Sharing the Gospel Should be our TOP Priority

John 4:27-42

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Introduction

Exalting Jesus in John (I’m Too Busy (vv. 31–34)) The Raleigh News & Observer reported a story a few years ago about a man who died at a hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Apparently he choked on his medication and fell and hit his head on the floor. A nurse helped him start breathing and sat him in a chair in the waiting room. He sat in that chair for the next twenty-two hours before having a heart attack and dying. During those twenty-two hours he was virtually ignored by the staff; in fact, after the choking incident, no one checked his vital signs for over an hour. They were too busy playing cards in the break room next door (Biesecker, “Tape Shows”). The men and women responsible for keeping him alive were distracted by something as worthless as a game of cards. What distracts us from our mission? What distracts us from sharing the message of eternal life with those all around us who are spiritually dying?

In our life we have other things that are important.

Test

Social life

Getting a boy or girl

We will see tonight that SHARING THE GOSPEL SHOULD BE OUR TOP PRIORITY.

John 4:27–42 “Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and an…”

Pray

John 20:31 “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Context

Jesus just had a conversation with the Samaritan woman. Remember the dislike between the Jews and the Samaritans. In a basic sense they were enemies and they hated each other. This conversation was not just between the Jew Jesus and a Samaritan, but a Samaritan woman on top of that. For the culture at the time men did not speak to their wives outside of the home, let alone a woman who they met at a well.

Sharing the Gospel is more important than our physical comforts. V.31-34 Point 1

John 4:31–34 “Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Explanation- This is partially a call back to Job in Job 23:12 “I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”

Here in verses the disciples are offering Jesus food. The reason they were not with Jesus when he was with the Samaritan woman was to get kosher food (Jewish food). They then tell Jesus, and concerned for his comfort of having food to eat. Jesus’ response was that he has food to eat that they do not know about.

I can imagine they stopped, and looked at each other and started doing the sideways head thing. Like did, you give him food?

But Jesus knows what he is getting at. The food here is a double meaning. Jesus is not relaying that eating food is not necessary. He is rather implying that the main focus on his ministry is not physical things. Yes food is good, but the ministry at hand is more important.

Illustration- I think i’ve shared this statistic of the biggest idols people have in their life. The biggest idol people have is their comfort. What are some ways we seek comfort? A snuggie. Yall know what that is? I think that is appitomy of comfort.

Application- What are some things/ comforts that stop you, or distract you from sharing the gospel?

Grades

sports

band

Status in school

“busyness”

I am guilty of this one. I make up that i am busy, but I can be on my phone for hours and say i am busy.

I need to relax, it was a long day

I am too tired

My school wont let me

My work wont let me.

So on so forth, our comfort needs to be found in the Lord, and we need to focus on our next point.

We must tend to the spiritual fields V. 35-38 Point 2

John 4:35–38 “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.””

Turn to Matthew 13:3–9 “And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.””

Also Mark 4 has 2 different scenarios of seeds, harvest so forth.

Looking towards the field, white for harvest.

Illustration of the farms in Kentucky.

When we look at versus 36-38 we see that Jesus is making a connection between the reaper and the sower. Normally in the time of sowing and harvesting, there was a distinct difference and they did not have much cross. Normally on the reaper or harvester would get the reward of the crop. As they would get the money, and so forth.

The reward we get here is a spiritual reward. It is not, man I want to share the gospel to get a bigger house on Earth, or more money.

Illustration

Or the several students who give their life to Jesus at camps. BOWEN IS THE EXAMPLE HERE

Application- What is the spiritual field in your own life that needs to be tended to?

For the believer- it might be a sports team, a friend group, your relationship, your family.

Sharing the gospel should be done urgently. V. 28-29 & 39-42

John 4:28–29 “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?””

John 4:39–42 “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.””

Explanation- Look at the woman when she realized, for the most part, that this Jesus, is more than likely the Messiah that has been promised about. The Messiah, changed her attitude, her focus, everything. Jesus radically changed the woman, where she dropped her source of health, and need of water, to solely Jesus.

The people heard and they went to him. When he did, they asked Jesus to stay with them. AND HE DID.

Were Jews supposed to hang out with the Samaritans? No, they hated each other. Jesus is once again proving and showing that the gospel is available and ready for all people no matter their background.

Illustration of Paul Revere

I hope you all know who Paul Revere is. He is the dude who told everyone, “The British are Coming”

He did not go, oh my girlfriend will get mad. Oh my friend group will not be friends with me. Oh the British aren’t really coming. He did not make excuses, he knew it was his mission to go and tell everyone, to yell and scream of the danger that was on the approach.

It was life or death, he had to go go go. Why do we act like a personal relationship with Jesus does not matter?

Application

Which point are you?

Are you the Samaritan woman before she realized Jesus is the Messiah. Questioning, unsure. V.7-26.

If you were not here last week, go home and read this.

Are you the Samaritans who just heard from the woman, and you believe. It’s not really your own. V. 39

Maybe you say you’re a Christian because you know it is morally right

You grew up in church

Are the Samaritans who are seeking after Jesus, having him stay, to try and to really know him. V.40

Asking hard questions.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Why have i had to deal with so much brokenness?

Does God really exist even though i can not see him.

Have you believed Jesus is the savior, and you are ready to urgently tell everyone, drop everything for Jesus. V.41-42

Small Group Questions

How has Jesus radically changed your life to make you want to share the gospel?

What comforts do you need to remove to live a life that is focused on Jesus?

When thinking of the spiritual fields, what are the fields you are apart of that need to hear about Jesus?

In your field, who is someone you need to share the gospel with?