SEE THE HARVEST FIELD!

Passage: John 4:31-42

Key verse: 35

NIV

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi,(A) eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat(B) 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(C) of him who sent me and to finish his work.(D) 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.(E) 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests(F) a crop for eternal life,(G) so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’(H) 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.”

Many Samaritans Believe

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town(I) believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”(J) 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.”(K)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, (A)“Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, (B)“Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, (C)“My food is (D)to do the will of him who sent me and (E)to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that (F)the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that (G)sower and (H)reaper (I)may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, (J)‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap (K)that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, (L)and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans (M)from that town believed in him (N)because of (O)the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed (P)because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, (Q)and we know that this is indeed (R)the Savior (S)of the world.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. My food is to do the will of God (31-38) Jesus gave his whole heart and energy to save one Samaritan woman. He must have been exhausted. But he was full of joy saying, "My food is to do God's will and to finish it." He opened the disciples' eyes to see the spiritual harvest field ripe for harvest. Surely many prophets such as Elijah, Elisha and Amos sowed the word of God and Jesus harvested. Now Jesus sowed the gospel seed in a Samaritan woman, and the disciples could enjoy the plenty of harvest. We must be joyful when we harvest because of others' hard labors. We must also sow joyfully not only for us but also for the future harvesters. 2. Now we believe not because you have said... (39-42) The witness of a woman whose life was changed caused the whole village to believe in Jesus. But they did not stop there. They themselves invited Jesus to listen to his word more. Later they confessed, "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." Their faith was upgraded from indirect, second hand faith into direct and personal faith.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for becoming my Messiah and giving me the same joy in doing God's mission as a planter or a reaper.

One Word: Joyful planters and harvesters.