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Homilies by Rev. Andrew Collis unless indicated otherwise.

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Lent 3, Year A
South Sydney Uniting Church
March 19, 2017

John 4:5-42

‘Just add water’

It's a hot day. Jesus and the disciples have walked a long way. They come to a town called Sychar in a country called Samaria, and there they stop at a (well-known) well. There was probably some shade there. The disciples head off into town to buy some food, and Jesus remains by the well. It's about noon. God be with you ...

Before long a Samaritan woman appears with a water jar, and Jesus asks her for a drink.

Jesus is a stranger in Samaria. He has been told many times that Samaritans are not to be trusted. The woman has probably heard terrible things about Jews like Jesus. Why do you think they would talk to each other? Perhaps they share a common thirst? They both know what it's like to be thirsty?

Water is so important ... We all need water ... What else do we all need? ...

Well, we can see that Jesus and the woman enjoy their conversation. They trust each other and they don't care what some people (even the disciples) might think. They are both warm, intelligent, self-aware, interested in social and spiritual matters (they both feel the nearness of God).

Talk about water flows into talk about other things. The goodness of water, the goodness of gifts, the goodness of gifts that keep on giving. Jesus says, "Some gifts are holy (another word for good) and can actually change you."

Perhaps he's thinking of things we can give and receive like respect, kindness, forgiveness, encouragement, wisdom, faith and wonder, a passion for learning, for adventure ...

I once received a gift that changed my life. When I was six years old my Mum and Dad gave me a guitar and took me for guitar lessons. Sometimes now I wonder, Is the music I love in the guitar or in me? I think I will always have a love for music in me, and I can share that gift with other people ...

Do you have an experience like that? ... A gift you received that really changed you? ...

Well, Jesus and the woman are talking about these deep experiences, one thought flowing into the next. Then Jesus realises something -- he can even share the Holy Spirit with his new friend.

By sharing respect, kindness, forgiveness, encouragement, wisdom, faith and wonder, a passion for learning, for adventure ... and water too ... all these good things ... he is really sharing the Holy Spirit. And that's the very best thing we can share because it makes us feel loved and able to love one another.

What does it mean for you to share the Holy Spirit? ... To live and worship in the Spirit? ... Have you ever thought about water and Spirit flowing together? ...

Well, today we want to share the Holy Spirit of Jesus with four elders we love very much. We want to give them our thanks and encouragement -- most deeply God's thanks and encouragement, God's blessing -- so that they feel loved and able to love and lead us.

Let's invite them to meet us (the children will be our ministers today) at the well (baptismal font), for prayer and for commissioning (laying of hands) ... In the Spirit of love and truth, Amen.


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