Made Holy by God’s Presence
a sermon based on John 4:5-42
By Rev. Randy Quinn

I must confess that I was puzzled at first by the detailed description of the place where this story occurs, as if that were more important than the people in the story. It reminded me of what Realtors say, “Everything depends upon three things: location, location, location.”

For some reason, John believes that where this story takes place is much more important than the name of the woman at the well.

(By the way, I did learn that the Orthodox tradition has attributed the name Photini to her – or in Russian, Svetlana – a name that means, “equal to the Apostles”.)

Jacob’s well, which doesn’t appear in the Old Testament, can still be found near one of the older Israeli Settlements on the West Bank. It’s a site that has an extremely long history, and is no doubt a well that existed in Jacob’s day and he actually may have been used it.

In many ways, the well itself resembles an artesian well, where the water in it is flowing. In fact, the same Greek word for “living water” is used to describe the “flowing water” of the well.

It is here, at one of many Holy Sites in Israel that our story unfolds.

There were two photographs that used to hang outside my office when we lived in Bow. Both were taken from space. One was a photograph taken over Israel – or as some people refer to it, “the Holy Land” – the other was taken over Skagit County and included the homes of most people who attended the church we were serving.

If and when I get a picture of the Yakima Valley, I’ll do the same thing here because those two pictures were a constant reminder to me that wherever I am living is also “Holy Land”.

Sunnyside is sacred ground. It is just as holy as Jerusalem. It is just as holy as Auschwitz or Kandahar or Mecca or Salt Lake City or Rome. “All the earth is the Lord’s,” says the Psalmist (Ps 24:1). Not just Jerusalem or Galilee or the West Bank of the Jordan River, but all the earth belongs to God.

And all people are God’s people.

Not everyone realizes that, of course. Not everyone agrees with that. And it doesn’t matter on which continent or in which century we are looking there are opponents to the idea of God’s universal reign.

In Jesus’ day, there was a huge wall that divided the people into two camps – the Jews on the one hand and the Samaritans on the other. Their animosity towards each other can be traced to the period of the Judges and the earliest years of the monarchy. King Saul was from the Northern Kingdoms; David was from the South. King David unifies the country, but it falls apart after the rule of his son Solomon.

In the North the capitol became Samaria. While in the south, it remained in Jerusalem.

But the separation became acrimonious after the first exile, which began about 200 years later in 687 BCE. During that exile, a remnant of the Northern tribes remained in the land. Samaria was their focal point, and the only scriptures they recognized as legitimate were the books of Moses, the Torah. They built their own temple not far from Jacob’s Well and carried the torch of faith throughout the period of exile.

Upon their release from Babylon, those who were descendants of the Southern tribes – the Jews – were less than gracious towards the Samaritans – in part because they refused to help rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, but also in part due to their jealousy over the land itself since the Samaritans never had to leave it.

By the time of Jesus, there was a clear and bitter wall that divided the two camps. So bitter, in fact, that most Jews refused to travel in or through Samaria.

I don’t know who is more surprised in today’s story, the Samaritans or the Disciples.

When the woman at the well, Photini, perceives Jesus to be a prophet, she asks what every Samaritan wants to know – where is God’s Holy Presence? Where are we to worship God? Is Mount Zion the Holy Mountain or is Mount Gerizim? Should we look to Jerusalem or to Samaria for guidance and direction?

In response, Jesus simply says, “It isn’t a matter of place.” Both places are sacred. Both places are holy.

In the mind of Jesus, there is no wall between Jew and Samaritan; both groups of people are loved by God. Both Jew and Samaritan are in need of food and water, both Jew and Samaritan are in need of forgiveness and compassion, both Jew and Samaritan are in need of love and grace.

Those who worship God transcend all boundaries, all borders, all barriers.

His simple form of acceptance, his gracious attitude towards her, wins her heart and soul. She is so moved, in fact, that she runs off to tell others that at last she has met someone who knows all about her, who knows all about her people, and who knows all about the love of God that includes her – and them.

For those who are in the minority, for those who are outcasts of society, for those who are oppressed, for those who are ignored by the masses, this is a fabulous and exciting story of grace.

All are included in God’s family! Praise be to God!

But for those who are in the majority, for those in positions of power, for those who have authority over others, for those who think they control the lives of others – or their own future for that matter, this is a story that can – and should – be somewhat disconcerting. They are not the ones who decide who is welcome. They are not the ones who set the value on places or things or people.

In the words of a contemporary songwriter, “God is God, and I am not.”

For those who want to divide the world into “us” and “them,” for those who look in disdain upon any other person or group of people, for those who need to have someone to blame for their ills – no matter which side of divide they find themselves on, this story is one that brings us up short.

In Jesus’ day, the most visible line was between Jew and Samaritan.

To Paul, it was between Jew and Greek.

In Sunnyside, the line I’ve seen most clearly is between Anglo and Hispanic.

In the United Methodist Church, it’s between conservative and liberal – whatever those labels have to do with any given issue.

Some people believe that in our congregation, the line is between those who attend the first service and those who attend the second service.

No matter how you draw the line or where you see the line, Jesus has the same answer: God is God of all. In God’s eyes we are one. Whether you were born here and have attended this church since your name was on the cradle roll or if this is your first Sunday, you are loved equally.

In welcoming the Samaritan woman, Jesus in effect welcomes us.

And in her enthusiasm and sharing her story with others, we find a role model for our lives – a model that is unashamed to tell the truth to people who are already loved by God whether they know it or not. A model that invites and welcomes people simply because we know that they too are welcomed by and accepted by and forgiven by Christ.

As are we.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.