Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

After the introduction to the mysterious nature of Jesus John get straight into the main course of telling his hearers about the uniqueness of Jesus and how he relates to those on the margins, those at the centre and those in the intersection. We are presented with a scenario that would never happen with a traditional Rabbi. Jesus gets into a dialogue with a woman by the side of a well at midday. Now we learn from John that the woman is a Samaritan. These are people who were the product from liaisons of the descendants of Israelites with the surrounding nations. So today they would be called mixed heritage. They we virtually outcasts, belonging to neither group. We must also remember that in those days women did not have a voice and were always on the margins. To make matter worst, this Samaritan woman had a chequered past. However, it is Jesus who makes the first move. May I have a drink? (v.7) why are you asking me that for, our people don’t talk let alone eat together, so who do you think you are? Who do you think you are? (vv.8&9). Jesus moves the conversation from the natural to the spiritual and eventually awakens the dormant spirit of this broken abused woman (vv10-24). After this encounter the woman left the task she came to fulfil and went into her city to evangelise! She had heard about the Messiah, knew about her religious heritage and practices but never had a real relationship with a God who was prepared to accept her as she was so that he could turn her world upside down.

This Christmas let us be reminded that our lives can be radicalised if we stop running around and sit and have a drink with Jesus. Your drinking habits will never be the same.

Have a read of John 4.