Jesus has just converted a woman with a very sorted background and very unsatisfactory life. He’s completely transformed her life, and now she’s a believer on mission. He’s begun a work there in the area of Sychar, and now there’s more work to do on the way….
After the woman leaves and the disciples return, Jesus says the following:
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.”
What’s Jesus on about? He’s saying He has satisfaction in life that’s not merely food, trivial, or fading. He finds life’s purpose and satisfaction in doing the will of His Father. That’s why He came! To save sinners. That brings Him joy, accomplishing His Father’s work.
He’s working, not for something that won’t last, but for fruit for eternal life. The disciples have trouble seeing beyond the fading, material, transient things of life – and He doesn’t want to leave them there! He wants to invite them into His purpose, His pursuits, and His joy! For Jesus, He doesn’t have to plant and wait months for the harvest. With Jesus, He plants, and the harvest is immediately ready.
Unfortunately, you can’t see how we acted this out in youth group, so let me just ask you to image with me.
The town of Sychar was most likely one mile to the north of Jacob’s well, where Jesus was. At this point, the woman has run back to the town of Sychar. In between the well and the town, there would’ve been a harvest field, likely newly planted.
As Jesus speaks with His disciples, people start coming to find Jesus based on her testimony about Him. These people were probably not rich, and so would be dressed in white, the cheapest colour of clothing back then.
Jesus stands talking with His disciples at the well. The disciples were focused on getting Jesus to eat, then distracted speculating where Jesus got this “food they did not know about.” And that’s when Jesus says, “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.”
I think it’s at the moment, when Jesus tells them to lift up their eyes, that they can see all the people coming through the field toward Jesus. A wave of people, all dressed in white, coming towards Jesus in a newly planted harvest field. Jesus points to that field and says, “The fields are white for harvest!”
Screenshot That!
It’s an invitation to join Jesus in His mission and joy. Will you?
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