The Subject Of Labor For God Series

We’re still at the well with Jesus and the Samaritan woman. The woman has gone to town and witnessed to the people there about seeing the Messiah. The people responded to her witness and came to see for themselves. So, this evening, we discuss the subject of labor for God.

The believer is supposed to labor for God. Sounds like work! The believer’s life is to be focused on the will and work of God. A Christian’s purpose for being on earth is to serve God, to obey and work for Him. Let’s begin in verses 31-35.

What we are seeing is the difference between the physical and the spiritual. Jesus had sent the disciples to town to get food while He stayed at the well. That’s where we originally entered the story. The disciples returned from town with the food.

Now, as the disciples sat eating, they noticed Jesus made no effort to eat. He had been famished and exhausted originally. They were concerned, so they suggested that He eat. There are two concerns we need to address.

1. The concern of the disciples was for physical nourishment. Their minds were not on the woman that Jesus had just witnessed to. They were not focused on her spiritual needs. That tells us that the disciples really had no spiritual depth yet. They weren’t focused on Christ and His mission of salvation. They weren’t concentrating upon a world lost in sin and shame. So, they weren’t looking for any possible opportunity to reach and help people for God.

They hadn’t yet learned the great warfare being waged between the physical and spiritual concerns of life. Their minds were only on the physical, on food, on not missing a meal.

And there’s a lesson for SEBC. Every function of this church should be focused on outreach—On building relationships—On getting to know each other better. We should be coming to extra events that we have like the back to school bash, church picnics, etc. because God might use that event to provide the opportunity to witness to someone.

Every time we gather for worship or for tonight’s Bible study, we should use that opportunity to meet and greet each other and especially our guests. What if I came in, sat down in a particular chair as if it had my name engraved on it, and then just stared at anyone new that came in. Why should it be any different with you?

Well, the disciples had the same mindset. They were only focused on the physical.

2. The second concern we need to note is the concern of Christ for spiritual food and nourishment, to do the will and the work of God. There are three points in these verses that need to be noted.

a. The will that must concern man is God’s will, and the work that must concern man is God’s work, the will and work of:

• Leading people to the Living Water.

• Helping people quench their inner thirst.

• Bringing people to God.

• Seeking and saving the lost, even those who are looked upon with prejudice, thought to be of a lower class, treated as outcasts.

b. The second point is that God sent Christ. The words “sent me” in verse 34 are significant. Christ was not sent to do the will of men, but of God. His work was not the work of men, but of God.

And there’s a lesson in this for us. Believers are sent by God. Remember, He chose us, we didn’t choose Him. We are not to allow our goals and energy to become entangled with the business and affairs of the world. We are on earth primarily to do the will and work of God, even in our secular labor in the world. “Let your light shine before men. . . and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

c. Christ had to finish the will and work of God. God expected it to be completed. God expected obedience, faithfulness, and perseverance until His will and work was done. Note: Christ did complete God’s mission. He now challenged His followers: “Labor for God—finish your task—complete your purpose for being on earth.”

Another warning in these first few verses is we need to note the responsibility and duty of believers. We, as believers, are not to get so tangled up and distracted by worldly affairs because it takes our focus off what God has us here for. We are going to be held accountable. God expects us to be faithful.

READ v. 35 again. The harvest is ripe, the task is urgent. The heart of Jesus was on the harvest of souls. Men focus their hearts on the world’s harvest, the planting of seed and the reaping of grain, the investment of energy and money, and the receiving of wages and gain. But the heart of Jesus was, and still is, upon people, upon the planting of the gospel seed and the reaping of souls for God.