Who Will Sow and Who Will Reap?

Tom:

We are going through the gospel of John with a particular emphasis on the gospel and the salvation we have in Christ and as we’ve been saying our life in Christ begins with our understanding of the gospel and our acceptance of it by faith.Dave, we’re continuing where we left off last week, well we will back up a little bit, but I want to go to John:4:35Say 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.
See All..., “Say 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.”Dave, I get excited about this.I remember one Reaching Catholics for Christ Conference and Joe Jordan spoke about the fields are white!And he just exhorted us to get out there and get on with encouraging people, witnessing, evangelizing.This incredible gift that we have received—eternal life, what would hold us back from sharing that with anybody, everybody as the Lord leads certainly, but opportunities, I mean it’s a fantastic way of fulfilling not just the Great Commission, but what Christ has called us all to do.

Dave:

Well we love all those around us, even our enemies we are supposed to, our neighbors with the love of God.It caused Him to give His Son.Some people are ashamed, afraid—

Tom:

Self-conscious….

Dave:

Yes, well as though there is something to be ashamed of.Because society gives you that idea.You know they look down on Christians and so forth. We have nothing to be ashamed of.They can’t support what they believe.We have the truth on our side and we have good news.It’s something really wonderful and we have a wonderful Savior to commend to them.

Tom:

And this is a free gift.It’s not like we are trying to sell somebody something or move them into our cult or whatever.This is God’s Word; this is God’s truth.

Dave:

We’re not trying to get them to join our church, or as you said, our cult.No, we just want to bring them to Christ.Yes, so the fields are white unto harvest.

Tom:

John:4:36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
See All..., “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”And you do rejoice knowing that God is using you in the life of somebody else.Whether it’s just planting a seed and sometimes it’s not by word, but it’s just by our actions.Just how we react to things.I mean we’re hopefully a living witness for Christ.And sometimes we are a reproach that way, I am sorry to say.

Dave:

That can cause them to want to know more, but of course, a loving, compassionate, self-sacrificial life isn’t going to give them the gospel.So we have to do that as well.

Tom:

“And herein is—

Dave:

Tom, let’s go back.I wanted to talk about the wages.That’s not the kind of wages you put in the bank here on earth.This is a reward for eternity and I don’t understand it because first of all, I am not worthy to receive a reward if I introduced a thousand people to Christ.He does it.It is the work of the Holy Spirit and yet He is so gracious He gives us a reward.I think the reward is the joy of knowing we have pleased Him; that we’ve done His will.As Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me to finish His work.”

Tom:

Dave is there any greater joy—you think about it in your life—than pleasing someone, and knowing you’ve pleased someone that you love?I can’t think of anything.

Dave:

No, that we could please Him, He is infinite, the Creator of the universe, that we could please Him, that’s not going to bring pride to you, you know.It doesn’t build up your self-esteem as we are told we need, but it brings a joy.It’s like a—it’s not a good illustration, but it’s like a dog wagging its tail, knowing that it has pleased its master.We are not animals, we are made in the image of God, but nevertheless we are his servants and we are rather pitiful creatures.We don’t know how pitiful we are and how far we come short of really knowing Him and knowing His Word.There’s so much more, but nevertheless what joy we can have to know that we have pleased Him.That’s wonderful!

Tom:

Verse 37, “And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.38) I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”Dave you know sometimes we work at—and it’s very difficult sometimes, you’re dealing with somebody and you want so much, particularly a relative, you want so much for them to know, to receive the gift that you’ve freely received and you get nowhere and it’s just utter frustration because of your love and it is your love that compels you to do that. On the other hand, I’ve had experiences where you couldn’t get away from a person.They were so hungry that it was almost like an inconvenience.You know on the one hand you want to do it, on the other hand, you are preoccupied with something else and these people— I’ve been on plane trips like that, where somebody sat down next to you, and you thought wow, who put this person [here].It makes the trip almost a flight to heaven.

Dave:

Yes, well someone sows, someone else reaps and God gives the increase, we quoted that last program I think.Paul said, “I’ve planted, Apollos watered, God gives the increase.”It’s all of God and what a privilege that we could be workers together with God the scripture says.And in verse 39: “And 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.”

Tom:

Now I don’t get that Dave.Why would they—it’s almost like a hearsay thing?I mean they weren’t there.

Dave:

Well she says this man told me everything.He must be the Messiah; because we know when the Messiah comes he’ll tell us all things. I think that was what brought the initial faith.They believed her word, her testimony.And they believed well he must really be the Messiah, but of course, they came out to see for themselves and then I’m sure that the Lord convinced them.But it says, (Verse 40), “So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.41) And many more believed because of his own word…” and this is what they say, 42) And 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.”

Tom:

And Jesus preached to them so we don’t know all the content, but….

Dave:

We don’t know what He said.That must have been something.This is rather amazing, isn’t it?As you’ve been emphasizing, these Samaritans were despised.You don’t have anything to do with them, why would you, she says to Jesus as he asks her for a drink, you’re a Jew, why would you talk to me, a Samaritan?But the Lord knew their hearts.He knew that there were some people there in that city.This woman and others, unlikely.It happens to me on airplanes.Sometimes this person sitting next to me seems the most unlikely person and I almost don’t even try to talk to them.Just their demeanor or they’re very important, they are on their cell phone you know, and the guy is the head of something-or-other.I remember sitting next to a man who is dealing all over the world before the plane gets started.You can’t talk to somebody like that.And the Samaritans?Very unlikely.They were despised.Who’s going to bring the gospel to them?What would they know about Christ?But they had some idea that He was coming and that He would tell them everything.How deep their understanding became in those two days, we don’t know.But they believed on Him the scripture says this is what we are told and they believed that He is the Savior of the world.So they have a deeper insight than those who when we come to in chapter 8, remember it says, (John:8:30-33 [30] As he spake these words, many believed on him. [31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [33] They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
See All...) “As he spake these words, many believed on him.Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?”It says, “Believe that He is the Savior of the world.”He had to go into some detail to explain that to Nicodemus.So this is an amazing incident here.God gives us some insight into this.

Tom:

Dave I want to go back to—I was just thinking about it here.When do you go back?I mean there will be some like the Samaritans, there will be some like these religious Jews who all they want to do is argue, we have situations with regards to neighbors or relatives that we’ve tried and we’ve tried and we’ve tried and seemed to have gotten nowhere.How do we go about that?Do we kick the sand off our sandals and go on with business or what do you think?

Dave:

It’s—you know we have to be careful that we explain—you in your opening remarks as you said we were in John and we’re trying to get into the gospel, you know understand the gospel, you emphasized understanding.Matthew 13—the seed, we’ve talked about it many times—the seed that fell by the wayside, the birds of the air came and took it, the disciples said what is that, Jesus said when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not, then comes that wicked one and takes from the heart the seed that is sown.”So we must be very, very careful that we explain the gospel clearly.We can be superficial or just emotional, we want to be sure a person understands. Now how long do you keep pushing this?We don’t push it on someone I don’t think.Jesus said don’t cast your pearls before swine.Someone that obviously doesn’t want to do anything but argue, I think you are wasting your time.We have to commit that to the Lord, pray about it and hopefully the seed that we’ve planted, somebody else will water.