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Sermon

Jesus Reaps a Harvest

Speaker
David Capoccia
Scripture
John 4:27-42

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In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia finishes examining the account of Jesus and the Samaritan town of Sychar in John 4:1-42. John presents the account of Jesus and Samaritan Sychar so that you will not miss out in dead religion but join humble outsiders in finding eternal life in Jesus. In John 4:27-42, Jesus reaps a harvest unto salvation and invites all his true disciples to join him in the same joyful work.

1. Jesus Offers Living Water (vv. 1-14)
2. Jesus Is the Revealer (vv. 15-26)
3. Jesus Reaps a Harvest (vv. 27-42)
3a. The Samaritan Woman Becomes Jesus’ Witness (vv. 27-30)
3b. Jesus Invites to a Happy Harvest (vv. 31-38)
3c. Many Confess Jesus as God’s Savior (vv. 39-42)

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

John 4:27-42 reveals the powerful outcome of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman and his teaching on the soul-satisfying nature of gospel work. We are reminded that knowing God is not the same as knowing *about* God — true knowledge of God transforms us from the inside out, producing self-forgetfulness, witness, and joy. The Samaritan woman’s radical transformation into a bold witness demonstrates what happens when someone truly encounters Jesus.

We are called to see gospel labor not as a burden but as food more satisfying than any physical meal, and to recognize that we live in a time of harvest — the fields are already white and ready.

Key Lessons:

  1. Knowing God personally through Jesus Christ produces a noticeable, transforming effect — putting off sin, enduring suffering, and sacrificially serving others.
  2. Doing the will of God and accomplishing His work is more satisfying and life-giving than any physical food — this was Jesus’ own testimony and should be ours.
  3. The Samaritan woman’s testimony shows that effective witness doesn’t require seminary training — it requires a genuine encounter with Jesus and willingness to bring others to Him.
  4. We live in an age of harvest, entering into the labor of Old Testament prophets and sowers who never saw the fruit — this is a privileged position that should move us to action.

Application: We are called to repent of worldliness and self-centeredness that has made knowing God and sharing Him with others a distant priority. We must embrace evangelism not as a “have-to” job but a “get-to” job, finding our deepest satisfaction in doing God’s will and bringing others to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between knowing *about* God and truly knowing God, and which description best fits your current spiritual life?
  2. Jesus said His food was to do the will of the Father — what currently functions as your “food” or primary source of satisfaction, and how does it compare to the joy of doing God’s work?
  3. The Samaritan woman immediately went to tell others about Jesus despite her low social standing — what fears or excuses hold you back from sharing the gospel, and how does her example challenge those barriers?

Scripture Focus: John 4:27-42 — the aftermath of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, His teaching on spiritual food and harvest, and the salvation of many Samaritans. Also referenced: Deuteronomy 8:3 (man does not live by bread alone), John 19:28 (Jesus accomplishing His mission), and Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (the promised prophet).

Outline

Introduction

As we prepare to hear from the word of God, Heavenly Father, we come to you today for food. We need the food of Jesus Christ. We need the food of his word, and we need the food of doing his will. This is something that we are not capable of receiving or doing apart from your work, apart from the work of your spirit. We ask for the spirit’s work this morning.

Open our eyes to understand the word of Christ. Open my mouth to be able to declare it. And by your powerful grace, help us to put it into practice. Let us not be mere hearers of the word, but doers, so that we may know the joy of your way. So that we may make you known to the people of the world, and that you would be glorified. Amen.

Have you ever misheard what someone said and thought they said something different than what they actually said? While I was in college, I worked as an SAT teacher and tutor, preparing high school students for the SAT college entrance exam. I’ll never forget the day when I was tutoring this one young lady in SAT Math.

We were working through the material and talking, and suddenly she says to me, “Wait, do God?” My tutoring company’s policy was that their tutors would not try to speak to students about religion. I’d still had a few gospel opportunities with students asking me questions after some of my SAT classes, but I never expected that a student would ask me such a profound question in the middle of tutoring.

For a moment, I sat stunned. I was wondering what I might be able to tell her about Jesus. But then she repeated her question, and I realized what she was really asking me was, “Do you play Call of Duty?” She was talking about the video game Call of Duty.

Do You Know God?

A bit of a buzz kill. This morning, though, the question that my student didn’t really ask is the one that I want to ask you: “Do God?” And don’t misunderstand my question. I’m not asking you if about God, but if God. There is a difference, isn’t there?

There are plenty of people today who know a good deal about God. They’ve studied the Bible. They’ve listened to sermons. They excitedly talk about theology or holy living.

Maybe they even teach in a church, a synagogue, or a seminary. But you can know much about God without actually knowing God, just as you can know much about a person without ever meeting that person.

“You can know much about God without actually knowing God.”

What It Means to Know God

What does it mean to know God? Well, to know God is to enjoy an intimate, life-giving, worship relationship with him. You see God in his glory, according to the beautiful character and awesome deeds he’s revealed about himself. You give up all to have him, because you were convinced that he has given all of himself to you in love.

You walk with him each day, confident of his caring presence with you in every circumstance. You gladly seek him and serve him as your master, your king, your husband, your savior, your God. And knowing God like this has a noticeable transforming effect.

“To know God is to enjoy an intimate, life-giving, worship relationship with him.”

You put off sin, and you put on righteousness, both in your heart and in your speech and actions. You endure hurts, insults, and all other kinds of suffering as they increasingly seem to you to be only small matters, just a little affliction. You hold your desires for things in this world with loose hands, so that if you don’t get what you want, you’re still content.

You sacrificially serve others and also tell others about the God who has become your chief treasure. In short, knowing God leads to a kind of self-forgetfulness as you love him above all.

What’s amazing about knowing God personally and savingly like this is that it does not happen naturally.

No One Knows God Apart from Jesus

No one thinks, studies, or works his way into knowing God. Rather, God graciously chooses to reveal himself to people, and he does this by his Spirit, through the word and person of Jesus Christ, his only begotten son. No one today can know God apart from Jesus, and no one can know Jesus apart from the Spirit’s work.

“No one today can know God apart from Jesus, and no one can know Jesus apart from the Spirit’s work.”

This is why many professing Christians, even some pastors and seminary professors, do not know God. But this is also why many people—even the ones that you would expect to be the last ones ever to know God due to their ignorance, their prejudice, their sinfulness—are the very ones that God often chooses to transform into lovers of him.

As we finish looking at John 4:1-42 today, we’re going to see this profound reality illustrated for us. Not only this, we are also going to see the Lord invite us into the same soul-satisfying labor in which he himself is gladly involved: seeing sinners come to know God through Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t already, take your Bibles and turn to John 4.

Overview of John 4:1-42

Titled, the message today is “Jesus Reaps a Harvest.” John 4:27-42, we’ll be on page 1062 today because we’re focusing on verses 27 to 42.

This is the third time we’ve been in this section of John, verses 1 to 42. But today I’m just going to read the new verses and then review some of what we’ve seen before, and then explain the new verses. Follow along as I read John 4:27-42.

“At this point his disciples came, and they were amazed that he had been speaking with a woman. Yet no one said, ‘What do you seek?’ or ‘Why do you speak with her?’ So the woman left her water pot and went into the city and said to the men, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done. This is not the Christ, is it?’ They went out of the city 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 are saying to one another, ‘And no one brought him any food to eat, did he?’ 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, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white for harvest already. He who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal, so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.’

From that city, many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’ Some of the Samaritans came to Jesus. They were asking him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. Many more believed because of his word.

And they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this one is indeed the savior of the world.’”

John 4:1-42 is another section of John’s gospel intent on showing us, just as it was intended to show John’s original audience of Hellenized Jews, that Jesus is the Christ and that eternal life only belongs to those who believe in Jesus.

Now, if you’ve been with us the past two weeks, you already know how this whole account here, the 42 verses. It contrasts with what we see before and after this passage. Before and after, we see the Jews, Christ’s own people, are slow to believe in him. They appear unwilling to give up their proud religious traditions, their self-righteousness.

Meanwhile, as we see in our passage, many unclean Samaritans in the middle of nowhere town, Sychar, they believe in Jesus quickly and wholeheartedly. Not only does this juxtaposition, this contrast, expose the hard-heartedness of God’s privileged people, the Jews, at that time, but it also serves as another testimony meant to move all supposedly religious people that they must believe in Jesus to really know God and be saved.

I’ve articulated the passage’s main idea in this way, and I’ve seen this before. I’m just repeating it to you. In John 4:1-42, John presents the account of Jesus and Samaritan Sychar so that you will not miss out in dead religion but join humble outsiders in finding eternal life in Jesus.

“Do not miss out in dead religion but join humble outsiders in finding eternal life in Jesus.”

As I’ve told you previously, the narrative, these 42 verses, unfolds in three parts, and we’ve looked at two of those parts already. Let’s review a little bit.

Review: Jesus Offers Living Water (4:1-14)

We saw in verses 1 to 14, number one: Jesus offers living water. Jesus offers living water. Needing to pass through Samaria on his way up to Galilee, Jesus arrives weary at Jacob’s Well, which was just outside the town of Sychar. His disciples leave him to go into town to buy food, and it just so happens that Jesus meets a Samaritan woman who’s come alone to draw water from this spring-fed well.

Jesus breaks social barriers, asking her for a drink, which leads into a conversation in which Jesus asserts that he is greater than even the respected patriarch Jacob and he offers better water than can be found at Jacob’s Well. Jesus says the water that he gives becomes a spring of water in the one who drinks it, so that person never thirsts again, but rather that spring inside him springs up to eternal life.

“The water Jesus gives becomes a spring inside the one who drinks it, springing up to eternal life.”

Jesus is not talking about physical water but spiritual water, the fountain of life that is knowing God through Jesus Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit. But the woman doesn’t quite get Jesus’ meaning and doesn’t understand her great spiritual need.

So Jesus takes the conversation in a new direction.

Review: Jesus Is the Revealer (4:15-26)

In the second part of the passage, verses 15 to 26, this is what we saw last week. Number two: Jesus is the revealer. Jesus asks the woman to call her husband, and when she denies having a husband, Jesus reveals his complete supernatural knowledge of this woman’s life, even that she is a severe, serial divorcee and adulteress who is currently living in an immoral relationship.

Confronted both by her sin and the stranger’s incredible knowledge of her, the woman confesses Jesus to be a prophet and then asks him the central question dividing Samaritans and Jews at that time: “Where is the proper place to worship? If I want to get right with God, where do I go? What do I do?”

In reply, Jesus reveals the new true worship. Though salvation is from the Jews, a time is quickly coming in which the where of worship will not matter. It’s all about the way. Jesus declares that the Father seeks true worshipers who will worship him in spirit and truth, that is, from hearts truly devoted to him and coming to him according to the truth that God reveals about himself, even through the one who is truth incarnate, God’s son, Jesus Christ.

At such a momentous revelation, the woman confesses that what she really needs is the Messiah, even the promised prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15-19. The Messiah will reveal, she is confident, all things to her and to her people. Jesus replies to her, “I am,” using that special phrase of God’s Old Testament self-revelation to plainly declare himself to be the coming, revealing Messiah for whom she was waiting, even the Messiah who reveals God’s salvation not just to Jews but to Samaritans too, and to all people.

“The Father seeks true worshipers who will worship him in spirit and truth.”

This is where we left off last time, in verse 26. We didn’t get to see the aftermath of Jesus’ gracious revelation to this Samaritan woman. So how does the Samaritan woman respond to Jesus? What impact does Jesus then have on the town of Sychar? And what are Jesus’ disciples to make of all this?

Jesus Reaps a Harvest (4:27-42)

Those are the questions that we’ll answer today. Let’s look at the final part of our passage in verses 27 to 32.

The heading that governs this passage is my sermon title: “Jesus Reaps a Harvest.” This is number three: Jesus reaps a harvest.

The Samaritan Woman Becomes Jesus’ Witness

But as we’ve done previously, we’ll have a few subheadings as we look at this today. The first subheading we see in this last part covers verses 27 to 30, and that is 3A: The Samaritan woman becomes Jesus’ witness.

And to see this, let’s start with verse 27.

“At this point his disciples came, and they were amazed that he had been speaking with a woman. Yet no one said, ‘What do you seek?’ or ‘Why do you speak with her?’”

Well, the disciples are back with the food that they bought in town. And their timing is pretty good, right? They arrived just at the point that Jesus finishes this conversation with the woman by declaring to her that he is her Messiah.

Sure, it was lucky that they didn’t arrive earlier to derail or distract from this private conversation. But they also didn’t arrive so late that they missed Jesus speaking with this woman entirely. Is that all a happy coincidence? This is God’s perfect providence at work, God’s will being perfectly accomplished.

“This is God’s perfect providence at work, God’s will being perfectly accomplished.”

The Disciples’ Amazement

Notice, though, in verse 27, it says that they were amazed to see Jesus speaking with a woman. I told you last time that Jews in that day frowned on men talking with women in public. It’s not considered proper. So what is Rabbi Jesus doing talking with a woman, especially a Samaritan woman?

The disciples have questions. But notice they don’t actually ask any of their questions, neither of Jesus nor of the woman. And why not? Are they too shocked? Are they afraid? Have they learned to trust in their Master’s judgment?

“The disciples have questions — but they don’t actually ask any of them.”

We can’t say for certain, though it’s worth noting that the disciples will question Jesus’ judgment later a few times in this gospel. So I doubt that mature trust is the reason for their silence. But whatever the reason, Jesus will answer their unspoken questions shortly.

But what does the Samaritan woman do at this point? Look at verses 28 and 29.

“So the woman left her water pot and went into the city and said to the men, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done. This is not the Christ, is it?’”

The Woman Leaves Her Water Pot

This is unexpected. Notice verse 28 says that the woman left her water pot. And why is that? I mean, she did come all the way to Jacob’s well specifically to draw water and bring it back with her. So why’d she leave the water behind?

Well, some have suggested that she left the water jar for Jesus to drink from it. After all, there’s no other indication that she actually gave him a drink up to this point. Perhaps more likely, she left the pot because she wanted to get back to town quickly. The jar she brought was probably large. It’s the kind that she would have to carry back to town on her head while supporting it with one of her hands.

But ain’t nobody got time for that. She’ll come back and get the jar later because she’s got an urgent message to deliver. Do note, though, that the woman sought Jacob’s living water and came back with something better.

“The woman sought Jacob’s living water, came back with something better.”

So she goes back, probably runs back, and it says she says to the men, that is, to the people of the town. Anthropology can refer to both men and women. “Come, see a man who told me all whatever I did.”

Now, technically, Jesus didn’t reveal everything about this woman’s life—not her birthday, what she had for breakfast, or the name of her boyfriend. But he did reveal the most significant happenings of her life, even the secret things. So her hyperbole is appropriate.

“Come, See” — A Testimony to the Messiah

By the way, those commands “come and see” that the woman says sound familiar. They should, because we heard the same when Jesus’ first Jewish disciples went to get their friends and relatives after meeting Jesus. This was in John 1:35 and John 1:49. They said, “Come and see.”

The woman says, “Come and see.” Essentially, she’s saying, “Come and see a man who supernaturally revealed the defining secrets of my life.” This is a testimony from the woman.

What’s significant about this testimony? What’s significant about a man who could do this?

Well, notice her follow-up question. “This one is not the Christ, is he?” Do you see what she’s doing? The woman is attempting to make the same connection for the people of Sychar that she herself made.

Only a man sent from God, only the final prophet that we’ve been waiting for—we Samaritans have been waiting for—are Taheb, the Messiah. Only he could reveal my life like this man did. So come and see him, that he may…

“Only the Messiah could reveal my life like this man did. So come and see him.”

Why Frame It as a Question?

You may have noticed the way she frames her conclusion about Jesus’ messiahship is a bit odd. It’s a question expecting a negative answer: “This is not the Christ, is he?” We could also translate her words: “Maybe this is the Christ, huh?”

Why the timidity? Is she not sure? Is she doubtful? The disciples in John 1 seemed sure when they said to people, “Come and see.” What’s going on here?

Hard to say, though doubt is probably not the explanation. As we previously noted, she’s left her water pot. She’s run all the way back to town. She started searching out and speaking to all the people that she apparently had been up to this point trying to avoid.

Furthermore, she offers proof of Jesus’ identity as Messiah based on what he supernaturally revealed about her. These are not the actions of someone who is doubtful, but someone who’s gone all in on Jesus.

“These are not the actions of someone who is doubtful, but someone who’s gone all in on Jesus.”

Why frame the question as she does? Perhaps it’s simply to be more respectful and strategic, considering her situation. She is a woman, after all. There are prejudices against women at that time. Not to mention that some or many of the townspeople could know her to be a woman of low character.

Perhaps she thinks the men will simply dismiss or mock her claim in prejudice if she is too assertive. So she frames her conclusion as one in which the people are welcome to test for themselves: “Sure sounds like the Messiah, but what do you think? Come and see.”

Whatever her reasoning, her appeal worked. Look at verse 30.

“They went out of the city and were coming to him.”

A Powerful Witness Transformed

How remarkable! She manages to get most, if not all, the people of the town to go visit Jesus at Jacob’s Well, maybe a half mile away. And notice it says they were coming, that is, it was a continual action. They were continually coming as more and more people hear her testimony, more and more people head out to see Jesus.

This previously immoral, ignorant Samaritan woman has suddenly become a powerful witness of Jesus Christ. Indeed, her old lifestyle probably plays a huge role in why people are taking her seriously. The only thing harder to believe than that this woman was telling the truth would be to conclude that she was not telling the truth.

Because who else besides the Christ could change her like she’s been changed? She’s no longer worried about what people think of her or merely concerned with her temporal needs and desires. She’s suddenly driven to forget herself and just tell her needy people about Jesus.

“Who else besides the Christ could change her like she’s been changed?”

What’s really happened to her? She’s come to know God. She’s come to know God through Jesus Christ. She doesn’t know very much about God, but she knows enough. God has revealed himself to her and his son, and God is now revealing himself through her to her people.

And this is what God is interested in doing in each one of you if you truly believe in him. Do you want to know God like this Samaritan woman did? Consequently, do you want to be God’s witness to others so that they may know God? You’ve come to understand him as the spring of living water. You feel his comfort, the assurance of his love, peace, and safety of being under his protection.

Does that make you want to tell other people about him? You won’t become a witness like this as long as you hang on to dead religion, as long as it’s just external and hasn’t really gone into your heart. This text is reminding us once again. It’s pressing us once again. God is pressing us through this text that we cannot miss out on dead religion, but we must join humble outsiders in finding eternal life in Jesus.

We see what’s going on in Sychar, but now let’s hear what’s going on with Jesus and his disciples as the people of Sychar go out to see them. Our next subheading covers verses 31 to 38.

Jesus Invites to a Happy Harvest

We have 3B: Jesus invites to a happy harvest. Look at verse 31.

“Jesus invites to a happy harvest.”

“Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’”

He had come back from town with food. The disciples think it’s a good time for lunch. They know that Jesus was hungry too. So they keep urging him to eat. But apparently Jesus keeps on refusing, even replying in verse 32.

“But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’”

Where did Jesus get food? He didn’t go into town. I see the disciples trying to reason out Jesus’ confusing reply in verse 33.

“The disciples are saying to one another, ‘No one brought him anything to eat, did he?’”

Did they figure out how Jesus got his food? Since it doesn’t seem like anyone brought him anything, but he also didn’t go into town, they don’t understand yet that Jesus is not talking about literal food. Déjà vu. The Samaritan woman mistook Jesus’ talk of spiritual drink for physical drink, and now the disciples mistake Jesus’ talk of spiritual food for physical food.

But let’s not be too hard on the disciples. I don’t know if we would have understood any better than they did if we were there in their same situation. Actually, this appears to be a teaching technique of Jesus that we’ve seen a number of times now in the Gospel of John. He’ll say something that he knows will be misunderstood in order to clarify what he means later in a more memorable way.

And this is exactly what we see Jesus do in verse 34.

Spiritual Food Greater Than Physical Food

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’”

Jesus now clears up what he meant about already having food. Not physical food, but something better, something more necessary. We all like food, right? Food is good.

Why do we feel good? Why do we like food? Well, for one, it tastes good. We enjoy eating food, maybe some foods more than others, but we enjoy food. We also like food because food nourishes us. It strengthens us, sustains us. It’s necessary for our lives.

In short, food provides us with life and enjoyment, and that is God’s design. But Jesus says that there is food for him that is better than any physical food, better than a burger and fries, cheesecake, falafel. What food is better than anything physical?

John 4:34: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

Man Does Not Live by Bread Alone

Jesus says it’s doing the will of him who sent Jesus and accomplishing that one’s work. In other words, Jesus finds doing the will of his father more necessary and more satisfying than eating. Jesus’ statement is reminiscent of Deuteronomy 8:3.

Deuteronomy 8:3, you’ve probably heard this before. This is part of it: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord, that is, Yahweh.”

If this was true of Jesus, our Lord, our example, the Son of God, should it be any different for us? Do you find it more enjoyable and life-giving to do God’s will than to eat? Are you even willing, practically speaking, to postpone eating or even to skip a meal if it means serving God and serving his people?

“Do you find it more enjoyable and life-giving to do God’s will than to eat?”

Not because you have to do it, but because you say, “I enjoy this more. This is more necessary for me.” Is that you? We might ask, what is the will of God and the work of God that the Father gave Jesus to accomplish? Surely that’s a question with many specific answers, but surely a main answer is the salvation of sinners.

Was this not a main work, God’s main will for Jesus to do? Actually, you see the word “accomplished” there in verse 34. The Greek word translated “accomplishes” is the same one that we’ll see again towards the end of this gospel in John 19:28, when Jesus says he is finishing his suffering on the cross. We read this in John 19:28.

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the scripture, said, ‘I am thirsty.’”

Jesus’ mission was to accomplish salvation for sinners, and he was glad to fulfill that mission. Jesus loves to glorify God, loves to glorify his father, and seeing sinners saved and transformed into true worshipers, that is food for Jesus. It is like delicious, necessary food from the Father that is way more enjoyable than even what the best chef on Earth can create.

So is it any wonder that after Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman, Jesus isn’t hungry anymore? The disciples want Jesus to eat, but he says, “I’ve already got food. I’ve already been eating. Didn’t you see my conversation with the Samaritan woman? I made sure that you saw the last part of it.”

As tired and hungry and thirsty as I might be, this is my real life and satisfaction, and I’m not done. This is just the appetizer. The main course is on its way. There’s a whole town of lost souls coming right now, and the best meals are the ones that are shared.

So why don’t you men join me? You may notice the starting of verse 35. Jesus shifts the metaphor from eating to harvesting, but it’s still emphasizing one main idea: that accomplishing the work of God, even the work of salvation, is a soul-satisfying labor. It’s more satisfying than even eating food. Look at verse 35.

The Fields Are White for Harvest

“Let me not say there are yet four months and then comes the harvest. Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white for harvest.”

Now, in the first part of verse 35, Jesus is doing one of two things. It’s a little hard to tell. Either he is reminding the disciples about something they observed about where Israel was in its seasonal calendar—”Oh, it’s four months and then the harvest is coming?”—or maybe he’s quoting an otherwise unknown proverb that stresses the need sometimes to bide one’s time in life and not rush things. “Four months until the harvest, that’s what they say.”

So is he noting where Israel is in the calendar, or is he quoting a proverb? I think it’s probably the second. But regardless, you can see just from the two parts of verse 35 that Jesus is contrasting the way the disciples think and talk with what is the reality on the ground. They think harvest time is far away, but the truth is harvest time is already here.

“You guys just want to sit around and eat lunch. Come on, look at the fields. There’s a ripe harvest ready to be gathered in. What are we waiting for?”

Jesus does not mean a literal harvest of grain is ready, but a spiritual harvest of people’s souls, as he will make clear. There’s probably a play on words in verse 35. Unripe wheat is very likely to crop or something like that, that is within sight. Unripe wheat is green, but ripe wheat turns a beigey gold color approaching white.

There probably were some unripe grain fields or a similar crop outside the town of Sychar. We’re looking at a largely agrarian society, also pastoral, so likely there are these fields of unripe grain. But when Jesus and disciples look at the fields, they see white. But it’s not the beige white of the ripe grain. It’s the beige white of the people of Sychar in their linen garments coming out to see Jesus, maybe even walking through the fields or walking right by the fields.

Truly, the disciples never thought that there would be a salvation harvest ready in a Samaritan town. Those Samaritans, they are far from God. It’ll take years before we ever make any inroads. No, Jesus says, “You don’t have to wait for the harvest. The harvest is already here. So let’s get to it.”

“You don’t have to wait for the harvest. The harvest is already here. So let’s get to it.”

After all, as Jesus goes on to explain in verse 36, the beginning part of verse 36.

Wages and Eternal Fruit for Reapers

There’s a blessing ready for whoever takes part in the harvest. Look what it says there. “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal.”

Notice the word “already.” Jesus again is stressing that the harvest has arrived sooner than expected, which means a golden opportunity is opened up for anybody who participates. “Already he who reaps is receiving wages,” Jesus says. That is, the ones delivering the good news of the Gospel are already experiencing the blessing of the work and pleasing their God.

More than that, Jesus says they are gathering fruit for life eternal. They are bringing souls into God’s kingdom which will never be lost. So the glory of God and the joy of the new redeemed fellowship indeed, communal joy is the outcome of this harvest work.

“They are gathering fruit for life eternal — bringing souls into God’s kingdom which will never be lost.”

For notice the purpose statement at the end of verse 36. Jesus says, “So that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

In the final analysis of all gospel work, all evangelistic work, all missionary work, everyone who participates is going to rejoice together. The ones who sowed, who spiritually prepared the way but didn’t see any or many conversions, were rejoiced right alongside those who have harvested and seen sinners repent.

Add in those who were actually saved in the harvest, and the one who sent out into the harvest, the Lord, and everyone is going to bask in God’s own joy in the end, as seeing sinners saved to worship God for his glory.

There’s going to be a great harvest party at the end. So knowing the outcome of joy and the lasting fruit of the labor, Jesus appeals to his disciples. “Why hesitate to join the harvest?”

But there’s something else, though. All will rejoice together in the end. Those participating in the harvest part of this work receive a unique blessing. For notice what Jesus says in verse 37.

One Sows, Another Reaps

“For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’”

Now, here Jesus is definitely quoting a saying or proverb. But what is its meaning? Well, certainly the proverb points out that people play different roles in life. Some sow, others harvest. But more likely, the main idea here, based on what follows, is that many people who sow or do the foundation type work of a particular task don’t get to see the benefit of the outcome. They have to leave the job, or they pass away.

Though one person sows, it’s someone totally different who reaps the harvests. The one harvesting gets the benefit that the one sowing never got to see. Now, that may be a depressing realization for the ones who are sowing. I’m afraid that’s just life. It’s the way our world works.

But for the ones who are harvesting, or at least have the opportunity to participate in the harvest, this proverb is a reminder that joining in the work in its latter phase means that you get to enjoy fruits that other people didn’t get to enjoy. The ones who labored previously, you get to enjoy some of the fruits that they worked for. And this is precisely how Jesus applies the proverb to his disciples in verse 38.

“Joining in the harvest means you get to enjoy fruits that other people didn’t get to see.”

Entering Into the Labor of Others

He says, “I sent you to reap for that which you have not labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Notice the phrase in verse 38: “I sent you.” Recall that we’ve already encountered the idea of sending in this passage, even right back in verse 34. Jesus said his food is to do the will of him who sent him, namely the Father. It’s the first time Jesus has referred to the Father that way.

But Jesus also sends. He is sending, and in a way he has already sent the disciples to labor on Jesus’ behalf and to accomplish Jesus’ will and work, especially in the salvation of many souls. Though I have used the word “invite” in my subheading for this section, “Jesus invites to a happy harvest,” this is not really an invitation that Jesus’ true disciples can turn down.

Jesus has sent out his disciples, he has called, he has commissioned, he has sent his first disciples as ministers of the Gospel on his behalf, and he also sends us. But to what task?

With the disciples sent specifically, according to verse 38, it is to reap for that which they did not labor. The disciples enter into a labor of those who came before them. But those who came before didn’t get to see the outcome. The disciples get to complete the labor and see the blessed results.

The labor we’re talking about here is the labor of salvation, the gospel work, it’s seeing souls saved from sin to know God. This is for the people of Sychar and elsewhere.

Jesus is telling his disciples, “This is where the true food is. This is where you’ll find work that is already yielding wages and eternal fruit. God has prepared the way for you with the people who came before, the sowers. To you, he is given the gracious blessing of reaping. You get to see the blessing that others didn’t get to see. So what are you waiting for? Look, the fields are ripe. Join your master in his joyful work.”

“This is where the true food is — work that is already yielding wages and eternal fruit.”

This exhortation was for Jesus, for his disciples. But it was also for the believers in John’s day, even those who were coming to faith in Jesus, maybe through this gospel. And it is also an exhortation to us.

The Privileged Age of Harvest

We have come to know God. Then we have been invited and called to join in the work of the Gospel, even the harvesting of souls, seeing people brought to Jesus so that they might be saved as true worshipers of God.

While it’s true that even today there are some who sow and some who reap, this age, this post-resurrection age, is really ultimately an age of harvesting.

The prophets of the Old Testament, including John the Baptist, were ones who were hard at work in the ministry of sowing. They didn’t know when harvest would come, but they longed to see the ultimate outcome of their work.

They even longed to see how the prophecies they wrote about and spoke about would play out. They longed to see Israel repent. They even longed to see all nations of the world drawn to God.

But they never saw it. It only happened in small measures in Old Testament times. But with the coming of Jesus, with the coming of the word made flesh, with the coming of the Son of God, by his perfect life, perfect death, perfect resurrection, and by the coming of his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and by the Great Commission given to his people to bring the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth, a harvest has begun in the world that the world never saw before.

Many people have come to know God through Jesus Christ and Jesus’ messengers all over the world, many tribes, tongues, and nations. But it’s not done.

Even now, there is a harvest being brought in, mainly among the Gentiles. But there are some first fruits from the Jews. One day, the Jews also will repent. They will embrace the Messiah that they have forsaken for so long. There will be a salvation harvest for them as well.

“With the coming of Jesus, a harvest has begun in the world that the world never saw before.”

A harvest is already going on all around the world. In light of this, consider your privileged place, brethren. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have entered into the labor of many who came before but didn’t get to see the ultimate outcome of joy, not yet.

Now, one day we will rejoice with them, sowers and reapers together, in the kingdom of God.

A Call to Join the Joyful Work

But for now, there are harvests to be gotten to if we only stop sitting around and talking about lunch, rather than our food. Like our Lord, we are to do the will of him who sent us and to accomplish his work. He has specifically commissioned us to be his messengers, to be heralds to all the nations.

So let us go into the work. Let us not be afraid. Let us not regard this task with dread.

This is not a “have-to” job. It’s a “get-to” job. I like what Greg said about a month ago in his preaching. Evangelism is a way to instant joy, and you don’t have to be trained in seminary to do this.

I mean, look at the Samaritan woman. What does she know? She knows enough. She has a true testimony of Jesus, and she knows she wants to bring people to Jesus. She came to know God and then went to bring others to God in Christ.

So what about you? Do you understand that if you don’t care to see other people come to know God, if you don’t see any joy in the labor, if it’s not any satisfying food to you at all, that is a strong indication that you have never come to know God yourself. It’s the natural outcome of people who come to know God. We see it in the Samaritan woman.

If you have no desire for this, if it’s not satisfying to you at all, I submit to you that you are still caught up in a dead religion rather than a living relationship with Jesus Christ. He gave us the work of evangelism not to be a burden on our lives, but to be a blessing.

So let us repent. Let us repent for the worldliness and sin that has made knowing God and helping others to know him a distant priority.

“Evangelism is a way to instant joy, and you don’t have to be trained in seminary to do this.”

No, let us instead encourage, instruct, and support one another in this vital work, this joyful work. And let us fundamentally embrace the mindset that our food is to do the will of our Master. That’s the true necessity. That’s where the true life and joy is for us.

Are we going to be any different than Jesus? Are we going to find something different than him? No, he knows where it’s at. Let’s follow his example.

Many Confess Jesus as God’s Savior

Well, with this mini lesson to the disciples complete, we now learn the results of Jesus’ harvest work in Sychar in verses 39 to 42. Here’s our last subheading for our final part: 3C: Many confess Jesus as God’s savior.

Verse 39:

“From that city, many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’”

Many Believed Through the Woman’s Testimony

How amazing! And again, what a contrast to the Jews of Jesus’ ministry thus far. Jews would only believe after many miracles, and even then their belief was suspect. But these Samaritans, whom God has prepared for harvest, many of them believe in Jesus merely after hearing the testimony of one Samaritan woman.

“Many Samaritans believe in Jesus merely after hearing the testimony of one woman.”

They didn’t see Jesus do any miracles. They just heard one woman’s testimony about Jesus, and they believe.

But then these Samaritans meet Jesus themselves. Look at verses 40 to 41.

Jesus Stays Two Days — Many More Believe

When the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. Many more believed because of his word.

Can you believe that Samaritans, a whole town of Samaritans, asked a Jewish rabbi to stay with them? The people of Sychar got two whole days of Jesus teaching and answering of their questions. No doubt he was explaining at length the salvation that he began to reveal to the Samaritan woman, what it means to know God and find eternal life.

What is the result of this extended stay at Sychar? Many more believe because of Jesus’ word. There’s just something about Jesus and his words that still, even today, arrests and transforms people. We see that happening from the word of God.

This is how you see Jesus. This is how you hear Jesus—not specifically the words that are in red in the Bible. All of this is Jesus’ word.

“There’s just something about Jesus and his words that still, even today, arrests and transforms people.”

One of the simplest ways you can evangelize people is to get them reading the Bible, especially the Gospels, so they can see and meet Jesus more clearly and come to know God. Your testimony is not bad. It’s good. It can be powerful.

Apologetics is not bad. That’s good. It can be very helpful. But don’t stop with those things. Don’t stop with people until you bring them to Jesus and to Jesus’ word, because Jesus’ word not only saves but also strengthens new faith.

Notice the last verse, verse 42.

The Savior of the World

“And they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this one is indeed the savior of the world.’”

Incredible! After just two days, this is the testimony of many Samaritans at Sychar. Do you hear the surety of it? The confidence?

They tell the woman, “You gave an amazing testimony, and many of us believed on that basis. But now our faith has gone even deeper. We have heard for ourselves. We know that this is indeed the savior of the world.”

Not just the savior of the Jews, not just the savior of the Samaritans, but the one and only savior of the world. He’s the savior, no matter what people group you come from.

He’s the savior of the whole doomed human race. Humans do not have a hope unless it is found in the new head, the new representative for a new people, not born in following after Adam, reborn and following after Christ.

John 4:42: “We have heard for ourselves and know that this one is indeed the savior of the world.”

Conclusion: Do You Believe?

Thus concludes another striking testimony provided by the eyewitness John regarding Jesus. And this isn’t just some nice or inspiring story. This is history. This really happened. This really happened with the Samaritan woman. This really happened with the people of Sychar. And this really happened with Jesus’ disciples. It was written down for us so that we also might believe.

How incredible! A whole town of Samaritans, or a good portion of it, embraced Jesus after two days. How could that be? Samaritans hate Jews. Jews hate Samaritans. You’re telling me this happened? How could that happen?

There’s only one explanation. It’s because the Jewish rabbi who visited that town was not some ordinary Jew and not some ordinary man. He was a man, but he was also the Eternal Word made flesh, Son of God, the Messiah, the savior of the world. They understood that. The world understands it as well.

In light of this new testimony provided in John’s gospel, do you believe in Jesus? Are you willing to give up your sin, your self-righteousness, your own way in order to know God through him and know the eternal life that Jesus gives? Will you join the humble outsiders, even those here at this church, who love and serve the savior?

Remember, God is looking for true worshipers, those who worship him in spirit and in truth. He will not be satisfied with those who settle for dead, external religion. He wants all of you. He wants your heart. Have you given that to him?

I know many of you have, and if that is true of you, then heed this second exhortation. Join in the work of harvest. Join in the work that Jesus himself is so glad to be doing. The souls brought out of darkness, sin, and death into the light of the glory of God who gives eternal life. This is the calling of our Lord, and it is a blessed calling.

“Join in the work that Jesus himself is so glad to be doing — seeing souls brought out of darkness into the glory of God.”

Closing Prayer

It’s closing prayer for God. I’m reminded again of the passage right before this. John the Baptist testified that Jesus must increase and that John the Baptist must decrease. And Lord, in light of this specific exhortation towards belief in evangelism, we recognize how true that is for us. God, we know that one of the reasons why we don’t tell others about you is because we are not making much of you in our hearts. We are making much of ourselves and our own plans, our own desires in this world.

In a way, we are obsessed with the food that perishes, and we’re missing out on the food that truly satisfies. Lord, forgive us for our fear and unbelief. We literally want to change. If you say there are harvests out there to be taken in, and if you say that it is a work that is already yielding wages to those who partake, then by faith we want to do that.

We do not have the power to do it. We do not have the wisdom to do it apart from you. But you say, “I will provide for you. Do not be afraid. I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. I will use you as my vessels, as my instruments, to bring in new worshipers.”

Lord, we believe that. So we pray that you’ll give us opportunities to speak your good news and that we would know the joy of that task. Where we need help or instruction, we would reach out to our brethren in this, that we would pray for one another in this, and that we pray for those that we know that don’t know you.

Lord, are there any today who have not had an encounter with you like the Samaritan woman did or like the people of Sychar did? I pray, God, that you would reveal yourself to that person, even from this passage, even by your spirit, as they think about it, as they think about the words that they’ve heard today. God, I pray that you would move them to repentance and belief.

Whatever it is holding them back from you, whatever they consider more valuable than you, that they would give it up, because true life is only found in God, and God is only known through Jesus Christ. Jesus, I pray that we would regard you as so precious that we would realize what a treasure we have. You are not the God who merely does something for us and then goes away when we go about our lives. No, you are our lives. You are the fountain of life and joy.

I pray that that would be the experience of each person in this church, even through the trials, even through the great reversals and tragedies of life, that they would say, “The Lord is my portion. I will rejoice in him, and I will rejoice to do his will and to make him known to the people I know.”

Thank you for bringing us into this work. I pray that you would use us for your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Can we rise and join us in worship?

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