Scripture: John 4:1-26
Song of Praise: Doxology
Devotional:
What two elements are present at every feast?
I'm sure you answered, food and drink.
A feast without these two items would be no feast at all.
What is your favorite thing to drink? It can depend on the time of day, the temperature outside or maybe even the time of year.
There is nothing better than a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy, Winter day. However, lemonade or Iced tea may be preferable if it is sunny and warm.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He wished for her to fetch Him a drink.
What an odd request. This even perplexed the woman. It was not the custom for Jews and Samaritans to associate with each other.
The Samaritan people were only half Jewish. Remember when God had forbidden His people to marry anyone who was not Jewish? Well, the Samaritans were a living reminder of Jewish disobedience and shame.
Obviously, the Samaritans were not too fond of being despised and demeaned.
There was little affection between the Samaritans and the Jews.
Jesus wasn't bothered by this woman's nationality, because He knew that even the chosen Jews had a heart that was disobedient. After all, that was the very reason He came to earth.
Every person born after Adam and Eve had been born with a sinful, disobedient heart.
Jesus was fully aware of the redemption mission that He was on, and He knew that it was always in the plan to redeem all of the nations; not just the Jews.
When the woman questioned why Jesus was talking to her, He replied, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
"But the hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him."
Jesus told the woman that the Father had sent Him on a mission of redemption.
No longer would the Jews and the Samaritans have cause to argue because Jesus had come to change everything. He would restore sinful hearts and save the nations.
The Father had sought for Himself a people from all nations, and Jesus was the one who was sent to rescue them.
Redeemed people are given 'Living Water', that is, they are given Christ. He prepared the way for His people to dine at the royal table; giving us exactly what we need to finally satisfy our unquenchable thirst.
Benediction:
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
Table Talk Questions:
Why was the Samaritan woman surprised that Jesus was talking to her?
Why did the Jews and Samaritans hate each other?
Why did Jesus call Himself "Living Water"?
Meal: Brooklyn Style Pizza, Cheese Bread, Strawberry Walnut Salad, VB Pizookie and Ice Cream
Recipes:
Brooklyn Style Pizza & Cheese Bread
Prep and cook Time: 2 hours or can be made early in the morning
Yields : 2 large pizzas + 1 cheese bread
Premade Pizza Sauce (or you can make your own)
Your preferred Pizza toppings
3 (6 ounce) package of shredded Mozzarella cheese
3 (6 ounce) package of shredded Parmesan cheese
Water
2 teaspoons of Garlic powder
Stick of Butter
1 teaspoon dried Parsley (optional)
For Crust:
1 ½ Tablespoon Yeast
1 ½ Tablespoon Salt
6 ½ cups Flour
2 Tablespoons Cornmeal
Instructions:
Crust:
* Recipe for crust will yield 2 large pizzas and 1 cheese bread.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients with JUST enough water to make a very sticky dough. The dough should be a putty like consistency.
Cover the dough and allow it to rise until it has at least doubled.
It can also be made in the morning and set on the kitchen counter to rise all day, until you are ready to use it for dinner.
When you are ready to use it, sprinkle your work surface with flour liberally.
Split dough into three equal parts.
Use 2 of the dough balls for pizza and save third for cheese bread.
For the pizza:
For thin, Brooklyn style Pizza, lightly flour your surface, roll out your dough as thinly as you can without tearing it. Sprinkle your pizza pan with a little cornmeal.
Spread Dough out onto a Pizza pan.
Add Pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and any other toppings desired.
Bake at 450° F until it is done.
For the cheese bread:
Spread the dough out onto a pizza pan or sheet pan, spread the butter (all of it) onto the pizza crust. Sprinkle it with garlic powder and then the cheese and dried parsley.
Let it rise for 15-20 minutes.
Bake it at 450° until it is done.
Strawberry Walnut Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Salad:
6 cups Arugula
1 cup Strawberries, sliced into thirds
4 ounce crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ cup chopped Walnuts
Dressing:
⅓ cup Olive Oil
⅓ cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey
¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions:
Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients in a container with a lid; shake vigorously to combine.
Toss salad with dressing and serve immediately
VB Pizookie
Prep and Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
yield 1-12 inch cast iron skillet or 1-9x13 pan
10 Tablespoons of Butter, melted
⅔ cup Brown Sugar
⅔ cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 ½ cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 ½ cups Chocolate Chips (you may use peanut butter chips, butterscotch, or even white chocolate chips)
Vanilla Ice Cream (optional, but not really. a great suggestion if guests ask what to bring)
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, except ice cream, in a mixing bowl and stir together.
Prepare your cast iron skillet or pan, add the mixture to the pan and pat it flat to the bottom of the dish.
Bake it at 375° until the edges of the cookie are brown. About 35-40 minutes. The middle of the cookie should be soft and gooey. While still HOT, scoop a heap of ice cream in the middle of the cookie. (Ice cream is optional) Serve immediately.