• http://lockwoodchurch.org/media (Listening time: 25:09)

General Eisenhower announced his candidacy for President of the United States at his boyhood home in Abilene, Kansas. Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy from a presidential-looking room in New York City. Bill Clinton chose Little Rock for his announcement. Both John and Robert Kennedy announced their candidacies from the Senate Caucus Room. Richard Nixon made his announcement in the early primary state of New Hampshire. Candidates pick their spot because they want to have the biggest impact, strongest appeal, and most sympathetic response possible from the people that can help them succeed.

Compare that to Jesus when he first announced not his candidacy but his status as Messiah the King. He wasn’t even in his own country! He was in Samaria, which would be like a U.S. Presidential candidate going to Iran or North Korea to make his announcement. And the first person he told was a woman – a Samaritan woman, at that – a persona non grata.

Clearly, Jesus operates by his own, and his Father’s, rules. He is not like everyone else. That is an important realization for all of us who want to get to know him. In this sermon, we find Jesus introducing himself as the Messiah. The text is John 4 – a great story you are going to enjoy.