March 19, 2017 John 4: 5-42      Sermon  Woman at the Well  Rev. June Fothergill Ah there it is!  I can still hardly believe I left my water jar behind! And I really needed the water!  I hadn’t gone down in the morning with the other women. I was just tired of their talking more about me than with me.  But a person needs water- so with the sun high, I trudged to the well.  It’s Jacob’s well- I may be a Samaritan but I know my lineage and Jacob left his well for us. It makes a big difference in our lives. We need fresh water and  we are grateful for it! But that day I encountered someone even greater than Jacob. He didn’t look like much at first.   Just a stranger sitting at the well, obviously weary-  his clothes and feet dusty- his face lined. He wore the cloak of a Jew. I paid him little mind- figuring he’d just ignore me. But instead he spoke- asked me for a drink. I was shocked! Here was a Jewish man speaking with me! a Samaritan woman?  I was so worried about what someone might think.  I’ve always been rather outspoken and I did it again that day- sir- do you realize who you are talking with?  Are you sure you want to be talking to me!  pause   I forgot all about his request and his thirst! Who as this man? I remember wondering.  He must have known my question for he smiled and told me- If you knew who I was you’d ask for living water. Living water. . And I knew I needed that living water he’d offered. Whatever it was , ” sir I said give me that water!  But then he caught me up short- Go and call your husband. Well I’d been half expecting it – everyone gets around to asking eventually. He as a good sort though I wanted him to like to keep talking with me. So I told him- ” I don’t have a husband.” Then he looked at me so very gently and said What you say is true you have had 5 husbands and the one with you now is not your husband.” I looked at him and it was like he’d seen all the misery I’d suffered. The rejection the grief the shame. I could see in his eyes- He knew all about me yet he had spoken to me as a real, loveable, thoughtful  person. I felt a thrill as somewhere inside an empty place started to fill. ” Sir you must be a prophet.” Looking back I realize that right then he...