Sunday, September 12, 2010

John 4:27-54 My Meat is to Do the Will of My Father

Key Verses: 32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?" "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4: 34-35 NIV

Have you ever been so passionate about a project that you were working on that you "forgot to eat"? As much as I love food, it has actually happened to me a few times. This is how Jesus felt about the mission that he was sent to do on earth!
Read the account below:

27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."
32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."
33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.
42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
Fred’s Commentary: Jesus lays out for us a wonderful example of passion to do the will of God. Jesus first priority was to do the will of God and to finish his work. Everything else paled by comparison, even his need for food. This passion to do God’s will allowed him to cut through cultural norms and religions barriers and delay his need for food. He even changed his schedule in order to get the Gospel to the Samaritan woman and her people.

Questions to Ponder:
1-Do I think of myself as being sent by God?
2- What am I passionate about? How hungry (passionate) am I to do the will of and the work of God. What passions do I put before God’s will and God’s work?
3-Do I think about the fact that I have Living Water (eternal life) to offer unbelievers??
4-Who are the Samaritans (the social and religious outcasts in my life who need Living Water?
5--Am I willing to be misunderstood in order to take the Gospel to people different from me?
6--Am I willing to change my schedule in order to stop by Samaria to share the Living Water?

Prayer: Lord, make me hungry to do your will. Make me " hungry" to do the work you sent me to do! Help me see the fields ready for harvest. Help me go into the fields and reap! In Jesus Name!

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