John 4:31-38 ESV
“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 said to one another, ‘Has anyone brought him something to eat?’ 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, then comes the harvest”? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.’”
Jesus Christ, when he walked this earth, often spoke in parables and with phrases and words with symbolic meanings. So sometimes when he did that his disciples did not immediately catch on to what he was saying, and thus sometimes they took him more literally rather than figuratively. Usually, as far as I can recall, he then explained to them what he was saying so that they would understand his meaning. And it seems to me that he did this in a way to capture their attention and to teach them a spiritual truth.
Jesus’ disciples were concerned for Jesus that he had not eaten in a while, but Jesus responded in a way to let them know that physical food was not his priority. For at that moment in time, he had just had a lengthy conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well where he explained to her the gospel of our salvation and where he revealed to her that he was the fulfillment of the prophesy of the Messiah, the Christ, whom the Jews had been expecting and for whom they had long awaited his appearance.
But when the disciples showed up, the woman left her water jar and she went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” So the people who listened to her went out of the town and they were on their way to see Jesus. But while Jesus was waiting for them to show up, he had this conversation with his disciples. And the reality of this situation was that the woman and her townspeople were Samaritans who the Jews did not associate with.
So, physical food was not what was on the mind of Jesus at that moment, but what he appeared to be thinking about, instead, was the salvation of human souls for eternity. And I believe this wasn’t just about the Samaritans who were soon to show up, who Jesus knew were going to believe in him, although that certainly fits with the field being ripe (ready right now) for harvest. But his mission on this earth was to bring about the salvation of human souls via his death on that cross, and via his resurrection.
So, Jesus’ point to his disciples, I believe, was of the priority and of the immediacy of necessity to reach human lives for faith in Jesus Christ so that they could believe on him and have eternal life in him. And the things of this world must take a backseat, so to speak, to the priority of getting out the gospel message of Christ to the people of this world. But that gospel message must be the gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught, and not the one widely being spread across America today.
For to do the will of God for our lives should be regarded as our top priority, too. And his will is first of all that we are crucified with him in death to sin, and that we are raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For he died on that cross to deliver us out of our lives of slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him in walks of holiness and in obedience to him. And then we are to share that truth with the people of this world.
And so we should be praying for opportunities to share the gospel message with others. And right now, in America, the internet is still open for that, but not in all locations, and not even on all “Christian” websites, for many who call themselves “Christians” have deserted the gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught in order to run after an altered and diluted gospel of human origin which appeases human flesh and which appeals to the ungodly of this world, because it does not require death to sin and living to righteousness.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
When I Go Home
By G. M. Eldridge
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” Revelation 21:4
In the moment He appears
And the light from heaven shines,
I’ll forget ev’ry fear,
Ev’ry pain I’ll leave behind.
Then I’ll see Him as He is
And I’ll know Him as I’m known.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.
Ever present is the tho’t
That a moment waits for me
When unworthy as I am,
His glory I will see.
I will empty all my praise
Before my Father’s throne.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.
If the trial I endure,
And your presence I can’t find,
Be near me, Lord, I pray,
Bring back unto my mind
That your promises are firm
And I’m never on my own.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z98Zvr1CyXg
Caution: This link may contain ads
No comments:
Post a Comment