Harvesting The Grain

JOHN 4; 35

HARVESTING THE GRAIN

INTRO:

A. I never paid this passage of scripture much attention before [not that it wasn’t important] but like so many other verses that we read and for some reason they never speak much to us.

a. But one day in prayer God begin speaking to my heart about this verse and by His help I want to share with you what He shared with me.

I. WHAT IS A HARVEST

A. Let’s turn to the meaning of the word harvest to help us answer this question.

a. A harvest is the act or process of gathering a crop.

b. Now a crop is the product of seed that has been planted watered weeded fertilize.

c. Of course for seed to be planted there must be preparation of the soil to receive the seed.

B. In Jeremiah 4:3 we read FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD TO THE MEN OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND AND SOW NOT AMONG THRONES.

a. Hosea 10:12 tells us break up your fallow ground.

b. Now fallow ground is ground that has been left un- attended through neglect or total disregard.

c. It is ground where weeds briers vines have taken over and covers the ground.

d. It is ground that has become hard and crusted over.

e. It is ground you would not want sow seed on if you want a harvest.

1. We need to understand that these words were spoken to God’s people by two different prophets so it means they are being spoken to us.

2. Once the ground has been cleared of the rubbish that grows there and plowed up it is ready for the seed that produces the harvest.

II. Now let’s go back to John 4:35 and notice what Jesus said.

A. First He said LIFT UP YOUR EYES

a. Now why did Jesus say lift up your eyes?

b. Because they were looking down ward in a discouraged dejected condition.

1. Good people are looking at many other things therefore they do not see the need of evangelism.

2. They don’t see the lost perishing every day in the darkness of sin.

3. They don’t see the need of importune prayer as Jesus talked about as well as a host of other things.

4. They don’t see the hour is late and the time for gathering in the harvest is rapidly coming to an end.

5. It’s as the Inspirations sing WHEN WE CROSS THE JORDAN THERE WILL BE GREAT CELIBRATION OVER THERE WE CAN NO LONGER TELL THE LOST.

6. The songs begins IS THERE SOMEONE IN YOU PAST THAT DON’T KNOW THE SAVIOR THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEY MUST DECIDE.

7. Now is the time to tell them but because their eyes are else where they don’t see the need and especially the urgency of the need.

c. To lift is to direct or carry from a lower to a higher position.

d. In this case it is to lift the eyes from a down ward position to an upward position.

e. The Psalmist said I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS FROM WHENCH COMES MY HELP. MY HELP COMES FOR THE LORD.

f. This presents the impression the Psalmist was looking down and living in a dejected condition.

g. He had his eyes off Jesus and the goal on other things that causes discouragement.

h. If we are going to see the field’s ripe ready to be harvested we are going to have to lift them up.

1. When one lifts their eyes off all the negative things and begins to see the ripe grain waving in the wind it puts wind in their sail thus getting them moving in an upward condition.

2. But when the eye is lifted up they become like the little switch engine that said I THIN I CAN, I THINK I CAN AND THEN I KNEW I COULD.

3. Inspiration and possessiveness grips the soul as they go forth conquering for Jesus in His Holy name anointed by His Holy Spirit,

4. Others catch on and soon the church becomes an unstoppable force as satan and his host flees.

5. The problem that has kept the church down is removed for it is no longer in view no longer seen.

6. In surmountable mountains crumble at the sound of their marching feet.

7. Swirling Flood Rivers become dry ground as they march across.

8. Raging storms with all its wind rain hail thunder and lightning break up before them as they go sing WERE MARCHING TO ZION BEAUTIFU SION WERE MARCHING TO ZION THE BEAUTIFULY CITY OF GOD.

9. Why the eyes have been lifted their upward gaze lifts the rest of the life.

B. Then He said look on the fields.