TOPIC:“There's a Christian Way to Witness”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:John 4:30-39
“I have sent you to reap a harvest” (John 4:38, Phillips)
No doubt you have all at some time heard the familiar statement, “It's harvest time.” That is, the season has arrived when it is time for us to gather up the ripened crops from the fields. But I wonder, How many of us have ever heard such a thought expressed out of season? Certainly not many, if any. To all extent and purpose this just doesn't happen. We don't put the sickle to use until the crops are ripe for harvest. That is the law of harvest which is laid down by nature.
But here enters the difficulty. Within the context we find the Lord of the Harvest pointing towards the green fields of the Samaritan countryside, and amazing His disciples with the statement “the fields are white already to harvest” (v. 35). Our problem, therefore, is to determine what our Lord meant by such a thought, realizing, that it was only about the end of January, some two and one half months to wait before the crop would be white enough to harvest. Under God, and by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, may we solve the problem. Let us now come to grips with this matter of sharing our faith.
I.
Consider, as we begin, how the Lord of the Harvest points out the SACREDNESS of the TASK. Think of this as we find it in verse 34: “My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Berkeley puts it in these words: “My nourishment is that I do the will of My Sender and completely do His work.”
Now this saying of Jesus can only be understood if you allow your imagination to be awakened to the glorious facts which are now before us. The Master was in Samaria. His disciples had just returned from buying food in a nearby village. Upon their arrival, they were astonished to see Him talking with a Samaritan woman, thus trampling under foot the Jewish tradition which stated that no man must ever be caught holding a conversation alone with a woman, and especially, a Samaritan one at that.
The disciples, being wise, kept silent about this controversial issue, but went right on and urged Him to eat. Then revealing His heart to them, Jesus said: “I have food to eat that ye know not of” (v. 32). “My food is to do the will of him that sent me” (v. 34). “Now,” says the Master in effect, “there is a hunger in Me much more deeper than the physical. It is that hunger of wooing and winning people with the message of eternal life.” Then, gesturing towards the Samaritan lady, who had left her water-pot at the well, Christ said, “I have had a feast . . .