Harvest Time
John 4:34-38
INTRODUCTION
A. A chapter of surprises.
1. In verse 9 we see a woman surprised that Jesus would talk to her.
a. More people should feel that way today…Unfortunately they don’t.
b. A woman surprised that Jesus knew all about her.
c. One of the most amazing things is that God knows us, everything we have ever done, and still loves us.
2. The disciples surprised that Jesus was not hungry.
a. His mind was no on His physical needs.
b. If you want to drown out your own problems, just begin to minister to others.
c. When we focus upon the ministries of God, we will forget our own physical needs.
d. Jesus said to Satan when tempted…Man does not live by bread alone!
3. The city of Sychar surprised by the changed woman.
a. When God’s grace reaches into the depths of depravity to save a person, the community will notice it.
b. If we want people to notice our church, we have to produce life altering results in the lives of our communities.
c. How do we make that impact? By telling em about Jesus.
4. One of the most important things to our Lord is the harvest of souls.
a. Unfortunately not many are being won today in America.
b. We are experiencing a drought in this country…a drought of Spiritual things!
c. There is less prayer in America that ever before.
d. Less Bible study…even amongst Christians.
e. Less church attendance.
f. There is more apathy in the churches today than there is in the business world.
g. As a result…there is no power in the churches.
h. Lives are not being altered because altars are empty!
5. Which brings us to this question?
a. If the harvest of souls is so important to Christ, shouldn’t it be just as important to the church?
b. Should it not be our main focus?
c. This morning I want to cover three subjects about the Harvest.
d. They are the same three He spoke of.
B. The Lord’s Surprising Message About the Harvest.
1. It’s Harvest Time.
2. Reapers Are Needed.
3. There are Rewards for Reapers.
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
BODY
A. The Ready Harvest
1. There was a confusion about the time of harvest.
a. Jesus said the harvest is now…not when we think it should be.
b. How many times have we been “fittin to”, or “gonna” witness.
c. Or as soon as we learned a little bit more…
d. Or next year…or as soon as we took that class…
e. All of the good intentions in the world don’t cut it.
f. Jesus says the harvest time is now.
II Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
g. We have to rearrange our priorities to be in line with God’s.
h. We too, have to realize, there is no time like the present for witnessing.
i. We have to pray for the opportunity…then act when it arrives.
2. Getting Motivated for the harvest.
a. Jesus says…lift up your eyes…see the lost world around you!
b. If someone says they don’t see anyone…they haven’t lifted their eyes!!!
c. Just like in Jesus’ day, the fields are white unto harvest all around us.
d. But we have to be watching…looking constantly for the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus and what He’s done for us.
e. We need to focus our eyes upon Spiritual Matters.
f. If we are always focused upon the world, our eyes will be diverted downward.
g. Our focus becomes more upon the problems of this world and less on Spiritual matters.
h. When we are focused upon the world, our spirit suffers!
i. So who is to reap the harvest…we all are!
j. Young and old…new babe in Christ to mature Christians…Pastors to pewsquatters!
k. All of us are to be witnesses for Him…
l. Senior Saints…don’t think your time has passed.
m. You can be effective witnesses too.
Luke 2:36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
n. A minimum of 84 years old and still witnessing…what a testimony!
o. Truly the time for Harvest is near.
3. Why the Fields are white unto Harvest.
a. People everywhere are troubled.
b. I know our economy is in trouble.
c. But have you ever thought that God could use this to draw people to Him?
d. Historically speaking, when people had nowhere else to turn, they have turned in desperation to the church?
e. And it’s not just the economy that’s got people troubled.
f. It’s the troubled marriages, the alcohol and drug abuse.
g. You don’t have to look very far to find people who are troubled.
h. But you do have to look up, out of your own troubles to see them.
i. Why is it important to find those who are troubled?
j. Because they are the ones who are seeking answers, they are the ones who will listen!
k. Let me tell you something that will encourage you to witness…
l. There are people out there who are seeking the answers we have!!!
m. Our country is adrift in a sea of immorality and lost in a bewilderment of religion.
n. The truth needs to be shouted from the rooftops.
o. Will you help?
Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV) 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
B. There are reapers needed for the Harvest.
1. There is joy in working for the Harvest!
a. There is little joy in most people’s lives today.
b. People are trying to buy happiness and joy at the department stores and it cannot be found.
c. David knew where his joy was at…it was in his salvation.
d. Real joy in life comes only from the peace that God gives when we realize that we are His children.
e. There is a joy that comes in knowing that you are pleasing the Father that you can’t buy at Wal-Mart.
f. But, there is no greater joy in the world than leading someone to Christ.
g. You are literally giving someone the gift of eternal life.
h. Sharing with them the gift that will last an eternity.
i. And changing their life forever.
j. How often do you get to do that for someone?
k. So why do we fail to share? Why don’t we tell everyone we know?
2. Because Satan has got us convinced that no one will listen!
a. Most Christians do not expect a harvest today!
b. Many are just holding on…trying to keep their head above water until Jesus comes back!
c. There is no soul-winning, no witnessing, no Bible study, and very little prayer.
d. Most think…”Is this all there is to life?”
e. NO NO NO, there is a dynamic and exciting life awaiting out there for those who will follow God’s marching orders.
f. The problem is not in the message, the problem is not in the delivering of the message, it’s in the messengers!
g. We are expecting milk babies to do the work of full grown Christian Soldiers!
3. Jesus said “The laborers are few”
a. Folks, it’s time we realize the truth of the matter.
b. We may be the only thing standing between our friends, neighbors and loved ones, and an eternity in Hell.
c. Hell is not a dirty word…it is a horrible place.
d. Are we, by our silence…sentencing them to their doom?
e. Would we willing send them there?
f. If we never tell them about Jesus, and their need of salvation, we might as well be casting them in ourselves.
g. We need to think that no one else will tell them…
This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
h. A humorous story, that hits a little too close to home!
4. What are you doing in God’s great Harvest?
a. Are you getting in on the good stuff?
b. This is the Good Stuff of life.
c. It’s what makes life worth living.
d. Are you making a difference?
e. If not…then change something!!! The greatest definition of insanity…
f. To keep doing the same thing the same way and expecting a different result!!!
g. Yes I know it will require you to get out of your “Comfort Zone”.
h. I know you’ll have to learn to talk to strangers!
i. But…here’s the second definition of insanity…
j. Knowing there is something better just out of reach and not getting the stool so you can reach it!!!
k. The Good Stuff in life is usually on the second shelf!!!!
l. It requires effort to get it!!!!!
m. But it is worth every bit of effort it requires.
n. How do we know that???
C. There Are Rewards Promised to the Reapers in the Harvest.
1. There are very few guarantees in this life!
a. There are however, many promises.
b. There are as many “guaranteed” get rich quick schemes out there as Carter has liver pills.
c. I never knew Mr. Carter but from what I’ve been told, he must have had a lot of them.
d. People are always looking for a shortcut to the Good Life.
e. Yet they are looking in the wrong places.
f. One thing is a guarantee…you will never find what you are looking for looking in the wrong place!!!
g. What are we looking for???
John 10:10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
h. The Abundant life only comes from living a life that is in tune with God.
i. To live a life in tune with God is to live a life of obedience to His Word.
j. And his word calls (Commands) us to be witnesses for Him.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be £witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
2. Even if it wasn’t for the command, or the promised rewards we ought to want to witness.
a. The rewards promised are part of the Good Stuff.
3. There are two levels of rewards promised.
a. The rewards here on this earth…
The joy of seeing lives changed.
The immediate fellowship and love shared by both the witness and the new believer.
The knowledge that you have enlarged the kingdom of God.
The fact that you have been used of God to save a soul from Hell.
The joy you have by seeing first hand God’s power to change lives
b. The rewards promised in heaven.
The soul winners crown.
The fruit of their labors.
Psalm 126:6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
The promise of eternal fellowship.
4. These wages surpass any that we could gain here below.
a. They are eternal!
b. They are not subject to taxes or market fluctuations.
c. They are always sufficient.
5. The greatest wage of all will be to hear Him say…
a. Well done thy good and faithful servant.
b. However, if we are being like most Christians today…and failing in our duty to witness…
c. We will never hear those words.
d. A sad indictment on our churches today.
e. Let’s not fall into the category of ordinary…
f. The only difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra…
g. Go get the stool…the Good Stuff is on the second shelf…
h. I can promise you…you’ll be glad you did!
CONCLUSION
A. Who will work in the Lord’s Harvest…
B. Were you once more involved in the Harvest than you are now?
C. The Fields are White…Harvest time is near…and laborers are needed…
