Missionary Renegade: The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States Grow Pray Study Guide for Monday, 25 June 2018 “Jesus had to go through Samaria” John 4:1-6

Monday, June 25, 2018

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States Grow Pray Study Guide for Monday, 25 June 2018 “Jesus had to go through Samaria” John 4:1-6

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States Grow Pray Study Guide for Monday, 25
June 2018 “Jesus had to go through Samaria” John 4:1-6
Daily Scripture:
John 4:1 When Yeshua learned that the P’rushim had heard he was making and immersing more talmidim than Yochanan 2 (although it was not Yeshua himself who immersed but his talmidim), 3 Yeshua left Y’hudah and set out again for the Galil. 4 This meant that he had to pass through Shomron.
5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:
Jesus went from Judea (southern Israel) to Galilee (the north). In between lay Samaria, an area many Jews skirted. Hatred and distrust between Israelites and Samaritans went back over 500 years, to Israel’s return from exile in Babylon (cf. Ezra 4:1-5). Jesus' fellow Jews saw Samaritans the way many Israelis today see Palestinians, and vice versa. But Jesus saw Samaritans as people who needed his love as much as anyone else, and treated them that way. He went through Samaria on purpose, and reached Jacob's well at noon.

John said Jesus “had to go” through Samaria. Pastor Roger Frederickson wrote, “He did not need to save the three days He could gain by passing through this ill-regarded province rather than crossing the river and going up the eastern desert route…. the Father had sent Him into the whole world—not just part of it.”* Does God’s love ever call you to go to places that human divisions tell you to avoid? How can you break down barriers between you and other people in your day-to-day life?
Historic Christian confession has said Jesus was fully divine and fully human. John wrote matter-of-factly, “Jesus was tired from his journey” (verse 6). Hebrews 2:17-18 said Jesus “had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way…. He’s able to help those who are being tempted, since he himself experienced suffering when he was tempted.” In what parts of your life journey are you tired today? Share your tiredness with Jesus in prayer. He understands, and can help and care for you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you needed to rest, and often I do, too, emotionally and spiritually as well as physically. I’m so thankful that your steadfast love never rests, but is always there to support me. Amen.
* Roger L. Frederickson, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 27: John. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985, page 93.

Read today's Insight by Melanie Hill
Melanie Hill is the Guest Connections Program Director at Resurrection.
It seems like today’s passage should resonate with all of us dealing with the current political divide in our country. Never before have we been more polarized in our political beliefs than we are today. The tension is palpable. Stick with me – for some of you the thought of reading one more thing that talks about politics makes you want to pull your hair out, while others of you are skimming ahead to see what side I will fall on. The truth is that I rarely talk or post about politics and for good reason. It doesn’t seem like you can say anything today without alienating someone. In the past weeks I’ve seen long-time friends “unfriend” each other over Facebook posts. I’ve seen co-laborers in Christ post things that I know they would never say in person. All of it leaves me feeling a little sick to my stomach. Maybe you’re feeling the same way.
Here’s what I know. The person sitting next to you in church is neither a Nazi or a snowflake. People vote for complex reasons, arriving at their conclusions in ways that we may not agree with or understand. The truth is I have yet to meet someone who agrees across the board with the party they most identify with. And yet today the name calling and stereotyping of people is at an all-time high. This is not who we were called to be.
The Church in America has an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in our culture. Our friends, neighbors, and coworkers are as frustrated as you are. Everyone is looking for someone to bring meaning to the chaos, to de-escalate the rhetoric. This is what Jesus was doing when he traveled through Samaria. He was making a statement – these are my children too. He came for Jews and Samaritans. Republicans and Democrats. Even Libertarians! We live in a broken world and by no means would I ever ask you to not care about that. We’re called to be people of justice and love. I’m also not asking you to not participate in politics. By all means, contact your representatives, get involved, vote. We should all be paying attention to what is happening in our world. What I am asking is that we do it in a way that honors each other and our differences. Cultivate dialog with people who think differently than you. Model bridging the gap instead of feeding the flames.
I know most of us reading this are thinking “I already do that” and maybe you do, but what was the last thing you reposted on Facebook or re-tweeted? What political stories and headlines have you “liked” and given a thumbs up to? This is a big issue in our culture that deserves more than a happy or angry face emoji. If we have learned anything in the past year, it’s that we need to be careful not to react to every story in the moment. Instead we should be asking questions to gain understanding. Be curious. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Before you repost or hit “like” think about how it will make friends on the other side feel. Will it encourage honest conversation that leads to healing and problem solving or will it drive the wedge deeper? Maybe, just maybe, social media isn’t the place to even have these conversations.
Most of us, me included, are guilty of posting something on social media that I would never say when sitting across from a friend. We have to BE better than that. We have to DO better than that. My prayer is that the Church would be a healing balm on the wounds our country is feeling. Let us be agents of restoration and let us show kindness to each other. I’ll end with the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., who said,

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

Let us be people of the light.

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