What if God... Saves Sinners? (John 4:31-38)
Here is Sunday’s sermon manuscript. You can also watch and listen here.
Every fall in Karis, I take three weeks to cast some vision for our church. What are we all about as a people? Where might God want to take us next? I raise questions like that. Soon, we’ll get back into the book of Galatians. But during these three weeks - that I began last Sunday - I want us to ponder and pray about three specific questions. Here they are:
How do we demonstrate right here - at this moment, in this meeting, that we believe the real ministry of the gospel is one of prayer?
How do we encourage one another - right here, right now - to be God’s means of reaching our neighbors with the gospel?
How can we seize this very moment - as well as the rest of our week - to care with one another through the gospel?
Last week, we looked at the first. And I asked, “What would our lives and our church look like if we really believed that prayer was the most important thing we do?” Today, I want us to think about the second. “What would our lives and our church look like if we really believed that God wanted to use us to reach our friends and neighbors and co-workers and classmates?” How would things change? What would need to change? Because, I think if we were honest, and we assessed our lives as individuals and our life together as a church, we’d have to say that we so often don’t live like we really believe that.
Karis, we’re a people of the gospel. We cherish and proclaim what Jesus came to do, is doing, and will one day bring to completion. He’s redeeming us - and all His creation - through His life, death, and resurrection.
This is and always has been a message - not just to be affirmed - but to be shared. But too much of the time, we keep it to ourselves. I don’t think what’s “up here” is getting “down here.”
And that’s what I want us to imagine through this series. If what so many of us know to be true - that God wants us to reach those around us with the gospel - if that really became something that we felt - how would things look different - in you and me? In Karis as a whole? And what would it take for us to get there?
I’ll follow a roadmap that’s along the same lines as last week. We’ll look at why we don’t live on mission as we should. We’ll talk about how we can help each other change. We’ll think about what it might look like if we actually did. And we’ll close once again with some time using our imagination and calling out to our Father in prayer.
Why We Don’t Live On Mission
First, let’s think about why don’t we live on mission as we should. We learn a lot from what Jesus says to His disciples in the passage we just read. After Christ’s interaction with this Samaritan woman - and we’ll get to that in a bit - He explains to them what just happened. And He does it with an illustration. He says something about food and where that food comes from.
The disciples offer Jesus something to eat. He’s no doubt hungry - and probably thirsty. They say, “Rabbi, eat.” And then Jesus gets confusing again. “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
And the disciples say to themselves, “Did he call Grubhub while we were at the market?” And Jesus explains. He says in verse 34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish His work.”
Why don’t we live on mission as we should? We first don’t comprehend the fulfillment that’s found there. What’s our Lord saying? Doing God’s will - and here He’s talking about God’s mission - is what sustains Him. Right? But it’s not just that. It’s what satisfies Him. That’s what fills Him up. That’s what gives Him pleasure. And that’s true for us. It’s what allows us to live a healthy, vibrant life. There is fulfillment in being a part of God’s mission in the world.
But most of the time, that reality never hits our hearts. Why’s that? Distraction, I think, is part of it. Our time, our talent, and our treasure go most of the time to other things - to lesser things. We’re entertaining ourselves to death and amusing ourselves away from life. When this amazing feast is right before us.
Distraction isn’t the root problem. It’s also devotion - idolatry. His creations, His gifts, aren’t meant to fill us up. But we try to get them to do that. Instead of giving thanks for them, and making them a means of His mission, we get our hearts, our affections, wrapped around them. But friends, hear me: we have something so much better! We can’t afford to trade down.
What else does Jesus say here? Why else do we turn from this calling? We second don’t see the harvest all around us. Look at verse 35 again. He says, “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.” Jesus is saying, “Hey, you’re used to planting stuff and then waiting patiently to bring it in. But the future is now! There’s a harvest around you - already. You don’t have to wait to the end to see it. My kingdom has broken in. So get your eyes off the ground. And let’s start bringing it in.”
Do we see the harvest around us? Most of the time, I don’t think we do. I think there at least a couple of reasons why. Despair. We tend to think no one will ever come to Jesus. We’ve tried a few times, and nothing’s happened, so we’ve kinda given up. But that goes so much against what Jesus has said here. He says there is harvest around us - right in front of us. We lack faith.
But I think it’s something more than that. Pride. If we’re believers, why did we respond to the gospel message? Are we more spiritual, more wise, smarter than everyone else? No. I think there is this sub-conscious, “they won’t get it like we will,” thing we carry around that really amounts to arrogance.
Jesus tells us there is this field, ripe for the harvest, all around us. People will hear. People will respond. And He wants us to get to work in that field. And believe that as we do, He’ll work. And we can’t forget. If we’re in Christ, we were once there. In that field. How can we look down on those that are there? And how can we ever forget where we’ve come from?
One thing I think we need to keep asking is what God might be doing through this difficult last couple of years. And here’s something I’ve been thinking. These days have made it pretty clear that there’s more of mission field in America than we realized. Now the United States has been moving the way that Europe moved many years ago - from what you could call Christendom to a post-Christian society.
I think a post-Christian society we understand. We grieve it. But we comprehend it. But what’s Christendom? It’s a society where there’s the shell of the Christian faith, but there’s really not the soul. Laws without grace. Truth without love. People call themselves Christians. They often go to church. They affirm certain aspects of the Christian worldview. But the heart is gone.
This pandemic and the political stuff surrounding it over the past couple of years have exposed this “Christianity” for what it is. Let me give you an example. You see Jesus here in this passage, approaching this Samaritan woman. Samaritans were looked down upon by Jews. And women weren’t respected and cherished in that day, either. And Jesus goes out of His way to go through that land and lovingly speak to that woman. And offer her water. So beautiful, right?
Now juxtapose that image, of a compassionate, tender Savior with that of an American “Christian” saying, “If the Taliban shoots you, that’s not my problem. Stay out of our backyard.” Those things just don’t go together. And that kind of attitude couldn’t possibly be more at odds with the heart of our Lord Jesus.
So here’s what I’m saying. We haven’t had much of a problem, turning to our “left” and saying there’s a mission field over there. And there is, in this post-Christian pocket of America. But the last couple of years have also exposed that there’s a field over to the “right,” in this Christendom that remains, among those who may call themselves Christians but couldn’t be further away from His teachings. There’s this massive mission field around us. 2020 and 21 have made that pretty obvious, if we’ll only have eyes to see it. Jesus sends us into this mission field!
Well, let me move on. Why else do we not pursue His mission? We third don’t realize our privilege in being a part of the work. Hear what our Lord says again in verses 36 through 38.
John 4:36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
John 4:37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
John 4:38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Now these words seem kinda cryptic at first hearing. But Jesus is saying that he’s arrived. And with Him, the harvest. He’s sowing the seeds. The disciples are reaping the harvest there with Him. And they’re rejoicing there together in what God has done.
Do you catch what a privilege that is? That we get to be God’s instruments? Sowers, yes. But even reapers. We’re God’s means for reaching the world, for sharing the good news with those around us. The Lord could have saved everyone like He did the apostle Paul - knocking us to the ground. But no.
He turned Paul into one who would go out and sow seed. And who would also reap - as He shared the truth of what Christ came to do. And that’s the privilege the Lord has also given to us.
I take my kids to the Mizzou football games because I want to be with them. I want to get excited with them. The Lord wants to include us. Because He loves us. He could have come up with other ways. It’s not like he ran out of other ideas. Or found himself needing a bunch of help. It gives Jesus joy to see our joy - as we bring in this harvest together.
But what’s Jesus also saying in verse 38? He’s telling His disciples that we get to reap the fruits of the labors of those who’ve gone before us. Who’s He talking about? Probably John the Baptist, yes - and his followers. But he’s also talking about the prophets and authors of the Old Testament - all of those who were looking forward to a king and a kingdom - and never got to see it. Talk about a privilege! We get to see it. And see it expand. We’re a part of something really big!
But here’s why I think we so often don’t embrace the privilege and we avoid His mission. Doubt, first of all. We struggle to believe that we’re up to the task. But we can’t forget. Yes, we’re His instruments. And that’s an amazing privilege. But, it’s Jesus doing the work through us. If we feel weak and incapable, if we think we lack the answers or the integrity or whatever, that’s the point. He wants to display His power through us.
But here’s a second thing that holds us back: fear. That’s how we also miss out on this privilege, on this joy. We worry about what people think, so we shy away for our calling. But friends - and I’m talking to me, too - we have to concern ourselves with God’s approval - what brings Him joy. It’s Him we should fear, and Him alone.
If we want to think about what any humans think, maybe we should envision the prophets in heaven - watching us tiptoeing around, witnessing us stay silent. They might ask, “You’re there - at that point in history. You get to live on that side of the cross. And you’re not talking about it? How could you not? Do you not see the privilege you have?” Friends, what a blessing we have in this mission! Let’s cherish it. Let’s pursue it.
How We Can Encourage One Another
Second, let’s talk about how we can encourage each other toward change. Here, I think it’s important that we see those words we just read in their context. Remember what’s happening? Jesus is with His disciples, and He passes through Samaria. Most Jews in that day avoided that place and those people. They looked at the Samaritans as half-breeds and as heretics.
They looked down on them. So they took the long way around it anytime they could. But chapter four, verse 4 says Jesus “had to pass through Samaria.” Jesus has work to do. He’s constrained by the Spirit to pass through there. And He wants to teach us something.
And there, He walks up to this woman. Men didn’t do that in that day. And she isn’t just a woman and a Samaritan one. She is an immoral woman. And Jesus comes up to her and begins speaking to her. And it kind of freaks her out. Now in saying what He does in verses 31 to 38, He’s trying to teach His followers, including us, to follow in His footsteps.
Let’s think for a bit about how we should encourage one another. First, pray and dream. With one another, we should ask, “Who are those God would want us to reach? Who are those He’s bringing across our path?” It’s good to think about the places God may want to take you - where you can connect with people and share Jesus. It’s also helpful to think of a few people - maybe 3 to 5 - and pray for them regularly - people you meet in those spaces - asking God to work in them and provide you more opportunities to share with them.
Second, pray and go. Friends, we have to leave our Christian bubble, first of all, and go into the world. And, as we do, yes, Jesus will give opportunities among people we may be comfortable around, with people who look and act more like us. But He also will take us to places where we might not feel quite as much at home. Where we’ll really have to learn on His strength. Among people who are different from us. We have to be ready for those opportunities, as well - when He takes us through what may feel like Samaria. And even ask Him for them.
Third, pray and look. As we go, we ask God for opportunities. We have to be watchful. The disciples probably didn’t notice the woman by the well - they didn’t really want to. They had places to go. But Jesus did. It’s so easy to stay in our own world, to pursue our agendas - oblivious of the people around us, unaware of what God might want to do. But we can ask Him to help us see.
Fourth, pray and listen. We tend to think about mission or evangelism as what we say. But Jesus meets this woman and does a lot of listening. It would do us well to do a lot less talking as we go about building relationships with people. It’s far better to ask questions, to get to know their stories, to hear about their hurts, to listen for their questions. How can we share Jesus with those we don’t know? Why would they listen if we don’t seem to care?
Fifth, pray and share. Now people aren’t projects. We love people because they’re humans, made in God’s image - whether or not they ever become Christians. But because we want to truly love them, we share the good news. So we pray for opportunities, and as we find them, we speak.
Now football season starts this week, and I’m pumped. I want to encourage you to think about how you engage people in three ways. Let’s start with offense. As God opens doors, this is presenting the good news of Jesus. What does Jesus do here? He tells her where living water is found. We have to do that, also.
As people ask, we should tell our stories - of how God rescued us, of who we now are in Him. But we also tell God’s story, of what He’s doing in history through Jesus. How He’s bringing redemption in the world. That’s offense.
Let’s take defense. Maybe you’ve heard the word “apologetics” before. It’s giving a defense for what we believe. As people raise objections, we seek to lovingly answer them. Now this can seem overwhelming, right? We never feel like we know enough, that we’re up to the task. But there’s a couple of things I want to say about this.
First, set some more attainable goals on this. Instead of trying to prove the existence of God beyond a shadow of a doubt, why not familiarize yourself with the biggest objections people have with Christianity - and having basic answers for them?
Here’s a big one, as an example. Why could a good God allow for suffering? Well, we’re not totally sure, but if He’s God, isn’t it possible that He understands things that we don’t? Did you know that the wild thing about our Christian God is that He came and experienced our suffering? And that He made a way for suffering to come to a full and final end? That’s just an example. And there are great helps out there for that.
But here’s a second thought. And we need to go about this in a gracious way. We’re not trying to win an argument, but win them to Jesus. But when you play defense, the offense is across from you. And they have to run plays, too! When people ask us questions like, “So how do you explain suffering?,” we should also ask questions like, “Well, how do you deal with it?” We don’t always have to be on the defensive. We as Christians aren’t the only ones that have to explain ourselves. I think many people will realize, as many of us have, that they don’t actually have a story that explains things quite like the Christian story.
There’s one more area I want you to think about. What do you have in football? Offense. We share what Jesus has done. And how He’s changed us. Defense. We give answers for why we believe it. You also have special teams - everything else: punts, field goals, extra points, kickoffs - things like that. Now those are the things that often swing games one way or another.
Here, we do things like help people move. Or have them over for a meal. Or visit them in the hospital. Or give them a ride. Or loan them some money. Maybe give them a shoulder to cry on. Other, special things God might use to draw someone to Him. We share not just our words or our answers, but our lives. We pray and share.
Now we do all of those things in community. Talking to our brothers and sisters about opportunities God is giving. And praying together for those people. And, as God permits, we’re inviting those folks into that same community. Introducing them to our family of faith, where they can begin to experience the love of the gospel, while they’re grappling with its message. Sixth, pray and introduce. It could come at many different points in the process, but it’s so important.
As we do all of these things, we pray. We ask Him to work. Did you catch that theme? Seventh, pray and trust. We walk away. We await the next opportunity - believing God really intends to use us. And we keep praying, believing that He’s in control.
Now this week’s question again is this: how do we encourage one another - right here, right now - to be God’s means of reaching our neighbors with the gospel? Those are some ideas. Let’s now talk about what it could look like if we obeyed Jesus in this area.
What Things Could Look Like if We Believed
Third, then, what would it look like if we did live like this on mission? If we did encourage one another in this way? Much like last week, let’s think about our individual lives first and then our life together second. First it would show up in our individual lives.
We’d seek to be regulars in restaurants and hair salons and grocery stores and athletic clubs, seeking out opportunities to share Jesus.
We’d keep a list of people we’re praying for, asking God for open doors with those folks.
We’d seek out people who don’t look and talk and act just like us. And we’d ask questions and listen and learn.
We’d involve our lives and families in our community. Helping out in schools. Joining city commissions. Taking part in art walks.
We’d pursue hobbies with missional intentionality. Sports teams. Knitting clubs. Game nights.
We’d head for the places of greatest need in our city - the homeless shelters, the agencies that care for the poor, orphans, refugees, widows.
We’d use our homes for hospitality any chance we could - inviting people over for meals, engaging folks in conversation.
We’d seek to get to know co-workers and classmates outside of those contexts - taking in meals or drinks to get to know people more.
We’d slow down and pray and seek out opportunities. We’d stop and have conversations. We’d try to learn people’s names. We’d ask people how we could pray for them. We’d bring up Jesus in our conversations.
Second, let’s again think about our life together. What would it look like if we encouraged each other in this way?
In our Sunday Gatherings, like here today, we’d be full here with people who don’t know Jesus. We’d constantly invite people to join us throughout the week. We’d be welcoming as they did come. We’d all talk and act like there were people around us who didn’t believe, because there would be. The baptistery’s water would be warm every week, because we’d need to use it.
Elders and other leaders would be inundated by questions following the gatherings from people new to our faith. We’d be busy in prayer before and after with people who were hurting and confused. We’d all be rejoicing as we saw God working powerfully through us, among us.
In our Missional Communities, we’d pray together passionately for those we’re seeking to lead to the Lord. We’d join in with our brothers and sisters, helping them in that, as they try to love those God has brought across their path. Helping a sister’s co-worker move across town. Going to a sports bar with a brother and a friend from his class. We’d intentionally go as groups into spaces where we’ll meet non-Christians. Playdates at parks. Craft nights at the library. Things like that.
Our MCs would be made up of more non-Christians than Christians. We’d regularly walk through evangelistic Bible studies in our groups with those who don’t yet believe. We’d routinely see people come to trust in Christ.
In our DNA Groups, we’d hold each other accountable to truly engage and share Jesus. We’d pray fervently for one another as we try to be faithful missionaries. We’d pray earnestly together for those God has placed along our paths. We’d rejoice as we came together each time in all that we’ve seen the Lord do.
Pursuing Reformation and Revival
Imagine all of that. I think it’s something we’d all love to see. Though, we have a ways to go, don’t we?
I think about the apostle Paul who writes the book of Romans. In chapter 10, verse 1, he talks about his own people, the Jews, who have strayed from their God. And he says this: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” In the chapter before, in verse 3, he goes even further. He says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers…” Now that’s passion. He’d rather go to hell than have them miss out on heaven. That’s heartfelt. And his entire life reflected that.
Do we see this kind of passion in us? Recently Pastor Jeff Mingee asked these questions on social media: “If God answered my evangelistic prayers this week, who would come to know Christ?” And, “if God worked through my evangelistic efforts this week, who would come to know Christ?” I think most of us would have to answer honestly, at least for many of our weeks: “None. Zero.” But what do we do about it?
There are two things that we need to pursue all the time. They’re things I talk about all the time. The first is revival. We ask the Lord to work in our hearts, to renew our affections for Him. We ask Him to “rend the heavens and come down” as Isaiah puts it, and do something powerful in our midst (Isa. 64:1).
The second is reformation. We seek to conform our lives to what God’s word says - to have our lives reformed by the Scriptures. We do what He asks. We obey. And we often find Him softening our hearts as we do.
So let’s say we want our lives and our life to look like this. What do we do? We ask. We act. We ask Him, believing He can do far more than we could possibly imagine. We act, obeying what He tells us to do on mission. Going out and seeking to make disciples. Pray for revival. Pursue reformation.
Using Our Imaginations, Calling Out for Power
I want to finish similarly to what we did last week - with some time using our imagination and then some time in prayer.
First, take a few minutes and just envision. If you really believed this - that God wanted to use you to reach those around you - how would your life look different? What would you see? What would change? In your routines? In your homes?
Now, what about in our church? If this were the case, and you walked in on a Sunday like today, how would things be different? What about in your Missional Community? What would you see? What can you imagine? If we lived on mission in this way?
Let’s close by spending some time in prayer. Let’s ask God to help us see the ripe fields. And to help us go out and work in them well.