On every page of Scripture, we get wonderful glimpses of God’s heart. A great example is found in John 4.  Maybe you know the story. Jesus and His disciples are on their way from Judea to Galilee, and they end up going through Samaria. Although this was the shorter route, lots of Jews chose the long way, going around Samaria altogether, because Jews despised Samaritans. Many Jews thought even stepping on Samaritan soil defiled them.

Nevertheless, Jesus goes straight through Samaria, coming to a village called Sychar, to a well, where He stops to rest. And that’s where things get really interesting, because at about that time, a woman comes to the well to draw water. Most women would go together to draw water in the cool of the morning, but not her. This woman is alone, at high noon, in the heat of the day. Because of her broken past, we learn that is she is an outcast among her own people. And so, what does Jesus do? He talks to her.

To our modern, western sensibilities, we can’t imagine how scandalous this is. A Jew and a Samaritan? A man – a Rabbi no less – alone with a woman? And they are talking? Are you kidding? It’s simply not done!

So why? Why does Jesus go through Samaria? Why does he even acknowledge this woman, much less engage her in a conversation? It’s because that’s what God does. That’s exactly what He’s like. And I’m pretty sure it’s what He wants us to be like, too.

Why in the world would we reach out to those we think of as different, difficult or outcast? Why would we ever take time to “see” those who are unseen in our community? It’s because that’s who God is. It’s because that’s God’s heart for the world – for you, me and everyone. And He wants that to be our heart, as well.

This Sunday at Christ Church, we get to look at John 4 where we will hear about this conversation and see the transforming love of God at work in the life of this Samaritan woman.

One of our core values at Christ Church is to “Live a Life of Servanthood.” Over the past seven months, since Christ Church formed, there has been a group exploring what this might look like. We have been praying about how God might use us to bless others and draw them to Christ.  

At worship this Sunday, we will be inviting you to fill out a survey and weigh in on how you are sensing God’s leading for us to love and serve those outside our church. You will also be invited to help shape who we are becoming as a missional community at an event on Sunday, March 3 (more details to come).  I can’t wait to see how God is inviting us to “Serve Like Christ,” to love and serve each other, the outsider, the outcast.

Hope you will join us!