No Time to Lose

He was talking to someone… He wasn’t suppose to be talking to...

He was engaged in a conversation with someone no one else would have paid attention to.

He was a Jew, she was a Samaritan. He was the Son of God, she was living a life of sin. The fact that these two were speaking to one another was a miracle in and of itself. But Jesus wasn’t concerned about the social barriers… He was concerned for this woman’s spiritual condition.

His disciples were gone… they had gone into town to buy food… so it was just Jesus and the Samaritan woman. And when the disciple returned… they were surprised by the fact that he had been talking with her.

This was a cultural violation. This was a social mistake. Yet Jesus did not hesitate to minister to this woman at this time. He was on this earth to do the will of the Father. He was here… to give His life as a ransom for many.

Jesus took hold of every opportunity He had to share His love with others. Why? Because He knew the time was short. He knew… the field were white.

We know this story and the passage that it leads up to well. Jesus gives His confused disciples a very clear and urgent message.

John 4:35 NIV

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.

What Jesus was telling them was the time had comes for them to take to the field and to bring in the harvest that was ready and white.

It was NOT a season of waiting and wondering. It was not a season of planning and preparing. The season had come. The time was now… and Jesu was not going to miss out on this opportunity to minister.

The woman, living in a life of sin, is so excited that she runs into town and tells everyone to come check Him out. And in response to what she told them, much of the town did come out and believe!

Now… what if Jesus would have settled… for the excuses?

He was tired, it had been a long day.

She was a different nationality, they were not to speak to one another.

She was living in sin and was a little too friendly with the fellas… she might mistaken Jesus’ conversation for something else.

Jesus could have settled for these and other excuses… but He chose to do something else instead. Why did He do this? Because He knew that time was short! NOW was the time for harvest… not in a few moments, not a couple of days from now, not when it was more convenient or less time consuming. The field was ready to go… this was the moment of opportunity.

The Fields Are White

Church, much like what we see in Jesus day… the fields are truly white and ready for harvest! In just a few short days, our buses will be back on the roads, the classrooms will be full of students, and our midweek services will be back in full operation.

We have been praying… we have been fasting… we have been anticipating what God is going to do in the days and weeks to come. And now, the time has come, to roll up our sleeves and to enter into that mission field.

This is our opportunity… this is the season God has called and led us to.

And in this moment, believe we are going to see God do amazing things!

But such a declaration requires a dedication on our part...

We need to be fully dedicated to the harvest. We cannot settle for excuses and expect the job to get done. We must take to the fields, do the work that is necessary, tear down any walls that might hinder us socially or emotionally, and - with the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit - lead the lost back to Jesus!

I realize tonight that this church is very familiar with the concept of harvest… our building is surrounded by corn and soy bean fields! Harvest is NOT a foreign idea to us.

So we know tonight… the harvest is NOT going to bring itself in. The harvest will remain where it is UNLESS the workers take to the fields.

Tonight, we commit ourselves to going to those fields. Tonight, we dedicate this building and grounds for the purpose of bringing in the harvest. Tonight, we push aside any and all excuses and attitudes that might hinder us from doing exactly what God has called us to do.

In the story… did you notice that the moment the disciple came back on the scene, they began to question Jesus because His actions did not line up with their skewed expectations?

I can only imagine they were thinking, “Let someone else deal with her” or “Why are you talking with her” or to the woman, “What do you want?” (see John 4:27)

They struggled to see the need that was right in front of them - she needed a Savior and the Savior was right there!

I would hope… That if I were physically walking with Jesus as these guys were, that I would be beyond eager to introduce Him to everyone I knew… and didn’t know!

Although Jesus is not physically walking with us… He is with us each and every day! And He is leading us to make the most of every opportunity we have to talk about Him. Why? Because the fields are white! It is time to bring in His harvest!

Prayer Points

So this evening, before we send the buses and fill the rooms, we are going to ask God to fill this place with His presence in preparation for the harvest that is coming in.

Our prayers tonight are prayers of faith.

I believe we won’t have room enough in our buses for the harvest that is to come.

I believe we won’t have chairs enough for the harvest that is to come in.

I believe we won’t have classrooms enough for the harvest that is to come in.

Jesus is sending us out… to bring the lost in.

Consider this… In the story out of John 4… who was it that Jesus used to bring the harvest in that day? He used a Samaritan woman who was deeply entrenched in sin.

Jesus gave her the truth. He didn’t beat around the bushes… He gave her the truth. And when she went to tell the town about Jesus, look at what she told them in John 4:29-30

John 4:29–30 NIV

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.

Come see the man who told me the truth. The town believed her… and after coming to see Jesus… they believed Jesus.

So Prayer Point number one is “Lord, help us to communicate the truth that is Your Word with love and compassion. May Your truth set hearts free”

Secondly, Jesus told the disciples that His priority was to do the will of the Father. He was not distracted by the “barriers” or “boundaries,” He was only interested in doing His Father’s will.

It can be easy to become distracted by the barriers created by a secularized culture. It can be easy to succumb to excuses.

So like Jesus, I pray that excuses would not keep us from doing the will of the Father. So as we walk these halls and pray for our buses, I want us to pray this:

Prayer Point Two: Father, may your will be done in us and through us as we work to bring in the harvest.

Lastly, as we work to bring in the harvest… as we work to be about the mission of the church, we are going to need to be dependent on God’s power for the church.

We talked about this in our morning service and we are going to pray for it tonight. WE NEED GOD’S SPIRIT TO FLOOD THESE HALLWAYS, CLASSROOMS, AND BUSES.

Prayer Point Three is this: Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit upon every ministry space, and upon every minister. Fill Your people with the power of Your Holy Spirit.

We will come back and close with worship… but will you join me in praying for every square inch of this place as we believe God for an incredible season of spiritual harvest?