Book of Faith is back. We took off for the summer, but we've ready to explore the scriptures again. We're continuing in the gospel of John. The passage we read this week is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. In this story, Jesus is tearing down so many barriers. The woman is a Samaritan. She is a woman. And she is a woman with a reputation. Any one of those distinctions should have removed her from the list of proper people for a rabbi to engage in conversation. However, the distinctions do not stop Jesus. This is a wonderful witness of the gospel. The woman, as you can imagine, was more than a little surprise. As with the story of Nicodemus, Jesus uses language that has much deeper meeting. When he speaks of living water, the woman assumes he is talking about running water i.e. a spring. Of course, Jesus has something else in mine. He is speaking of God quenching a thirst in all of us that no water can touch. Jesus is the source of that holy water.
The group enjoyed how Jesus makes the gospel universal. Jesus speaks of a time when people will no longer worship God in Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim (the Samaritan's holy site), but will be worshiped is spirit and truth. The group explored the idea of worshiping is spirit and truth. The conversation suggested that true worship was lived out in everything we do and say. Every aspect of our lives carries an element of worship. There is no disconnect between what happens on Sunday and what happens on Monday. The group also believed true worship needed to be authentic. Authenticity could mean different things to different people. For one, all the richness of the liturgy rings true to them. For another, it might be worship in its simplest form. The beauty is that God meets us again and again in all the varieties of worship we express.
The group also found Jesus' conversation with the disciples interesting. The question was asked about the meaning of "Four months, and the harvest will come". The discussion centered on the very human practice of waiting until the last moment. We will get around to the business of the kingdom when the kingdom (harvest) comes. Jesus is telling the disciples that there is work to be down now. There are seeds to be planted. There are seeds that need to be nurtured. In the kingdom of God, those who sow and those who reap will rejoice together.
For everyone, it was good to be back together. We encourage anyone who would like to join us at noon on Wednesday at the CEB to come. We also encourage anyone who would like to join us by following the blog to visit the website. Make Book of Faith a part of your discipleship journey.
Peace,
Pastor Summer
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