Living Water: Weeping Water

SERMON TITLE:   “Living Water:  Washing Water”
SERMON TEXT:    John 13:1-20
PREACHER:           Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:           September 5, 2021, at First UMC
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                Well, we’ve come to the final sermon in this series on Living Water stories in the Gospel of John.  And I have to say that each of these seven weeks has been full of real-life water events.  Drought, fires, and smoke have been the main lack-of-water story out here in the west, but southern Utah has suffered from flash flooding when the rains have come in torrents.  And repeatedly, we’ve seen news stories of downpours and flooding in the southeastern and northeastern states.  This week, Hurricane Ida unleashed horrific damage from water—all the way from Louisiana to New York City.  And, yet, ironically, what do those waterlogged people need even more than electricity, gasoline, and telephone service?  They need clean water.  While water can take life in a flash, it’s also what allows us to live.
                Over the past weeks, as we’ve made our way through the earlier chapters of John’s gospel, we’ve talked about this living water as transforming water, birthing water, gushing water, walking water, flowing water, and weeping water.  Today, John chapter 13 brings us to the story of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples.  Before they ate, Jesus performed a great service to them.  Let’s think about what was said and done there, and see what we can learn from washing water.

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