John 4. This chapter is very special to me, because we found inspiration for Church at the Springs in the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. This is vintage Jesus. He intentionally waits for her at midday, knowing that only socially outcast people would come to the well at that time. He breaks through racial, gender, and religious barriers just to have a conversation with her. But perhaps more striking than any of these things is the promise he makes to her in verse 14: "...those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The promise of Jesus goes so far beyond mere satisfaction: he offers to transform her life into a spring, to make her a source of life and refreshment for other people. For this woman, who undoubtedly had no credibility or influence in her community, this is an audacious claim. And not only does Jesus deliver, but the promise is fulfilled almost instantly. Before chapter 4 is over, this woman has introduced her community to Jesus, and we're told in verse 39 that many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of her testimony.
Jesus is in the transformation business. And he's never content to merely satisfy our longings. His desire for us goes far beyond our own. We are the springs, filled up to overflowing so that our lives can refresh those around us. And he seems to relish making springs out of the most unlikely candidates. That's great news! I see it happening all around me. Jesus is bringing refreshment to dry places and parched lives, and he's doing it through you and through me, perhaps the least likely candidates (no offense)! Just like the Samaritan woman, he waits for us in unlikely places and uses us in unexpected ways to change our lives and the lives of those around us. My prayer is that it will have the same result as it did in John 4, and many will believe in him.
Fill me up so that I can be poured out
Fill me up so that I can be poured out
Fill me up til I overflow with You
And Overflow in me, Jesus
Overflow in me
--"Overflow," by Matt Goss
The next time you walk into the YMCA on a Sunday morning and see our fountain, remember: the real spring is you, with the life of Christ flowing through you. We come to Jesus with an empty jar and leave a spring. Outrageous!
I totally agree with Cameron. If our church can fully come to grips with the fact that Jesus has made us a living spring meant to overflow to the people who are closest to us, God will impact this community through us in ways we can't even comprehend right now. Wow!
ReplyDeleteMy attention this morning was drawn to verses 31-35. The disciples just got back to Jesus and thought he must be hungry and should eat, but Jesus tells them that he has food they know nothing about, which puzzles them. He then makes this incredible statement, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work He started. (Message)"
His response is much different than most of ours when we are trying to find a church, a group or someone to feed us. His feeding came by doing. I am so challenged by this because I love to sit in a great worship service and hear a great teacher. While that is good for me, I don't think it's where I should get my sustenance - I should be fed by doing the will of the Father.
Today, I am moving forward to feast on the will of Father...and it's an "all-you-can-eat buffet"!