Awesome Love, Awesome Responsibility: John 4:5-42 - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
At Bible Study last week, a beautiful question came up in our conversation: what will it be see Jesus face-to-face? I immediately thought of the song I Can Only Imagine by the band MercyMe: Surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel will I dance for you, Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence on my knees will I fall? Will I sing alleluia? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine. Thankfully, we have today’s Gospel to inspire our imaginations. It begins with Jesus returning to Galilee from Judea via Samaria. He stops and rests by Jacob’s Well, which was not far from the Samaritan city of Sychar. Around noon, a woman approaches the well, and Jesus her for a drink. She immediately objects. Men aren’t supposed to talk to unescorted women. Jews aren’t supposed to associate with Samaritans. But that doesn’t stop Jesus. He teaches her about the living waters he gives, and how those who drink of it will never thirst again. The ...
