Let's Make A Connection

Scripture: John 4:1-26; James 1:9; Proverbs 18:13

Theme: Connecting With Others (Woman at the Well)

The Apostle John reveals to us some ways that we can effectively and efficiently connect with people not only in the 1st Century but in the 21st Century.

Beginning #1 – INTRO:

You would have liked to be in our house around supper time when I was growing up.

Mom was an excellent cook. You could count on there being either some homemade biscuits or rolls. And then you could count on there being some mashed potatoes, green beans (at times with a little bacon in them), some corn and then some kind of meat – chicken, roast, ham, hamburger or pork chops. And usually there was some kind of dessert – it could be an apple or cherry pie, it could be a chocolate cake or angel food cake or it could be banana pudding.

That’s what mother brought to the meal.

Dad aways brought a story of some kind. It might be something that happened during his day or a story he just wanted to share. He was a great storyteller. Sometimes the stories had a point he wanted to make and sometimes they were just good stories that he wanted to share.

Our writer this morning the Apostle John was a great storyteller. At times he shares stories that are just great stories. At other times he shares a story to make some very important points.

The story we have today has both. It’s a great story and it has a point or two to make as well.

John reveals to us some ways that we can effectively and efficiently connect with people not only in the 1st Century but in the 21st Century.

Beginning #2 – INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

You and I live in an interesting period of human history. It is a fascinating time. There are so many things at our disposal. One of those things is how we are able to communicate with one another.

Think about it for a moment:

+We can use the traditional methods of just talking person-to-person.

+We can write someone a note or a letter.

But we live in a world where we can do so much more:

+We can send someone an email or a text message.

+We can use social media like X (formerly Twitter), Snap chat, Instagram or Facebook.

+We can do a Zoom Call or use Messenger to connect.

It seems each day there is a new way or platform being invented so that we can communicate more effectively or efficiently with one another.

And yet, for all our advances we also live in a time in human history where while we may be able to share words with others it is not always clear that we understand one another’s words or even receive one another’s words.

That is especially true in our nation. We seem to be losing the ability to hear one another and have meaningful communication.

How many times have we watched people talk over one another or totally disregard what the other has wanted to say. It seems that there is an ever-growing amount of people who are quick to judge and dismiss one another instead of taking the time to peel back the layers and truly talk to one another.

Our Gospel lesson this morning focuses on the need to be a good listener and a good communicator.

If we are going to win others to Jesus, we have to learn how to be able to listen and talk to people efficiently and effectively.

Our story surrounds two people –

a. The Woman who comes to the Well

b. Jesus who is already at the Well

The well was near the city of Sychar and had been there for a very long time. The Apostle John tells us that Abraham’s grandson Jacob had been the one who had first dug it out and had given it to his son Joseph.

That means that it had been a place to get water for over 1700 years by the time that Jesus meets the Samaritan woman. Their conversation wasn’t by any means the first that had happened near that well.

It wouldn’t be too hard to conjecture those others like Joshua, King David, Elijha and Elisha along with others had more than once while traveling had stopped by this well and had enjoyed its water.

So, in some ways two people meeting one another at this well was by no means an earth-shattering event. But as you read the story you begin to understand that what John was trying to get us to understand was how we as the Church and as individuals can learn how to communicate more clearly with those who don’t share our world view or even with those who don’t like us.