Spiritual Harvesting

Jesus’ disciples interrupt His conversation with the Samaritan woman, by their return from Sychar. They had gone there to purchase food. Their unvoiced surprise ‘that he was talking with a Samaritan woman’ reflects the prejudices of the day. But Jesus Himself was not hostage to those prejudices.

John 4:27 And upon this came His disciples and marveled that He talked with the woman.

In God’s providence, Jesus and the Samaritan woman met at the well at just the right time, harvest time.

Spiritual Harvesting Sustains Life In A Different Way

John 4:32 But He said unto them, “I have meat to eat that you know not of.” In John 4:34, Jesus said unto them, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.”

John 6:27 Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you; for on Him hath God the Father set His seal.

That which sustains life more than physical life is doing the will of God. Working with Christ in sharing and seeing others trust Him sustains life with energy and purpose like nothing else.

Is there anything godly that we get so excited about that we are willing to miss a meal, television show, hunting, shopping, or sports, in order to be a part of it?

Spiritual Harvesting Demands a Present Urgency

John 4:35 Say not ye, ‘There are yet four months and then comes the harvest?’ Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest.

Jesus uses the analogy of the harvest to point out that now is the time for people to understand who He is and trust Him.

Because of His finished work on the cross, every day can be a spiritual harvest day in the life of an individual.

We do not have to wait for any thing else special to happen. His word, the word made flesh shared, and His Holy Spirit working, is all that is necessary to see a spiritual harvest. It’s all that we need. The disciples had no time to waste to make that truth known.

Not everyone, everywhere is ready to hear and receive the gospel, but someone, somewhere is ready right now. As believers we know what to do. Our problem is not information, our problem is procrastination.

There is no present wait time for us to be a part of the harvest.

Because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, now is the time to harvest.

Spiritual Harvesting Will Enlarge Our Lives

The harvest involves many different workers.

John 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One sows and another reaps.

John 4:38 I sent you to reap that where you had not labored, other men labored, and you have taken part in their labors.

The spiritual harvest gives us the chance to be a part of something much larger than ourselves.

We are often privileged to harvest where others have worked, plowed, and planted.

Spiritual Harvesting Brings a Personal and Corporate Reward

John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the saying of the woman who testified, “He told me all that ever I did.” 4:41 And many more believed because of His own word, 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 Savior of the world.”

It is exhilarating to be a part of the spiritual harvest, witnessing and sharing what God is doing in others lives. It is a privilege and a blessing that He allows us to be a part of the process. We do not make the harvest, but how exciting to see it and be a part of what God is doing.

1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Let’s always be ready to take part in a spiritual harvest, as God allows.