Just after Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, the disciples returned. They were focused on meeting Jesus’ physical needs and satisfying his physical hunger. But Jesus wanted the disciples to turn their eyes to a spiritual need all around them. He wanted them to lift their eyes and look at the Samaritans coming toward them; these people were hungering and thirsting for God.
Jesus said the “food” that nourishes Him was the work God had given Him to do. Accomplishing God’s will pleased Jesus so much that He didn’t need food to nourish His body. Then Jesus used an example of a harvest to describe the world’s spiritual needs:
- Harvest – those who come to faith in Christ
- Fields – unbelievers around us
- Crop – the result of a believer’s work in conjunction with Christ that produces new believers
- Sower – a person who shares the truth about Jesus
- Reaper – a person who helps people receive Jesus as Lord and Savior
- Wages – joy, fulfillment, God’s approval of the believer’s work, and believers’ future treasures in heaven
Jesus explained the disciples’ mission. He sent them to go into the harvest field and reap a true harvest, which is eternal life. Even today, believers have a part in this mission. Sometimes we are sowers; sometimes we are reapers.
The Samaritans were focused on knowing more about Jesus. They first believed in Jesus based on the woman’s testimony. Then the Samaritans asked Jesus to stay with them. They listened to Him teach for two days. After this, the Samaritans knew Jesus was the Messiah and believed for themselves that He was their Savior.
After spending time with the Samaritans, Jesus returned to Galilee, His home country. He visited several towns there. A royal official from Capernaum approached Jesus while He was in Cana. He begged Jesus to heal his sick son. The official knew that Jesus was his last hope. The Galileans were focused on Jesus performing a miracle. The royal official was focused on saving his son.
Jesus rebuked the Galileans for seeking signs and miracles. But the official continued to beg Jesus to heal his son. Jesus said, “Go. Your son will live.” The official took Jesus at His word. Jesus did not give the man a sign. The man trusted that Jesus would heal his son.
The official returned home the next day. Before he reached home, his servants found him on the road and said that his son was healed. The official realized that his son was healed at the same time that Jesus spoke to the official. Then the official’s entire household believed in Jesus because of this miracle.
Things to Think About
- Ask God to make you a coworker with the Holy Spirit and with fellow believers to work together to bring people to God.
- Participating in God’s work is about exalting Christ not self.
- What work does God have for you?
- Do your actions express a real faith in Jesus?
- You can take Jesus at His word because He is trustworthy.
- Who in your life needs to know about Jesus?