WHEN YOUR ROPE IS TOO SHORT
John 4:5-17
Tom Faggart

Early in the morning Jesus and his disciples had risen from their sleep in Jerusalem and headed home toward Galilee. In order to get to the country of Galilee it was necessary to pass through Samaria. Approximately 40 miles from Jerusalem and at the noon hour Jesus and his disciples arrived at the top of Mount Gerizim. In the pass of the mountain was Jacob's well, nearby was the ancient Temple of the Samaritan people built when the Jews would not let them be a part of the worship in Jerusalem. Hot, thirsty, and generally tired Jesus rested at the well while his disciples went approximately one mile farther to the town of Sychar for food. No doubt they would have liked to quench their thirst at the well ...problem... well was 100 feet deep and the only ropes they had were the sash ropes around their waists. Even if they tied them all together the ropes would still be too short to reach the water below. Plus they had no bucket with which to draw the water.

For one time in his life Jesus was inadequate for the situation at hand ... temporarily his rope was too short.

There comes a time in each person's life when one's rope is too short. We have done our best ... have given our best effort, but we are still inadequate for the task at hand.

I sat in a restaurant listening to two men sitting near by talking. One of them was very nervous. After a few moments I ascertained that he was a BUILDING CONTRACTOR. He had just finished four homes averaging $275,000 in value. The interest rate had gone over 20%. He had to cover the debt out of his reserves. His funds were running low. Circumstances beyond his own control were dealing him a very unfair hand. His rope was too short! His nervous system was about to break.

In the lesson of the morning Jesus was not concerned about going bankrupt. Yet, he was facing a most difficult moment. It is of great importance to remember that Jesus used this experience in his life as a door opener to establish a relationship with another person so he could minister to that individual.  JESUS MINISTERED OUT OF HIS NEED!

Most of us think that the proper stance for ministry is for the perfect to minister to the imperfect. The good to minister to the bad. The healthy to minister to the unhealthy. Jesus in the lesson of the morning opens the door to another possibility. A NEEDY PERSON MINISTERING TO A NEEDY PERSON.

THE FACT IS THAT WHEN WE ARE SELF SUFFICIENT WE DON'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH OTHER PEOPLE OR WITH THEIR PROBLEMS. WHEN WE HAVE NEEDS WE UNDERSTAND AND ARE OPEN TO HEAR AND TO HELP.

WHEN WE HAVE NEEDS ... WE ARE SENSITIVE TO OTHERS WHO HAVE NEEDS. SOME HAVE NEEDS RELATED TO THE PHYSICAL ESSENTIALS OF LIFE AND OTHERS HAVE NEEDS RELATIVE TO THE SPIRITUAL ESSENTIALS OF LIFE.  Sometimes the needs are intertwined and feed off of each other.

II. As Jesus waited at the well a lady from the town nearby came to the well.  She had ...a rope and a container with which to draw water. Jesus saw a chance to quench his thirst.

He undoubtedly knew he would get water. No Middle Easterner could refuse a drink of water to another.

He was probably surprised to discover the person who came was a woman. Most ladies came early in the morning or late in the evening. Even though it was improper He was not to be denied. "Lady would you give me a drink of water?" She did not refuse ...she only responded to her shock that a Jew, and yet still, a man and more rarely a Rabbi would ask of her ... a drink of water... She being a Woman and a Samaritan.

"YOU GIVE ME PHYSICAL WATER AND I WILL GIVE YOU SPIRITUAL WATER." SAID JESUS.   "Give me of your water", she replied.

Jesus poured her a glass.

He did it with a question .... Where is your husband? Jesus knew something was askew in the life of this lady. Her coming to the well in the heat of the day was unusual. Maybe it was her body language ... something flirtatious about her. WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND?

"I have no husband", she replied. You're right Jesus said. You have had five husbands and the man with whom you are living is not your husband.

In the conversation, there was an unveiling of the painful secrets of her life. This Rabbi did not threaten her. He was a person in need and she was a person in need.

"Preacher, what gospel do you have for a man who has everything? ", he asked.

Several years ago I was invited to go fishing with one of the members of the church I was serving.  I had never seen him in church. Want to go deep sea fishing with me tomorrow? he asked.  Yes, I said, I would like to go.

The next morning we left very early for the beach where he owned a home, and a sport fishing yacht. By 8:30 we were in the ocean trolling for King Mackerel. As we were trolling along he asked me the question which temporarily stunned me ...

Preacher, what gospel do you have for a man who has everything?

Ministers aren't given an answer to that question in seminary. In fact, in 10 years of ministry to that point I had not met a person like he described. I don't know that I have a gospel for a person who has everything, I responded.

Well, he said, I don't know what need I have. I am financially secure .... own the local Ford Motor Company, two farms of over a 1,000 acres , home in town, one at the beach, two boats, and several automobiles. He had money in the bank. My wife and I are not having any problems ...my children are well behaved and healthy. Preacher, I just don't know what I need. I looked at him and said ... well the gospel I preach is to people who have needs.

He smiled... He knew he had me!

We finished the day with 19 nice King Mackerel. He gave me several. Took me home. Then he said, "I believe you really do like to fish." I go every Thursday. It gets mighty lonely out there. Would you like to go again next week? Sure, I said. I really enjoyed it.

As he left it hit me ...The man who had everything ... didn't have everything. He was friendless, and lonely. It was at this point that the gospel would have to be administered. The next two years together we built a strong friendship.  He started to church.  His presence was noticed in the offerings. He had a son he wanted to have a scouting experience.  Together we built one of the healthiest Scouting programs in the council.

Every one of us has a need. Jesus Christ came to fill that need. He came, as one who knew need. He ministered out of his! In our spiritual pilgrimage we will all minister most legitimately out of this part of our lives.  It is here that we are vulnerable.  Vulnerability is essential in bringing the healing of the Christ to the needs of others.

What do you and I do with ours?

"The Cracked Pot"

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We re all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table.

In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway. Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes."