Lent 3, March 8, 2026 Sermon Pr. Lyndon Sayers
John 4:5-42
Jesus is on a journey and he travels through Samaria. Samaria represents a place filled with foreigners, people who were considered “other.” It is fitting during Lent to consider a journey through the place of “others.” Jesus did not let the opinion of other others derail his ministry. The central act in the gospel reading is his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Even the woman seems surprised Jesus asks her for a drink of water. Both because of the gender division between women and men and because of the division between Jew and Gentile. These are illustrative for us today, considering the divisions that are accelerating in 2026: anti-immigrant and anti-trans sentiments, for example.
The gospel also focuses on two sacramental metaphors: baptism with the water at the well and communion where Jesus has food the disciples don’t know about. Let us consider the water at the well. Jesus speaks a bit in riddles about “living water.” That is a genuinely strange encounter. Jesus doesn’t come out and say, “let me tell you about baptism,” or “I am the son of God.” Instead he talks about offering living water without having a bucket to lower into the well.
We need that living water today. We feel parched looking at a world at war and on fire at the hands of different Christians. They speak in their own riddles about Armageddon, Second Coming, and warped prophecies that have nothing to do with the love of God. Some Christian nationalists think that if we start wars with other nations, Jesus will return more quickly. That is due to a misreading of the Book of Revelation. We focus on the gospels as the lens through which we read other parts of scripture. In today’s gospel Jesus talks about people having enough to drink. He talks about living water, about finding new life in him. And that new life is not based upon desires to subjugate and colonize other people and parts of the world.
New life in Jesus is based upon mutual flourishing. Baptism is about letting die the human sins of murder, war, torture, domination, and everything we see being praised by Christians led astray.
The other sacramental action in the gospel story other than living water or baptism, is the meal. Jesus is hungry and has access to food of which the disciples are unaware. By now we might think the disciples have caught on to Jesus’ parables and riddles. But they are caught flatfooted, asking whether he hid some food somewhere. Which I can understand that if I went on a multi-day hike with friends, and we were all hungry, and one friend says they have some secret stash of food, I would be upset too. But Jesus isn’t saying that he hid a bag of trail mix in his sleeping bag that he would fish out when no one is looking. Again it is an illustration of God’s power both for the disciples, the Samaritans, and also for us reading this today. It is a reminder that with God all things are possible. What makes communion as a sacrament different from everyday food is there is always enough. There isn’t the scarcity there won’t be enough. Today we’re hearing about the scarcity of the world oil supply with the war in Iran and surrounding region. Suddenly oil has gone up, prices at the pumps has gone up, and we are in a scarcity mindset. There might not be enough. We might run out. By contrast, we are not in competition with one another over communion. The food Jesus talks about is enough for him and to share with everyone.
It is a similar abundance with which we give thanks as we prepare for the SGM and AGM after worship. Although first we have lunch. The breaking of bread continues before business. It is trusting that as God provides for each of us, we in turn are giving generously in different kinds of gifts supporting a shared ministry in the congregation. In times of uncertainty and fear, it is reassuring to build community here together. Gathering around the table, rooted in the love of Christ, we are part of something bigger than ourselves. This too is what Jesus is getting at with his parables about living water and food. There is more that grounds us than the scarcity of the world that surrounds us. It is human to be seized by fear of scarcity. It is a response to faith to trust in God’s abundance.
As we are doing through Lent I want to give you five minutes to talk in small groups. The question for discussion today is printed at the top of the your folder: “What is a “Samaritan woman at the well moment” you have experienced?” [5 minutes]
Wrapping up, one story from this week about abundance and community. After the funeral earlier this week, I was cycling to UVic for a campus ministry gathering. Outside the McDonald’s a driver made a right turn across the bike lane and hit me. I am thankful that my bike tire bounced off the car and I caught my footing. The foot I landed on was a bit sore the next day for the rest I am fine and I was able to cycle away. The driver apologized and although she checked her side mirror before turning, she had not shoulder checked and did not see me. When I came to the church the following morning, the driver directly behind had seen everything. I was wearing a clerical collar and figured I was a pastor at the church. She wanted to stop and see if I was okay but there is nowhere to stop on Cedar Hill Cross Road and her baby was crying. I called her back and thanked her for checking in. And several pedestrians saw what happened and were willing to help. I was thankful not to be hurt and for a community of abundance and care. Just as we give thanks for this community of abundance and care. Amen.
