Words today is the day that the Lord has made so let us rejoice and be glad in it and everyone said Amen, so here's what I want to know Who here? When you were growing up You had chores to do Let me see. Okay. Let me ask you this get your hands down. Um Other venues want you to be raising your hands too on this one Who here got your first job as a teenager? Would you raise your hand? Interesting. Okay, put your hands down. By every study that's being conducted, kids are having less and less chores they're responsible for in the house. On top of that, there's been a 20-point drop in the number of teenagers who have a job versus 50 years ago.

The truth is, is that kids these days, I know we like to talk about kids these days, but the truth is kids these days are not being instilled with a sense of contribution and responsibility like they used to. And what we are finding out in studies is that this is having massive effect on how people don't go on to contribute to society. Having chores and having responsibility is a massive part of what it means to learn to be a functional part of a system and it starts within the home.

And it affects every single part of their life. And when I say every single part, I also mean their faith. And so what you have is you have an emerging generation of adults who are part of the church, but don't know what it means to actively contribute to what God's doing through the church. Because all their life, they've been allowed to just receive without contributing.

They've been allowed to just be given things without being taught the responsibility of what those things are. Cell phones. So here's the thing, kids are not growing up to learn this simple truth. Kids are not growing up learning this simple truth that we have a job to do. So today as we look at this we are continuing a sermon series called It Had to be Said. Now this is a tried-and-true old-school red-letter sermon series. This entire summer we are just looking at the words of Jesus Christ himself in scripture and I told you a couple weeks ago that I was going to kick off this sermon series with a little three-part sermon series to start this summer with and so today we are at part three of three looking at the story of the woman of the woman at the well and we're looking at these famous words of Jesus when he said that my food is to do God's will so if you haven't yet, would you please turn in your Bibles to John chapter 4 Jump down to verse 27 if you want if you could John chapter 4 We're on page 1131 if you want to use the Bibles that we have provided if you are just joining us here for the first time.

Welcome. I am so happy that you're here. Let me catch up the speed where we're at in our scripture So Jesus is at this well and this woman comes up and they have this conversation. Jesus uses this opportunity to reveal some pretty amazing things to her. This woman is drawn water from a well and Jesus says to her, that water will satisfy you for a time, but I have water that will satisfy you for eternity. That sparks a theological conversation that results with Jesus for the first time revealing that he is in fact the Christ. He is the coming Messiah, but he is not just the Savior. He is her Savior. And one of the amazing things we see in this conversation is that Jesus brings her life out into the light with all of its brokenness. And one of the amazing things about that is that Jesus shows us how to do this in a way that doesn't come across as condemning, but as a way that is caring, because He's showing her that there is something better that God has for her. And He's having this conversation, and that's where we're gonna pick up in our Bible. So would you hear the word of God,

John chapter four, verses 27 to 42. Would you hear God's word?

John 4:27-42

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 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 yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

This is God's word. Let's pray and we'll continue. Let's pray. Father in heaven above, Lord, we thank you for the truth of your word. We thank you for these words of our Savior, words that had to be said. And we ask you here and now by the truth of your word and by the power and presence of your Holy Spirit that you would be with us now that we might not just hear your word, but we receive it, do it, and be transformed by it. And it's in Jesus' name that we pray these things and everyone said amen. Amen.

So as we close up this three part sermon series, let me remind you of where we come from. Week one we looked at how Jesus reveals that he offers eternal life and you don't get to just say that without actually delivering on it.

So week one we see how Jesus makes us this huge promise that he reveals eternal life, which led to the second week where we see that Jesus reveals that he is the Christ. That's a claim there's no coming back from. He reveals he is the Christ and today, as we close up this little story, we'll see this. That Jesus reveals he has a job to do and so do we.

Jesus Reveals He Has a Job to Do - And So Do We!

Now as we look at this passage here today, we're gonna break it up into two main parts and here's what we're looking at. Jesus says he has a job to do and so do we. First thing we'll see how our job is to continue gospel work. So let's jump right into it here today.

1. Jesus' job is to do God's work (vv. 27-34)

Jesus' job is to do God's work. So the last few weeks as a church, we've been looking at this powerful conversation that Jesus has between himself and this woman at the well. And Jesus reveals that he offers eternal life because he's the Christ.

They discuss theology together. Jesus brings her life out into the open. He reveals her sin, but through it all, doesn't condemn her. He cares for her. This woman's amazed, and what she does,

she runs back and tells everybody, "'Don't let that just be black and white words on a page.'" That was a very powerful thing this woman just did. She went back and told everyone. And for Jesus, it's like all in a day's work But I want to look at that first first point here the sub point here to this is the woman responds to Jesus Look at your Bibles. Please keep your Bibles open verse 27 just then as he was having that conversation the disciples came back.

They were marveled that he was talking with a woman as you remember we talked about In that context in that culture that really wasn't appropriate. That didn't happen very often But they but no one asked. What do you seek or why are you talking with her? Basically, they come back they stumble on this what would appear to be a somewhat awkward conversation But no one asks questions They just kind of let it be so the woman Left her jar verse 28 the woman left her jar and went away into the town and said to the people Come see a man who told me all that I ever did could this be the Christ and they all went out of the town and were coming to him. Church. That that was so powerful.

I'm not for making some words bigger in the Bible and other words smaller They all they all carry equal truthful weight But sometimes I think we just pass over something that was said and we'd miss the immense power that was behind this. I Love this because do you know what this is? This woman shows us what a right response is to a true encounter with Jesus Christ. When you look at scripture, every time people have an interaction with Jesus and they acknowledge who He is,

their knee-jerk reaction is to go and tell people about Him. I know that we are just rolling into summer, praise God. I know that we're looking at multiple days of 90 degree heat.

I still say praise God. Praise Him in the storm and in the heat. I know we're getting into summer and it's getting hot, but this interaction here with this woman, it reminds me of Christmas. Remember that story of the shepherds who were out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night? Remember that? And the angel of the Lord comes to them and tells them that Jesus has been born and so they go to see Jesus in the manger Remember what happens once they see Jesus in the manger the baby Jesus verse Luke chapter 2 look at verse 17 and 18 says this says when they when the shepherds had seen him the Christ child When they had seen him they spread the word concerning What had been told them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to him, said to them. They see the baby Jesus, even the Christ child, even the baby Jesus they see and they have to go and tell everyone about him.

This woman encounters not the baby Jesus but the adult Jesus and she has to go and tell people about him. And this is what we see time and time again. When people have a true encounter with the risen Christ and they acknowledge who He is, their knee-jerk response is to go and tell people about Him. I'm afraid some of us have had a real experience with a Christian tradition, but you have not had the experience with the risen Christ. Because when you have an experience with the risen Christ, when you truly acknowledge who He is and allow His atoning work to work in your life, I don't know how it's possible to contain that to yourself. I entirely get how it's possible to contain a tradition to yourself, but I don't get how you can understand who Jesus Christ truly is, how the Spirit works within you.

I don't understand how you cannot go in some form or fashion, share that with others. So my question for you is, have you just been coming to church or have you been going to the feet of Jesus?

I think your life kind of shows us the response. This is a massive challenge to us all because it needs to be. Every day that goes by is one day closer to the end. I don't know when it is, I just know that every day that goes by we get closer to it. Which means the window is shutting. Are you seizing the opportunities that God is providing for you every day? Here's the reality, church. We are all, all of us, we're natural evangelists for something. Whenever you encounter something good, I know you share it. Whether it's your favorite sports team just winning something, whether it's a new hair product, whether it's a new song. Some of us are very quick to share political memes.

Yeah, I'm going to let that one hang for a second. Are you so quick to share Jesus?

Because what do you think the world really needs to know? Jesus is too good not to share and this woman, mind you, if you were here with us in the sermon series, you know, this is a rejected, ostracized woman who has an extremely checkered past of being used and abused and constantly giving herself to the wrong guy. This woman has a true encounter with Jesus and she goes back to the very people who were rejecting her and ostracizing her she goes back to them to tell them about Jesus she's doing something that many of you hard working men are too scared to do and that's actually speak the name of Jesus let this woman's testimony be a grand challenge to us all.

And yes, to do this means we have to set aside our pride. But if you've spoken against or if you hate Pride Month, then you best be the one setting your pride aside. And one of the ways that we do that is by having a conversation with someone about who Jesus Christ is. Christians who keep their mouth shut about Jesus, I just don't know how you do that. This woman shows us the right response to a true encounter with Jesus, and that's to go and tell people. That leads to the second sub-point I want to talk about here, that Jesus relies on God. This is a powerful thing we see from our Lord. So the disciples had gone into town to get some food, they come back, they left Jesus at the well, and they come back to Jesus, we'll pick up in verse 31. It says, meanwhile, the disciples were urging him,

Rabbi, again, means teacher, Rabbi, eat, eat something. 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? Where's he gotten food from? But Jesus said to them, no, no, no, guys, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

I tell you, with my experience doing evangelism, this happens all the time. When I share about Jesus and what he teaches, so many people want to respond or they want to engage the conversation simply through worldly or natural means. But Jesus, one thing you need to understand, Jesus is always bringing us to a deeper spiritual truth. I'll say something like this to someone when I talk about Jesus. I'll say Jesus is the way. And you know what I hear so often? It's like, the way to what? The way to live?

It's like, yes, that's definitely a big part of it. But the deeper spiritual truth is that Jesus is the way back to God. Because people don't automatically think deeper or more spiritual. That's what Jesus helps us to do. See, the disciples said, teacher, eat something, eat something. He says, I have food you know nothing about.

So what do they think? They think he's already had lunch. But Jesus is announcing his mission and that it's a heavenly and spiritual one from God. That's another clear example. What we see here, when Jesus talks about how he has food to eat, that's the will of God. This is a beautiful example of Jesus living out his very own teaching.

Remember that story in the Bible where Jesus is out in the wilderness and he's fasting and the devil comes to him and the devil is trying to tempt him to break his fast? And the devil says, hey, I know you can turn those stones into bread. Just turn them into bread and just have a bite to eat. We all know you're hungry. Remember what Jesus says? I love this. Matthew chapter 4 verse 4, but Jesus answered, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Jesus is living out his own teaching here. Because even Christ shows us something that we've all forgotten, that we need to rely on God. That's a nice little statement, isn't it? We need to rely on God. Let's finish the sentence. We need to rely on God for everything. In fact, I want you to say that with me. We need to rely on God for everything. Everything. The very breath you take is an act of grace from God.

That's a kindness and a goodness from God to you that you don't deserve, that He does not have to give to you. Every breath is an act of grace of God. We need to rely on God simply for the air that we breathe. I talk to so many Christians and so many Christians say things like this. They'll say I Want to see God move more in my life. I want to see the moving of God more in my life I get it. But the first thing I want to say to them is Open your eyes. Like open your eyes. He is he's moving every single day that next breath. That's God's gift to you God is always moving in your life But then I'll say something like this because I know they want to have a real conversation. I'll say, the reason that you're not seeing God move is because you're not relying on God for every single thing. Because, Church, the reality is the more we walk with God for every single step, the more we see Him in every single moment. Christ is saying, even the food I eat is a reminder that I'm here to do God's work.

Christ came from heaven with a job to do. He's modeling for us what it means to rely on God for every part of it. And then we see him turn to his disciples and he teaches them, sharing with them this simple truth that it's our job now to continue gospel work. Christians, let me give you a question that I think is a challenge that many of us need to hear. How engaged are you in gospel work? How engaged are you in gospel ministry? How engaged are you in any work that involves the clear sharing of the message in the name of Jesus? I'm not asking what good things you do in the name of God to make us have a better society. That's great. There's a place for that. I'm asking you what work if you are a Christian, what work are you engaged in that actually goes to advance, announce, promote and share the name of Jesus Christ and the gospel? Because here's the thing, I'm challenging you to think about this not just because you should be doing it, but also because the world so desperately needs us to be doing it. To be out there doing work that shares the message of Jesus. Christ is going to show us that it's our job to continue gospel work.

2. Our job is to continue Gospel work (vv. 35-42)

So let's look at this first point, that it's our turn to work. So Jesus is speaking to his disciples and he goes and he speaks to them on their level. Go to verse 35. He says, 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. So at this point, the disciples and us should already be aware that Jesus is not speaking just physically here.

He's speaking spiritually. So when Jesus says, quote, the fields are white for harvest, what he's doing is he's giving a visual image of a grain field. I know that many of us are not farmers, we probably don't understand what's going on here. So when grain is ready to be harvested, it turns a white type of color.

So when Jesus says that the fields are white for harvest, that just means ripe or ready to be harvested. But Jesus, you know, isn't speaking about fields of grain here. He's talking about people. He's not speaking physically. He's speaking spiritually.

Jesus, I've said this before, in this story, you can't forget the powerful context to the story. So Jesus just had this amazing, but relatively brief conversation with this woman that would forever change her life. And so Jesus tells his disciples, look around guys, look around. This is a perfect example. People are so ready for the truth. The time is ripe. People are ready for it. So I want to propose something here and I want to see if you agree with me. I think we are living in a somewhat similar time. I think we're living in a time where people are desperate for truth. I'm telling you, now is the time. I don't like to speak in these terms, but with how far the woke side has gone and is

going, a lot of people right now are being like, hold on a second here, I don't know if I can go that far.

With everything that's happened in our culture and the world in the last four years, I think a lot of people are like, hold on a second, I'm not sure I'm getting the whole truth here. And some level, I think in their heart or in their mind people are waking up to a colossal lie that they've been told They've been they're seeing how the direction that the world is going. They know isn't ultimately good, but they don't know the actual truth.

They just know something's wrong. This is where we step in taking our time to work to share that truth You say to them? Yes, you're right. Things are not pointed in the right direction But let me show you the right way that it is. And that's where you announce Jesus and his plan. Jesus has this amazing conversation. He says, look it, I'm telling you guys, people are ready for the truth, so go out there and share it. People are ready for something real. I mean, I think so. Do you think so? So let's go out there and be the ones that actually give them the answer that they're looking for.

But before we go on to verse 36, I want to make sure that we clarify our terms here, because while I know that hobby farming is like all the rage right now, I know not all of us are farmers, so let's make sure we clarify our terms here. When the Scriptures talk about reaping and sowing, let's just clarify here, a more common way that we would talk about this would just say picking and planting. Those who sow are the ones who plant. But when harvest times come and your veggie garden, your salsa garden is ready, you go in here, you pick your veggies, you harvest them, you reap your vegetables. Clear, are we clear on this? So this passage, Jesus is the one who plants or sows, but the disciples are reaping and harvesting. So let's go to verse 36.

Verse 36, already the one who is reaping is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life. And this is where you stop as a good student of the Bible and you say, okay, what are the wages and what is the fruit of eternal life? Well, the wages, again, Jesus is not speaking physically here. It's not money.

It's the spiritual reward for the work of the gospel, which Jesus answers very clearly for us at the end of this verse. It's joy.

And if you think, well, that sounds very underwhelming, then that shows me that you've never experienced the joy of seeing the fruit of gospel work. Because when you see and experience the fruit of gospel work, it is better than all the money in the world. The joy of seeing people receive and flourish in the gospel, there's nothing like it. Jesus is saying to the disciples, He says,

you guys haven't even gotten to experience the pleasure of heaven yet, but you are already receiving your eternal reward because you're getting to experience the joy of gospel work. Because that's what Jesus means when he talks about gathering the fruit of eternal life. When Christians share the gospel with others and people believe in the name of Jesus for eternal life, well, that's experiencing the joy of gospel work.

That's reaping the harvest of eternal life and then Jesus says this he says so that the sower and the reaper so the planter and the picker may rejoice together Jesus is saying the reward or the wages of what we get for gospel work is joy and again if that sounds underwhelming to you you've just shown that you haven't experienced the joy of gospel work because once you experience that, it's better than everything else. And I just want to say, that's what I want to be a part of.

I want to be a part of gospel work with gospel people doing God's work in this world. I'm sick of the political strife. I'm sick of the cultural brokenness. I just want to share the gospel and hang out with gospel people, and I want to rejoice in my Savior as part of that work. Is anybody here with me? Church, this is all about laboring together. Together.

Gathering on Sunday morning, then dispersing and going out. Doing this together. That the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. Look at verse 37 and verse 38. Jesus says here, for the saying holds true, one sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap for that which you did not labor. Others have labored and you have entered into their labor. So there's a lot going on here. Let's just do a Bible study here.

Jesus is saying, yes, yes, boys, you've got a job to do, but remember, you can't take all the credit. You're just continuing what someone else started here. Because that's gospel work. We are continuing the work that started so long ago. It's just our time.

The question is, is are you going to respond in this moment because it's your time to?

Our job is to share the gospel, but let me remind you that we cannot make anyone believe that's the Holy Spirit's work. That's why we can't take all the credit. We share the gospel and we let the Holy Spirit do the work in someone's heart, but it's our job to share the gospel.

Our job is to continue the work of the gospel, but now, once we do that, it's people's turn to receive. Church, we need to give people a chance to respond to the gospel by sharing the gospel with them. The woman that Jesus had been speaking with, remind you, let me remind you, she'd already gone back into the town to tell people about Jesus. And just as Jesus said, the fields are ready for harvest, people are ready to receive the gospel, they receive what she says, they want to come see for themselves.

Go to verse 39. So many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me all that I ever did. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them.

And he stayed for two days, and many more believed because of his word. Church, it's our job to model Christ. It's our job to tell people about him, but then we have to let the Holy Spirit do his work. But we have to do ours as well. So ease your soul from being the burden of someone's Savior.

You're not, Jesus is. Also ease your soul from the burden of this is of thinking that you you do this in order to attain or retain your salvation. That's that's an act of grace. We don't respond in order to receive salvation, we respond because we have received salvation. But people have to hear the gospel so that they can get a chance to receive it, and that's what Christians do. Verse 42, they said to the woman, it's no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world. So Christians in the house, hear me on this. As we go out there and share the gospel, it's not your job to fulfill some sort of quota about how many souls lead to Christ. You lead to Christ. Your job is not to fulfill a quota, your job is to be faithful to Christ.

So it's like this. Let's say that you work on a farm and the boss comes and says, hey, I'm going away for a little bit, go out and work in the field and go out and pick the corn. And you say, okay, okay, boss, how much, how many bushels you want me to pick today? And the boss says, it's not, it's not about how many bushels you gather. You just keep working until the end of the day or until I return. There are numerous parables in the Bible that are just like that, making that point that Jesus has left, but he's left us with a job to do. And we do that job until God calls us home or until our king returns So whether Christ returns or you breathe your last breath either way you must be found doing the king's business Church.

When Christ returns, what will he find you doing?

With your last breath. What will you be doing because I'm here to warn you about something. Christians in the house, let's be real honest with ourselves. Some of you work really hard at your job, but you've gotten real lazy with the King's work. You crush it at your job. You get in those promotions, you're advancing every opportunity, you're seizing the day. You're advancing in your kingdom of this world, but you're not working for the kingdom of God and His business.

Some of you are real good at swinging a hammer, but you have not yet once ever shared the name of Jesus. Some of you are real good at twisting wires, some of you are real good at closing that sale, but you haven't ever actually shared the name of Jesus.

Before I go on sabbatical, I just want to lay an enormous challenge before us all that I am also giving to myself, that we're not going to let this summer go by without doing the King's work.

Amen.

If you're a Christian in the house, let me just tell you, you don't do this alone. You do this with the truth of God's Word and with the power of the Holy Spirit. Your job is to continue the gospel work until you're called home or the King returns. Let me give you a couple of verses to encourage you. Colossians 3 says, whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord, the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Corinthians 10 says, whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. Christians, where do you serve God? Where do you serve God that's advancing the name of Jesus? Where are you given financially to the work of the name of Jesus? Jesus says to us, look, I tell you, lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest. Now is the time. Yes, this is a terrible time to be alive, but it's also an amazing time to be alive. This is an amazing time to be alive. The opportunities are just endless for Christians right now to go out there and share the gospel. So are you doing it or are you just sitting lamenting, posting about how terrible the world is right now?

This is the time God's given to us in all the history of the world. God decided for you to be born at this time. How amazing is that? So get to work. Join in the gospel work of what Christ has started. He invites you into the king is coming back. Let's be found preparing for his return because church. Let me remind you, Jesus reveals that he has a job to do. And so do we. Our king has died on the cross in our place for our sins and then he conquered death when he rose again on the third day. Why wouldn't you share that? So church, the gospel is such a wonderful beautiful thing. We're gonna actually gonna we're gonna celebrate the gospel right now through having communion together and my prayer is that it spiritually nourishes you to go and do the King's work. So let's prepare our hearts right now. Let's pray as we prepare for communion.