"High Noon"  Judy Skaggs, UPC

John 4:3-42

A water jar left at Jacob’s well at high noon – that is what you would see if you had come by that well on that afternoon. And you might be surprised in that dry place to find an essential thing like a water jar, forgotten, misplaced. The well was a precious place in ancient times – a place where the women of a town usually came early in the morning to draw the water for their family for cooking, and bathing, and drinking.

But this forgotten water jar was left by a woman who did not come in the early morning when the other women came to gather at the well and exchange news of the village. No, this nameless Samaritan woman came at noon so she would not be noticed by the other women. It is obvious that she is not welcome at the early morning social hour.

Imagine her surprise as she comes in the heat of the day to find a strange man there at the well. He lifts his weary head and asks her for a drink, and immediately she knows that he is a Jew, not a half-breed Samaritan. And she knows that the Jews have endless rules about what they may and may not eat and drink, so she knows that for him to drink from her water jar he would be breaking one of those rules.

She is also curious that a man would even speak to her, for Jewish teachers would not engage in conversation with any woman. One group of men who were religious leaders were know as the “bruised and bleeding Pharisees,” because when they saw a woman coming down the street they closed their eyes even if it meant running into a wall and bloodying their noses.

But, here is Jesus, asking for a drink. So they talk about it, for Jesus does not look down on her as others have done. He ends up offering her living water so that she will never thirst again. And she is excited to know that there is a different kind of water. Sir, please give me this water, she says.

But at this point in their conversation, Jesus asks her to go and get her husband. Imagine the thoughts going through her head. If she tells the truth about everything, surely he will turn away. But something about him makes her know that she can reveal a part of who she is. “I have no husband.” And at that revelation, Jesus tells her everything about her life.

She does not dismiss him as just a meddler, but acknowledges him as prophet. Then she keeps him engaged in conversation, and begins a theological discussion of the true place of worship.

Interestingly, this is the longest conversation Jesus has with anyone in all the gospels. This unnamed, woman of Samaria – this one who anyone else would have judged as very much an outsider, as not worthy – this woman becomes a very capable conversation partner for Jesus. As Jesus goes deeper and deeper into conversation about who God is and what God expects of true worshippers, she becomes bold enough to speak openly about her faith.

She tells him, “I know that Messiah is coming! And when he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.

And in this ever-deepening conversation with the woman, Jesus reveals who he is for the first time. “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

So here at high noon, by a well in Samaria – outside the boundaries of Israel, these two people have dropped all pretenses about who they are. For that one bright moment, all the rules, barriers, and long history of hatred that would have otherwise separated them have fallen to the ground, forgotten.

And so this woman leaves her water jar, and runs to share with others all that she has experienced in her conversation with this man. She cannot wait to proclaim life to all who would listen. She invited her community to come and see a man who knows all about me, and yet accepts me unconditionally.

They did listen to her, and they did run out to see, and they believed not only what the woman said, but what they learned for themselves as they invited Jesus to stay with them. This woman of Samaria becomes the first evangelist, the first apostle in Jesus’ ministry. For the villagers come to believe that he is the “Savior of the world.”

She brought her water jar to the well that day to satisfy her thirst, but she was given a gift of living water so that she would never thirst again. Her life would never be the same. There is no possibility of business-as-usual for this Samaritan woman after her meeting with Jesus.

She left the jar at the feet of Jesus, trusting him with her burdens, her troubles, her struggles because her faith had been strengthened in her encounter with him.

During the season of Lent, we have been examining our discipleship, our thirst for the presence of Christ. Perhaps we bring our own water jar here this morning in order that it might be filled. We are assured that Christ is among us. Remember, I am with you always.

Or perhaps our discipleship will be strengthened if we listen to the woman and Jesus talk about true worship. So often, we read in the prophets that God is unhappy with empty ritual, that God wants justice and righteousness. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth. God wants integrity, with no hypocrisy, especially when it comes to our worship.

The other thing about our discipleship is represented in the water jar that the woman left behind. Are there burdens, struggles that we need to leave behind? Like this woman, we have been offered life, living water. Is there anything that might keep us from accepting what Christ offers so freely?

For we too are invited to come and see, to learn of Jesus Christ who knows everything about who we are. We can pray with the Psalmist:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up.

You discern my thoughts from far away.

Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high I cannot attain it.

Search me, O God and know my heart.

Test me and know my thoughts.

See if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.       Amen.