Jump Start # 101
John 4:35 “Do not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up you eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
Our passage today is a statement that comes from Jesus. The disciples were worried about Jesus. They had urged Him to eat (v. 31). Jesus responded by saying that He had food they didn’t know about (32). This prompted them to discuss among themselves whether or not anyone brought any food for Jesus (33). Realizing that they were not getting it, Jesus tells them that His food is to do the work His Father sent Him to do (34). Then comes our verse.
Food is nourishment, substance and energy. A person can’t go long without food. Our stomachs tell us when it is time to eat. A baby will cry any hour of the night when it is ready to eat. For Jesus, His nourishment, substance was to fulfill God’s will. That is what He came to do.
The verse today fits in this reasoning. Jesus is telling the disciples now is the time. A farmer realizes that there is a planting season and a harvest season. The carpenter, Jesus, is telling the disciples that the harvest He has in mind isn’t based upon the calendar. Typically the famer must wait several months after planting before the crops have grown, matured and produced the product to harvest. We understand that in here in the Ohio Valley. One doesn’t plant corn in May and then harvest it in June. That is not enough time for it to grown and mature. In this passage, harvest was still four months away. It wasn’t the season for harvesting. But in one of the greatest expressions in the Bible, Jesus says to “lift up you eyes.” The fields were white. The fields were ready. It was harvest time even though the calendar didn’t say so.
The harvest Jesus has in mind is the work of God. Now is the time. The fields are ready. The harvest is teaching the word of God. Far too many Christians and far too many congregations have given up on this. The cry today, “no one is interested.” And because of that we quit. Churches dwindle, brethren get discouraged, and hope is lost.
What’s the solution? “Lift up your eyes” is what Jesus says. Don’t give up. Don’t say it’s not the right time. “Lift those eyes up.” It may be that we are not seeing a harvest because our eyes are not lifted up. Look about your family? No one to teach? No one to encourage? No one to invite? Look about your school, your work place, your neighborhood? Do you see the crops are there to be harvested?
Now, how you do this is everything. So go at this negative and backwards. They say, “You probably don’t want to come to church with me do you?” and asking it that way, they will say, “probably not.” Some folks need an invite. Others need a CD of a lesson given to them. Some need a copy of a Jump Start emailed to them. Others need someone to answer some questions they have. We are blessed with so many Harvest tools in this congregation. Our jobs are not to polish these tools and line them up on the barn wall, but rather, get them out in the fields. Get some dirt on these tools. Use these tools. Be natural. Be kind. Think about what you’d want someone to say to you. But the harvest is ready. The pickings good. We just have to lift up our eyes. Too often, we’re looking at our selves too much. Or, we’re looking down too often. Open eyes is the key. There are things we all can do. It starts with a prayer. Pray for opportunity or open eyes. Pray for wisdom to know what to do best. Then get at it. Look about you today. I’d expect you’ll find some areas to get the Harvest tools out and start working. Open eyes!
Roger