Broken

Today, we begin chapter four of John's Gospel. And here, John records another of Jesus' conversations, this time with a Samaritan woman. I suspect that we'll be here for several weeks. This is what I want to do this week. I want to compare this woman with Nicodemus who had his own conversation with Jesus back in chapter three. It may seem that their lives have nothing in common. But that's not true where it really counts. Beneath the superficial differences there is something that binds them together. What is true of both of them is that their lives are broken. Their lives are not working the way they should. At some level, they know this so they are both trying to fix the problem. But their attempts at making their lives work, their attempts at fixing what's wrong, make matters worse. And that's where Jesus comes in. Please listen as I read our text, John4.1-26.

Let's begin with a look at the Samaritan woman. What stands out about her, at least to most folk, is that she has been married five times and at the time she spoke with Jesus, she had a live-in boyfriend. It doesn't take a great deal to see that her life isn't working. If it had been working she'd still be with her first husband. Now, at this point you need to be careful. The temptation is to think that the problem in this woman's life is her sexual immorality. It's not. The more basic problem is that she is dissatisfied with life. There's something wrong, and she knows it. She wants to fix that. She wants to fix her life. So, what does she do? What is her solution? How can she feel satisfied? She looks to other people, relationships, men. Being in a meaningful relationship will make life work - or so she thinks. She is so convinced of this that willing to pay for it. That's what the sex is about. She pays the men so that they might fix her life. But what she wants is to be fulfilled. And the right man will make that happen, will make her life work. But for five times in the past, it hasn't worked. And I'll be willing to bet that it isn't working with her current man. Her life is broken. She is trying to fix it, but she is not succeeding. 

Now, consider Nicodemus. You may be wondering how he is like this woman. How is his life broken? After all, he is a pious and scholarly man, a member of a group of men known for being so very disciplined in their pursuit of God. But this pious scholar comes to Jesus. And John tells us that he comes at night. Now, for a careful writer like John, that is not a throwaway phrase. If you remember, this phrase about night comes up again in John. When Judas went out to make the deal to betray Jesus John wrote, 'And it was night.' John wasn't reporting the time of day. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the midst of the darkness. Something is wrong, and Nicodemus knows it. He may not know what is wrong, but he can sense its presence. So, he comes to Jesus.  'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.' And what's the very next thing that John writes? 'Jesus answered him…' Answered? But Nicodemus didn't ask a question. Or did he? Jesus knows exactly what's going on and he cuts to the chase. 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'  Nicodemus comes because he knows something is wrong, though I doubt he had words to label it. His piety and learning aren't working. Jesus explains what he needs. Piety and learning are not evil. But they cannot fix a life. Only Jesus can do that. He can fix a life by giving his Spirit.

So, Nicodemus and the woman have the same problem. Their lives are not working. Jesus speaks clearly to Nicodemus. 'You need the Spirit.' But let's go back to the woman. What is it that she needs? Jesus offers her water. It's not water from that well. The water from the well cannot satisfy the woman's soul. But the water that Jesus offers can. Jesus uses a common biblical image of the Spirit, water. So, his prescription for her is the same as it was for Nicodemus. She also needs the gift of the Spirit that only Jesus can give. It is in this way that Jesus can fix her life.

This woman and Nicodemus are so very different and yet very much the same. Their lives are broken. And they each have tried to fix it. But neither has succeeded - and then, Jesus shows up.

So, here's a basic point that I want you to get. Life is broken. Every life is broken. Your life is broken.  And do you know why? Life is broken because of what happened back in the Garden. Life is broken because of sin. And from that day to our own, life has not worked for anyone, not really. And popular propaganda notwithstanding, life won't work the way that it's supposed to until Jesus comes back. Your life will not make sense to you, not really, unless you understand this basic fact.

Seeing this is so very helpful because it interprets a feeling that we sometimes have. Something is wrong. Life isn’t working the way that we all know it's supposed to. And this problem will not be removed for as long as we live. And though it sounds bleak, knowing that is quite helpful. For one thing, it guides our expectations. The world around us also senses that something is wrong. But they expect to arrive at a solution so that life will work for them. But it never will. And they search and search. They go from one possibility to another, just as the woman went from one man to another. Such searching will not work. And there are more and more these days who are sensing that. They are giving up the search and giving up hope that a solution is possible. And that gives them a very twisted view of their lives.

Surely, it is different for Christians. Well, yes and no. Part of eternal life is the gift of the Spirit of Jesus who is at work in us so that our lives work better. And he has made some progress. And yet, it needs to be admitted that we are still so like those around us. Like them, we try to fix our lives. But our attempts at a fix only make matters worse. And the reason for that is clear. Only Jesus can fix our lives.

We have two examples of how people can try to fix their own lives. The Samaritan chased after relationships that would satisfy and fulfill. And for this she was willing to pay the dreadful price of an immoral life. Nicodemus had also placed his hope in things that would assure him that his life was working. In his case, it was his great learning and piety that he looked to as the solution. And he paid an even greater price. As a good Pharisee he ran the risk of shutting Jesus out of his life. Many of them did exactly that - and worse. Both Nicodemus and the woman tried substitutes for the real solution. The only thing that rescued them from their attempts at fixing their lives was Jesus showing up.

The question to ask now is simply this. What are the substitutes that you are using to make your life work? You all sense at some level that life isn't work as well as you thought it would. For some of you, that awareness might be very conscious. Maybe you've even asked yourself why it's so hard. Others of you might not be at that place. For you it's more vague. But all of us have responded to the problem. And instead of looking to Jesus to do his work in us, we use some substitute. So, our lives are something of a mixed bag. Jesus has already done some of his work in us, but we still look to substitutes to make life work. What are some of those substitutes?

As I've told you before, I get the sermon first. Before the Spirit speaks to you, he speaks to me. So, I've asked myself about some of the ways that I have tried to make life work without Jesus. Here are two solutions that I have banked on. The first has to do with achievement. I was trained to pursue excellence, at least in certain areas, and to expect that I would succeed at that. This has shown itself in a couple of ways. One has to do with knowledge. For me, life has felt like it was working because of what I know. That was a path that was pointed out to me and one that I eagerly followed. It has seemed to work because I know a lot. And so, I have spent a goodly bit of time reminding people of this. And until relatively recently that made me feel good about myself. That translated into the sense that my life was working. The second solution that I have used is to be sure that people like me. I try not to do anything that will make anyone think less of me. I need to look good in other people’s eyes. So, I read a lot and try my best to be likeable. Sometimes I am successful at these ploys. And sometimes they conflict.

Putting it this way makes it all sound clear and obvious. It isn't of course. There are some things that I know that are actually helpful to others. And being likeable has advantages. But there are disadvantages also, like feeling driven to know more and to achieve more so that I can maintain that front. In a way, I am like Nicodemus in that I depend on my knowledge. I am also like the woman in that I depend on other people liking me to give a sense of satisfaction. I have been aware of my first scheme for a while. The second scheme, trying hard to be liked, was exposed a little more this past week.

What's so wrong with what I am doing? Is it that I have chosen the wrong tools to fix my life? Would it be better if I chose a different way to make my life work? Are there better methods for me to try? Actually, no. You see, only Jesus can fix a life. Only he can make a life work. So, my trying anything to fix my life is just plain wrong. It's just another way of refusing to trust Jesus to do what he said he would do. But Jesus has been very kind. He persists in rescuing me from such sinful stupidity even when I try to push him away. Grace.

Now, that's a little bit of how I have tried - and still try - to make my life work. What are some of the ways that you use? I'm going to mention two popular options. I didn't just pluck them out of the air. I chose these two because I am concerned that some of you are using them in the hope that one or the other might make your life work. Even if neither of these fit you, they will give you an idea of what I'm getting at.

One thing that lots of folk look to is the job. It's the job that will make life satisfying. It's the job that will make it feel as if life is working adequately well. And that can happen in several ways. For one thing, the job provides the opportunity to achieve. It feels good to do a job well. It feels better when others tell you that you're doing well. For that reason the job is a popular tool to make life work. And there are many who really give themselves to it. They are hoping for a big payoff. But at what cost?

The job is not just about achievement. It also provides money. You can use money in many ways. For most of you money isn't primarily about having fun. You don't blow it all on some vacation or the like. But money can give someone a sense of being a good provider for his family. Nice house, appropriately equipped, college for the kids - that sort of thing. And money can give someone a sense of security against all the dangers that are out there. In the minds of many, money socked away equals safety, a greater ability to provide well for the family. A good job will go a long way to making life work - or so the story goes.

Let's look at something else that makes life seem to work, a second substitute. This has to do with being a parent. Here, life is seen, to a large degree, in terms of the kids. The goal is to see them succeed. Part of what's included here has to do with education. The assumption is that a good education is protection against falling into a life that doesn't work that well. And then there are what used to be called 'extra-curricular activities'. These were considered as secondary aspects of a student's life. They are no longer merely secondary. It's no longer good enough to do well in reading, writing and arithmetic. A child has to do well in all the other stuff after school too. Life for the person who defines herself as a parent is good as long as it appears that the kids are on the right track. If they start to wander, or if there is a danger that they might in the future, life doesn't work as well.

And to complicate things, if she is into the kids and he is into his job, well, there isn't much left for the marriage. And while there are clear hints of that now, it really blows up after the kids are gone and even more so after the job is gone.

Let me include one for those of you still in school. A key question for lots of kids is this: 'How do I fit in?' And that's just another way of asking, 'How do I get them to like me?' And that affects how you dress, how you talk, how you attract attention to yourself, or try not to draw attention to yourself. The way you make life work now can set the pattern for the rest of your life. When do you think I learned about the supposed advantages of knowing lots of stuff? All of this affects all of you kids. The choices you make now – choices about how to deal with an imperfect life – are important. They set the tone of your life. You fathers need to help your kids with this. Most of them do not have the tools that they need to deal with these things.

There are lots of other ways that people try to make life work. And many of them are quite subtle. But subtle or not, using any of these tools won't make your life work because only Jesus can make a life work.

So, how does Jesus do this work of fixing a life? There are several elements that he ordinarily uses. Let me go through them.

First, he points out failure. Your plan to fix your life, to get it to work well, isn't working, and he shows you that. Isn't that one thing that Jesus is getting at when he tells the woman, 'Go call your husband'? Jesus is a bit more blunt with Nicodemus. 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?' And there are times when he just lets you experience some of that failure. That's when it's obvious even to you that your plan isn't working. Jesus points out failure. And a good thing too. He does this because he loves you.

Second element. Jesus, after pointing out our failure, calls for repentance. And that makes sense. Our plans to make life work aren't just worthless, they are also insulting to God. We are trying to save ourselves. We need to see that and to turn from it.

Third element. Once we repent, Jesus gives us new instructions. Basically, he tells us, 'Now, this is how your life can work.' He tells us what needs to replace our failed plans. He does this in small doses. We can’t handle more than that.

Fourth element: he expects us to trust him when he gives us those new instructions. And that trust shows when we want to do it his way. Please note that I didn't say that we actually do it his way. There are many reasons why we may stumble at this. The key is not success in obeying. The key is desire to obey. And that's how trust shows itself. You want to obey.

Last element: he gives us the ability to make a little more progress in our obedience. Grace.

And again, let me fill this out using myself. This week Jesus pointed out my failure. Because I want you to like me, I have not pastored you in the way that you need. And it boils down to being wimpy instead of being bold. There are things that I need to tell you that I don't. After all, you might not like me if I did. Jesus made clear to me this week that that's no good. My plan to make my life work has made things worse. After I repented, he gave me new instructions. I need to be bolder. That doesn't mean harsher or blunter. But there are things that I need to tell you even though I run the risk of you not liking me. In this, I had to decide if I would trust Jesus to make it all work. The fact that I am preaching this sermon is evidence of that trust. I honestly believe that some of you are setting up yourselves and your children for troubles because of some of the ways you have decided to make your lives work. That's what my comments about the job and parenting were about. Writing that part of the sermon was uncomfortable for me. But I wrote it, and I'm preaching it. I want you to know why I’m doing that. First, I love Jesus. I want to do whatever he tells me to do, even the things that I find uncomfortable. I don't love him that well, but I want to. And the second reason I have said what I have said is that I love you. I don't love you that well, but I want to. I honestly want all of you to flourish. You life will not work if you buy into these different ways of fixing life. And that will result in - and has already resulted in - problems for you and your children.

None of those ways of making life work will work. Only Jesus can do that. So, listen to him. Just wait for him to speak and then do what he tells you. If you do that, life will work so much better.