Lift Up Your Eyes

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!