Reaping the Harvest - John 4:27-42

Read John 4:27-42

After the Samaritan woman goes back to town to tell the people of her meeting with Jesus, Jesus and his disciples have a discussion about food. Food to us, is a daily need that helps us sustain our energy, and in many cases, may become a kind of pleasure we overindulge in. The disciples see food exactly as we do. Jesus, however, has a different view. In verse 34, Jesus says that “[His] food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Here, Jesus is saying that his food, or daily necessity, is doing God’s will. In other words, to survive, Jesus must carry out and finish the work God has sent him to do. This is the kind of mind set we as God’s children should have. Take some time to reflect on your own actions and evaluate yourself on how high doing God’s will is on your priority list.

Re-read verses 35-38

In these verses, Jesus is comparing his teaching to something the disciples will understand. He is telling the disciples that even though on earth, there is time until the harvest is ready to be reaped, The harvest in terms of God’s kingdom is always ready to be reaped. Jesus says, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest… For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ At this point in time, the “fields [that] are white for harvest” is pertaining to the group of Samaritans that are coming from town to see and hear Jesus speak. After telling his disciples that, Jesus continues to say in verse 37 that it doesn’t matter whether you are a sower (one who sows the word in a person’s life) or a reaper (one who helps a person become a follower of Christ), as long as the will of the Lord is being done, there should be rejoicing.


Re-read verses 39-42

These verses state that because of the woman’s testimony, many Samaritans were led to Christ on that day, BUT after they met Jesus, the Samaritans knew that Jesus was the Savior from what they themselves saw. In our own lives, I think many of us could relate to being the Samaritan woman. We are the ones that give testimonies that lead unbelievers to know who Christ is, and after that step, the Holy Spirit takes over to grow and mature the once unbelievers in Christ. Take some time now to think about your daily life. Are you a vessel that is willing to be used by God? Would you be willing to share your testimony to nonbelievers that might judge or criticize you? And if you are willing to, then what could possibly be holding you back? After thinking about these questions, pray that God would show you how He wants you to be apart of His plans; pray for Him to show you the harvest in your life that is ready to be reaped.