October 1, 2006

Dying For a Drink

Living Water

John 4:1-15

Opening Words: Did you know our physical bodies need about 3 quarts of water a day to operate efficiently. Water helps digest food. The blood, which is 90 percent water, carries nutrients to the cells. Water acts as a cooling agent on a hot day. Without water’s lubricating properties, our joints and muscles would grind and creak like unused parts of some old rusty machinery! Our spirits need water as well, the living water of Jesus! Without him our spirits become restless and parched. In the Gospel of John there are six wonderful stories about water. Each one reminds us how important Jesus is to our souls. It is for this reason I have called this sermon series Dying For a Drink. Today we look at the story of the woman at the well. Let me call this message Living Water.

The media has been filled with the story. Pope Benedict XVI has angered the Muslim world with a speech he gave in Munich, Germany. His critics say that he used unflattering words about Islam. They say they were unnecessary words in a world that is trying to promote peace. We live in politically correct times.

Is it possible to be politically correct and be a Christian? That is the question that our faith is wrestling with on this World Communion Sunday. In the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew Jesus tells us to go out and make disciples. Part of that disciple making process is winning souls for Jesus. But how do you win a soul for Jesus and not tell someone else they are wrong? The whole matter is very complex. Saving a soul has always been complex. It was complex in Jesus’ time. Ours is not the first generation. Look at the story in this morning’s scripture lesson.

We find ourselves this morning in the forth chapter of John. Jesus is at Jacob’s well in the town of Sycar. It is about 12:00 noon. It is hot and the Master is ready for a cool drink of water. It is while he is at this well that he meets a woman. In the end a soul is saved. To our world this story seems quite tame but to Jesus’ world this story is shocking. Jesus crossed three barriers to speak to this woman. First, he crossed a cultural barrier. He was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. Their ancestors shared a common past but their presents were filled with hatred and prejudices. Second, he crossed an ethical barrier. Men didn’t speak to women in public. Third, he crossed a geographical barrier. He traveled a long distance and crossed an international border. Jesus did not do the politically correct thing. However, it was worth the risk because he saved a soul that day.

Let me warn you now. You may have to break some barriers. You may have to be politically incorrect. But it will worth the risk because you may play a part in winning a soul for Jesus.

Today, I want to give you some pastoral advice on how to increase your influence on your little corner of the world. Jesus said to go and make disciples. Jesus was not politically correct. He only wanted what was best for people. I hope the same can be said about you and me. So if you are ready for a little bit of pastoral advice say, “Amen!”

Wake Up

My first piece of pastoral advice is to Wake Up. We need to wake up to the fact that our world is changing. The numbers don’t lie. Did you know there are approximately six billion people in the world today? Two billion, or one-third, are Christian. There are 1.3 billion Muslims and nine hundred million Hindus. There are three hundred million Buddhists and fourteen million Jews. The balance of the world population, or 1.5 billion people, claims some other form of religion. The basic numbers tell us to wake up! Christians, who make-up only one-third of the world’s population, are a minority in our world today! You are part of a minority in our world. Someday we may be a minority in America.

What do the numbers say about America? In the last decade the Christian faith has grown about 5%. However, in that same decade that Christianity grew by 5% Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism grew at rates of 110%, 170% and 230% respectfully. The face of America is changing and we need to wake up to that fact. World religions are not just in the world. They are in America. World religions are coming to your neighborhood. If that bothers you just a little bit say, “Amen!”

Show Up

My second piece of pastoral advice is to Show Up. We need to show up and show our world we are genuine. I believe 95% of any job is just showing up.

Showing up and responding to human need is one of those things you need to do when you are dealing with the other world religions. It shows the world that you are genuine. That is why this project to bring Group Work Camps here is so important to me. William Temple, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said, “Go into the world and preach the gospel and use words only when absolutely necessary.” And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Speak Up

My third piece of pastoral advice is to Speak Up. We need to speak up for Jesus and tell the world how much Jesus means to us. Are you able to tell someone else what Jesus means to you? Are you able to give someone else some basic Christian theology? Or do you need a little Christian education? In a world that is filled with other religions we need to be able to tell other people about Jesus. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

While witnessing for Christ on the streets of a city in California, evangelist H.A. Ironside was asked why there are so many religions in our world. Ironside answered this way. “There are not hundreds of hundreds of religions,” he said. “There are really only two. There are those people who expect salvation by doing something and there are those who expect salvation for something done for them.” On this World Communion Sunday we put our petty differences to the side and stand united with other Christians around the world to remember what Christ has done for us.