Series: Light And Life [#10]
THE JESUS DIET
John 4:27-42
Introduction:
What another crazy week. I have been home late every night this week. I have had very important meetings at work, and it has been not only a physically exhausting week; but also a mentally exhausting week. Friday night, I remembered that I needed to fill the baptistry for today. I then remembered that there was going to be a wedding at the Church on Saturday; and so, I needed to get to the Church early to start filling the baptistry. Well, that didn’t happen and so I was filling the baptistry before and during the wedding. I had went home and then as Karen and I were headed to the Church, mom called and said I needed to get to the Church and turn off the water. When I arrived, I knew why she had called. I let the baptistry get way too full. If this would have happened 10 years ago when I weighed 128 pounds, I would have not been as concerned; but at my Doctor’s appointment on Monday, I weighted 229 pounds. I told Karen that it was a good thing that I am baptizing Elara and Jessica today because they don’t weight too much. So, the real test is when I get in the baptistry today. If it doesn’t overflow after I get in, we will be fine. As I was preparing the sermon last night, I thought about my weight and the fact that a Doctor recently told me that I was in my weight class; but I needed to start thinking about exercising and a diet. My reply was, “I have been thinking about those 2 things for a while- I just haven’t implemented them”.
As we continue our story concerning the woman at the well this morning, I want us to look at the Jesus Diet. Jesus had told the woman about the type of spiritual water she should be drinking; and then He told the disciples about the type of spiritual food they should be eating.
John 4:27, 31-34 (NIV)
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Jesus’ diet plan consists of…
1. Eating spiritual food.
Jesus was talking to the woman at the well and the disciples came up with food. The disciples saw who He was talking to; but they would not ask Jesus why He was talking to her. They were still seeing through their eyes and not Jesus’ eyes. The woman walked away, and they told Jesus to eat some of the food that they had brought Him. Jesus told them that He had food to eat that they didn’t know about. They took it that someone else had brought Him something to eat; but that was not what Jesus was telling them.
Jesus’ food is spiritual food. Jesus’ food is to do the will of God and finish the work that God had given Him to do. Our spiritual food is the same. When you do something for God, if you do it in your own power; you will be left hungry to fulfill God’s will in your life. If you do what God put you on earth to do through the power of the Holy Spirit; you will be fulfilled. Christians, you should be doing God’s will each and everyday until you have finished God’s work that He has given you. Christians, living God’s Word is food for your soul.
John 4:35-38 (NIV)
35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Jesus’ diet plan consists of…
2. Reaping the harvest.
Jesus pointed out to the disciples that they talked about the harvest not being ready yet; but that was not true. The physical harvest was not for 4 months; but if they would open their eyes and see like Jesus see; they would notice that the harvest is ready to be reaped. They did not plant the spiritual seeds; they didn’t work the spiritual ground; but God was going to use them to harvest the spiritual crop.
If you will just look through the eyes of Jesus today, you will see that the field is ripe to harvest. There are people right outside these doors in this community, State, Country, and the world that needs to be brought to Jesus. The seed has been planted, watered, and is ready to be harvested.
John 4:28-30, 39-42 (NIV)
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Jesus’ diet plan consists of…
3. Sharing His Gospel.
The Samaritan woman had been talking to Jesus about the living water He offered; and then the disciples came up and interrupted them. She left her water jar and went to the town and started telling them about Jesus. Don’t forget that she was not a woman with a good reputation; but she told them that Jesus knew all that she had ever done. Then she asked a question that she already knew the answer, “Could this be the Messiah?” Although she had already answered this question for herself, she wanted to share this with others. Because she didn’t have a good reputation, I’m sure that these people had not been kind to her; but she still went and told them about Jesus. The people from the town went to see Jesus and they asked Him to stay. Jesus stayed for 2 days.
Many people believed in Jesus from her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus. Others believed in Jesus after they heard Him speak.
Conclusion:
Look at what happened to this Samaritan town- “They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Jesus can still have this kind of impact in our City, State, Nation, and the world. We must tell people about who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives.
