Can you see the contrast with last week?
Nicodemus was the ultimate INSIDER
Woman is ultimate OUTSIDER
Nicodemus is a JEW
Woman is a SAMARITAN
Nicodemus is MALE
Woman is FEMALE
Nicodemus is MORALLY UPRIGHT
Woman is MORALLY FLAWED
Nicodemus COMES LOOKING FOR JESUS
Woman WANTS TO AVOID JESUS
Nicodemus is the person everybody ADMIRED
Woman is the person everybody REJECTED
John is saying something to us.
He wants us to know right up front in his gospel story that these two people are the BOOKENDS of humanity and wherever you fit in between the very best and the very worst – God wants to meet you and bring you new life!
This woman knows what’s going on.
…. How can you ask me for a drink [v9]
Don’t you know who I am?
If it was you or me, we would try and put here at ease.
It’s Ok?
I don’t treat people according to race, gender or religion.
I take you just as you are!
Relax!
Jesus doesn’t do that.
Read v10
If you knew…..
Jesus turns it around and says,
“This is not about you. This isn’t about racial or religious prejudices and bitterness. This is about me and what I can give you!”
Jesus touches on a problem that is so 21st Century.
Confusion over WHO Jesus is and the GIFT he has for us!
Somehow those two critical things have become obscure in a mountain of Religious baggage and Christian consumerism.
Jesus has come to us this morning and says,
If you only knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you…
This is not about you, it’s about ME!
Read v11-15
The woman is a little confused by Jesus strange talk of living water – but Jesus strikes a chord in her heart.
A minute ago SHE wouldn’t give him a drink now she is willing to let HIM give her a drink!
Her focus has shifted!
Just when it looks like the conversation is going somewhere, Jesus drops a bombshell!
….go and get your husband
What a killer.
All of a sudden the boom comes down.
I have no husband
End of story!
I don’t want to go there!
That’s a no go zone!
We are so good at putting walls around our hurt, failure, fears, and doubts.
Jesus says, Go get them!
Lee Strobel tells of his high school days as ‘all out rebellion against my father’
It finally came to huge confrontation and Strobel left home.
He eventually came back but the conflict was never addressed.
He said,
“I wanted to. I needed to but I always found a reason not to! It just stayed hidden”
I convinced myself I could do it later.
Later never came.
“Though I thought he had many years left, my Dad died at the age of 64. Just before the funeral I asked for some time alone with him. I stood in the funeral home before the open casket and after a long period of silence, I finally managed to whisper the words I desperately wished I had uttered many years before, ‘I’m sorry Dad’
This woman had buried her hurt so deep.
Jesus knew her guilt, despair.
Jesus understood the dehumanizing cycle she been through.
· Multiple relationships, serial failures.
· Accumulated wounds and scars.
· Futile longing for acceptance and love.
Jesus says, “I want to go there!!
You will never experience living water until you know how badly you need it!!”
This dear lady knows how many times she has longed for the very thing Jesus offers but her greatest fear is that she will be hurt again.
Raised expectations only increase the risk of more pain!
So instead of going off to get her latest man she goes off on some theological tangent.
Read v19-20
It’s much easier to argue about religion.
What about those who have never heard about Jesus?
If God is God, explain the origin of evil?
How literal can you take the Bible?
Jesus refuses to get into theological debate.
Forget your sacred mountain or whatever it is you retreat to when you don’t want to face reality……
Those discussions are obsolete.
It’s like discussing which is better – Beta or VHS
We’ve moved on the DVD’s!!!
Now we are called to worship in spirit and truth
She says I know….
Jesus says I am the one
Do you know the first thing she does?
Runs off to face the very people who had rejected her and invites them to meet Jesus!
Heard a story about minister of a large Church in America. The Pastor makes time each month to go to homeless shelter in his city and work in the soup kitchen.
After they fed, he invites them to join them for Communion in the chapel at the centre. Many who shared soup in the kitchen share the bread and wine in the chapel.
One day Tom was going down the aisle serving communion and he came to a man who was kneeling down and as he offered bread the man said,
“Skip me”
“Pardon me” said Tom
“Skip me”
“Why” said Tom
“I’m not worthy” said man
“Neither am I” said Tom
“I tell you what, when I am finished with the others I’ll come back and serve you and then you can serve me”
Man looked up at him and said, ‘Father, is that legal?”
Tom finished with the others and came back and asked man his name.
“Josh”
Tom placed the bread and wine in his hands and said,
“Josh, here is the body of Christ and the blood of Christ given for you. Eat this and drink this in remembrance that Christ came for you and Christ died for you. Amen”
Josh blinked back the tears and then took the bread and wine.
“Father, are you sure this is legal”
He looked around like the FBI, CIA or the Pope was going to appear and have him arrested.
Finally he offered the bread and wine to Tom and said,
“Body – Blood – for you: Hang in there”
Tom said later
“Of all the communion rituals I have ever heard, I don’t recall the words ‘hang in there’ in any of them but that moment for me became one of the most special I have ever had”
Story of love, grace forgiveness and acceptance and reconciliation.
No different from this story.
This woman who thought she didn’t deserve anything.
She had become so accustomed to rejection, to be talked about, put down, walked passed without acknowledgement.
Then Jesus offered her more than she could dream of….life where there had been death for so long!
If you only knew the gift of God and who it is that offers to you…..
Discussion Questions
1. Intro
There are few things that stir us more and so deeply than rejection.
It strikes at the heart of our well being.
It lurks just beneath the surface of our lives every day.
Discuss from your own experience
How can people feel rejected within a Church community?
How does our modern society, that preaches tolerance and understanding, leave many with the real sense of being rejected?
2. Read v7
What is Jesus doing here?
The Apostle John wouldn’t want us to overlook the ‘shock factor’ in what Jesus is asking.
Can you think of a modern day equivalent?
3. Read v10
The woman thinks she is central to this whole discussion but Jesus changes all that. He highlights the 2 things that people still don’t understand today
a) Who Jesus is
b) What he offers us
How do people view Jesus today?
What do they think Christianity is all about?
How is the Church trying to address these two critical questions today?
How well are we doing?
…..if only you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you
Sometimes we think the commitment seems too hard, the cost too great, the challenges too
big. How does this verse put things back into perspective?
4. Read v11-15
living water is language that seems cryptic—not because Jesus is intentionally
unclear. He is describing something that cannot be easily explained
Jesus is speaking in metaphor—there are no literal words to describe what He offers
it is far too profound
temporal language falls short
like born again, bread of life
Is there a mystery in the gospel that is hard to explain?
What things / concepts do you struggle with when you try and explain the gospel to
someone?
5. Read v16-17
This woman had buried her hurt so deep.
Jesus knew her guilt, despair.
Jesus understood the dehumanizing cycle she been through.
· Multiple relationships, serial failures.
· Accumulated wounds and scars.
· Futile longing for acceptance and love.
Jesus says, “I want to go there!!
She says, ‘I don’t’
What do you think is going on in the mind and heart of this woman?
What happens with us when we fail at the same things over and over again?
Why do we fear trying again?
Why does it seem easier to live with our buried hurts than to bring them to the surface and address them?
6. Read v19-20
It’s much easier to argue about religion, than respond to Jesus?
What issues have people raised when you have tried to share the gospel?
How should we deal with ‘red herrings’?
7. Conclusion
This story is not so much about failure. It is about rejection. How does it make us more sensitive to one another? What does it teach us about the gospel? What does it teach us about God?