Category: Chapter 4

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John 4:1-6 Jesus Travels To Samaria

4: 1So then, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing; rather, His disciples were), 3 He left Judea and went away again to Galilee. 4 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired from His journey, was just sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  There came a woman of Samaria to draw water.  Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”

Observations

Verse 1-4  We discover in verse 1 that Jesus never performed baptisms, only His disciples.  Scripture does not reveal why Jesus never personally baptized His followers.   However, we see in 1 Cor 1:12-13 how easily believers had become divided in Corinth over following different church leaders.  Therefore, it is  plausible that Jesus refrained from baptizing people to prevent future divisions.

When the Pharisees learned that Jesus and His disciples were gaining more followers than John the Baptist, Jesus left for Galilee.  Just as Jesus was sensitive and obedient to God’s will, He was also sensitive to the timing of God’s will. The Pharisees became more angry as Jesus’ popularity grew.  So Jesus departed for Galilee.

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Samaritans accepted the five books of Moses but rejected the writings of the prophets,  all Jewish traditions and established their temple on Mount Gerizim. They did not believe that the Jerusalem temple nor the Levitical priesthood was legitimate.  The Jews viewed them as impure, a people who followed a half pagan religion.  Jesus saw the Samaritans not as an impure nation, but as a people that needed the gospel so He went directly through Samaria, breaking down this cultural barrier.

Verse 5,6  Jesus came to the city of Sychar, where Jacob’s well was dug.  Remember Jacob was was the son of Isaac.  He wrestled with God throughout the night, refusing to give up.  God touched Jacob’s hip socket, giving Jacob a permanent limp, which finally caused Jacob to surrender and admit his need for God.  This story surrounding Jacob foreshadows a similar struggle of this young Samaritan woman about to meet the Son of God.

Verse 6 tells us that Jesus was tired from His journey and was sitting beside the well.  This shows us the humanity of Jesus.  He grew tired, hungered and thirsted just like you and I.  John does not show us just the divine side of Jesus.  He shows us the human side of Jesus as well.  Jesus understands what it is like to be human.  Therefore, He knows firsthand your struggles.

Jesus then spoke to the Samaritan woman who had come to draw water at the sixth hour.  The Jewish day runs from 6am to 6pm.  So the sixth hour most likely meant noon.    People typically drew water at the end of the day and it would have been a social highlight for a woman.  The fact that this woman is coming alone during the heat of the day indicates that she is likely an outcast.  We later discover (verse 18) that she is indeed living openly with a man, her sixth in a long series of men.  So she may have chosen to go to the well during the heat of the day to avoid other women.

Ignoring her outcast status as well as her gender, Jesus speaks to her.  Strict Jewish Rabbis would not dare speak to any woman in public, including their wives, sisters, and daughters.  As we can see, Jesus ignores cultural and religious barriers. He doesn’t see an outcast, He sees a woman in need- a woman in need of living water, a Savior.

Application

 1.) Timing – Throughout the book of John, Jesus expresses His intent on doing and following the Father’s will.  Here we see how timing played a role in Jesus’ ministry.  He seems to quite easily change course whenever the circumstances demanded.  Often we base our career pathways and life decisions exclusively using our own wisdom and desires.

How would our lives be different if we were to seek God’s will before making decisions?  His wisdom far exceeds our own wisdom.  Going through life without seeking His direction is like embarking upon a long journey without consulting a single map.  Yes, eventually you reach your destination, but one can’t help but wonder how many traffic jams, detours, accidents, and hours of aimless wandering could be avoided if we first consulted the best map, our Father.  And I don’t mean sending up a single prayer, asking for a banner in the sky answer.  But really seeking Him for days, weeks, or even months.  How seriously do you seek His leading?

2.) Sacrifice – John mentions that Jesus was tired.  It seems like a mere mention but is it?  Think about this.  Jesus, who is with the Father in eternity, in perfect paradise, with no decay, no sickness, no sadness, no pain, in perfect communion and relationship with the Father and Holy Spirit, decides to leave all of that in order to become a human being.  He decides to wrap Himself in rags called a human body, experiences hunger, exhaustion, sickness, loneliness, betrayal, and yes, even death. He willingly comes to earth to heal, love and serve the very creatures He designed ,who will eventually crucify Him.  Most would call that insane.  Jesus calls it love.

How much of a role does sacrifice play in your life?  How often do you sacrifice your time, money, pride or comfort?  The definition of sacrifice is “an act of giving up something of value for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy”.  Ask God to help you examine how you spend your time and money.  It will reveal what you love most and how much sacrifice is a part of your mindset.

Philippians 2 says ” Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”    It is so easy to construct a life around personal pleasures and interests.  It takes time, effort and humility to include serving and sacrificing for others.  Jesus understands our struggles.  He grew weary, just as we do.  If He gladly chose surrender, if He gave His life for each of us, should not sacrifice be a dominant theme in our lives?

3.) Prejudice -Humans have been labeling one another since the beginning of time.  Pride in the human heart is always looking for a way to look down on a person or group.  We quickly judge whether someone is wealthy or poor, intelligent or ignorant, honest or dishonest, hard working or lazy.  A critical spirit comes easily from the human heart, but a loving spirit is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus never saw the color or ethnicity of the Samaritan woman, although He had designed every inch of her. He saw her true worth and need, and reached out in love through conversation. What an example for each of us.  Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is simply talk to one another.   It is helpful to remember that each person you meet is either carrying a heavy burden or fighting a battle.  Jesus knew every burden and battle facing this Samaritan woman and He knows yours as well.  He is not waiting in the wings to condemn you.  He desires instead to pour out His love and blessing upon your life.  Take some time to go to the well and have your own conversation with Jesus.  He is always waiting.

 

 

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John 4:7-14 The Woman at the Well

A,7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away to the city to buy food. 9 So the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus replied to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 

11 She said to Him, “Sir, You have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do You get this living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well and drank of it himself, and his sons and his cattle?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”

Observations

Woman at the Well- Breaking Down Racial and Cultural Barriers

Verse 7,8  Jesus speaks directly to the woman at the well who is a Samaritan, ignoring Jewish social and religious customs. Orthodox Jewish men would not speak to any woman in public, including their own wives, sisters or daughters.  But Jesus pays no attention to this Jewish custom and engages with this woman, for God’s desire is to make Himself known to all people.

An orthodox Jew would have considered any food from a Samaritan unclean. Eating or drinking from the same vessel would never happen.  So the fact that Jesus was willing to drink from the same cup as this woman and His disciples went into Samaria for food, show these barriers were coming down.

The Samaritan woman’s reaction to Jesus speaking to her reveals her shock of being addressed by a Jew for the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans went back centuries. When the Assyrians took Samaria captive, the Assyrians deported the Jews and replaced them with a collection of peoples from within their empire.  These people intermarried with the Jews that had remained, and were called Samaritans.  They were considered half pagan by the Jews, who had retained their purity.  (See 2 Kings 17).

Verses 10-12  Living Water

Upon hearing that Jesus could give her living water, the Samaritan woman thinks He is speaking literally. To a Jew, living water meant moving water like the water of a running river or stream.  So she asks Jesus if He is claiming that He can supply her with water from a stream.  If He could do this, He indeed would be greater than Jacob, who could not find a stream and had to dig the well.

But Jesus is speaking spiritually. He refers to this living water as the “gift of God”, emphasizing the free-ness of it.  He does not say that He is living water but that He gives it freely and that whoever drinks this living water would never be thirsty again. Jesus is pointing her to God, to the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus emphasizes this again later in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” For more on a discussion of what Jesus meant by living water, click here.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was always connected with empowering various people and also the prophets.  But the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was temporary. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit did not happen until after Jesus rose from the dead. For more on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts, click here.

Verses 13-16 Digging Deeper

Jesus tells the woman that the water He gives will become a source of eternal life.  When we believe in Jesus the Holy Spirit enters into us, bringing us an overflowing abundance of life, wisdom, guidance, comfort. The Holy Spirit empowers us to fight against sin, guides our minds, gives us new desires, and wishes to lavish us with His gifts (Galatians 5:22-23).

Application

1.) Jesus Driven By Love

By traveling directly to Samaria, instead of the long way around, Jesus ignores the cultural and racial barriers of HIs time.  He sees souls, not nationalities, genealogies, or religions.  He sees human beings made in His image and of great worth.  Love drives His actions.

Take a few moments to ask the Holy Spirit if there are any incidents which reveal hate, pride, discrimination or prejudice toward anyone.  Ask Him to show you if you carry negative feelings or stereotypical beliefs based on race, sex, religion, culture?

Jesus consistently models great love towards people from all cultures, groups, all religions, all genders.  Because we are created in His image, we have GREAT worth.  You have great worth.

2.) Jesus Gives Life Freely

I love the term ‘Gift of God’ that Jesus used to describe the living water that He freely gives.  He loves us while we are still sinners with no prerequisites.  We do not need to clean ourselves up before He offers us this gift.  In fact, we can’t clean ourselves us without the Holy Spirit. Sure, we can establish awesome 10 step programs to control addictions, we can build discipline in our minds and bodies to help us sin less, but we cannot create a new heart within ourselves.  Only the Holy Spirit can do this.

Are you reluctant to come to Jesus because of the things you’ve done or your inability to stop sinning?  The Samaritan woman had a very long pattern of sin. But her sin did not disqualify Her from being offered this free gift of God from Jesus.  And neither does your sin.  Jesus offers eternal life to anyone who will accept.  So what is preventing you from accepting this gift?

You have incredible worth, no matter how much you have sinned.  Jesus is always waiting for you.  He is knocking at your door of your heart.  His power,  His life giving Spirit,  helps you fight the very sin you hate and even the sin you love.  You cannot change your own heart.  Only His Spirit can give you a new heart, with new desires, and a new life.

Respond to Him now by asking Him to forgive you, to lead you and to give you a new heart with new desires.  He is more than willing to give you abundant life now and in the life to come.  We receive the Holy Spirit by simply placing our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:5-16).

For more on the topic of the Holy Spirit, click here.

For more on accepting Jesus as your personal Savior, click here.

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John 4:15-22 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well Bible Study Commentary

John 4:15-22

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw water.” 16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said to Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;  18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this which you have said is true.”

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.  20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain and yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, that a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.”

Observations

V15 The Samaritan woman again believes that Jesus is speaking literally.  She appears to be receptive to Jesus’ invitation of His living water.  However she could be humoring Him. Also, she might be self centered, wanting to save herself the work of coming to the well daily.  Not ever thirsting would sound great to anyone living in an arid region.

V16, 17 Jesus turns the conversation to the woman, asking her about her sin.  Instead of shaming her, Jesus wants her to see He is no ordinary man.  Therefore Jesus asks the woman to go get her husband, with total knowledge of her past and present living situation.  The woman responds with a very short response, admitting she has no husband.  Her short answer is in sharp contrast to her more lengthy responses, showing that she knows she is in the wrong.

V18,19 Jesus details the number of relationships this woman has had (a total of 5 plus the one she is living with), revealing that Jesus has knowledge beyond an ordinary man.  The woman is surprised at how much Jesus knows about her and therefore assumes He is a prophet.  Prophets in the Old Testament spoke for God by divine inspiration but prophets could also reveal special knowledge or insight about a man’s inner condition or circumstance (Luke 7:39).

V20  Now it is the woman’s turn to shift the conversation to matters of religion.  Where one should worship was a very hot topic of dispute between Jews and Samaritans.  The Jews believed that Jews must worship in Jerusalem, while the Samaritans believed it was Mount Gerizim.

Note: Many commentators believe that the woman was quickly changing the topic of conversation because she was ashamed of her sin.  However if she was truly convicted by Jesus’ words, she may have wanted to go to the Temple to give sacrifice, pray or worship.  If this man was a prophet, who better to answer the correct place of worship question than Jesus?

V21  Jesus uses her question to point her to God.  She leans heavily on where her fathers worshipped, but Jesus emphasizes how to worship.  With the coming of Christ, two things changed.  The Gentiles had full access to God and the temple lost its centrality.  Where one worshipped became irrelevant.

V22 Jesus directly tells the woman that Samaritans are worshipping someone they do not know.  What does He mean by this?  The Samaritans rejected the writings of the prophets, the historical books, and the psalms. Therefore, the Jews had a much more complete understanding of who God was and how to worship Him.  It was always God’s plan that salvation would come from the Jews.  The Jews were a nation set apart and led by God Himself.

Application  

1.)  Salvation is a Gift  – Jesus knows all the details of this Samaritan woman’s sin, and He also knows all the details of your sin.  Your sin doesn’t exclude you from God’s kingdom.  Only your refusal of God’s free gift of salvation will prevent you from eternal life.  What is stopping you from accepting this incredible gift?

2.)  You Can’t Earn Grace – Often many of us have difficulty understanding this concept of grace. We have an incredibly hard time accepting something we don’t deserve or haven’t earned.  But the bible is very clear that salvation is for sinners and it is a gift.  Thankfully, salvation cannot be earned.  The first step towards accepting this gift is seeing yourself as you truly are (a sinner) and who God is (perfect and holy).  This requires humility.

The Scriptures remind us who we are.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.  And Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”  Then we have Jesus Himself who said, “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12, 13).  All of us are spiritual beggars that need grace.

3.)  Point Others to God – Jesus is not drawn into the woman’s argument of where the “correct” place of worship is.  He uses her question to point her to the main issue, God Himself.  Therefore, He shares the truth about who God is, and chooses not to argue lesser details.  We can learn so much from Jesus.  Hence when talking with others about Christ, keep the main One the main thing.  Resist arguing about lesser matters and concentrate on the main issues.

For more on the meaning of ‘the gift of salvation’, click here.

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John 4:23-30 Worship in Spirit and Truth Bible Commentary

John 4:23-30

23 But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I am He, the One speaking to you.”

27 And at this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What are You seeking?” or, “Why are You speaking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water pot and went into the city, and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is He?” 30 They left the city and were coming to Him.

Observations

V23-24 Jesus tells the woman that true worshipers of God worship in spirit and truth.  What does it mean to worship God in spirit and truth?  The Greek word used for spirit is pneuma meaning wind or spirit.  But taken in context, Jesus is referring to a human’s spirit.  According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, pneuma can mean the rational spirit, the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, decides.  Therefore God desires us to worship Him with all that we are. This hearkens back to Moses telling the Israelites how they are to love their God. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Secondly, God wants truth to guide our worship.  The Greek word for truth used here is aletheia.   Aletheia is translated as unconcealedness, disclosure, revealing.  But altheia also can mean truth in accordance with ideas and reality.  So to worship God in truth means that you come to Him with a transparent heart, with all that you are, treating Him in accordance to what He has revealed about Himself.

Remember, God’s chosen people are the Jews.  He revealed Himself to the Jewish nation.  Therefore the Jews had the most complete idea of who God truly is.  Jesus was pointing the woman to the truth about God. God is a spirit, not bound to a specific location or building.  And if God is a spirit, then our gifts must be befitting to Him.  Those gifts must be spiritual in nature, like love, obedience, faithfulness, truthful worship.

V25  After this discussion of what true worship is, the woman seems to connect this knowledge with the Messiah.  Jesus seems to be sculpting the conversation to specifically reveal Himself to her.  What an incredible experience for this woman.  It would have been shocking for the Messiah to reveal Himself directly to anyone, let alone a woman in that time period.

NOTE:  There is no “he” in Greek.  Therefore, Jesus is actually speaking in the style of deity.  Jesus is really saying, “I that speak to you, I am.”  Jesus is proclaiming that He is God, the Messiah.

V27 The disciples return to the well, see Jesus speaking to the woman, but no one questions Jesus.  It is logical to assume the disciples somewhat respected Jesus’ authority and wisdom. They were learning that Jesus always had good reasons for the things He did.

v28-30  The woman abandons her waterpot in her rush to tell others about Jesus.  The fact that she left the pot at the well implies that she will return.  Her exaggeration about Jesus reveals the deep impression Jesus had made upon this woman.  The joy and urgency this woman brought to the village is exemplified in how the people responded.  They quickly came to see Jesus.

Application

1.)  The Importance of Truth – Jesus says that we must worship God in spirit and truth.  The truth about ourselves and about God are both of critical importance. Not only must we come to Him with honest hearts but we also must be willing to embrace the truth about who God says He is.

Our culture is more than willing to say that God is a God of love while ignoring God’s justice, perfection, righteousness and holiness.  To hand pick the qualities of God that you wish to honor, while ignoring others, is making a god of your own choosing, which is idolatry.  God has chosen the bible as the main way to reveal Himself.  Therefore if you want to know God, steep yourself in the bible.  This is one of the most beautiful ways God uses to talk to us.

Relationships thrive when truth and humility are valued and cultivated.  Conversely, relationships disintegrate when these qualities are absent.  So it is with our God.  When we come to God in humility and honesty, God is more than willing to shower us with grace.  God loves you and desiring a relationship with you.  Turn to Him in humility and be honest with Him.  Pour out your heart to Him.  He is eagerly waiting for you.  He loves you.  To see proof, look at the cross.

2.) Trusting God– When the disciples returned to find Jesus talking with a woman, a Samaritan woman at that, they did not question Him.  Since the disciples didn’t even question Jesus, this showed great respect and trust in Jesus, in his reasons and purposes.

Life is filled with circumstances that are difficult, painful and tragic.  We live in a fallen world.  How do you see your trials in light of God’s love, authority and purposes?  It is human nature to feel as if God does not love you when tragedy or heartache strikes.  However this is a lie of the devil.  Reflect on the trials in the lives of Job, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joseph, Paul and Jesus. God brought great purpose and good from all the trials He allowed in their lives.  And He will do the same for you.  He loves you.  God is always for you, never against you. He uses our heartaches and trials to refine us and grow us into the image of His Son.  For more on the topic “Is God angry with me” click here.

3.) Saving Faith Produces Change –  The Samaritan woman becomes convinced that Jesus is the Messiah after speaking with Him.  Not only does she leave her water pot behind, but she runs to the very people she previously avoided.  She is no longer focused on her shame, but instead focuses on telling others about Jesus.

The Samaritan woman exaggerates what Jesus said about her past which shows just how deeply she has been touched by His knowledge.  The people see this change, their curiosity is aroused and they come to see this Jesus.

What about your faith?  Has it produced any change in your life?  If you believe in Jesus, you have received the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy Spirit makes His home in you, He begins to change your heart, producing new desires.  New desires produce new actions, which lead to a changed life.  These changes are rather quick for some, but for most they are more gradual over time.  Jesus said that it is by our fruits that we are known as His disciples (Matthew 7:20). For more on signs of genuine faith, click here.

 

 

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John 4:31-38 My food is to do the will of Him who sent me John 4 Bible Commentary

harvesting of souls

 John 4:31-38

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.

35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored,  you have come into their labor.”

V31-34  Upon their return to the well, the disciples were concerned about giving Jesus something to eat.  When Jesus tells them He has food, they misunderstand Him.  Jesus uses their misunderstanding as a way to impart spiritual truths.  The disciples think primarily in terms of physical food.  However Jesus’ usual emphasis is always spiritual.

When Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me”, Jesus is saying that His food, His sustenance is accomplishing the Father’s will.  His words show such a clear understanding of purpose and a strong desire to please and obey the Father.  The work that Jesus was doing was not merely human work but work that was divinely inspired by God.  Jesus is so intimately connected to the Father in both person and purpose.

V35-38  Jesus then quotes what might have been a proverbial saying, “There are still four months, and then comes the harvest.”  Some commentators believe this was a phrase that was used when someone wanted to delay a particular task.  Jesus is speaking spiritually again,  stressing an urgency in harvesting not crops but believers.  We learn from verse 30 that people were coming to Him.  So by saying the ‘fields are white for harvest’ Jesus may be referring to the people in the fields who were coming to Him at that very moment.

V36  Jesus tells the disciples that those who bring others to Christ (reaping) are earning rewards that last into eternity.   He is encouraging His disciples to take part in the harvest so that they can rejoice together with those who have sown.  God is powerful enough to bring people to Himself, all by Himself.  But He loves to work through us and rejoice with us when others place their faith in Christ.

V38  Those who reap almost always do so because of the work of sowers who planted seed before them.  Both sowers and reapers work together.  Jesus may be referring to Himself and the Samaritan woman as the “others” that have labored.  We know that people are coming to Jesus because of His conversations with the woman as well as the conversations between the woman and the people.  The disciples did not contribute to their labor.  However Jesus invites them to be a part of the reaping and to rejoice.

Jesus sowed more seed than just this conversation with the Samaritan woman.  What other seed did Jesus sow?  The miracles He performed, the parables He taught, the life He lived, the death He died, the love he poured out on the cross – all seed that was sown from which His disciples would later reap.

Application

Devotion to the Father – In verses 31 through 34 Jesus stresses a very important principle.  Jesus’ main purpose was doing the will of the Father.  Obedience to the Father was central to Jesus’ ministry.  The disciples consistently misunderstood Jesus’ words because they were focusing on physical things.  But time and time again Jesus had to redirect their focus from the physical to the spiritual.

What is your main focus?  Would you say that you are devoted to doing the will of the Father?  Is Jesus Lord of your life or is He just a consultant, someone whom you seek out only when you are struggling or in need?   Set aside time today, seek the Lord, immerse yourself in His Word.  The Word is one of the main ways God uses to speak to us, how we learn about Him and what His will is.  Ask Him to refocus your goals, time, desires and priorities so that you may please Him more each day, bring Him glory and point others to Him.

Meditate: Jesus was so young when he began his ministry and when we was crucified.  He was in his young thirties.  His focus was on the Father’s will, to live and die as payment for our sin.  It is heartbreaking that Jesus died for us while He was so young.  Thankfully, He was so certain of his purpose.  Grace really is amazing and so is His love for us.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Live every day out of gratitude for what He did for us all.

Eternal Focus Produces Urgency – Jesus wanted His disciples (and you and I as well) to focus on eternal things.  Telling others about Jesus, teaching others about Jesus, living a live that “speaks” of Jesus all are a form of sowing AND reaping.  We can only plant seeds and reap what others have sown.  But remember, GOD is the ONE who makes the seed grow (1 Cor 3:6-8).  He wants us to join Him in this mystical process of awakening hearts to Christ.  Together with God and others, we reap believers which has eternal rewards and great joy.  Do you have a desire to tell others about Jesus?  If we meditate on how much the Lord has done for us, we should be filled with gratitude.  Let your gratitude move you to speak about Christ so that others can share eternity with you.

To learn more about the term ‘harvest’ click here.

For more on how God opens the eyes of our hearts to receive Him click here.

 

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