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The Gospel of Matthew Bible Studies
The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
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The 3rd Sunday in Lent (A)
"Founders' Sunday": Celebrating Pella's 100th Year
Text: John 4:5-42 In the Gospel of John, we are given this beautiful story about Jesus Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well.
It is emphasized throughout John’s Gospel that Jesus is the Word of God – or that we are to think of Jesus as the divine communication from God. And here, in this story we are given a fresh way of understanding what this means.
Jesus tells us, along with this Samaritan woman that he is the bearer of “living water” that will quench our spiritual thirst.
Now, I would suggest that this “spiritual thirst” is a universal human condition. Who among us has never felt thirsty for meaning in life; thirsty for wisdom about this world,—and perhaps as this Samaritan woman discovers—thirsty to be completely known by God and to stop having to hide from the truth about our shame and our sin. Thirsty for the truth
What an interesting story to have come up on our lectionary on this day. It being our Centennial, or founders day celebration, that 100 years ago, there were these Danish settlers who also must been thirsty in this way; they must have at least realized their need for this same “living water,” this connection with the God through Jesus Christ. Feeling a bit like the Israelites (I suppose), in a new and uncertain wilderness (of Eastern Montana), I suppose you could even say they needed to have their spiritual thirst quenched… So, they dug a well (so to speak)… it was not the only place to find the Word of God for sure, but it was a place and a name that was dedicated for this purpose nonetheless. They founded a church.., and for 100 years (on Tuesday) people have been coming to Pella to have their thirst quenched.
Now, it was surely not without struggles, the history of this Church. It was not always here at this location for one... English was not always the language used in worship. And with changes come spiritual struggles.
I suppose if you were to look at the history, you would find that just like every people of God in every time and place, Pella has gone through times when it has forgotten just who it is that quenches spiritual thirst. I am stuck this morning also by our first reading. In the Exodus story that was just read, Moses is concerned because his people are following him and not God, and their about ready to kill him. That’s what happens in Christian communities as well, when people loose sight of God who is leading them, they begin to lash out at each other when times get hard.
But even during the most difficult times in Pella’s history, the foundation has always been there: The well of gushing, thirst quenching water found in Jesus Christ. And this makes Pella a community that gathers to hear this thirst-quenching and living Word of God—powerful stories that touch our lives in new and meaningful ways no matter how often they are spoken. And Pella is also a community that gathers around to share the sacraments of Baptism and Communion—tangible connection to the spiritual promises that God has given us and gives us still. The promise of abundant and eternal life.
And so, finally today our Gospel story gives us a new challenge. Just like in Jesus day and in every other era leading up to our own, Barriers and have formed between people. And the mission is ours now. How can we be a church that reaches out to this community? How can we speak the living, thirst quenching word into our community in 2008?
The well is here, but it is not our well. It never was.
Just like in this story, Jesus sends us off to tell others what we have encountered.
As I said earlier, I would suggest that people are as thirsty now, as they were 100 years ago, if not more so.
“For here Jesus’ saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ He sent us to reap that for which we did not labor. Others have labored, and we have entered into their labor.”
Brothers and sisters, May the living water of Jesus Christ—the Word of God—continue to flow in you richly—even for the next 100yrs. -------------------- Pastor Joshua Magyar 418 W. Main St. Sidney, MT 59270
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