John 4:31-54- Physical vs. Eternal Mindset

PRAY

I. Introduction

So...Yesterday I opened up my full fridge…and then I closed it...

I opened up my full freezer....closed it...

I opened up our full pantry…closed it...

I then turned around and promptly said....“We have nothing to eat”

I trust that you are all laughing- because you know you have done this..

As I said the words…I knew they were ridiculous…we had PLENTY to eat.

but the truth was..I wasn’t hungry...

Life at the moment felt heavy...

…on the surface...my house was messy…my kids were bickering…and dinner needed made.

…but my mind in that moment was filled with people close to me who were hurting deeply…I longed to fix it…to see the brokenness restored…so…I did what we so often do..

I went to my pantry…looking to get away from reality…to just feel a little bit of comfort..just for a second...

But…the truth is...you can’t hide from the brokenness of this world...

And every time our souls long for the brokenness around us to be restored…we are at some level longing for eternity...

Because somewhere- deep down- we know that this is not the way things were supposed to be.

Our world is full of:

brokenness…severed relationships…abuse....sickness…disease…poverty....racism…war....death...

So what do we do..how do we live in this world that is broken and in desperate need of restoration?

In our passage this week-Jesus shows us a different way to live…he shows us how to live with food that will satisfy our aching souls…and he does it by showing us how to live with eternity in mind as we come to know the one who is eternal..

So- we are going to look at this idea of living in light of eternity in 2 sections:

I. Living with an Eternal Mindset 4:31-42

II. Knowing the Eternal God 4:43-54

Get out your Bible’s/App’s

II. LIVING WTH AN ETERNAL MINDSET 4:31-42

in vs’s 31-42 Jesus shows us that living with an eternal mindset requires a change of PERSPECTIVE....ACTIONS…and WORDS.

a. 31-34 PERSPECTIVE....

-Last week we ended with the Samaritan woman leaving her water jars and running back into Samaria inviting everyone to “Come and see the man who told her everything she ever did....”

So I actually want to start today by going back 1 verse, to verse 30, to help us set the scene for this interaction Jesus is about to have with his disciples.

vs. 30- They (being the Samaritans) came out of the town and made their way toward him.

So Jesus..is at the well...talking to his disciples as the Samaritans are walking out of town toward them…

Now, his disciples had just returned from buying food in Samaria…

and if you remember from last week in vs 27- we learned that their inner thoughts were exploding when they came back to find Jesus alone with a woman at the well…

But- they had been with Jesus long enough to know that this was probably one of those thoughts that maybe you might not want to share outloud…so- they kept it inside...

and instead…they shifted their focus onto something they could wrap their heads around and onto what THEY THOUGHT was the biggest need at the moment....FOOD..

So we have Samaritans coming toward Jesus..and what are the disciples thinking about…food.

Can anyone else relate to these guys....

Now- let’s acknowledge their love and care for Jesus here…they wanted to take care of Him and make sure he had everything he needed…it says they “urged” Jesus to eat…they were clearly concerned.

so here they are, trying to make sure Jesus is well nourished and in

vs 32 Jesus goes: I have food to eat you know nothing about.

Then his disciples said to each other....Could someone have brought him food?

It’s like you showed up on your day to bring the meal from the mealtrain and the person opens the door and goes…

we’ve got food- and it’s way better than what you brought.

now- if i’m the disciples- I may be experiencing irritation that the food I worked hard to bring was apparently not good enough, I mean-come on Jesus.. you haven’t even tried mine yet.

but at the same time…I’m curious...I want to know what this awesome food is because I want some, too.

Do you see how Jesus grab’s their attention here by using the physical- the thing they thought was the most important- to point their perspective to the eternal.

and Jesus here is talking in a double meaning-on purpose- to get their attention…and once he has it, in vs 34 he says:

My food..... is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work...

in Luke 19:10 Jesus tells us that his mission, the reason he came, was to seek and save the lost...

Jesus here is trying to shift their perspective- to get them to look UP from what is front of them to see the bigger, eternal work that was happening.

We know what was consuming the disciples thoughts because John told us in vs. 27...

Right now they were panicking because Jesus was talking alone....to a Samaritan…and to a woman..that would have been 3 strikes for Jesus. and here…they are probably wondering if Jesus just got his 4th strike by taking food from a Samaritan which would have meant- from a Jew’s perspective- that he was also now ceremonially unlcean...

Go back to last week- the Samaritans were HATED…Jews and Samaritans did NOT interact.

but Jesus didn’t care about any of that because his mind was focused on the eternal…

His focus was on SAVING the LOST

Jesus knew a perspective shift was crucial..because IF the disciples DID NOT change their perspective… instead of seeing people coming towards Jesus to find life…they would most likely be TERRIFIED as their enemies came, in large numbers towards them.

But by changing their perspective from the physical to the eternal- instead of fear…or hate…or worry- they would instead be filled with LOVE and COMPASSION for the people that desperately needed Jesus just as much as they did.

Anything Jesus had done for them personally was a means of His grace towards them.

They were no more deserving of Jesus’ salvation than the Samaritan’s.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor for the undeserving.

Grace is getting something you don’t deserve.

Jesus had just offered grace to the Samaritan woman..and in an instant…He watched her go from death…to life…

And he knew, that now, because of the grace she had been offered and accepted, she would have eternal life..with Him forever…

and..at that moment, she was off telling everyone she knew about Him and people were AREADY headed to find out WHO she was talking about.

Jesus here is fired up..he’s excited…It’s all he can think about because it’s what he came to do...

....Of course Jesus doesn’t care about food in this moment.

the whole bible points to Jesus…it is a story of God’s rescue mission to bring people from death to life and IT WAS HAPPENING....

Doing God’s will brought Jesus complete satisfaction and joy- to where he didn’t need anything else.

But IF the disciples didn’t shift their perspective from the physical to the eternal…then they were going to miss the full satisfaction they could have in ALSO doing God’s will...

Jesus here isn’t saying to his disciples- that food doesn’t matter.

But Jesus is INVITING them into HIS mission-to experience joy as they watch people move from death to life!

When you live with an eternal mindset, you suddenly start to see people like God does…as lost souls, just like you, desperately in NEED of a savior.

God didn’t need the disciples..He doesn’t need you..but he GRACIOUSLY invites you to join Him in his mission so that you too can experience the JOY..right here…right now…that comes from living with eternity at the forefront of your mind.

Living with an eternal perspective forces you to put aside hate and prejudice and causes you to move towards PEOPLE…you become filled the love and compassion for those that do not know Jesus because you know that they are just as unworthy and in need as God’s grace as you are!

An eternal perspective is about taking the focus off of things and circumstances and about looking at and seeing- PEOPLE- who are eternal- and who are one day going to live life either with or separated from God…

Where do you need to shift your PERSPECTIVE from the physical to the eternal?

Have you placed your to do list above PEOPLE…

Is your PRIDE or FEAR of what others might thinking keeping you from moving towards people?

Is there maybe someone you have written off as unworthy?

a person who hurt you?

a neighbor whose yard sign you disagree with?

or someone you have deemed as simply- too far gone.

b. ACTIONS 35-38

Living with eternity in mind should not just change our perspective..but also..our ACTIONS.

so, in vs.’s 35-38 Jesus goes on..again, using the physical…to point to the eternal...

vs 35: Don’t you have a saying? It’s still 4 months until harvest? I tell you, OPEN YOUR EYES and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

Ok- we live in a city so farming I recognize may not be something that everyone here relates to...

but as a person who grew up surrounds by fields..here’s what I know.

the farmer- or sower- plants the seeds- depending on the type of crop- its typically in the spring.

Then, after the hard work of planting- the farmer gets a little break…he waits- watches the seed sprout, the plants grow..and then, AT THE RIGHT TIME, when the plants are ready-usually several months later- the farmer goes and harvests-or- reaps what he has sown.

Let’s be clear about something...It’s hard work…my Father-in-Law still does this…and we don’t see him during harvest time- he can’t just stop- he doesn’t want to miss the window..because if he waits too long- it will be too late.

For those that do not know Jesus…who do not put their faith in Him as savior- at some point- they will die..and if they do not know him..it will be too late.

Here, Jesus is saying- STOP WAITING... You have to get up and actually GO out into the field...

An eternal mindset should lead you to ACTION…

Here Jesus says OPEN YOUR EYES- LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU...

Remember, the Samaritans were walking toward them at that very moment..

How often are we constantly waiting on the exact right moment and timing, for all the stars to align before we share the gospel.

Right…we want the right setting…maybe a quite corner in a coffee shop…where we start with a nice ice breaker, and then hopefully- the person will spontaneously ask…tell me how I can be saved? and BOOM- we enter with the gospel.

and while- that would be a wonderful moment and sometimes God does work in that way…I think more often than not, we need to know our place, to STOP playing God by deciding for him- who and when people get to hear about Him.

Jesus shows us here by his example that the MEANS of bringing the gospel was hard work, and it required sacrifice- I mean- goodness, OBEDIENCE for Jesus meant that he was going to have to die a brutal death on the cross....that was his mission..and yet- here he says- there is NOTHING more satisfying.

One commentator said: “Obeying the Father is more deeply satisfying than the task.”

LOOK UP from the task in front of you…look to the eternal- to what matters- and DO SOMETHING.

Jesus goes on…vs, 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. 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.

When we live with an eternal mindset- we view WORK differently…we share the grace that has been given to us with others.

Grace is a person, and his name, is Jesus.

as and God’s child... you don’t live working FOR Grace…but FROM it....

You serve not out of guilt, but out of gratitude....

you serve BECAUSE of the grace you have been given.

Grace means that you measure SUCCESS differently…

Jesus says....don’t worry about whether you are the sower or the reaper. All the credit and glory goes to God anyways-work from grace, not for it...TAKE ACTION..

some of you need to shift your perspective and let that perspective shift...shape your priorities…it needs to shape your calendar and what you say yes and no to...

So that…dont miss this…so that you can SHARE in the joy..and be GLAD together…

so that you…can have the FOOD that Jesus was talking about…the kind that deeply and fully satisfies...

Sometimes you are going to share the gospel- and it’s just a seed..

and sometimes…you are going to share the gospel and a person is going to change at that exact moment because SOMEONE else planted the seed before you.

When you live with an eternal perspective, you recognize that sometimes you are sowing and sometimes you are reaping the work others have done before you.

Notice here- Jesus doesn’t say anything about doing the work of transforming hearts... That’s HIS WORK…here, he is saying- hearts are ready…I’ve done my part..I’m inviting you to in on the action- to be apart of changing lives…so

GO- what are you waiting for!!

c. WORDS 39-42

So we have seen that living with an eternal mindset changes our PERSPECTIVE and OUR ACTIONS and now we are going to see that it also changes our WORDS.

in vs’ 39-42 we see that many Samaritans believed BECAUSE of the women’s testimony...

”He told me everything I ever did.”

7 words…and they went searching for Jesus.

hmmm...Maybe I should try that here one week..see what happens.

This woman didn’t deliver a 5 point sermon…she didn’t stand up and give an eloquant teaching on a passage of scripture...

she just TOLD what she SAW..

Do the words that come out of your mouth point people to Jesus?

if not…what are you pointing them to instead?

it was JESUS’ words that led the people to believe…Jesus does the work of transforming...

look at vs 41…And because of HIS words many more became believers.

So often our words revolve around OURSELVES…BUT the woman’s testimony was striking because it wasn’t all about he..she attributed the change in her life to JESUS..it was by his grace...not anything that she had done.

and God USED her testimony to POINT the people to Jesus’ WORDS

Today- Jesus’ words are found right here…in the Bible

it’s why we study it-that is what BSF is all about..

to give you a place to READ AND STUDY GOD’S WORDS…SO that you can KNOW HIM....

It’s about relationship with Jesus.

because in JESUS’ words…who is THE word…here, in these words is where life is found...

vs 42 says: 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 his man really is the savior of the world.

they were invited…to COME AND SEE for themselves.

They heard THE WORD..and it changed their lives..

stop making excuses...

share what you know…point people to Jesus…the eternal Word……

Principle: An eternal mindset leads to changed perspective, actions, and words.

Application:

Are you living with an eternal mindset?

If you aren’t sure…look at your perspective on life…look at your actions…and look at your words...

Does your perspective..your actions and your words point people to Jesus…

Where might God be prompting you to make a change..

Maybe you need a change of perspective…to see people like God see’s them.

Maybe- the things you have said “yes” to don’t line up with God’s priorities…you have taken action, but in the wrong direction.

Maybe the words that come out of your mouth are negative…or self-focused....do your conversations with others point people to God’s kingdom…or the one you are trying to build for yourself here on earth..

LOOK UP…GO OUT…AND SPEAK OUT as you live with an eternal mindset.

III. KNOWING THE ETERNAL GOD 4:43-54

As we move to the last portion of our scripture today in vs’s 43-54- we will see a man

SEEK THE PHYSICAL....and FIND THE ETERNAL...

a. 43-49- SEEKING THE PHYSICAL

In vs 43 we learn that after spending 2 days with the Samaritan’s, Jesus officially heads off to Galilee.

now- at first we are told in vs 44 that a prophet has no honor in his own town and then in vs 45 it seems Jesus was welcomed.

now wait…if he has no honor- how come they welcomed him?

So really the question is why did they welcome him?

It seems- that the people liked Jesus’ celebrity status He was gaining…they saw what he had done at passover and their eyes were fixed on what was in front of them..

I can imagine they were excited to see the man who had changed water into wine BACK to do more!

I mean- who doesn’t want Jesus at their next party!

but..then we are told in vs. 47 that a royal official comes to Jesus

Now- we don’t know much about this royal official- we don’t know exactly who he served..but what we do know, is that he is a father…who has come-seeking Jesus… BEGGING Jesus to come and heal his son.

Now- this is a very real physical need. His son is dying...

Do you hear the desperate cry of a father as he BEGS Jesus to save his son.

We don’t know what he knew about Jesus or even what he believed at this point.

But this father…had some sort of faith…the caused him to SEEK Jesus out...

Maybe- this was his last hope..maybe he had tried EVERYTHING ELSE before coming to Jesus…every doctor..every remedy..and this was all he had left...

When have you you cried out to God, desperately asking Him to meet a physical need in front of you?

Save.

Heal.

Provide.

Restore.

Take the pain away..

please God…do something...

God hears our prayers...But, the reality is, for each and every single one of us…the condition of our heart is more important than even the worst tragedy, circumstance or pain that we face or could imagine.

JESUS knew that this father’s greatest need was his heart…his biggest problem was his sin..

and so…out of his DEEP love for him…He points to his greatest need.

Jesus does not rebuke the man and he does not turn him away, instead he says:

vs 48…Unless you people see signs and wonders....you will never believe.

Here- in pointing to the need for belief, Jesus REVEALS the heart of the people of Galilee…he shows their true motives for welcoming Him...

The people didn’t want Him- they wanted what He could do or give them…they were focused on the hear and now and were content to continue to live their lives the way they wanted. They saw no NEED for Jesus..

But..wait..the royal official..he was still there…his very real and serious problem was still looming...

Didn’t Jesus understand his pain??

He cries out again in vs 49..Sir…come down before my child dies.

and in a shocking response…Jesus says…”Go…your son will live.

and so...He took Jesus at his word and departed.”

He heard Jesus’ WORDS…he didn’t see a sign…he didn’t see a miracle…Jesus didn’t even offer to come with Him..

Jesus spoke..and his words were enough that the man stopped begging....and turned around and walked away..in faith…to wait and see what would happen next...

BELIEVING in the WORDS Jesus had spoken.

-------------------------------

50-54- FINDING THE ETERNAL

The royal official had sought Jesus to meet his physical need- the need for the physical healing of his son…and in the final verses, 50-54 we will see the man move beyond the PHYSICAL as he finds FAITH in the ETERNAL GOD

so in vs 50- He had started the journey home....

which would have been about 20 miles..

What a long 20 miles that must have been....I wonder…what was happening in his head as he walked..

Was he walking confidently in what he just heard…or was he questioning…doubting…worried…

He had to WAIT on the miracle…WAIT to see HOW Jesus and IF Jesus would heal his son..

I imagine him walking…fighting back the “what if’s”…holding on desperately to the only hope he had left…Jesus...

and in vs 51- we learn that while he was walking home…his servants came to him…telling him that at the exact time Jesus said his son would be healed…he was healed...

Jesus HAD healed His son…simply by speaking the words…because the same WORD that spoke the world into being…the eternal God..had come…to speak words of life into lost souls...

John doesn’t call this a miracle..he calls it a sign…because by giving life to the son’s dying body…Jesus points to what he does in the hearts of those who put their in faith in him.

He takes dying souls and HE SPEAKS LIFE into them..

This man..this royal official..walked away with so much more than physical healing for his son.

In his search for physical healing..he found the ETERNAL GOD...

and as a result...he too had gone from death to life…

he walked away…now KNOWING the eternal God as he put his faith in Him..

Faith is eternal.....once you put your faith in Jesus you are saved forever—nothing can take that away...

Our Faith allows us to live KNOWING that we are SECURE in our relationship with God.

Faith allows us to live FROM the grace we have been given…knowing we could not earn it..and that we don’t have to..

and because of this man’s faith, because of his belief…

not only, did He find FAITH and ETERNAL LIFE, but so did his but his ENTIRE household.

Jesus took his physical need and used it to point him to the eternal.

Sometimes Jesus uses our most desperate moments…our greatest trials...to cause us to seek him…to draw us to KNOW HIM… so we can find faith and ETERNAL LIFE with Him.

PRINCIPLE: God allows trials in this life to build faith in Him for eternity.

In what circumstance or trial is God using to build your Faith in him for eternity?

Some of you are sitting here still waiting on your miracle…wondering if it is ever going to come...

You read this story and you wonder- why this man and not you?

Friend- if you are waiting on a miracle…Look up…to the eternal..dont let whatever the circumstance or trial you are facing CONSUME you...live with an eternal mindset…focus on what Christ has done for you and what he has promised to do...

and what has he promised to do....Jesus has promised that he is coming back again and that one day…all who have put their faith in Him will live ETERNALLY a restored world…where all that is broken will be made new..

God has not forgotten you..he HEARS you …keep praying…keep seeking Him…and live today…knowing that one day…He will make all things new…

CONCLUSION:

So how do you live in light of eternity?

- You start with faith in Christ…who gives eternal life to all who believe.

- You look up…you change your perspective…your actions…and your words…to point people to ETERNAL life with Christ they desperately need.

- You live with hope.....

So..live today…in light of eternity knowing that this is not the end…and that one day…all things…will be made new.

Let’s pray.