Open Your Eyes and Look At The Fields
John 4:27-42
Key Verse 4:35
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.
In the previous passage, Jesus revealed to a Samaritan woman that he is the Messiah. Today, we will see not only the conversion of a woman of Samaria but also the conversion of many other Samaritans. They confessed that Jesus is the Savior of the world. They were born again by the Spirit. They became true worshipers who worship the Father in spirit and truth. It was a great spiritual awakening (revival) in a small town of Samaria. May God open our eyes through this passage to see the fields as ripe for harvest in our generation and in generations to come!
1. Read verses 27-30.
ANSWER:
Joh 4:27-30 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 Christ?" 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Why were Jesus’ disciples surprised? (27)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:27 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?"
Because they found Jesus “talking with a woman”. They were shocked not at his talking in public with that woman – that suspicious looking Samaritan woman – but with “a” woman. It was taboo in that culture.
They wanted to ask the woman, "What do you want?" and ask Jesus, "Why are you talking with her?"
Out of respect for Jesus, no one asked questions, not even Peter.
At the very moment at which Jesus declared, “I ...am he”, his disciples returned.
Jesus sent his disciples to Sychar to buy some food. (v8)
When they returned, at that very moment they arrived, Jesus was saying, “I ...AM he”.
At the very moment Jesus declared his Messiahship, his disciple came and heard that.
They were silenced by it, so they did not ask why Jesus was talking with her.
Christ declared his Messiahship not only before this Gentile woman but also to his disciples.
It was a preview for the disciples of Gentile salvation.
What’s remarkable about what the woman did? (28)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,
She left her water jar.
Her water jar was a symbol of her inner thirst and of her attempts to satisfy it by worldly waters that cannot satisfy.
She left that jar behind, having no need of it. Her inner person was filled with Jesus – with his living water.
Her eyes were opened to see Jesus as her Messiah and Savior.
She “went back to the town”: the old place of darkness became her new mission field.
She went back to the same town she lived in.
Now that town became a mission town (field) rather than a sin town, or a despair town.
She testified boldly to her townspeople whom she formerly avoided by coming out to the well alone in the heat of the day. Her wounds, bitterness, and broken relationships were forgotten.
She said (testified) to the people: sharing her testimony was evangelism.
She could not keep her joyful discovery to herself – she had to tell others of what Jesus has done for her.
Her testimony shows her transformed life (she was born again).
Sharing testimony is a natural response of all believers.
Sharing testimony is a privilege and obligation for all believers (1Pe 3:15).
What a joy. What an exciting thing to testify about Jesus.
What was her testimony? (29)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
“Come, see”: Invitation.
Jesus was working through her and her words echo those of Jesus in 1:39, “Come, and you will see.”
“a man who told me everything I ever did”: Sharing her personal testimony.
What Jesus has done for me: Personal testimony.
“Could this be the Christ?” Sharing the gospel message
Jesus is the Messiah to me, how about to you?
Who is Jesus to you and what has he done for you?
What was people’s response to her testimony? (30)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
After hearing her testimony, they wanted to see the possible Messiah.
Personal testimony is powerful and significant in evangelism. (42)
Because personal testimony is unique (it is the work of God).
Because personal testimony is an undeniable fact (personal historical fact)
A disrespectable woman’s testimony was effective. How paradoxical! People listened because of the Spirit working mightily in her heart through Jesus’ one word. But they also listened because already they were ripe for harvest (35).
Those whom Lord of the harvest has made ripe for harvesting will respond to our testimony.
Regardless of whether we reap, we need to be sowers, sowing the seed for the future harvest (v38).
How was she changed after meeting Jesus?
ANSWER:
She called to all the thirsty to come and drink from that which now filled and satisified her heart.
She forgot her water jar, her wounds, her broken relationship with the people of her town.
2. Read verses 31-34.
ANSWER:
Joh 4:31-34 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.
What did Jesus say to his disciples when they urged him to eat? (31-32)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:31-32 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."
He said, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” It meant, ‘I am already full, satisfied and re-energized’.
His disciples urged him to eat something so that they could start eating lunch as well. They thought he was still hungry because of the long journey (v6).
What was their response to Jesus’ statement? (33)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:33 Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
They asked each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
They were puzzled because his statement was very strange and incomprehensible.
They thought Jesus was talking about physical food.
They were spiritually ignorant just like others in John’s gospel.
The Jews in the temple thought only of the temple building (Jn 2:19-20).
Nicodemus thought only of physical birth (Jn 3:3-4).
The Samaritan woman thought only of physical water (Jn 4:13-15).
What did he mean by saying, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work?” (Jn 5:36, 6:38, 17:4)
ANSWER:
Joh 5:36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.
Joh 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Joh 17:4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
Jesus was talking about spiritual food (Deu 8:3; Mat 4:4)
Spiritual food is the source of energy, strength, and power for our physical and spiritual labor.
Spiritual food is the source of satisfaction and joy in order to work continually.
Spiritual food is absolutely necessary for our spirit.
By saying, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me” he meant that:
His source of energy, strength and power is to do God’s will.
Doing God’s will makes Jesus (and us) re-energized, strong, and powerful.
His source of satisfaction and joy is to do God’s will.
There is nothing more satisfying than doing and finishing the work of God.
Doing God’s will makes Jesus (and us) do God’s will more and more.
Why is it so hard for us to do God’s will? Because we are sons of disobedience by nature.
The norm of Jesus’ ministry was rejection, not success (Jn 1:10-11, 3:32, 12:37; Isa 53:3; Mat 11:16, 13:13, etc). That is why Jesus was so encouraged and strengthened by this revival to carry on his messianic work. This was one of the few joyful mealtimes for him in which his Father gave him prepared souls like these Samaritans who were ready to be saved.
The will of God for Jesus is to give eternal life (Jn 6:40)
Therefore, his food is to give eternal life to others
Giving eternal life (food) makes Jesus strong so that he can give eternal life (God’s will).
Jesus gives eternal life to give eternal life.
Jesus gives eternal life so that he can give eternal life to others.
Energy is required to do the work of God.
It takes so much energy to help one person so it is very important to have energy, strength and power in order to do the will of God.
God provides necessary energy, strength and power before, during and after the work of God.
Jesus was so energized by witnessing to this Samaritan woman.
Jesus was so strengthened to give life to this woman.
Application: God’s will for us is:
To know God and Christ (Jn 17:3,24) and to enjoy and worship and love him with our all (Jn 4:23; Mat 22:37).
To be joyful, prayerful, thankful always (1Th 5:16-18).
To love one another as Christ loved us (1Jn 3:16).
To be sanctified (1Th 4:3).
To particate in the body of Christ in carrying out the Great Commission (Mat 28:19-20).
Doing these things ought to be our food – our obsession and delight and that which makes us satisfied, re-energized, and stronger despite the hard work involved. Is your spiritual diet healthy and well balanced?
3. Read verses 35-38.
ANSWER:
Joh 4:35-38 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."
Why did Jesus now talk about the harvest and the fields? (35)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:35 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.
Because the Samaritans were approaching (30). They were spiritually ripe for harvest – to be saved.
The words, “Four months more and then the harvest,” indicate that this was December.
Barley was planted in November. In December, the grain is still small and green. The harvest is usually mid April.
When grain becomes ripe, it turns from green to white. The white color indicates they are ripe for harvest. In fact, in verse 35, the word translated “ripe” is actually “white” in the Greek. The KJV reads “they are white already to harvest”.
Jesus said, “They are ripe for harvest.”
The harvest of grain is four month later but the harvest of souls was now.
Jacob’s well, the place where Jesus and his disciples now stood, was at the foot of Mount Gerizim and overlooked vast fertile fields. The people of Sychar crossing the fields to meet Jesus may have literally looked “white” (ripe) to harvest under the noonday sun with their white clothing (poor people wore white since dyes were expensive).
Jesus knew the hearts of all (Jn 2:24) and was able to tell their readiness for salvation (Jn 4:39-41)
Samaritans people need to be harvested (to be saved)
What does “open your eyes and look at the fields” mean? (35)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:35 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.
The eyes of disciples were closed spiritually. They were not able to see the fields, spiritually.
When the disciples went into Sychar to buy food (8), they did not see the people spiritually as ripe for harvest. Rather, to their eyes, they just looked like ordinary Samaritans, the historic enemy of their nation, a wicked and ignorant people who held to heretical ideas and who were little likely to listen to the gospel.
When the disciples returned from Sychar and saw the Samaritan woman (27), their impression of her was not favorable either.
They underestimated the power of God to work in anybody, anywhere, anytime and they let themselves be deceived by the outward appearances of people.
What does Jesus see? What does Jesus want his disciples to see?
Jesus was seeing the coming harvest in the Samaritans
Jesus was seeing the coming harvest even among the Gentiles.
Jesus wanted his disciples to see this spiritual harvest because it was ready already, it was coming.
Application:
The disciples needed spiritual vision.
How much more do we need spiritual vision!
The spiritual vision to be able to see the lost people who are ready to be saved.
Are you able to see that some people are ready for harvest?
Are you able to see the coming harvest in this area (Downey)?
Why are the sower and the reaper glad together? (36-37)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:36-37 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.
Because the harvest time has arrived.
The reaper in this text is Jesus (and his disciples) who was about to harvest the people of Sychar.
What does the reaper do?
He “draws his wages”: He receives his reward for his labor.
Immediate rewards are satisfaction, joy, happiness (Joh 3:29).
Long term rewards for Jesus: Exaltation from God the Father.
Long term rewards for disciples: Rewards received at the judgment seat of Christ for their service (1Th 2:19; Dan 12:3).
He “harvests the crop for eternal life,” meaning that he leads them to salvation.
He is “glad” together with the sower. He acknowledges that the sower(s) did the hard work (38). He also acknowledges the harvest was not his own work.
The sower in this text is perhaps John the Baptist and the OT prophets. The OT had been a period of sowing and now is the period of reaping by Jesus.
What does the sower do?
He sows in tears (Psa 126:5). He sows by proclaiming the word of God (gospel).
He is glad with the reaper for the harvest (even though he does not harvest the crops).
Harvesting souls involves reaching out the lost and saving people:
Commonly, in the harvesting of souls, there is a sower and a reaper.
When the reaper harvests the crop for eternal life, both of them may be glad together.
Without sowers, there is no harvest. Without reapers, there is no harvest.
They are interdependent even if they do not know each other.
They will be glad at the harvest time.
The relationship between the sower and the reaper.
Harvesting requires hard work from sowers and reapers.
No sowing, no reaping. No reaping, no harvest.
Both sowers and reapers are absolutely necessary to get a good harvest.
Sowers must not think that their works are futile or secondary to reaping.
Reapers must remember that their work is possibly only due to the hard work of the sower.
Both sowers and reapers need each other.
They should not compete against each other.
How easy for the sowers to be despair because of the lack of visible crops/fruits.
How easy for the reapers to be proud because of visible results.
Some are sowers, some are reapers and some are both sowers and reapers.
Today some believers do more sowing than reaping.
Today others experience more reaping than sowing.
Both are essential in God's plan (1Co 3:6).
For what did Jesus send his disciples? (38)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:38 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."
He sent them as reapers to assist him in the harvest work among the townspeople.
He taught them that other sowers had done the hard work: John the Baptist and the prophets.
They sowed the seeds. They proclaimed the word of God.
Sometimes people sow for years and years without seeing a harvest but then later someone else comes along and reaps what they sowed.
The disciples reaped the benefits of the sowers’ labor.
Sometimes people do not sow but reap a lot of crops.
Sometimes people who sow the seeds also reap the crops.
4. Read verses 39-42.
ANSWER:
Joh 4:39-42 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."
How did one woman’s change affect the whole town? (39)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."
The importance of testimony
The Samaritans came to see Jesus after hearing the woman’s verbal witness.
Some of them believed in Jesus because of her testimony.
God can use anyone.
God used an insignificant, despised woman to bring many people to Jesus.
- She did not get any formal training in evangelism.
- She was not a bible teacher or bible scholar.
- But God used her very powerfully because he is almighty.
God uses all kinds of people and all kinds of witnesses to bring others to faith in Jesus.
God can use any of us.
Pray that God may use us as his instrument. Pray that we may be emptied of ourselves and filled with his Spirit and seek his will.
What then did the Samaritans request? (40)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.
They asked Jesus to stay with them.
Their hearts were humble and opened to Jesus in contrast with the Jewish leaders.
They were humble enough to invite a Jewish rabbi to learn from him.
For two more days, Jesus taught them with the word of God.
They were thirsty for the truth.
They embraced the love of God who sent his one and only Son to save the world through him.
The Samaritans understood what Nicodemus could not (Mat 11:25).
The Jews had rejected Jesus (Jn 1:11) but the Samaritans easily received him (Jn 1:12)
Jesus stayed with them.
Jesus never drives people away when they come to him (Jn 6:37).
How did many more of the Samaritans become believers? (41)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:41 And because of his words many more became believers.
Through his words.
Their personal faith was not based on the woman’s testimony alone but also on the word of God.
Our personal faith should be based on the word of God
Our personal experience should be re-evaluated by the word of God.
God initiated the spiritual awakening.
We cannot start it, but God can.
We can pray to God for spiritual revival in our generation.
God used the most unlikely woman.
If God used a Samaritan woman, if God can do amazing work with such a lowly instrument, then God can use any of us in order to initiate a great revival.
The revival happened in the small, insignificant town of Samaria, not the major city, Jerusalem.
God is not only the God of Israel but also the God of the Gentiles.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
If we are humble enough before God, if we ask God’s grace, he can initiate a spiritual revival here in Downey, in California, in the USA.
The revival happened in the time of Jesus.
What God has done in the past, he can do today and tomorrow because God is almighty and sovereign.
Do you pray for the spiritual revival among us and in our generation?
May God grant us the Holy Spirit so that we can see people who are ready for harvest!
May God fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can participate in his revival!
What was their testimony to the woman? (42)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:42 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."
They confessed that Jesus “really is the Savior of the world” (1Jn 4:14; Jn 1:29, 3:17).
The OT says that God is not only the God of Israel but also the God of the Gentiles (Ro 3:29).
The NT clearly mentions God’s love for all mankind (1Ti 2:6; Heb 2:9; 1Jn 2:2).
In the first century, the Greeks and Romans called their gods and emperors as Savior of the world. So, Roman persecution occurred because Christians used this title exclusively for Jesus.
The term “Savior of the World” does not mean that everyone will be saved regardless their actions but rather that salvation is not just for the Jews (Rom 1:16)
The doctrine of universalism (everyone will be saved regardless their religion) is not biblical.
The Bible clearly states that only those who believe in Jesus will be saved (Acts 4:12; Jn 14:6; 1Jn 5:12).
Jesus commanded cross cultural evangelism (Mat 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)
Jesus evangelized this small town in Samaria first.
Philip evangelized in Samaria with great revivals (Acts 8:4-8). So, in a sense, Jesus was not only reaping but also sowing. Philip reaped what Jesus had sowed.
Apostle Peter evangelized the Gentiles (Acts 10)
Unknown men from Cyprus and Cyrene evangelized Antioch (Acts 11)
Apostle Paul evangelized throughout the Roman empire during his missionary journeys (Acts 13-28)
Throughout church history, missionaries and preachers proclaimed the gospel all over the world.
How can we know that Jesus is the Savior of the world? (42)
ANSWER:
Joh 4:42 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."
Through other believers’ testimony. One Samaritan woman’s testimony influenced the people of Sychar to believe in Jesus.
Through the Word of Jesus (the Word of God).
Through a two day, intensive Bible study session conducted by Jesus, many more believed in Jesus.
Through hearing the word of Christ, people can have faith (Rom 10:17)
In Conclusion, Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus wants us to open our eyes and look at the harvest fields. When we sow the seed, someone else may reap the harvest. We also may reap because someone else worked hard in the past. Yet we and others will be glad together because of the harvest. May God give us spiritual eyes to see ripened harvest fields and the coming of spiritual revival within us, among us, in our generation and the generations to come! May God help us to participate in the coming spiritual revivals in our generation and pray for revival in the generations to come!
“The Rabbinic precept ran: ‘Let no one talk with a woman in the street, no, not with his own wife.’ The Rabbis so despised women and so thought them incapable of receiving any real teaching that they said: ‘Better that the words of the law should be burned than delivered to women.’ They had a saying: ‘Each time that a man prolongs converse with a woman he causes evil to himself, and desists from the law, and in the end inherits Gehinnom..’ By Rabbinic standards, Jesus could hardly have done a more shatteringly unconventional thing than to talk to this woman. Here is Jesus taking the barriers down.” (William Barclay, The Gospel of John , Pg 189)
“G3022 λευκός leukos (lyoo-kos') adj. 1. white [from luke ("light")]” (Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)
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