Sermon
delivered on October 16th, 2016
Morning Service
By: Pastor Greg Hocson
Scripture Text: John 4:31-42
Introduction
October
is called the Harvest Month! Harvest time is an exciting time. The
harvest is reaping the rewards of sowing the seed. Farmers look forward to
the harvest to reap the fruit of their labor. The church needs to be looking to
a different kind of harvest, a harvest of spiritual fruit.
Jesus
Himself while talking to the disciples made it known that the time for
harvest is all around us. We are all called to win souls for the glory of
God. Some times we sow the seed and some times we reap the harvest.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a
time to every purpose under the heaven: 2: A time to be born, and a time to
die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
This
morning consider with me the Lord's Mission, the Lord's Satisfaction and the
Lord's Instruction.
I - Our Lord's Mission
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will
of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Jesus
Christ was sent by the Father.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and
my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the
Father which hath sent me.
Our
Lord is determined to do the Father's will.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of him that sent me.
And
what is "the will" of the Father who had sent Christ into the
world?
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that
of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up
again at the last day. 40: And this is the will of him that sent me, that
every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:
and I will raise him up at the last day.
It
is the salvation of those who believe in Jesus Christ. It is to give eternal
life to those who put their faith and trust in the Son. It is to deliver
certain captives from the hands of the Devil and bring them from death unto
life?
Our
Lord was committed to do the Father's will He was willing to go to the cross to
die for the sins of sinners. This is why He came. This is His mission.
This is His meat. This is His food.
II - Our Lord's Satisfaction (Pleasure)
There
are church people who serve God reluctantly and give grudgingly. They attend
church services and activities and do things in the church, but they do it with
such coldness of spirit. They go through the motion but the heart is not in it.
But
not so with our Lord!
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will
of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
To
our Lord, doing the will of God is not a burden, but a delight; not a
sacrifice, but a pleasure. It is His meat. It is is His food and drink.
It is like food to the hungry or water to the thirsty. It is not a mere duty.
Eating food when we are hungry and drinking water when we are thirsty are not
a duties we perform, but they are natural instinct and craving, a passion
and the highest gratification of being.
Psalm 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it
is written of me, 8: I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is
within my heart.
Many
professing Christians are holding back, but the more they hold back the more
they become dissatisfied and unfulfilled.
But
let us learn from our Lord!
When
our Lord arrived at the well in Sychar, He sat down on the well, very
tired and thirsty. I believe He was hungry too, for His disciples had gone away
to buy food.
When
the disciples came back they find our Lord sitting on the well preaching to the
Samaritan woman. When the woman finally left, they were surprised that our Lord
does not eat and so they urged Him to eat.
John 4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master,
eat.
But
our Lord responds ...
John 4:32 But he said unto them, I
have meat to eat that ye know not of.
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Our
Lord tells them He does not need to eat for He has been refreshed. He was
refreshed doing the will of the Father. The woman at the well who had had five
husbands had been gloriously saved. The harvest of one soul renewed a his
energy. He is expecting more. He saw the fields white and ready for it; and
this so refreshed His spirit that He did not need to eat. He is no longer
tired, thirsty and hungry.
Isn't
that true in our own experience? We seem to get refreshed in God's work. In the
midst of hard labor, we grow stronger and refreshed. Sometimes because of the
excitement that the will of God is being done we even forget to eat an drink.
Do
you know anything about this?
It
was something the disciples "knew not of."
John 4:32 But he said unto them, I
have meat to eat that ye know not of.
The
disciples have not discovered this yet. They have not discovered the joy of
serving the Lord and doing His will.
They
have not discovered the Bible truth in ...
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so
labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord
Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
They
have not discovered the truth in ..
Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt
find it after many days.
These
are the principles that our Lord wanted to convey to His disciples. Those who
hold back will end up empty, but those who give will receive. Those who bless
others will be blessed. Those who refresh others will be refreshed.
III - Our Lord's Instruction
The
disciples have much to learn. The disciples' minds were on material things
and so the Lord calls their attention to the things eternal.
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh
harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for
they are white already to harvest.
Our
Lord calls them to open their eyes to spiritual realities. He already told
them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent
me, and to finish his work."
Now
He calls them to open their eyes and see the Harvest. When Jesus said, "The fields are white for harvest", He was talking about men and women who need to be reached
for his kingdom. He wants them to open their eyes and see those people coming
across the fields of Sychar led by the woman to whom He has been speaking. He
calls them to cease the opportunity. The call is still the same. Oh, how
we need to open our eyes to the Harvest. We need to look at things from the
perspective of Jesus.
1. The Vastness of Harvest
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly
is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
There
are people everywhere. There are people who need to be rescued. People
need the Lord!
2. The Readiness of Harvest
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh
harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for
they are white already to harvest.
The
problem is not the harvest. We have a huge harvest in front of us and fields
are already ripe and ready for harvest. Jesus tells
us that the problem is the workers. The harvest is massive but the workers are
few. Jesus is looking for people who will go into the fields and gather the
harvest. We must remember that there is a harvest of souls.
3. The Urgency of Harvest
When
harvest time comes, everything else must be set aside. Nothing else matters at
that point. Nothing else is as urgent, as necessary, as getting to the harvest
fields while they are white for harvest.
It
cannot be put off, because harvest time does not last forever. The wheat
ripens, the corn matures, the vegetables swell to their full adult size. But if
you do not get out into the fields while they are white, the crop rots on the
vine.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is
day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Harvest-time
is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all;
so the time of the gospel is a season, which if once past, cannot be recalled.
4. The Joy of Harvest
Harvest-time is an exciting time.
It is not an easy work but it is a rewarding work. Winning souls for Jesus
Christ is a difficult task. When you engage in this work you will discover that
not everyone will believe the Gospel and will turn to Christ. This is a
discouraging fact, but the truth that would encourage us in the work is to
remember the promises our Lord gave His disciples.
John 4:36 And he that
reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both
he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
There are "wages" laid up
for faithful reapers. They shall receive a reward at the last day.
Galatians 6:7 Be
not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap. 8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting. 9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10: As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
household of faith.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain
in the Lord.
Closing Thoughts
Let
us work on.
Psalm. 126:6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6: He
that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
One
single soul saved, shall outlive and outweigh all the kingdoms of the world.
Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2:
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
How
much better it is to serve the Lord with all our hearts.
AMEN!