- Gospels and Acts(NT) John 4:35~38
Open Your Eyes and Look At The Fields
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Message
John 4:35-38
Key Verse: John 4:35
“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.”
Good evening! My name is Dimas Blanco. I am from Guatemala, the country of eternal spring. This evening let’s learn about the fields of our countries which are all ripe (or white) for harvest. Wow! Just like my last name Blanco, which means white. This means that I am also ripe for the spiritual harvest!
I. The Vision of Jesus
In chapter 4 we could see the miracle of salvation that Jesus did in Samaria. A Samaritan woman had been converted into a true worshiper of Jesus the Messiah. She received the living water that brings the forgiveness of sins and salvation through which her life changed completely. Her testimony had a great impact on Samaria because Jesus had worked very diligently as a sower and a reaper in the heart of this woman.
On the other hand, we can see that the disciples had a lot of prejudice against the Samaritans. They looked at them with hatred and disdain for their idolatry, paganism and for mixing with other cultures. The fatalism and negative view of the disciples did not allow them to have any faith that the work of God would be possible in Samaria. Moreover, the disciples were confined to their own desires to eat, and so they could not see the work of salvation in Samaria nor understand the words of the Lord Jesus.
Through helping the Samaritan woman, the Lord Jesus could see the spiritual rebirth of all of Samaria. Let’s see what he said to the disciples in verse 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.” When Jesus said this, the disciples lifted up their eyes to observe the fields, but they saw nothing. Then they looked in the other direction and saw the Samaritan woman running toward the village to give her testimony. But they really didn’t understand the meaning of Jesus’ words.
This word was an invitation to the disciples to see what God was doing in Samaria through the changed life of the woman. The season of the physical harvest had not yet arrived, but Samaria was a field that was ready for the spiritual harvest. God had not forgotten the people of Samaria. This is why he had sent the prophets to Samaria in the Old Testament to sow the word and was now sending Jesus to them. When we see a person’s changed life through the word of God, through that person we can have vision of the change that is possible in one nation.
II. The mission of the sowers and reapers
Now let’s look at verses 36-38. “Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 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.” Jesus invited his disciples to participate as reapers in the harvest of souls in Samaria for eternal life.
The Lord Jesus worked hard to sow in the heart of the Samaritan woman. However, the disciples had not done any sowing; in fact, they hadn’t done much of anything. Then what must they do? They had to be Jesus’ coworkers. The Lord was sending them to harvest where they had not sown, so they must not fall into pride. In the work of God, there is one who sows and another who reaps and collects the fruit. The work of both of them is important. There is no reason to be discouraged because in the end both sower and reaper will rejoice.
As we see the problems and sins of Samaria, we can think of Latin America and the rest of the world. There is much idolatry and sin and people are being lost as they search for pleasure, satisfy their lust and commit adultery. It is common to see homes and families disintegrating through violence and death. But God has not forgotten the nations and throughout the centuries many people have sown the word, including UBF missionaries. Even though it might seem that there is little or no fruit, the truth is that our countries are fields ripe for the spiritual harvest. Maybe, we are tempted to think that our own country is the last place where the work of God can begin. But we must cast off our fatalism and negativism. Let’s look with our eyes and see the vision of the Lord Jesus.
In this international Summer Bible conference, we must open our eyes. What is it that we must see? Representatives from each continent will share their testimonies of their changed lives. What is the significance of this? Each of them is a representative of all the people of the world. Their changed lives demonstrate the power of God and at the same time give us vision that all the nations are ripe for harvest. However, the Lord needs more coworkers who can reap these souls for eternal life. He needs you and me. Therefore, we must open our eyes and see, and we must all participate together in this precious work of salvation.
I am the fruit of a sower named Sh. Edwar and a reaper named Joshua Ham. Thanks to them I could know the Lord Jesus. I give my testimony so that others can have the vision of the Lord Jesus for the entire world. My name is Dimas Blanco and I always lived with my mother. I never knew my father and I was always in poverty, which caused me to become very materialistic. As an adolescent I had many girlfriends, was very promiscuous with girls and liked porn. So I became a slave to flesh desires.
In 2003, I was invited to Bible study in UBF and in the year 2006 I was baptized and accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior and my first love. I also received the word “You are the Christ” and through my repentance my life was changed. In this same year God blessed me greatly through marriage by faith with Karina and in the year of 2008 my daughter, Elizabeth, was born. And even now my wife is pregnant and we are waiting for the birth of a second child.
I was a Samaritan man. Whoever heard about my past life would think that I never would become a pastor or missionary. But now many years have passed, and God is using me as a messenger. This is the grace of Jesus who saw me with different eyes. Through John 4:35, I could see myself as a sinner. Just like the disciples, I had no vision for my life or my country, even less for Latin America. I repent of my fatalism and unbelief that prevented me from seeing the precious work that God is doing in the world. Now I understand that if Jesus can change the life of a Samaritan man like me, then he has the power to change all the Samaritan men and women of the world.
I pray to have the vision of the Lord Jesus to see that the fields of my country are ripe for harvest. I must be a reaper for Guatemala and the rest of the world. I also pray to have vision for all of Latin America as the continent that will send missionaries to the entire world.
In this conference Jesus invites us and commands us: “Open your eyes and look at the fields!” Now is the moment to see with the eyes of Jesus the fields that are ripe for harvest. And also both sowers and reapers are necessary; we must be the coworkers of Jesus. We have a double role from now on until the second coming of our Lord. Let us not be discouraged because in the end we will all rejoice together in the fruits. Amen.