The Possibilities of the Christian Life

In John 10 we read that our Lord said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (v. 10), and we see that same emphasis here in John 4:13-14. So we are picking out that theme because that is, after all, what Christianity means, this is the Christian offer, the Christian possibility. Our whole trouble, surely, is that we fail to realize this: we are ever reducing the gospel, making something small out of it, something that we do, our practice of religion. The tragedy is that we think of our own selves and our busyness and our own activity instead of realizing that there is the wonderful possibility of receiving his fullness and more and more of it, "grace for [or upon] grace," "springing up into everlasting life." And this failure, it seems to me, is the greatest tragedy of all.

I enjoyed several points in this chapter (sermon?), even though they do not appear to be interconnected. First, I liked the point he makes that this message does not just apply to unbelievers (as we tend to see the Samaritan woman as), but rather applies to both as after we believe, we still tend to make the same mistakes over and over again. He also points out that Christ's message is for all believers, as highlighted by the contrasting listeners of the Samaritan women and Nicodemus in the previous passage. Blessings are open to all types of people!

Second, there are no "higher reaches" of the Christian life. There is no cultivation of the soul in a special manner in order to arrive at the great and glorious experiences of the Christian life. Perhaps one of the most devastating things that can happen to us as Christians is that we cease to expect anything to happen. Am I looking to see Christ at the well? Am I anticipating God doing something great? Believing that doing things, reading things, attending church, and that I've arrived at some sort of peak is just religion, not Christianity.

Thirdly, Christ dealt with the woman alone. This is a good reminder to me of the personal nature of our faith. God is looking to meet with me. Often in Scripture, we see God revealing himself in the wilderness or in the alone times. Our understanding of the fullness of God must be intensely personal. I forget sometimes that God became man to save us, but more specifically me. Even if I was the only human on the planet, I believe he would have saved me. God longs for a relationship with me. How awesome is that?

Overall, the first chapter was encouraging. It's a little rambling for me, but that might just be the style more than anything. I'm going to keep plugging away though, I guess I'll see what happens...