John 4:30-4230Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 31In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors. 39And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41And many more believed because of his own word; 42And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4:30‑42)
The woman to whom the Lord Jesus talked at Jacob’s well was so eager for her friends to see and know Him that she left her water jars to carry another time, so she could go more quickly to tell them.
While she was gone, Jesus talked to the disciples who wanted Him to eat of the food they had bought: He was so glad to have one believe His words as the woman had, and because He knew others there would believe too, that He felt satisfied without food.
He spoke of a harvest time, and told His disciples to lift up their eyes and look on the fields, “for they are white already to harvest.” Jesus meant there were people in that land who were ready to believe on Him as the woman did; they would be as a “harvest” to be gathered in for God, and the disciples were not to wait to go to tell them of Him.
The persons the woman told about Jesus, soon came to the well: she had said to them, “Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?” They knew the Messiah, or Christ, had been promised to come to earth to save from sin, and they too had sins like the woman. Her honest words made them want to see this Holy One, and they came promptly.
It is not told what the Lord Jesus said to them, but they also believed. Him the Christ, and invited Him to come into the town to visit them. They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have seen Him ourselves and know this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
Those people did not then know that Jesus must give His life to be their, Saviour and the Saviour of the world, but they were glad He had come to earth. After He had given His life on the cross to suffer for all, and had, risen and returned to Heaven, some of the disciples went to the towns of Samaria and told the people more about Him. Many more then believed and there was great joy for such a Saviour. They were a part of the “harvest” for God, as Jesus told the disciples.
It is not easy work to gather groin, in the warm harvest time, and the disciples walked many miles to tell people, of Christ. Now there are very many people to be told of Him, perhaps our own friends. Do you suppose we are as earnest and willing to leave our work of pleasure, as that woman who, left her water jars, to tell her friends quickly of Christ? Although water was so necessary to her, she knew it was more needed for them to know the One to save them from sins.
That woman also learned that day that it was not just at one certain mountain that God could be honored but Jesus told her that God wanted true praise, or worship, wherever the people were, and that would be by His Holy Spirit, who teaches His words.
ML 07/21/1946