February 20, 2005
Morning Worship
Text: John 4:27-38
Subject: The Harvest
Title: Part 3 of the Preparing for the Harvest Series – The Harvest is Ready
As we go into our third week of the harvest series I want you to understand something. There is one specific reason why I am devoting so much time to this topic. It has eternal significance and consequences. Jesus thought that it was important enough that it was one of the last commands that He gave his disciples before He ascended into heaven. Not only is it important, I believe it is urgent. How urgent? Ask the nearly 200,000 Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists who lost their lives on December 26, 2004. If they could speak from their watery graves they would tell you how they wish they had sought after Jesus before the wave came. It’s too late for them now. Can you imagine that in a matter of hours 200,000 people perished without Jesus?
Though we don’t hear about it much, there is a comparable disaster taking place in our country. Approximately the same number of Americans dies every month. If even 50% of America is born again (a number I sincerely question) that still leave 80 – 100 thousand going to hell every month in the good old USA. Picture this in your mind would you? You’re driving down Broadway in Quincy and you look out the window and see the entire population being dragged down into hell by demons, some fighting and screaming about being faithful church members and some going willingly because they think there is a party waiting for them. And that’s happening twice every month. Can you see how urgent it is that we share the gospel with the lost?
In our passage today we see that Jesus is pointing His disciples to the harvest. If you listen and put the things I tell you today into action, you can be a soul winner.
I. THE POWER OF THE WORD (27-30)
A. Questionable Practices. Vs 27, “7And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman…” Why would the disciples question Jesus motives? What seems to be the problem? 1) He was talking with a woman, in public, with no husband around. That’s unheard of. If there is no husband then what might they be talking about? 2) She was at the well with her water pot in the middle of the day. She not only was a woman, but she was one who chose to avoid the other women. She was a social outcast. 3) She was a Samaritan. In verse 9 the woman asks Jesus a question, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” The Samaritans were considered to be impure Jews. They were the Jews of the northern kingdom who were taken into captivity by Assyria, and then placed back in their own country with others from other nations and religions. They worshiped God, but often they added pagan religious practices to their religion. Verse 27 continues, “yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” Knowing the nature of some of the disciples, don’t you think that they might have been asking themselves those questions? You know, Peter with the speak now - think later mentality and Judas who complained about Mary pouring oil on Jesus’ head. But they respected Him too much to ask those questions. Why? Because He had continually shown them His integrity and by now they knew there must have been a good explanation for the conversation. Proverbs 19:1, “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.” It is so important for the Christian to maintain integrity in the community or with those with whom he associates. People need to know that you speak the truth.
B. Unquestionable Response. Verse 28, Here’s a woman that Jesus spent some time with telling her the words of life. She was a woman rejected by others. She lived a life of sin, and yet she still knew about religious things. She even knew about the Messiah. When the disciples show up the conversation ends, but not without a noticeable change in the woman. 1) She left behind her water pot. Water was her source of life and she left it behind with the One who said that He had water to give that if you drank you would never be thirsty again.2) She went into the city. She didn’t just go back to her home but out into the midst of the very people who looked down upon her. 3) She went to the men of the city. Some of these may have been former husbands. Even though it was improper for men to talk with women in public she initiated a conversation. Why? Because she had been affected by the words that Jesus spoke to her. “Come see a Man who told me all things I ever did… 4) She proclaimed Jesus. “Could this be the Christ?” A fair question don’t you think? That’s the question that the world needs to answer. Could Jesus be the Christ, the Son of God? It’s the question Paul brought before the Jews as he reasoned with them in the synagogues, “showing them in the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” It’s the question we need to be asking.
C. Undeniable Results. There must have been a change in the woman. Considering the lack of anything moral in her life, how could she be believed? What is it that causes her to change? Howard Hendricks writes about change in The Monday Morning Mission. People must have reasons for change.1) They must see the value of the change. 2) The must understand the change. 3) They must be involved in the process of change 4) People must be exposed to models of change.
1. Tapes and books (Men listen to tapes, women read)
2. Evaluative experiences (experience is worthless unless you evaluate it)
3. Educational conferences and seminars
4. Expose them to infectious people. Isn’t that what happened to the woman at the well. Jesus involved her by asking questions. He gave her reason for change. He described the experience of change. “The hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” And the change in her was seen by all in town. Verse 30 , “Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”
II. THE PRESENCE OF THE WORD. (31-34)
A. The Priority of Spiritual Hunger. Verses 31-32, “31In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” Jesus’ disciples come to Him now because they are concerned for His physical health. They want Him to eat. After traveling all morning He must have been exhausted. 32But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Jesus tries to explain to them that there are some things that are more important than a full belly. Go back to verse 4 of this chapter. “But He needed to go through Samaria.” Jesus was leaving Judea in the south and was going to Galilee in the north. The normal route would have been through the hills along the Jordan River up to the Sea of Galilee. Samaria was to the northwest. So physically speaking it was not necessary for Him to go through Samaria. But He needed to go. The NIV says He had to go through Samaria. If He went because it was the Father’s will for Him to go then what he is saying in verse32 is that, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Now going into Samaria was different than what His ministry plan had been up to this point. He went to the Jews but now reaches out to “half -Jews”. The point is that Jesus placed spiritual fulfillment, by doing the Father’s will, before physical satisfaction. He had the word of God abiding in Him.
B. The Necessity of Spiritual Understanding. 33Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” The disciples still didn’t get it. They couldn’t understand why He wasn’t hungry. Later He would tell them as He preached the “Sermon on the Mount”, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” The disciples were discussing the situation among themselves. We don’t get it. How could He not be hungry? How often do we go into situations operating in the natural when we really need to be walking in the spirit? “Oh, I can take care of this without any trouble. I won’t bother God with this little thing.” Or, you talk it over with a friend and come to some kind of conclusion. And the next thing you now it has snowballed and is out of control and you have no choice but to take it to God in prayer. We need to always have spiritual understanding. That requires taking everything to God in prayer, seeking His face, and knowing His will for every situation. Let His word dwell in you richly. Stay prayed up. Walk in the Spirit. Be instant in season and out of season.
C. The Integrity of Spiritual Involvement. Verse 34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” How many of you like to go and sit down at a nice restaurant to enjoy a meal with friends? Doesn’t that refresh you? Jesus was the most relation - oriented person that ever lived. He knew the importance of personal relationships. He built relationships with those around Him and even went out of His way to minister to people or individuals, and build relationships with them. But in the process He never lost sight of His long-term goals, “to do the will of Him who sent Me…”. You know, right now it would be really easy to loose sight of our spiritual goals. With the water damage we sustained a couple of weeks ago, and the work on the building that needs to be done – repairing leaky roofs, repairing drywall, painting etc. – it would be really easy to forget what we are called to do. We could focus on the building and forget about building the church. We could gear up for projects and put our concern for the lost into neutral. When Jesus said the He would build the church, He wasn’t talking about a building. He was talking about maintaining spiritual involvement among those who would come to Him. He never gave up until His work was completed. Then He gave the work to us to finish. He is asking the church to “fill up in our flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Colossians 1:24) What is lacking? The work is not completed. Christ’s redemptive work was finished on the cross but will not be completed till He returns. Till then, we, as His representatives, must continue the work He began. We must continue to do the will of Him who called us and finish the work, till Jesus comes. Let us be people of integrity by being who we say we are.
III. THE PURPOSE OF THE WORD (35-38)
A. Refusing to Wait. 35Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Jesus is probably referring to a common proverb that was used at that time. When a farmer sowed seed, he could sit back and wait for the harvest. There is no need to hurry because we can’t do anything till the harvest comes. How many of you have ever said this about the lost, especially young people? “You never know if you will live to see tomorrow, so you need to make a decision today.” The lost always thinks that that there is plenty of time to make a decision. The truth is you never know when your eternity comes. We talk about the lost that way, but in truth, we are as guilty as they are. We think that there is always going to be the right time or the perfect situation or the right laborer to share the gospel with the lost. Jesus says, “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.” The harvest is always ready and must be reaped before it spoils. What happens if you leave a corn or bean crop in the field without harvesting it? Eventually it spoils and becomes useless. As He was speaking these words the Samaritans were coming out of the city to hear His words. Refuse to wait! If you are waiting for the perfect time chances are you will never see it. If you are waiting for the perfect situation, you have probably already missed it. If you are waiting for the perfect laborer to be sent to your lost friends and family, the truth is, you may be that laborer.
B. Receive the Rewards. 6And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. The one who is obedient to the word of God and does the will of the Father will receive eternal rewards. But Jesus isn’t talking about rewards in heaven here. He is talking about reaping the harvest. Sowing and reaping go together. He is telling the disciples that the prophets and He himself have sown the word of God and have prepared a harvest and now the harvest was coming out to them. They have the opportunity to tell others about Jesus. Did they know who Jesus was at this point? John 1:41-42, “He first found his own brother Simon, and he said to him, ‘we have found the Messiah…’ And he brought him to Jesus.” Already the harvest had begun and will continue till Jesus comes back to set up His millennial kingdom. Seed has been planted and the harvest is ready. I’ve used these statistics before but I want to confirm them in your mind. Upwards of 90% of Americans believe in God. 44% believe that there will be a second coming of Christ. They don’t understand the purpose but they believe He is coming back. The seed has been planted. The rewards are ours to receive.
C. Reinforce the Laborers. 7For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” You have entered into their labors. If you belong to Jesus He expects you to enter into the battle. I have a second cousin who lives in California. Several years back she put together the very first Rickman reunion. Up until that time I never knew her. She was in contact with the family first by mail then by email and I began to build a relationship with her over the Internet. One day I was prompted in my spirit to email her a total gospel presentation and invite her to accept Christ, which she did. But I found out later that seed had already been planted, I just joined in the labor and reaped a harvest. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” The word of life that you speak to others is confirmed by your testimony. Your testimony is not just the life you live; it is the words you speak. The apostle John would later write to the churches these words, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son”.
Isaac Newton’s, First Law of Motion says, “ Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.” That is a natural truth that has been observed in scientific experiments conducted over many years.
There is a supernatural law that coincides with Newton’s first law of motion. It says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” You have the power of that word available to you. You have the very presence of the word of God dwelling in you. And you know what the purpose of the word is for you.
Knowing this, you must understand these things:
1) You are responsible to those in your realm of influence to bring change to their lives.
2) Unless there is supernatural force applied to the world by the gospel of Jesus Christ, there will be no change.
3) The Law of the Harvest is already in effect. You have to be the catalyst for change to complete the cycle of sowing and reaping.
What is holding you back? The gospel message is simple. Do people know for sure that they would be with Jesus if they died today? If not, they can be sure simply by repenting of their sin, trusting Jesus as their Savior, and asking Him to be the Lord of their lives.
The harvest is ready! Time to go into the fields!
