May 26, 2024
Morning Service

John is sharing with us events that he hopes will lead us to believing that Jesus, whom he followed, is the Christ the Son of God.  He is not telling the story in chronological order, but hand-picking encounters with certain people that he feels best exemplifies his point.  Last week we saw Jesus purposefully go through Samaria at a certain time to meet at certain woman at a certain well.  He shared with her that He was the long-awaited Messiah and that God was looking for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth. She eventually believes Him and goes into the city to proclaim He is here.  We will pick up the story there as the disciples return from buying food.

John 4:27-34 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"  (28)  The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, (29)” Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"  (30)  Then they went out of the city and came to Him.  (31)  In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."  (32)  But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."  (33)  Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"  (34)  Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

          Here is a very good example of how Jesus was so “heavenly minded, He was no earthly good.”  The disciples knew He was tired and hungry, so when they returned with food they thought He would be desiring to eat and satisfy his hunger.  What they did not realize was that the hunger that drove Him was not the hunger to satisfy His flesh, but He had a hunger to do the will of His Father who sent Him for this purpose.  He was not fulfilled/satisfied by food, drink, or pleasure but His fulfillment came from sharing the gospel message with people like this Samaritan woman.  His spiritual desires far exceeded His physical ones and this is not the only time we will see this as we continue our study.

 In wanting to be like Jesus, I now have to look into my spiritual mirror and ask myself; what about me; are my spiritual desires greater than my physical desires?  Am I willing to put myself out there to the point that I am sacrificing some sort of physical desire to be doing my Father’s Will?  Am I more worried about pleasing Greg than God by placing my wants/desires/agenda above doing His will?  I would have to answer yes (and if you are honest so would you), many times I choose my will over His because mine is easier and more convenient.  However, it is becoming less and less as I grow in my love for Him.  There are things I feel I NEED to do spiritually to feel contented, fulfilled and satisfied; not out of obligation but out of necessity for my wellbeing.  It is a need a lot like hunger and Jesus helps us to understand it more clearly here with this example.   If we truly want to be like Jesus, then our mindset has to change to be more like His; seeking to God’s will first in all that we do.  I challenge you to sit down at your spiritual mirror and ask yourself these questions.  Does where I spend my time, effort and money reflect my hunger to do my will or God’s?  “I must decrease and He must increase!” Jesus now shows us what God’s will was for Him and it is for us.

 

John 4:35-38 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!  (36)  And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  (37)  For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'  (38)  I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

            This example was not a visual one as it was spring and it would be four months until the harvest, but Jesus is using it as a spiritual lesson.  As we get our gardens planted this time of year, we know that it will be a time of waiting before we will begin to harvest our produce.  We can put the harvest on the back burner knowing it is not time yet.  Jesus is showing the disciples, and us, that the waiting time for harvest is over and the time is now to get busy.  As He looked over the Samaritan city, He saw many lives who were ready to be harvested into the kingdom like the woman He had just spoken to.  Notice what happens after she shares with others her experience with Jesus.

 

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."  (40)  So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  (41)  And many more believed because of His own word.  (42)  Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

            The Samaritan woman invited them to “Come and See” and in coming they too believed.  Jesus chose to stay two days with them, feeding their spiritual hunger with His Word.  Notice one thing that is missing from this scene; no miracles were performed by Jesus or the disciples.  The Samaritans were so ready for harvest that they did not need a miracle, but “many more believed because of His own word.”  This shows the fulfillment of Jesus doing the work His Father sent Him to do; the fruit of His labor.

  He explained to the disciples again using the idea of gardening that we all have a job to do.  Sometimes we are the ones who sow the seeds of faith in a person; testifying, witnessing or maybe just living our faith in front of them in a way that they take notice.  There may be a single sower, but most likely it will be numerous people sowing the seed of faith or perhaps just watering it that brings them along the road to meet Jesus.  Then there are times that we harvest as we cross paths with someone who is “white for harvest” and we guide them down the 5 Steps to Salvation.  That is a moment we greatly celebrate with the angels in heaven as their decision is one with eternal benefits!  It is fulfilling our calling here on to “make disciples” of those around us.  Jesus tells us that each of us play a part in this process.  We must be sharing the love of God with those around us using our works and words to do so.   We must also be ready to walk someone through the 5 Steps of Salvation so they can understand what Jesus has done for all of us (you can’t give something away that you do not have).

            How do I change my focus of the world from the physical to the spiritual?  Notice in Matthew’s gospel what Jesus says and what spurs Him to say it about the harvest.

 

Mat 9:35-38 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  (36)  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  (37)  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  (38)  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

          Jesus saw the multitudes that they were “weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”  Do you see people like that around you today?  Are there those around you that you know are seeking, but don’t know what for?  What is your reaction to this?  Jesus “was moved with compassion for them.”  Are you moved in seeing those around you who are weary and struggling because they do not know Jesus?

 

"The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

            Lord, here I am send me.  Use me to love those around me and to live a life that shines the light of Your love out brightly into this dark world.  Can you say that to the Lord in sincerity?  If so, then it is time we begin to roll up our sleeves and get to work.  Let’s put our agenda on the back burner and be more like Jesus “hungering” to do the work of the Father in harvesting the lost into salvation!  It may not be convenient, and it will not be easy, but we need to get to work.  Sacrifice some of your time, effort or money and spend it on harvesting the fields around us that are “white for harvest.”  Be ready and willing to take the time needed to sow a seed, water one that is planted, or walk someone down the final road to salvation.  You will find that it satisfies far greater than any food, drink, or earthly pleasure can. 

 

Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

 

Heavenly Father, we repent of our selfishness this morning and ask you refocus our eyes to look upon the spiritual rather than the physical.  May the Holy Spirit guide us in this effort and give us the courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.