Jesus Satisfies Series

On June 5, 1965, what is now regarded as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs of all time was released. That song was titled “(I Can’t Get No} Satisfaction” by the English rock band, The Rolling Stones. It was a song that took the world by storm. It charted at “number one” in a slew of countries and the Stones’ memorable appearance on the Ed Sullivan show (which I myself recall seeing as a child) propelled the then-ongoing British Invasion, started by the Beatles, to new heights. An Internet article about “Satisfaction” had this to say about it:

“In the decades since its release, "Satisfaction" has repeatedly been acclaimed by the music industry. In 1976, Britain's New Musical Express listed "Satisfaction" 7th among the top 100 singles of all time. There was a resurgence of interest in the song after it was prominently featured in the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now. In 1991, Vox listed "Satisfaction" among "100 records that shook the world".[24] In 1999, BMI named "Satisfaction" as the 91st-most performed song of the 20th century. In 2000, VH1 listed "Satisfaction" first among its "Top 100 Greatest Rock Songs";[25] the same year, "Satisfaction" also finished runner-up to "Yesterday" in a list jointly compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV.[26] In 2003, Q placed the song 68th out of its "1001 Best Songs Ever". Newsweek magazine has called the opening riff "five notes that shook the world".

I’ve shared that information in order to illustrate how the thematic and lyrical content of that particular song had resonated within the human heart, and although it is now almost 60 years old, I believe that there is something about that first line in the chorus that speaks to and of the human condition, the emptiness and futility of life outside of a relationship with God that makes it almost universal, whether one is a fan or rock ‘n’ roll or not. This is a song for everybody, because it’s really about everybody! I find especially plaintive the line at the end of the chorus that wails in anguish: “Cause I try…and I try…and I try…and I try…and that ends with what seems to be a final, petulant and frustrated stomp of the foot, “I CAN’T GET NO!!” That, to me, seems to be everyman’s cry. It’s the cry of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes who declares, “Meaningless!” Meaningless!” after he’d tried virtually every human endeavor under the sun, and very, very many of us, who, after what seems a lifetime of experiencing the futility of seeking fulfillment apart from Christ still “can’t get no satisfaction.”

This morning, we are in our 3rd week of Lent, and in keeping with our ongoing series up until Easter- “Heart-To Heart Talks/ Conversations In the Gospels,” this morning, Jesus is having “A Conversation With An Unfulfilled Woman.” My topic is:

“Jesus Satisfies”

In our Lectionary text, verse 5 tells us that Jesus, arrives at a city called Sychar, which was actually a part of the metropolis of Samaria, once the great capital of the northern Israelite nation. Reading that verse in isolation would cause us to think that Jesus just happened to traverse in to Samarian territory, almost by accident, but if we look back at verse 4, the bible lets us know that Jesus was driven to go there, and other versions corroborate this by expressing that need as being one of urgency, of necessity, as if something vital, something precious would surely be lost if he did not go to a place where the average Jew would adamantly and passionately refuse to go. No, no you don’t understand, see, the average Jew would fight you if you told him that he had to go to Samaria. Because to him, everything in Samaria was trash, was rubbish was the littlest, the least, the last, and the lost, but isn’t it just like Jesus, to not only want to go, but need to go, where no one else would dare to go, because Jesus, even when He walked this earth, was never, ever bound by nationalism, or religious preference, or racial hatred, or political rhetoric or any of the stuff, that although it keeps us unsatisfied and unfulfilled, we cling to so tightly, no this was Jesus, of whom the songwriter wrote,

“red and yellow, black and white,

They’re all precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world…”

…even the ones from Samaria. And that’s important, because there are those among us who know what it’s like to have people not like us just because we’re us. Jesus knows that He must go to Samaria because there is someone there with whom He must have a heart-to-heart talk, and as he shows up at a certain well in Samaria, he encounters a woman, which would be somewhat odd, as women in ancient society did not come outdoors in the middle of the day, so this woman had a reason to be out at that time, and that reason was in direct correlation with the fact that she needed a heart-to-heart with her Creator. She knew that no one else would be out in the noonday heat, so that she was assured that she would more than likely not be seen, as having been characterized as an immoral woman, she could not show herself early in the day, as did other woman, and it’s highly probable that she has very few friends, and so how many of us feel as if, like Mick Jagger, like King Solomon, in our pursuit of satisfaction have tried, and tried and tried and tried, so many different things that we believe that we have so much to be ashamed of that we would really prefer to not be seen in public? You may feel that way on today, and I know that there have been times when I felt that way, but I’ve come to tell you that God almighty Himself wants to see you! The Creator and sustainer of the universe wants to see you! There is no need to hide your face or bow your head in shame, but today you can come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace to help in the time of need…In Christ, God has provided a way, so that you and I, just like this woman, can expose ourselves to the clear light of day, and, as the old folks would say “have a little talk with Jesus.” What a forgiving, loving and mighty God we serve!