January 15th, 2025
The Upward Look
Unexpected Harvest
John 4:27-38
Why does a farmer plow his field?
Why does he plant the seed?
Why does the farmer irrigate or fertilized the crop?
The purpose for all three is the same. So that he can harvest the crop.
So, why would any farmer ignore, or even refuse to bring in the harvest?
He wouldn’t be a farmer for long, would he?
When Jesus was concluding his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, his disciples arrived, bringing food. They were surprised that Jesus had been talking with a woman in this public watering hole, but were thought better of bringing the subject up to him. But, of course, Jesus knew what they were thinking. The woman forgot about her mission to retrieve water for her home and left her jar at the well. She was so enthusiastic about the living water Jesus had offered her and the fact that he was the Messiah; she ran to Sychar and told everyone she encountered about him.
When the disciples encouraged Jesus to eat some of the food they had brought, Jesus told them that he had food to eat they didn’t know about. Always confused by Jesus’ spiritual words, they thought Jesus must have gotten food from someone else.
Then Jesus explained in verse 34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
In verses 35-38 he explained what that work was,
“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. 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. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 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 was not concerned about harvesting wheat or corn or cotton or any agricultural crops. His concern was about harvesting souls for the kingdom of God.
He saw the disciples as procrastinators, putting off the harvest of souls that were already ripe for harvest.
The problem was that they weren’t looking at the fields to notice they were ready. Often times we make excuses that no one is interested in Jesus! We think that because the world has become so secularized that we can’t reach them for Christ.
One reason that we act this way is fear. We don’t want to be rejected. Another is self-centered laziness. We are consumed with ourselves and our own family and personal interests.
Sometimes we just don’t realize that it is important to be about this business. But, Jesus indicated that this was God’s business for us. It is our spiritual food to be harvesting lives for him. Many times, we get the idea that leading people to Christ is the job of professional ministers. We think, “I don’t know enough about the Bible to tell others about salvation in Christ.”
Is not knowing enough really an excuse? Is it not each of our responsibilities to learn more Scripture and more about what to tell people about who Jesus is, why we need him and what he can and will do for them? Can you tell someone what Jesus Christ has done for you?
We often don’t look to the ripened harvest because we are distracted by other things. We get too hung up on things of the world or our own little worlds.
Jesus says that if we look up, we will notice that there is a harvest ready to bring in.
If we look around, we will see that there are people who are hurting. The guilt of their sins is burdening them down and causing pain that makes them want a way to overcome it.
Some are going through marital or family disaster.
Others may be struggling with physical or mental illness, financial disaster, or some kind of personal trauma.
Jesus had just demonstrated the fact that we need to look to unexpected fields for harvest. The Samaritan woman was an unlikely person for Jesus to talk to, much less share salvation. But, Jesus saw that even though she didn’t realize it, she was spiritually thirsty and he had the water she needed. So he shared it with her.
His approach was to meet her on common ground. He told asked her for water because they were at a well. When we meet people who need Christ in their lives, we should always seek common ground. The Apostle Paul reached the people of Athens by praising the fact that he had noticed that they were religious. He had seen an altar dedicated to “The Unknown God.” From there Paul told them who the unknown God was. You may think that you have no opportunity.
Let me tell you the story of an elderly woman that everybody called "Grandma Jones." She had a close relationship with Jesus. She knew that Jesus wanted her to lead others to Christ and she passionately wanted to fulfill his mission.
However, Grandma Jones was pretty much home bound. She didn't drive. She had no family to take her places. But she had a desire to tell others about the love of Jesus.
Every day, Grandma Jones sat in her rocking chair, looking out the living room window at all the people walking by her house. She knew that many of them did not know Jesus Christ, and they would face an eternity in hell. Grandma Jones had what it took to be a missionary.
Grandma Jones looked out her window on the fields. She prayed that somehow, she'd be able to lead someone to Christ. But she didn't know exactly how to do it. She had no way to get out much. Very few people came to visit her. But she made up her mind that if the Lord would open a door, she'd have the courage to walk through it.
Grandma Jones began to pray that the Lord would bring her someone to speak to about Jesus. After a couple days of praying and no answer, she was up one morning at 4:00. She couldn't sleep. She knew her days on earth were few and she desperately wanted to lead just one person to Christ. Would the Lord never grant her prayer?
Grandma Jones cared! She wanted to do something for Jesus. So as she prayed at 4:00 in the morning, she heard a knock on her door. She looked out the window... And saw that it was a Deputy from the Sheriff's Department. She opened the door. The Deputy asked if anything was wrong. He had seen her light saw her sitting in her chair.
"I was just praying that Jesus would let me lead somebody to Him before I die." She explained.
The Deputy sat down with Grandma Jones... And they began to talk. The Deputy talked about all the problems he faces in his job. He talked about the problems he and his wife were having. After listening to the Deputy for several minutes... Grandma Jones said: "You need Jesus in your life!" The Deputy asked, "What do I need to do?" And Grandma Jones led that Deputy to faith in Jesus right there in her living room at 4:00 in the morning! Grandma Jones was used by Jesus in his fields white unto harvest.
That Deputy's soul was saved... because Grandma Jones was
#1 Aware of the need
#2 Bold enough to seize the moment. And
#3 Concerned for the lost.
Jesus said that there is a sowing and reaping, but reaping the harvest is a priority, whether you sowed the seed in a life or someone else did it. Souls belong to God, not the spiritual farmer. God prepares each heart for harvest, but God has given you and me the job of harvesting for him.
When was the last time you introduced someone to Christ?
Do you know someone who needs you to lead them to Christ?
This Sunday we will launch into our sermon series on the Parables. Last Sunday we looked at the reason Jesus used parables (stories) in his teaching. This week we will look at our first parable in a message titled Kingdom Stories, Receiving God’s Word based on Matthew 13:1-9,18-23, Mark 4:1-9,13-20, Luke 8:4-8,11-15. I hope you will come and share in this exciting series of messages.
Sowing and Reaping with you,
Jon
Unexpected Harvest
John 4:27-38
Why does a farmer plow his field?
Why does he plant the seed?
Why does the farmer irrigate or fertilized the crop?
The purpose for all three is the same. So that he can harvest the crop.
So, why would any farmer ignore, or even refuse to bring in the harvest?
He wouldn’t be a farmer for long, would he?
When Jesus was concluding his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, his disciples arrived, bringing food. They were surprised that Jesus had been talking with a woman in this public watering hole, but were thought better of bringing the subject up to him. But, of course, Jesus knew what they were thinking. The woman forgot about her mission to retrieve water for her home and left her jar at the well. She was so enthusiastic about the living water Jesus had offered her and the fact that he was the Messiah; she ran to Sychar and told everyone she encountered about him.
When the disciples encouraged Jesus to eat some of the food they had brought, Jesus told them that he had food to eat they didn’t know about. Always confused by Jesus’ spiritual words, they thought Jesus must have gotten food from someone else.
Then Jesus explained in verse 34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
In verses 35-38 he explained what that work was,
“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. 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. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 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 was not concerned about harvesting wheat or corn or cotton or any agricultural crops. His concern was about harvesting souls for the kingdom of God.
He saw the disciples as procrastinators, putting off the harvest of souls that were already ripe for harvest.
The problem was that they weren’t looking at the fields to notice they were ready. Often times we make excuses that no one is interested in Jesus! We think that because the world has become so secularized that we can’t reach them for Christ.
One reason that we act this way is fear. We don’t want to be rejected. Another is self-centered laziness. We are consumed with ourselves and our own family and personal interests.
Sometimes we just don’t realize that it is important to be about this business. But, Jesus indicated that this was God’s business for us. It is our spiritual food to be harvesting lives for him. Many times, we get the idea that leading people to Christ is the job of professional ministers. We think, “I don’t know enough about the Bible to tell others about salvation in Christ.”
Is not knowing enough really an excuse? Is it not each of our responsibilities to learn more Scripture and more about what to tell people about who Jesus is, why we need him and what he can and will do for them? Can you tell someone what Jesus Christ has done for you?
We often don’t look to the ripened harvest because we are distracted by other things. We get too hung up on things of the world or our own little worlds.
Jesus says that if we look up, we will notice that there is a harvest ready to bring in.
If we look around, we will see that there are people who are hurting. The guilt of their sins is burdening them down and causing pain that makes them want a way to overcome it.
Some are going through marital or family disaster.
Others may be struggling with physical or mental illness, financial disaster, or some kind of personal trauma.
Jesus had just demonstrated the fact that we need to look to unexpected fields for harvest. The Samaritan woman was an unlikely person for Jesus to talk to, much less share salvation. But, Jesus saw that even though she didn’t realize it, she was spiritually thirsty and he had the water she needed. So he shared it with her.
His approach was to meet her on common ground. He told asked her for water because they were at a well. When we meet people who need Christ in their lives, we should always seek common ground. The Apostle Paul reached the people of Athens by praising the fact that he had noticed that they were religious. He had seen an altar dedicated to “The Unknown God.” From there Paul told them who the unknown God was. You may think that you have no opportunity.
Let me tell you the story of an elderly woman that everybody called "Grandma Jones." She had a close relationship with Jesus. She knew that Jesus wanted her to lead others to Christ and she passionately wanted to fulfill his mission.
However, Grandma Jones was pretty much home bound. She didn't drive. She had no family to take her places. But she had a desire to tell others about the love of Jesus.
Every day, Grandma Jones sat in her rocking chair, looking out the living room window at all the people walking by her house. She knew that many of them did not know Jesus Christ, and they would face an eternity in hell. Grandma Jones had what it took to be a missionary.
Grandma Jones looked out her window on the fields. She prayed that somehow, she'd be able to lead someone to Christ. But she didn't know exactly how to do it. She had no way to get out much. Very few people came to visit her. But she made up her mind that if the Lord would open a door, she'd have the courage to walk through it.
Grandma Jones began to pray that the Lord would bring her someone to speak to about Jesus. After a couple days of praying and no answer, she was up one morning at 4:00. She couldn't sleep. She knew her days on earth were few and she desperately wanted to lead just one person to Christ. Would the Lord never grant her prayer?
Grandma Jones cared! She wanted to do something for Jesus. So as she prayed at 4:00 in the morning, she heard a knock on her door. She looked out the window... And saw that it was a Deputy from the Sheriff's Department. She opened the door. The Deputy asked if anything was wrong. He had seen her light saw her sitting in her chair.
"I was just praying that Jesus would let me lead somebody to Him before I die." She explained.
The Deputy sat down with Grandma Jones... And they began to talk. The Deputy talked about all the problems he faces in his job. He talked about the problems he and his wife were having. After listening to the Deputy for several minutes... Grandma Jones said: "You need Jesus in your life!" The Deputy asked, "What do I need to do?" And Grandma Jones led that Deputy to faith in Jesus right there in her living room at 4:00 in the morning! Grandma Jones was used by Jesus in his fields white unto harvest.
That Deputy's soul was saved... because Grandma Jones was
#1 Aware of the need
#2 Bold enough to seize the moment. And
#3 Concerned for the lost.
Jesus said that there is a sowing and reaping, but reaping the harvest is a priority, whether you sowed the seed in a life or someone else did it. Souls belong to God, not the spiritual farmer. God prepares each heart for harvest, but God has given you and me the job of harvesting for him.
When was the last time you introduced someone to Christ?
Do you know someone who needs you to lead them to Christ?
This Sunday we will launch into our sermon series on the Parables. Last Sunday we looked at the reason Jesus used parables (stories) in his teaching. This week we will look at our first parable in a message titled Kingdom Stories, Receiving God’s Word based on Matthew 13:1-9,18-23, Mark 4:1-9,13-20, Luke 8:4-8,11-15. I hope you will come and share in this exciting series of messages.
Sowing and Reaping with you,
Jon
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