The Fields Are White

John 4:25-35

Introduction

1.       I will be 70 years old next year and my years of evangelism are drawing to a close from what I began more than 45 years ago

2.       From the heart of Jesus before His return to the Father:  Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8

3.       The mission of the church:  To seek and save the lost

Discussion

1.       The Samaritan response to Jesus

a.       The origin of the Samaritan people – 2 Kings 17  

b.       The origin of their temple on Mt. Gerizim – Ezra 4:1-3  

c.       Jesus breaks convention, prejudice and animosity to speak to a Samaritan woman and the villagers from Sychar – John 4:9  

d.       The result of Jesus conversation with the woman at the well – John 4:39-42  

2.       Jesus:  the fields are white unto harvest

a.       A brown field is a field freshly plowed and ready for sowing  

b.       A green field is a field of crops that are growing and maturing  

c.       A white field is a field where the crops have reached maturity and are ready for harvest  

d.       Jesus described the Samaritans as a “white” field – John 4:35  

3.       “Harvesting” the fields

a.       The harvest began with Jesus talking to a stranger about spiritual matters  

b.       The harvest will be done by people committed to being like Jesus – Gal 2:20  

c.       The harvest will be done by people who know God’s Word – one learns by doing what has been learned  

d.       The harvest will be done by people who love those who are lost – Luke 18:10-14 (people who are like the tax collector, not the Pharisee)  

e.       The harvest will be done by people who are willing to take risks – Acts 9:13-14 (Ananias’s response to the Lord’s command to go to Saul)  

Conclusion

1.       Those who have been baptized here

2.       When we baptize 100 people, we will have 100 people worshipping God in this place

3.       Where do you stand in your relationship with God today?