October 8, 2023

The Whitened Harvest

Preacher:
Passage: John 4:27-42
Service Type:

Introduction

Every good and perfect gift comes from above
Harvest time is a chance to stop and reflect

We are to give thanks to God
At the same time we ask – is there enough for a growing world?

The Bible speaks to this – both in the Old and New Testament

Teaching directed to God’s people:

To care for the poor – Gal 2:10

The Bible is not a manual for food aid
The Bible is not a cure for poverty
The Bible deals with much bigger issues – what is the value of a soul?

There is joy in heaven when someone is saved
Example
The value of a precious soul
Where will you spend eternity?

Studying John’s Gospel

The Word
The Wind
The Wonder
Now – The Whitened Harvest

The Promised Harvest

God has always had a deep concern for sinners

He promised a harvest – to Abraham (Gen 22:18)

Abraham was not just a blessing to the Jews but to the whole world
Isa 49:6

Israel failed – so Jesus Christ came forth

Isa 42:7

Chapter 4

The beginning of this fulfilment (of the promise to the world)

Jesus goes to Syca

The people come out on mass
They believe in Jesus Christ – that He is the Saviour of the World

John stresses that Jesus has come for the World

The Samaritans – half Jew, half Gentile

Pentecost – people throughout different Gentile regions are receiving the word of God
The word of God has come to us

Specifically to Wales – the land of revival

We must pray for this to happen again
Revival often comes to small places

God is still at work

The Ignorance of the Harvest

The disciples were unaware of the coming harvest amongst the Samaritan people

They seemed to despise this Samaritan woman
They were unaware she was going to witness to her people
That many would be converted

v27 – They had gone to get bread

They marvelled that Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman

Jesus was breaking social taboos

A Jew would never pass the city of Samaria
The disciples should have asked ‘why was Jesus going this way’

v28 – The woman leaves her water pot and speaks to the people of the city

She recounted all that Jesus had said
She wondered ‘is this the Messiah?’

v30 – The people were looking for the Messiah

Because of this woman’s testimony – they come out

v31 – The disciples were thinking of the physical and unaware of the harvest to come

How much of our thinking is on our own needs?
How much of our thinking is about the physical?
Are we concerned about the value of one soul?

The disciples were not interested in this woman – despite that fact that Jesus had taken time to speak to her

v33 – They did not understand

For Jesus it was more satisfying to do the will of God and share the Gospel, rather than eat food
Example of Christmas Day
Personal example

v34 – Jesus’ food is to do God’s work

People accused Jesus of being mad/having a demon because He did not eat

v35 – Jesus begins to teach them

The spiritual harvest is not the same as a physical harvest
The people are ripe for harvest (like a field of grain)

But the disciples could not see it
Let us not be ignorant of the harvest
Jer 8:20

Are you concerned about others?

Example of C.S. Lewis

Are we just watching – with no burden

Example of Andrew Meikin

Concerned for others – not himself

May we have this concern for precious souls

God used one Samaritan lady to unlock the whole town

An unlikely person
Example

Are we ignorant of the harvest or are we seeing what Jesus is doing?
Are you saved?

Example of TV Show

Is your life cluttered by sin?
What about the house of your heart?

We must ask for Jesus to cleanse and save us

Jesus offered this to the Samaritan woman

Have you come to Jesus?

Sowing and Reaping

v36 – A message for the disciples

Who sowed in the life of this women – Jesus
Who sowed to the Samaritans – the women

v38 – The disciple will reap a harvest they did not sow

They will enter into the labours of "others"

We don’t know who these are
Maybe disciples of John the Baptist

Jesus spent two days with the Samaritans

v42 – how would the Samaritans believe if no one had sowed the word of God?

We need to sow
The one who sows is not inferior to those who reap

Example

All rejoice together

Are you a sower?

Sparingly or liberally?

Example of Prime Time
Why do we have events?

To sow the word of God

Ecc 11:6

Sow the word of God liberally

Ecc 11:1

There will be a return on your investment
Go to unlikely places – be adventurous
The Samaritan town of Syca was an usual place

Ecc 11:4

What excuses do we have for not sowing?

We have our part to play – but God brings the increase (1 Cor 3:6-7)

Are we sowing and reaping?

Pray the Lord to send out labours into the harvest field