The Lutheran Hour
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"The Appointment"
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Text: John 4:39-42
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Centuries ago God’s Son had an appointment. He had an appointment with sin, with the devil, and with death. Because He has conquered all three, you, me, and all who believe on the risen Redeemer can be forgiven and are saved. God grant we may hold God’s saving, gracious truth in our hearts and souls. Amen.
In 1964, Larry Kunkel’s mother gave him a pair of pants… pants which became stiff when worn in the biting cold of a fierce Minnesota winter. Being a practical man, and a practical joker, Larry regifted those pants in a Christmas present to his brother-in-law, Roy Collette. Roy also lives in Minnesota, and he is also a practical joker. Now, most folks I know would have had a good laugh at the joke, disposed of the unwanted garment, and then gotten on with their lives. But Roy and Larry are not “most folks.” For a few years, and with the best of good humor, every Christmas the boys passed those pants back and forth. That all changed the year Roy twisted the pants and stuffed them into a pipe. Oh, the humor remained the same after that, but from that year on there was a competition to present the pants in an inventive, and an increasingly more difficult way to unwrap.
Having released the pants form the pipe, Kunkel had them compressed into a small cube, wrapped the cube with wire, and handed it back to Collette. Taking the challenge, Collette put the paints into a crate filled with stones, nailed it shut, banded it with steel, and re-presented the pants to his brother-in-law. It was right about then the practical joking got some rules. Both brothers-in-law agreed the pants couldn’t be damaged and the materials used to wrap them had to be inexpensive junk. With new regulations in place, Kunkel had the pants placed between the panes of an insulated window; he got them back in a coffee can which had been soldered shut. Oh, the coffee can was put in a five-gallon container filled with concrete and reinforcing rods.
Back and forth went the practical joke. One year, Collette found a 600-pound safe and welded the pants inside. Kunkel countered by returning them in a 3-foot cube which, in a previous life, had been a 1974 Gremlin. A note said the pants were in the glove compartment. Collette was not to be outdone. The following year his Christmas present to his brother-in-law was a giant tire filled with concrete. On the inside were the pants. On the outside a note which said, “Have a Goodyear.” In 1983, Kunkel countered by delivering a 6-ton rocket ship. Inside the rocket were 15 concrete-filled canisters, one of which held the pants. Collette returned the pants in a 4-ton concrete Rubik’s cube which had been kiln-hardened and covered with 2,000 board feet of wood.
For 20 years the joke went on between the relatives-by-marriage. Finally, in 1989, the fun feud ended. Collette wanted to have the trousers embedded in 10,000 pounds of glass, and had shipped them to a friend in Tennessee who had a glass company. When liquid glass was poured around the pants’ protective container, the container shattered and the slacks were immediately incinerated. That year, at Christmas, a brass urn was delivered to Kunkel’s residence. With the urn was this poetic inscription: “Sorry, Old Man, Here lies the Pants. An attempt to cast the pants in glass brought about the demise of the pants at last.”
Not all families have the willingness, or the good nature, to compete with each other in such a good-spirited way. Quite often family feuds are the worst, the hardest, the most cruel. That would accurately describe the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans of Jesus’ day. Both Jew and Samaritan had the same ancestry. That changed when the Jews were conquered and carried off to Babylon as a captive nation. Those Jews who were left behind intermarried with heathen nations, developed their own laws and center of worship, and claimed that they were followers of the true faith as recorded by Moses in the first five books of the Bible.
Now doing any of those things would have made a Jewish person see red. Doing all of those things was simply unforgivable. As a result, after the Jews returned from their years of exile, a competition, a competition based on mutual loathing, developed between the two nations. One year, during Passover, Samaritans snuck into the Temple Holy Place and defiled it by scattering bones all about. That’s why, if the Jews hated their Roman conquerors, they doubled their hatred for the Samaritans who, more often than not, sided with the Romans. That’s why a good Jew only used the word Samaritan when his vocabulary had run through every other bad word he could think of.
In practical terms all this meant a Jew didn’t associate with a Samaritan, he didn’t eat with a Samaritan, he didn’t talk with a Samaritan, and he didn’t usually go through Samaria.
Knowing all this you may be surprised to read the Gospel writer John says, “(And Jesus) left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria.” It’s that last sentence I find important. “He had to pass through Samaria.” Who says Jesus HAD to pass through Samaria? Was His passport no good? Were His feet so tired He couldn’t go around Samaria like most everybody else? Was there some kind of traffic accident or road construction on the route which forced Him to go through the land populated by these religious rejects? My friend, the truth is this: there is only one reason Jesus HAD to go through Samaria. He had an appointment with a lady at Jacob’s well. Now this lady didn’t know she had an appointment with Jesus. Not only didn’t she know she had an appointment with Jesus, she didn’t even know Who Jesus was. She didn’t know about her appointment, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. It was. It was an appointment set up by God, an appointment which His Son, her Savior, the world’s Savior, was going to keep.
To keep that appointment is why Jesus left for Galilee when He did. To keep that appointment is why He ended up arriving at the town of Sychar around midday. To keep that private appointment is why Jesus sent His disciples into town to buy food. To keep that appointment is why He sat Himself down at the well and waited. In the day’s heat, Jesus patiently waited for a very special lady of the community to come out and draw some water. Make no mistake about it. This lady was special. She was special because she was coming at a time when she was pretty sure nobody would be around. Back in a pre-electric age when it was normal for women to stay at home and do the million manual duties which made up for a well-run household, it was customary for the women to go out early in the morning when mild temperatures made it easier to lug home the heavy jugs of water. At the well they would gather together and share the news they had heard, repeat the jokes they had been told, gloat about the gossip they had gathered.
That this special woman did not join them implies she did not wish to join in all this merriment. Although Scripture does not directly say so, in all probability that was because she may well have been the subject of the news which had been heard; she was the butt of the jokes which were being told, she was the center of discussion for the gloating gossipers. But, back to the story. Gathering water is the reason the woman thought she was headed to the watering hole… to meet a Man, to meet God’s Son is the real reason the two unlikely individuals were brought together at Jacob’s well.
If the lady was shocked to see Jesus sitting there, she had to have been stupefied when He broke tradition and actually requested a drink of water from the unclean cup of an unclean woman. After a brief exchange, Jesus told the lady that He was the Water of Life and if she drank from the water which He had, she would never be thirsty again. Now, any normal lady would have thought herself blessed if she could skip going to the well. .. but this lady … this lady who didn’t want to be seen by those who judged her. Well, Jesus’ claim sounded just too good to be true. Understandably she said, “Sir, I’d sure like some of that water. That way I won’t get thirsty, and I won’t have to come back here.” Jesus, having the woman’s full attention, asks if He might visit with her husband.
That struck a nerve. The woman who had, up until now, shown an eagerness to converse with the Stranger, very simply, almost apologetically, replied, “I have no husband.” Hearing her half-truthed reply, Jesus lets her in on His secret: as God’s sinless Son, He knew far more about her than she could ever have imagined. His comment, very loosely paraphrased, would sound something like this, “Boy, lady, you are right on that one. You DON’T have a husband. Well, actually by God’s count, you’ve had five husbands, and, lest you think you’re getting away with anything … the guy you’re with right now … he’s not your husband either, is he?”
Knowing she had been caught in her sin the woman did what most people try to do… she tried to change the subject. She tried, but Jesus didn’t buy it. Instead He said, “Look, if a person is going to be saved, it’s because he worships the true God. If a person is going to be saved, it’s not going to be because they go to the right building or have the right traditions. If a person is going to be saved, it is because they have faith in their hearts … and not just faith in anything … but faith in the right thing.” It was just about then that Jesus’ disciples showed up and put an end to the private meeting between Jesus and the lady with the flock of non-husband husbands. The disciples didn’t say anything, but this time of private interaction between the two was put to an end. The disciples just kept wondering to themselves why Jesus was talking to … to a Samaritan woman. And the Samaritan woman, in her conviction that she had just met the Messiah, she left her water pot and went back to town to tell the rest of the city what had happened to her.
And it is here, at this point, we stop. Let’s leave the wondering disciples and the wondering woman and ask, “Why is an entire chapter of the Bible used to tell the story of this lady? We don’t know her name. We don’t know the names of her husbands. We don’t know what she had done wrong; we don’t know whether people liked her more because of this meeting with Jesus. We don’t know what became of her. We don’t know any of these things. Not for sure. So the question stands, ‘Why dedicate so much of God’s Holy Book to tell the story of a woman who kept an appointment with the Son of God, an appointment she didn’t know she had?'”
The answer is a simple one. This woman is us. You see, Jesus came into this world to keep an appointment with sinners … with people like this Samaritan woman … with people like you and me. In fact, He is keeping HIS appointment with you right now. Some of you are faithful listeners to The Lutheran Hour and your Sunday would be incomplete without hearing Mark Eischer say, “The Lutheran Hour, Bringing Christ to the Nations.” (I wish I could say it the way he does.) Listening to this broadcast which speaks of the love of God which comes to you in the Person of His Son Who gave His life for your salvation, is part of your Sunday. There are others of you who have stumbled on this broadcast by accident. You have never heard me before … you may never hear me again. But, honestly speaking, it makes no difference to which group you belong, today Jesus is keeping an appointment with you just like He did with the Samaritan woman.
Would you like to know what is going to happen at this appointment? First, Jesus wants you to realize He knows you. He knows you better than you know yourself. Do you remember what He did with that Samaritan woman? He surprised her by revealing His complete and thorough knowledge of her. He knew why she had come at midday. He knew the Jews hated her because she was a Samaritan, and her own people hated her because she had lived a less than sterling life. Well, Jesus can, and does, do the same with each of us. Jesus knows you. He knows those private sins which you have spent so much time guarding from others. He knows the things of which you are ashamed; the things which you desperately hope will never see the light of day. He knows your loneliness, your lostness, your moments of dark despair. He knows the guilt you feel and how you have let yourself and other people down. Most of all He knows you have let God down.
Does that thought make you embarrassed, ashamed, humiliated? Probably. If you’re not, you ought to be. You are a sinner and you can’t do anything about it. Yes, I know, you’ve tried… but you can’t. That’s why Jesus is keeping this appointment with you. He wants you to know that it doesn’t have to be that way. He wants to tell you, as He told the Samaritan woman, that from this moment on your life can be changed, through Him your life and your eternity can be given a whole new direction. To make that happen is why He was born into this world. Look, do you do things wrong … intentionally wrong, accidentally wrong? Of course you do. You do those wrong things because you, all on your own, have a sinful nature … a darkness which is inside of you. The devil knows that darkness is there and he places things, seductive, sinful things in your path to keep you in the darkness. The world knows that darkness and it does its best to make you feel very much at home there … as if you belonged there. But you don’t feel at home, do you? On the contrary, down, deep down, you know something is wrong, terribly, tragically wrong.
And Jesus, in this appointment with you, wants to put things right. You see, Jesus is unique. Jesus was, and is God’s Son, God’s perfect, sinless Son. Because He was God’s Son, He didn’t have our darkness, our sinful nature. Because He was God’s Son He was able to turn down the devil’s temptations; because He was God’s Son, the world wasn’t able to seduce Him into sinning, which is good for Him, but doesn’t help us much. In fact, it doesn’t help us at all until we realize Jesus was also a Human Being. He was one of us. Born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus came to earth to take our place. For us He lived the perfect life that we never could; for us He turned down the devil’s temptations; for us He resisted the world’s seductions. Jesus lived and died and rose from the dead so you might be forgiven.
Jesus’ resurrection is the Lord’s way of telling you that if Jesus can defeat the world, the devil, our sinfulness, and the powerful grasp of the grave, He can do everything else He has promised. And what has He promised? He has promised that if you believe on Him as your Lord, your sins, the worst, the wildest, the weirdest sins you have ever done can be forgiven. Today Jesus is keeping an appointment with you. It is an appointment where He wishes to forgive and change your life. That’s what He did for the Samaritan woman 2,000 years ago; it is what He does for all who are brought to faith in Him.
Of course, you can ignore this appointment with Jesus. People do that. They ignore Him, they walk out, they try to reschedule at some nebulous date. They do, but I pray you won’t. Seriously, please, for your sake, don’t do that. You may put off this appointment, but there is another one coming which you can’t put off. The appointment to which I refer is the Day of Judgment. On that last day, unbelieving, unforgiven souls will be sent to the place where sin and darkness will rule. Far better to be among those who have been forgiven by their Substitute’s sacrifice. So, if we can help you in keeping that appointment. if we can answer questions, or give some direction, please, won’t you call us at The Lutheran Hour? Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers)
March 27, 2011
Topic: Church GoingAnnouncer: Hello, my name is Mark Eischer and today, answering your questions, is Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus for The Lutheran Hour.
Klaus: Hello, Mark.
Announcer: Hello. Pastor, today our Question and Answer segment has a question, but mostly it has a challenge.
Klaus: Let’s get at ‘er, shall we?Announcer: We shall. Pastor, once again an email. Just as a reminder, listeners who wish to contact you may do so at the following email address: ken.klaus@lhm.org. At any rate, this person emailed: “I was raised in the church. Mom made sure we didn’t miss a Sunday. When I got to college, I soon found it was a relief not to force myself to get up early on Sunday with a hangover from Saturday’s party. It didn’t take me but a few weeks to get out of the habit of going to church.”
Klaus: Without knowing where the question is coming from or where it’s going, I’d like to add, in many ways life is a habit… customs which we get into. It’s easy to get into a habit of doing something… it’s also a matter of discipline. Just as working out regularly or getting adequate sleep is a discipline, a habit, so is worship, both public and private.
Announcer: I agree. Our listener continues. He says, “When I graduated from college, I came home. I tried to find a job, but nothing was being offered in my field. I’m still looking for a position. Well, to make a long story short, I didn’t go to church with my family as I had in the past. I wasn’t belligerent, but I explained I hadn’t done so in college and things turned out OK. I explained I hadn’t missed the experience and didn’t think I had gotten enough out of worship to make it worth my while.” Pastor, you look like you’re ready to spit needles. You’ve got something to say?
Klaus: I’ll hold off until he’s done.
Announcer: I should keep reading.
Klaus: You should keep reading.
Announcer: He continues: “My family was upset, but I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. There are enough of those folks in church already. Besides which I couldn’t think of anything which I can’t do by myself that I can do in church.”
Klaus: Anything else?
Announcer: Just this…which he saved up for last. He says, “I know that you are a church service on the radio. So, I thought I’d come to you for advice. Can’t I get everything I need by listening to The Lutheran Hour without having to get dressed up and go to a church service?”
Klaus: That’s it?
Announcer: That’s it.
Klaus: You’re sure?
Announcer: I am. No, just one more thing… be gentle with him.
Klaus: Wouldn’t have done it any other way. My only problem is: where to begin? Let’s start this way. Did the young man say if he had a girl friend?
Announcer: No, he didn’t talk about that.
Klaus: If he has, I wonder if he is going to have to be told to spend time with her. Or talk to her… or visit with her… or be near her? You know, if you love someone you want to be near that person. That’s true when it comes to the Lord. What does Psalm 26 say…? “Lord, I love the habitation of Your house, the place where Your glory dwells.” If he doesn’t have the desire to be with the Lord Who loves Him, I’d question how much He loves the Lord.
Announcer: In short, he’s pretending… or being a hypocrite.
Klaus: Now, Mark, be gentle. Next thing, he says, “Can’t I do everything by listening to The Lutheran Hour?” Well, no, he can’t.
Announcer: I know the answer, but such as… what can’t he do?
Klaus: Well, he can’t get communion from me. We don’t consecrate the elements of the Savior’s body and blood over the radio waves. Another thing he can’t get from me is absolution of sins. We offer no confession or words of forgiveness on the broadcast. For that he’d have to go to church. Another thing we don’t do is we don’t make sick calls… There are a lot of sick folks for whom The Lutheran Hour is church… but that’s because they can’t get to church. If they could, they would. We are, at best, a poor excuse for what happens at a congregational worship service.
Announcer: Anything else?
Klaus: Absolutely. He’s got it wrong. Worship isn’t entertainment. We try to make the message interesting, but it’s a mistake to think worship is a one way street. It’s two way. It’s praising God. It’s strengthening your fellow believers, it’s being part of a support organization; it’s being involved with a group which shares the Savior’s story of salvation with others… something that he probably isn’t doing.
Announcer: Anything else?
Klaus: Yup, the Bible gives good advice when it says: don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together. Young sir, the church needs you and you need the church. And one last thing… you probably don’t have to get dressed up as much as you think. I’d rather have somebody come to church in regular clothes than skip church altogether.
Announcer: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Just As I Am, Without One Plea” arranged by Henry Gerike. Used by permission.
“Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain” arr. Peter Prochnow. Used by permission.
“Von Got! will ich nicht lassen” by J.S. Bach. From Organ Works by Per Fridtov
Bonsaksen (© 1995 Vanguard Classics)