Third Sunday in Lent
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Third Sunday in Lent, 8th Mar 2026
Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. MAY the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. <Amen>
SURPRISES … SURPRISES … The story revealed to us in John 4:5-42, of Jesus, a Jew, talking with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (The Well of Sychar) outside of the city of Shechem (modern day Nablus, in the West Bank) is a story full of them.
The barriers to this conversation happening at all are IMMENSE. Between Samaritan and Jew there was a wall of separation no less than that, which in our time often separates, Israeli from Palestinian in The Holy Land.
The Jews and Samaritans are related peoples - both are Hebrews - BUT they had developed quite distinct “ways of being”. The Samaritans inter-married with non-Hebrew peoples, they had lost much of their ethnic identity, and had their own temple. The two peoples had, let me be polite, “grown apart”. <PAUSE>
SURPRISE #1 Jesus decides to travel through Samaritan territory and then …
SURPRISE #2, He actually strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan!
SURPRISE #3, In that place and time men and women are not to talk to one another in public unless they are related.
SURPRISE #4, the nameless Samaritan woman has also been rejected by her own people. She comes to the well to draw water at noon, and she comes alone. Noon is the hottest time of the day. Morning and evening are times to do the hard work of drawing water from the well, and hauling it home. This is work that women do in company with one another. It is a chance for a chat, for some social contact. But this woman goes to the well at a time when she will be alone. She sees herself as a misfit. She avoids others, perhaps, in order not to be hurt yet again by their words, their attitudes, their hard looks. <PAUSE>
SURPRISE #5, Then, in the midst of this surprising conversation comes the most beautiful surprise of all. It’s the surprise that Jesus promises “living water”. Living water that flows, that runs, that dances, that sparkles, that never runs dry, THAT BRINGS NEW LIFE!
At first the woman presumes that Jesus is talking about water from some hidden stream. But what Jesus promises is a source of life in her, AND IN OUR, hearts so that she, AND WE, can truly live.
The woman is confused about what Jesus offers (ARE WE?), yet she understands it is something she desperately needs (DO WE?).
SURPRISE #6, Jesus knows all the details of this stranger’s life. Those details remain unclear to us, but it’s apparent that she’s had a painful and unhappy time and we recognise that this woman feels alone and steers clear of her neighbours. <PAUSE>
The woman is amazed that Jesus knows the truth about her. She is even more amazed that, knowing the truth, He still accepts her. <PAUSE> SURPRISE #7, the woman asks Jesus to resolve the long-standing and divisive question of who is right: Jews or Samaritans? Which is the correct temple: Gerizim or Jerusalem? The surprise comes when Jesus raises the issue to a new level. True worship will no longer be dependent on ethnicity, upon location, but will be a matter of spirit and truth. <PAUSE>
… and then … BAM !!!! -
SURPRISE #8, The woman confesses her faith in the Messiah who is to come, and Jesus says that He is that Messiah.
Jesus thus reveals His identity not to His disciples, not to His own people, not to their religious leaders, but to this person who is marginal three times over: she is a Samaritan, a woman, and an exile among her own kind. We do not even know her name, yet Jesus entrusts her with His deepest secret, the truth of who He is. <PAUSE>
SURPRISE #9, the woman runs back to town and bears witness to Christ. This reject, this woman with no name, no social standing - but a very brief experience with Jesus was enough to send her out spreading the good news. To first and foremost, proclaim the Kingdom of God.
SURPRISE #10, people listen to her. They do so because there is something attractive, compelling, authentic about her witness.
True, she may be a woman of questionable character, or at least she has had plenty of experience with the rough edges of life. True, her understanding of Jesus is far from complete.
Yet first and foremost she shows us what to do, she shows us what is important … that FIRST AND FOREMOST WE ARE CALLED, THROUGH CHRIST, TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD and she bears witness based on her personal experiences. She goes and speaks of what she knows.
If Jesus has spoken to us, accepted us, led us to see Him - then we can bear witness to others even as that nameless Samaritan woman did.
We don’t need to have our life perfectly in order. We don’t need to know all there is to know.
What we can do is tell others about our experiences with Christ, and leave the results and the glory to God. <LONG PAUSE>
SURPRISES … SURPRISES … God surprises me in many ways, but none remains more surprising to me than God giving me the opportunity to bear witness to His Son, Jesus Christ, in this message today.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu.
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Loving God, You created us and gave us imaginations as well as free will, hear the prayers that we offer to you today, listen to our thanksgiving for the love You show us and help us with those things that bring worry and concern.
<Longer pause for personal reflection>
In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our response is, “hear our prayer!”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Holy God, give us eyes to recognise, as Jesus did at Jacob's Well, the true spiritual thirst in the people around us. Help us all to respond to those spiritual needs through our worship, our outreach and our social activities.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Creator God, Your Son Jesus crossed territorial boundaries and ignored social taboos throughout His ministry. Give us the courage to make a stand in situations where women in particular have suffered because what should be uncovered is covered up, where they have been humiliated and downtrodden and dare not tell, and where they have been physically mistreated, and cannot tell.
We also raise before You for all people who suffer in conflicts around the world, in Iran, The Holy Land, Ukraine, around Africa and elsewhere – Lord please bring peace.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Father God, we see in the Samaritan woman someone who has experienced more than one partner. We pray for those we know, within our families or communities who are coping with difficult or changing marital relationships.
We pray for children caught in a family breakdown with all the worry and upset that it might bring to young and unprepared lives and for their parents who are struggling to make the right choices for those they love.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Heavenly Father and Lord of life, we pray for the gift of courage to face up to and cope with illness. We pray for it for ourselves, and for those who know.
Give the song of joy to all who are now on the road to recovery and recuperation and the song of thanks to all who helped them on that road.
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Merciful God, we commend into your hands those who have departed this life. You gave them breath and loved them through their journey of life. Receive them now at the end of that journey into Your eternal presence and may they rest in everlasting peace.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed sisters and brothers, Marsha (USA), Ed (Australia), Carlos (Colombia).
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that we choose to do worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Everlasting God, in so many ways You have taught us that You alone can be trusted, even when it might seem that You are far away from us. Help us to remember this fact and feel Your loving presence as we go from this time of prayer and return to our everyday lives walking obediently in the light of Your truth in all that we do this and every day.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
