Step By Step

February 24, 2008     Lent 3 A

Exodus 17:1-7             Psalm 95

Romans 5:1-11         St. John 4:5-42

I am sure that there might be at least one of you, who upon seeing the title to my sermon, thought about the old Vaudeville routine involving Niagara Falls. If you are that one, lay the thought aside, for it does not enter into this sermon. If you do not know that routine, you are already one step ahead!

I often attempt to write a sermon that includes more than one of the lessons for that Sunday. Sometimes it works. Other times I focus on only one of the lessons, usually the Gospel. When I read the lessons for today, I immediately looked at the water motif that linked the first and Gospel lessons. Then I noticed something that linked all three lessons. It is this link that brought me to the title of this sermon. All three lessons address the topic of progression, or moving from one place to another. The common form of movement, either in place of geography or thought is "step be step".

The first lesson picks up the narrative of the flight from Egypt. God has acted to deliver the Hebrews from their slavery in Egypt. But all is not well in the minds of the people. In the section just previous to the one we heard today, the people complained about not having food. Remembrances of Egypt brought the thoughts of food in abundance, without the attached reality of slavery. God acts again to provide food for them and send Manna to satisfy their hunger.

This is not enough. In today's lesson we hear them crying for water. God acts yet again to meet their need. The setting for this lesson is the link to the others. "All the Congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by steps, according to the commandments of the LORD?"

The first thing to note is the name of the wilderness, Sin. This has nothing to do with the people's transgressions, but is a place, linguistically linked with the mountain where the Commandments of God were delivered: Sinai. The people were walking, Step by step, as they followed the commandments of God. There was a progression of the people, both in space and faith, as they journeyed from the land of slavery to the land of freedom. I think this is an important lesson for us to hear in the 21^st century.

When God delivered the Hebrews from their slavery, it was not a snap of the fingers and poof, they were in the Promised Land. No, it was a journey to learn dependence and obedience. It was a difficult experience. One that lasted a full generation. It is a journey that seems to be ignored today.

Our world longs for instant gratification. We want everything now. One of the first examples of this, I think, was the Polaroid Land camera. This camera took pictures that developed before your eyes! You did not have to take your pictures to be developed and wait to see them. You could see them NOW!! There was no journey. Take the picture, see the picture.

But steps are important. St. Paul outlines steps necessary to know of God's love for us. We are called to suffer. Not simply to suffer in some masochistic fashion, but because suffering produces endurance. Endurance enables us to face the reality that not everything happens NOW. More than that, endurance produces character. Character is not simple personality but the embodiment of belief. Character is living your life in a way that demonstrates what you believe. Character produces hope. Hope is the longing for, and the assurance of the future. It is the knowledge that what is promised by God but is not yet within our reach, is never the less ours, as much as if it were in our very hands. Step by step we are assured of the love of God, by God's love itself that has been poured into our hearts. Yes, God's love has already been given to us, but there is still a transformation effect of that love that does not come immediately, but step by step.

Where is this step by step transformation more clearly shown than in out Gospel lesson?

Jesus is thirsty and comes to Jacob's well. There he encounters a woman. A Samaritan woman at that. Jesus not only talks with the woman, but in a carefully orchestrated, seven-part dialogue (each speaks seven times) he guides her progressively from ignorance to enlightenment, from misunderstanding to clearer understanding. She is the most carefully and intensely catechized person in this entire Gospel! Step by step Jesus leads this woman into a deeper understanding of who he is, and what he can do for her.

Her first understanding of who Jesus is is simply a Jew. This causes the most difficulty for her because Jews and Samaritans do not associate with each other, let alone a Jewish man and a Samaritan woman. As she listens, she comes to realize despite her questions and accusations that Jesus is greater than Jacob who dug this well. But there is more. Jesus speaks with authority and sincerity to the woman's condition that he refines her thoughts to believing that Jesus is a prophet. Who else would know so much about her physical condition and living arrangements? But Jesus is still not finished. There is one more step. Jesus leads her to believe that he is the Messiah, the Promised one.

Filled with this knowledge, the woman runs back to her village and tells others, mostly men. The men themselves come out to encounter this man at the well, who gives water that does not come from the ground.

Step by step, these men also believe, first because they listened to the woman, and then because they heard for themselves.

Our life in the Church does not come to fruition over night. We do not "get it all" in one bite, but step by step. That is why we gather, as the Church has always done, every Sunday in celebration of the Sunday of Resurrection. That is why we confess our sins every week, for like the children of Israel, we grumble and sin against the Lord, even after his great goodness. That is why we have such a thing as adult Sunday School, because we can always learn more about our faith. That is why we have dedicated this parlor today, because there is never an end to our service to God. Step by step, we move on in life, following the commandments of God, seeking obedience and life.