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Pastor Tom Johnson, July 2, 2023
A cup of cold water is more than it appears. We are disciples of Jesus. Jesus sends us out to find the lost sheep. We often travel in the heat of the day. He tells us not to carry anything we might need but to depend on the generosity of others. This means Christ’s sends us out into the world trusting in the generosity of strangers. This means we must surrender control before we begin our journey. This means we trust God to lead us and provide for us through others. Searching for wayward souls is tough work. It takes determination, perseverance, and a lot of walking in the heat of this world. The dust and dirt cakes our sweaty feet. We repeat the same message: “The Kingdom of God is near. God’s reign is here.” Someone finally says, “Tell me more.”
They thirst for hope. God is not dead, we say. He is not slow in keeping his promises as some count slowness. He has not abandoned us or forsaken us. His Kingdom is near. The King has come. His name is Jesus of Nazareth. He is the eternal Word. He is in the Word we speak. He has come not to applaud the righteous but to redeem sinners. So they welcome us into their home to share more. When they welcome us, they welcome Christ. They welcome Jesus into their lives. He fills their houses and hearts with forgiveness, life, and salvation. Their cups run over with faith, hope, and love.
As we talk about Jesus our throats run dry. Our tongues stick to the roofs of our mouths. “Would you like a cup of water?” our new friends ask. They hand us a cup of their best water—recently drawn deep from well of cold water. It may be the only hospitality a poor family could offer—cold water drawn out by their own hands and carried from the well to their home. It quenches our thirst. And it refreshes our spirits to find a fellow seeker who thirsts for the living God.
A cup of cold water is more than it may seem. It is a sign of hospitality. They bring out their freshest water. It cost them the grueling task of carrying it in stone jars. It’s also a sign of kindness, thoughtfulness, and empathy for weary travelers. We have gone out on a long journey with childlike faith—taking nothing with us—wholly dependent on God. And so these newly-found children of God are willing, and eager, to be the hands of Jesus extending the cool drink we need.
It is better to give than to receive. It’s out of our hearts of gratitude and love for God and others that we give our cups of cold water. We have paid for that water with our sweat and toil. We put it in a dark place to stay cool for ourselves. But with the best in the house we greet and welcome fellow travelers who follow Jesus. In some Indian cultures, they greet one another with the word “namaste.” It is not merely greeting the person but also the divine presence. So it is during the sharing of peace in our worship service. It’s more than a hello or a good morning. We say, “The peace of the Lord by with you.” We recognize Christ’s divine presence.
When we neglect to see Christ behind our every encounter, it will lead to a cold shoulder—not a cup of cold water. So we greet others with human dignity but also with faith that Christ is serving and being served in our interactions and hospitality. Our reward is to serve and to be served by Christ himself. Our reward is the assurance that a small gesture, such as a cup of cold water extended to a child, is a great work of the Holy Spirit in us, to us, and through us. Our reward is the Kingdom of God that breaks through our thirst, hunger, and loneliness. Our reward is the spirit of Christ who transforms relationships with tender-hearted hospitality.
So we greet Christ whose spirit dwells richly in your and my hearts. It’s why we especially welcome the little ones—as fellow disciples and learners of Jesus. They have the only credential any of us need—a desire to grow in our faith in Christ. Their little voices during the service are a sure promise that our fellowship has a future and a hope. We cherish them as Christ cherishes all of us. We cherish them as we cherish Christ in our midst. A cup of cold water is more than it appears. It refreshes body and spirit. As Jesus himself says, “those who drink of the water that I give will never be thirsty. The water that I give becomes in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). The Word and spirit of Christ transform a mere cup of cold water into into our witness of Christ’s care for our every need, body and soul. So Jesus takes the cup which we bless. He takes the bread we break. His Body and Blood strengthen us and our fellowship—body and soul—to life everlasting.
A cup of cold water
Is more than it appears.
A cup in Jesus’ name,
Our fellowship endears.
A cup of cold water
Is more than it may seem.
A cup to little ones
Makes Christ’s heart and face beam.
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