John Chapter 4:30-42

Review Vv 1-30

Jesus left Judea

Needed to go through Samaria (divine appointments)

Revealed Himself to an outcast woman

Gave living water to her

Her witness brought many to salvation

Food. Vv 31-34

Spiritual vs physical food

His source of strength

Joy of a completed work

Spiritual vs physical food

You can only feed one or the other

“It is right for the spiritual man to forget his hunger, but it is equally right for his true friends to remind him that he ought to eat for his health’s sake: it is commendable for the worker to forget his weakness and press forward in holy service; but it is proper for the humane and thoughtful to interpose with a word of caution, and to remind the ardent spirit that his frame is but dust. I think the disciples did well to say, ‘Master, eat.’” (Spurgeon)

Life is more than physical things

His source of strength

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me”

Doing the will of God brings spiritual and physical satisfaction

Spiritual satisfaction can refresh a weary body

To Finish His work

He surrendered Himself to the work of the Father

He had a divine appointment

To bring salvation to an outcast woman and her village

There is no joy like the joy we receive in completing the Spiritual work at hand

Work of the Harvest. Vv 35-38

Timing

Spiritual and Physical Work

The Wages

Savior of the world

Timing

Sowing, watering, harvesting

There is always time to witness

Often times we convince ourselves now is not the time

Conditions

We don’t know the spiritual condition of those around us

Many believed (by her word)

No doubt they knew the times and looked to the Messiah

Her testimony

Being fully known and fully loved is a powerful testimony.

Spiritual and physical work

We invest more than time in the work of the Lord

Prayer, loving, sharing, discipling

Spiritual work can take a physical toll

The Wages

Our time and energy are never wasted in the work of the Lord

It’s hard, it’s consuming, it’s demanding, it’s rewarding

We not only receive the Joy of the work in body and spirit

we receive an eternal reward

All who labored will receive their reward

Whether we plowed the field, planted the seed, watered the seed, or brought in the harvest

Work reward ratio

We are rewarded according to our work

The joy in harvest rightly consists in part in the reward of earnest labor— may such be the joy we find in serving our Lord! Joy In Harvest, Volume 58, Sermon #3315 - Isaiah 9:3

Charles Spurgeon

The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.

—John Ruskin

John Ruskin

What are we working towards (rewards from man or God) and who is our master?

Savior of the world

Look at the path of Jesus

He was in Jerusalem (John 2:23) and then came into Judea (John 3:22). From Judea He went into Samaria (John 4:4), and the Samaritans declared Him to be “the Saviour of the world.” This is a perfect parallel to Acts 1:8—you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus set the example. If we follow, He will give us the harvest.

Jesus came to all from the least to the greatest

Who are we to hide this great gift

See others through the eyes of Jesus

No matter how much you hate them, they still need Jesus!