Lesson 4488

 Lesson 4488)(05-17-24) John 4:31-38 

“In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” 

In today’s quote, the disciples urged Jesus to eat, but He responded by saying He has food to eat that they don’t know about. That saying confused them, as they wondered if someone else had brought Him food. Jesus clarified that His food is to do the will of the Father, the One who sent Him, and to finish His work. He spoke about the urgency of the spiritual harvest, using the metaphor of fields being ripe and ready. Jesus emphasized that the harvesters (those who spread God’s word) may reap what they have not labored for, building on the work of others, likely referring to the prophets and John the Baptist. Those “fields” are even riper today. Every Christian should be making every effort to spread the good news of God’s amazing saving grace through Jesus Christ to everyone who is willing to hear it.~