John’s Gospel: Harvest

She ran into the village leaving behind all her fear of gossips and social standing.

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There was a very real world of which the Samaritan woman knew nothing—the world of the spirit.
She was interested, intrigued really, by the words of Jesus—water that one could drink and never thirst again? She knew this was not a truth in the real world she knew, the world of mountains and valleys, cities and villages, people, and livestock. These things were all dependent upon the water she knew—river water, well water, cooking water, water for drinking. This water did its work and was a blessing but it soon needed to be replaced with more. She sensed that Jesus was talking about a different world and certainly a different kind of water. Jesus made it clear.

God is Spirit.
Jesus began to open the truths of the spirit world within for this woman.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

This was interesting but was still beyond her ability to understand. She shook her head as if to clear away the accumulated cobwebs of errant tradition. All she could do was imagine a hero, the Messiah, who would explain all these things. To her amazement, He said.

“I who speak to you am He.”

Silence again, the deepest spell of silence yet. What did he say? At that moment 12 men joined them, noisily approaching the well from the village. The woman retreated a safe distance with her water jar. The disciples were amazed to interrupt a totally improper conversation, but they had learned enough not to ask questions or to comment. The woman forgot about her water pot and hurried away toward the village.

Come see a man!
She ran into the village leaving behind all her fear of gossips and social standing. She told everyone who would listen about this amazing man and the amazing things He said.

“Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Soon, a crowd soon was following her out of the village toward Jacob’s well.

Food to Eat
While they were coming, the disciples offered Jesus some of the food they had found. He surprised them when they saw that He was somehow refreshed. The man whom they had left winded by the well, was now restored to strength. He explained,

“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

Immediately they concluded that someone else had fed Him. He explained further,

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

He went on to explain that renewal was a result of doing God’s will—the spirit is refreshed when we obey the Lord. As He told them about the hunger and thirst in the world, the woman and her following returned, proving His point. He gave His men details of the calling on their lives. God was calling them to meet the needs of the world. They must see people as God saw them—spiritual beings thirsting for a relationship with God.

The Samaritan Revival
Jesus began to teach both the disciples and the crowd. He paid no attention to the social customs of the day treating Samaritans and Jews alike. They were all part of what He called “The Harvest”—a world filled with thirsty people. What they all needed was the living water found at the well of worship in spirit and truth.

Scriptures:
John 4:24-42

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me see people the way You see them—spiritual beings designed for fellowship with You. Help me also see Your thirst. Just as You asked the woman at the well for a drink of water, You are refreshed by my worship. Help me also see the thirst of the Father. You said He was seeking for worshipers who would worship Him in spirit and truth. The father is also refreshed by my worship. Amazing! May You be blessed by my life in every way. Amen.

Song:
To Everyone Who Is Thirsting

Words and Music: Lucy Rider Meyer

1. Come everyone who is thirsty in spirit;
Come, everyone who is weary and sad.
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus –
All that you’re longing for; Come and be glad!

Refrain:
“I will pour water on him that is thirsty;
I will pour floods upon the dry ground.
Open your heart for the gifts I am bringing;
While ye are seeking Me I will be found.”

2. Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth-joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List to the promise, a message for you.

Refrain

3. Child of the Kingdom, be filled with the Spirit!
Nothing but fullness thy longing can meet.
’Tis the enduement for life and for service.
Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet!

Refrain

 

 

 


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About the Author

Full of passion for Jesus Christ, Stephen Phifer is a third-generation minister with more than three decades of experience as a pastoral artist, worship leader, and conductor.