Jesus, Lessons for Life 17
Harvest is Ripe
We have been discussing Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.
Jesus and his team of disciples stayed on for a time with the Samaritans. As a result, both the Samaritans and the disciples gained and grew in faith and understanding.
John 4:34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ 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.”
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”
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.”
His disciples were shown that their mission was to “reap for the Lord,” and the paradigm of God’s grace being limited to the Jewish people was shattered. If the despised people of Samaria were to find salvation, then it must be God’s intent for all people to be saved.
· Many of the Samaritans believed in Christ and were saved.
· The “harvest” beyond the Jewish nation commenced on this trip.
Key Lesson — Jesus wanted his disciples to see that his Grace was available for all the world. Ultimately, He had come to open the way to God for even the Gentiles. It is still our mission to share Christ to all the world.
Blessings,
Larry
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