[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 3A

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Mar 26, 2011 8:33 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 3A


Dear Friends,

Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “Three Strikes and You’re Out!” or

“Damaged Goods*” and deals with the Gospel (John 4:5-27, 39-42.  Here

it is:



Do you see this can of soup?  It looks really good, doesn’t it- that

is if you like tomato soup.  But what if we played a game of catch

with it and dropped it?  Or what if it got bumped and banged on the

way from the factory to the store, or from the store to my cupboard?

We’d consider it damaged goods, wouldn’t we?  The supermarket would

display cans like this on a special, separate table- perhaps even

labeled “damaged goods.”  In fact, when we get cans like this as we

collect food to feed the hungry, the health department frowns upon us

using them to serve our feeding ministry guests.  They are really

considered damaged goods.  Why am I telling you about dented cans?

Because we heard in our gospel this morning about another kind of

damaged item- a damaged human being- the Samaritan woman.  We heard

the episode of how Jesus talked with her, got a drink of water from

her, and told her that he was the Messiah.



As you recall, Jesus and the disciples were traveling through Samaria

on their way to Galilee.  They stopped at Jacob’s well; then the

disciples went into town to buy some food while Jesus rested at the

well.  Here it was- noon, the hottest time of the day, and a Samaritan

woman came to draw water.  We heard Jesus ask her for a drink of water

and strike up a conversation with her.  (Actually, this reminds me of

my husband- he can strike up a conversation with ANYONE!)  What was

unusual about this?  In the eyes of a Jewish male, this woman was

damaged goods big-time- much more unacceptable than a dented can of

soup or a box of cereal with a bumped corner.  First of all, she was a

Samaritan.  Jews considered Samaritans that awful word- “half-breed!”-

STRIKE ONE!  Second, she was a woman.  Jewish males, especially

rabbis, did not speak to women in public- not even their wives,

sisters, or daughters.  Some Pharisees even closed their eyes in mixed

company rather than look at a woman.  (They were called the “bruised

and bleeding Pharisees”- what happens when you walk around with your

eyes closed and bump into things.)  Remember, one of the first prayers

every Jewish boy learned at his mother’s knee was to thank God that he

wasn’t born a gentile (i.e. Samaritan) or a woman- STRIKE TWO!  Not

only was she a Samaritan and a woman, she was a “bad woman.”  Jews

allowed three divorces, but only men were allowed to divorce a

spouse.  She had been divorced five times and was living with a man

not her husband- unthinkable in those times.  Coming to draw water

under the noonday sun was unusual.  Perhaps she came then to avoid the

stares of the other women who would have considered her a social

outcast- STRIKE THREE!  It’s bad enough to have a damaged can of food,

but damaged goods in the form of a precious human being, a child of

God, is unthinkable!



How did Jesus treat her?

7)	With respect: he carried on a serious conversation with her- so

much so that the disciples were amazed when they returned and saw

them.

8)	With accountability: he didn’t let her con him.  He told her about

her unacceptable past.

9)	With forgiveness: he didn’t allow her past to interfere with

acceptance in the present.

10)	As an equal- human-to-human: he let her serve him water and drank

from the same dipper from which she drank.

11)	With friendship: their culture taught that giving or receiving a

drink of water bound people as friends for one year.

12)	With appreciation for her unique intelligence and talents: she was

the first person Jesus told that he was the Messiah.



How did she respond?  She blossomed- like a plant that has had water

withheld and then the spring rains come (or the person remembers to

water it!)  She left her dipper at the well and told the entire town

about Jesus, so many were brought to him.



What’s it to us?  There are probably two categories of people:

3)	THOSE TEMPTED TO CONSIDER THEMSELVES “DAMAGED GOODS”: perhaps you

are someone who’s made some mistakes in your life.  Perhaps you are

the “ugly duckling” in your family.  Perhaps you consider yourself to

be “damaged goods.”  NO WAY!  God doesn’t make junk!  Don’t put down

your creator.  Love your neighbor as much as you love YOURSELF, so

start loving yourself.  This doesn’t mean we all don’t have things we

need to improve.  Work on yourself, but also love yourself and thank

your Creator for creating you beautiful.  While we’re at it- don’t

wait until you’re perfect to come to church.  Come every Sunday and

fellowship with your heavenly Father.  Earthly parents love their

children through their imperfections.  So does our heavenly Father.

4)	THOSE TEMPTED TO CONSIDER OTHERS AS “DAMAGED GOODS”: perhaps we

look around and see people who could do better, in our opinion.

Remember- the worst sin is to judge your neighbor- that’s what the

Pharisees did, which made them so unacceptable to Jesus.  Every person

we see is a child of God.  If their behavior is wrecking their lives,

pray for them.  Invite them to church.  Encourage them.  Be there for

them.  Maybe tough love is necessary, but remember- tough love is

still love.



I’m going to close with a story.  This story applies to all of us,

regardless of whether the world considers us “damaged goods” or

whether we’re tempted to consider others “damaged goods.”  There was a

good, Christian, church-going man who died and stood before St. Peter

at the pearly gates.  Peter tells the man that he needs 100 points to

get in. The man starts in with – “I was on the vestry; I taught Sunday

school; I went to church most Sundays.” Peter says – “That's one

point.” The man begins to sweat – “I was faithful to my wife; I

supported my family; I was successful in my business, but did not

cheat anyone.” Peter says – “That's one more.” Now the man is really

getting stressed – “I tithed; I worked at the food bank; I gave money

to scholarship funds.”  Peter says – “That's one more.”  Finally in

desperation the person says – “Yikes - it is only by the grace of God

that I am going to get in!”  “Did you say ‘the grace of God?’” St.

Peter asked.  “Wonderful!  You’ve got it- the grace of God- those are

the other 97 points.  1 + 1 + 1 + 97 = 100 points!  Welcome home!”



“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.  But God

treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he

freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.” (Romans 3:23-24)

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never

really die.  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its

people. He sent him to save them!” (John 3: 16-17)



(*The second title and many of the ideas from this sermon are from a

sermon published by the Rev. Bass Mitchell.)



For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American

wisdom statements are posted on our parish web site. The address is:

http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .



Blessed preaching.

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan




 
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