Look At The Fields

Lift up your eyes and look at the fields - John 4:27-42

The disciples had gone to Sychar to buy food.

On returning, they were amazed to find the Lord Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman.

They urged Him to eat, but He told them that He had food of which they did not know.

This food was to do the will of the Father who had sent Him into the world, which at this time was to bring the Samaritan woman to salvation.

This food gave Him nourishment and satisfaction.

The disciples had been in the Samaritan city with their minds set on obtaining food, rather than on evangelism.

The Lord Jesus challenged them, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

The harvest for grain may have been four months away but the harvest of precious souls was ready for gathering in now!

The Samaritans came to hear the Lord Jesus and many believed in Him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

They urged Him to stay with them and He remained at Sychar for two days.

The Lord Jesus had sent His disciples to reap, but they did not see the ripened harvest.

Like them, we often miss opportunities to witness to those we meet as we go about our daily business.

Let us prayerfully look on the ripened harvest fields and speak to needy souls around us.

We will be surprised to find people whose hearts the Spirit of God has prepared to receive out message.

The most unlikely people are often those who respond to our witness. That is reward enough. But there will be eternal rewards not only for those who reap, but also for those who sow and at present see little reward for their labours!

Are our eyes on the fields which are ready to be harvested? Are we praying that God will use us to lead sinners to Christ? Do we know how to load a soul to the Lord Jesus?

Even So Must The Son of Man be Lifted Up

John 3:8-15

The Lord Jesus used the wind as an illustration of the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in bringing sinners to new birth (regeneration).

We can hear the wind, but we cannot see it nor handle it.

Just as the wind blows where it wishes, the Holy Spirit works as He sovereignly pleases.

Nicodemus could not understand this though he was a great teacher in Israel.

The Bible declares, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him”. A man may be very religious or he may have a great intellect, but unless he is born again, he is in spiritual darkness.

Nicodemus twice asked, “How?” He did not understand the Old Testament prophecies which speak of the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. He did not believe because he lacked understanding.

The new birth is vital for salvation. So is the death of Christ for sinners — “Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up”.

Jesus reminded Nicodemus of the time when Israel rebelled against Moses and against God in the wilderness. The Lord punished them by sending poisonous serpents among the people. Many died from the venom of these snakes. Others confessed their sin and begged Moses to pray for them. God told Moses to make a serpent of brass and lift it up on a pole in the camp of Israel. All those who had been bitten were told to look at the serpent and those who did so were saved from death.

Our sin is like deadly poison which will bring death and destruction to us. The Lord Jesus came down from heaven and was lifted up on the cross in order to save us.

There can be no salvation without the new birth and without the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ for sinners!

Are we trusting in Jesus alone to save us from our sins?

The Word Was Made Flesh and Dwelt Among Us

John 1:14-18

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

The Lord Jesus took human flesh with all its limitations and weaknesses, except that He was and is sinless.

He knew hunger, thirst, weariness and pain. He is a Man of sorrows. He is acquainted with grief.

The truth of the incarnation is essential to the Christian faith.

But the Lord Jesus did not cease to be God when He took human flesh.

The Lord Jesus is both God and man!

No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son has revealed God to us.

John the Baptist was a great prophet born before Jesus.

But he testified that Jesus existed before him.

The Lord Jesus, the eternal Word has always existed!

The apostle John saw the glory of Jesus which was the glory of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus is full of grace and truth.

Through Him come all the blessings of God's grace.

The law was given through Moses. But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

That grace is truly amazing!

The Lord Jesus came into an ungrateful world which did not receive Him.

He showed His love to the same world when He died on the cross.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and that flesh was torn apart to save us poor sinners!

All these truths should cause every Christian to praise and to adore our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!