Sylvania Wesleyan Church 1
Sunday Morning 3/8

      • Psalm 95:1–2NIV2011

  • Good morning. I am glad that we can be here together this morning. I was going through the readings for this week and I was captivated by the story from the Gospel of John. Now with a first reading it is easy to look at the story at the woman at the well and be captivated that all too familiar story. It is a captivating story.
    Samaritan women with whom Jewish people don’t normally interact with. Jesus talks with her and offers her water that will lead to eternal life. I mean of course she wants that.
    Also, the story leads to good discussion about Jesus calling out the sin in our lives when he points out that she has five husbands. There is lots of sermon material there.
    Yet, this wasn’t what grabbed me. It wasn’t the story of the woman at the well that grabbed me it is the story of the disciples that grabbed me this week.
    John 4:27–38 NIV
    27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 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. 36 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. 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.”

    The Disciples Surprise

    I wonder what was going through the mind of the Disciples when
    Here was Jesus Openly telling her that he is telling a Samaritan woman that he is the Messiah!
    We can see that they heard Jesus telling her this because they arrived back before she could respond to what Jesus told her.
    In my opinion there is one of two ways that we can read this story. The disciples trusted Jesus and they let him finish his conversation, or they were confused by what was happening.
    I have a tendency to lean toward the idea that they were very confused by what was going on, because they were surprised by the scene.
    They didn’t interject but they didn’t know what was happening.
    They had to be asking themselves what was Jesus doing?
    The Woman of course responds to the news of who Jesus is and runs from the place leaving the water Jar behind to go share the good news.
    It’s at this point I wonder if there was an awkward pause and not knowing what to do simply decided.
    Umm Jesus you probably should eat something.
    The Disciples were worried about Jesus Physical needs after all they just got back from shopping for some food.
    In Typical Fashion for Jesus uses this moment to teach instead and his other favorite pastime confuse the disciples.
    John 4:32–33 NIV
    32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
    Classic moment of Jesus. The disciples confused because they feel like the missed something.
    Jesus turns this moment into an opportunity to teach. He wanted to show them the difference between the spiritual and the Physical understanding.
    The first thing that Jesus wants them to see is.

    The Will of God

    Jesus has come to first fulfill the will of God.
    This idea of following the will of God is a very action forward thinking. He didn’t just come to sit and do nothing he was actively doing. Jesus was not passive he was active.
    If we look further into the gospel of John we find that this action is defined by Jesus.
    John 6:29 NIV
    29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
    Belief.
    This idea pops up again though and closely connected to food interestingly enough on the idea of what we talked about last week that belief is deeper than just a surface level thing it is a deep rooted change.
    John 6:35 NIV
    35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
    This idea again pops up. Jesus is showing them what he has for them and yet.
    John 6:36 NIV
    36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
    Even with Jesus there they must see and recognize and believe in who he is. Yet, many did not. The Father’s will though is that all would believe.
    John 6:40 NIV
    40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
    Jesus hope and desire was to do the work of the father so that all may have eternal life. That they would choose this. It is in the action that we see Jesus is active in pointing people toward God.
    In doing the will of God though we see the second lesson that Jesus is working to teach the disciples.

    The Needs of Others

    Jesus focus was always on the needs of others over his own needs. Jesus wasn’t worried about his physical need for food he was concerned with the spiritual needs of the woman at the well.
    In fact, Jesus is also worried about the needs of the Disciples in the moment.
    They were blind to what was right in front of them. They could not see the need of those around them that were waiting to hear the good news.
    They didn’t sow the fields but they were there to reap the harvest. Others had done the work for them and yet they were the ones who would reap the benefits.
    No different than them buying food from those who did the work. They would stand on the work of others when it comes to evangelism.
    The Woman would go and testify to the amazing work of Jesus in her life and they would see the benefit. They would be the ones to lead someone to Christ.
    Think about that in terms today. There are many times that we spend years working, praying, and investing in other people. Yet, that person finally comes to Christ they may not be the one to make the harvest.
    I have a question related to that. Would you really be upset by the idea that they came to Christ and you weren’t the one to do it?
    I sure hope not!
    Why though? Because the answer is simple. This is what the disciples needed to see and understand. That the action is not in getting the food or even who earns the food it is in doing the father’s will.
    Being sustained by the idea that the Father’s will is being carried out.
    Do you remember what the Father’s Will is?
    John 6:40 NIV
    40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

    The Harvest is Plentiful

    We are in the season of Lent right now leading up to Easter. In the coming weeks people are more aware of our faith and the need to return to God more than any other time of the year. I have a challenge for you today.
    Who in your life needs to hear the message of the Gospel?
    Is there someone in your life that you know is seeking or may have questions?
    Are you willing to open yourself up to talking with them about God?
    Maybe you can simply invite them to church?
    Or is there some other way that you can testify to the work of God in your life to them?
    There are many ways we can share the good news but we all have the responsibility to seek to reap the harvest. To share the message.
    I know it can be scary and it can be challenging but I want you to think about something.
    Jim worked at his job for a long time and he loved it. He became friends with James shortly after he started the job. They worked together and were both very productive and successful.
    Jim when he would leave work would spend time following after his activities and hobbies like anyone else except one of the things that he enjoyed the most was going to church and being a part of the bible study they had. He had a strong relationship with Jesus.
    James like Jim would go home pursue his hobbies but he did not have a relationship with Jesus. He lived his life, something was always seemed to be missing and he didn’t feel as fulfilled as he thought he should.
    One day at work Jim was talking to a different co-worker and he was sharing how they were getting ready for Easter. This other co-worker was also a Christian but attended a different church. Jim was excited for all that was coming and he was saying how important it was to invite people to church.
    James happened to be walking by at the time when he heard Jim say this. He paused for a moment when he realized his friend just said it was really important to invite people to church.
    James thought back and couldn’t remember that Jim had ever asked him to go to church or even talked to him about God.
    Curious James looked at Jim and said, “I didn’t know you went to church, why did you ever tell me about it?”
    Jim looked confused and surprised by the question. He quickly replied “I didn’t think you wanted to talk about church”
    James looked a little shocked and actually began to get upset. “Jim if Church is important why haven’t you invited me, or even talked to me about it?”
    Does this scenario play out too often in our lives. We don’t realize that there may be people right in front of us that we don’t even attempt to talk about our lives and what we do, like go to church that we miss out on opportunities to share the Gospel. Are we blind to the harvest?
    We must not be like the disciples and be so focused on the food we just bought and realize there are greater things for us in the world.
    Who in your life needs to hear the Gospel?
    Who hear needs to right now be reminded or hear for the first time that Jesus died on the cross for your sins?
    We can’t forget we must remember that we are called to follow after Christ and seek to do the father’s will. Are you ready to do that?
    Let’s Pray

      • John 4:27–38NIV2011

      • John 4:32–33NIV2011

      • John 6:29NIV2011

      • John 6:35NIV2011

      • John 6:36NIV2011

      • John 6:40NIV2011

      • John 6:40NIV2011

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