John 4:31-38 The call of New Testament believers is to forgive sins and bring eternal life to the world

John 4:31-38 The call of New Testament believers is to forgive sins and bring eternal life to the world

Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

Background

The disciples’ return occasioned an object lesson on the new era of eternal life and the harvest. Jesus charged His disciples to place the call of God above personal needs. The advent of Jesus has opened the door of eternal life in God’s kingdom. New Testament believers are now equipped with divine power to forgive sins and live out the full counsel of Christ’s teachings. Today’s devotion teaches us: The call of New Testament believers is to forgive sins and bring eternal life to the world.

Observation

But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

The disciples returned with food and eagerly offered it to Jesus. Jesus, upon noticing their fixation on food seized the opportunity to teach them about their divine calling and mission. Jesus’s reply, “I have food to eat that you do not know about” served as introduction to His object lesson. Jesus taught about spiritual food which is to do the will of Him… to accomplish His work. As man cannot sustain his physical body apart from physical food, likewise man cannot sustain his spiritual life apart from spiritual food which is to do God’s will. Here, Jesus charged them to feed on the spiritual food of God’s word and to do His will.

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.

Jesus elaborated on the subject of the work of God by pointing to the ongoing harvest. They were in the midst of the barley and wheat harvests that last from April to July (four months). Jesus declared that the appointed time had come for souls to be harvested into God’s kingdom. And Jesus solemnly charged His disciples to preach and lead people towards eternal life. Eternal life is a state where one is rebirthed, having their hearts regenerated to live out the full counsel of Christ: to love God and to lay down one’s life for another. Indeed, the advent of Jesus has opened the door of eternal life in God’s kingdom.

For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

The disciples of Jesus are reapers called to bring to fruition the work of the sowers. The sowers refer to the priests, prophets and patriarchs of the Old Testament; those who taught the Law. Indeed, this occasioned a double joy of ushering in eternal life and realising wages on behalf of the sowers. As reapers of the New Testament, how will the disciples’ ministry differ from that of the sowers in the Old Testament?

The sowers of the Old Testament can only teach the knowledge of the Law and warn people of the consequences of disobedience. However, they have no power to remove the hardness of the people’s hearts. On the other hand, the reapers of the New Testament teach the full counsel of Christ’s life. They also possess the authority to forgive sins by breaking its bondage. In essense, reapers can lead believers towards eternal life, something sowers cannot do.

Sowers – they impart knowledge of the Law and warn people of the consequences should they disobey. But they cannot lead people to obtain eternal life.

Reapers – they teach the full counsel of Christ and break the bondage of sin for those who believe. In so doing, the people may obtain eternal life to love God and love others.

The advent of Christ had ushered in divine power that which the priests and prophets of the Old Testament can only dream of. The blood of Christ that was offered through the Spirit is able to cleanse man’s conscience to serve God with a pure heart. That said, Jesus also disarmed the rulers and authorities of darkness (Colossians 2:15) causing believers to triumph over them. In Luke 9 and 10, Jesus was recorded as giving authority to the twelve disciples and later to the seventy to heal diseases and cast out demons. After Jesus resurrected, He also gave His disciples authority to forgive sins and to release men from sin’s bondage (see John 20:23).

Truth

The call of New Testament believers is to forgive sins and bring eternal life to the world.

The disciples were so fixated on their personal needs that they were oblivious to the woman, the fruit that is waiting to be gathered for eternal life. They were so preoccupied with food, they missed out on what truly matters. But Jesus was single-minded towards the heavenly call and was constantly looking to forgive sins and bring eternal life to all. Indeed, all believers must accomplish the mission and not be sidetracked by the cares of life.

Food and material wealth are but resources which believers use to accomplish the work of God. They are means as opposed to being the focus of life. Material wealth does not make life abundant, but a life of charity will. Yet, many are preoccupied with what they will eat, drink and wear, making them the focus of life. They work long hours to accumulate wealth so that they may feel secure and spend it on their pleasures. They surround themselves with the latest gadgets, and clutter their weekends with entertainment. Such are apathetic towards the needy and shunt away at the mention of them.

Jesus taught that abundant living necessitates the consumption of spiritual food; which is to obey the call of God. When Jesus was tempted to focus on his personal needs by turning stones into bread, He spoke of man’s greater need to live by the call of God (see Matthew 4:4). Regrettably, many though rich on the outside, but are rotting on the inside. Their souls parched with thirst while standing at the threshold of hell. Such will hear the very words that Abraham once spoke to the rich man, “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.” (See Luke 16:25).

Therefore, as New Testament believers, it is wise to consider simplifying and re-ordering one’s life to focus on what truly matters; to forgive sins and bring eternal life to all.

Believers can exercise the full authority of Christ to bring eternal life to the world.

Jesus sent the disciples to reap the harvest by giving them authority over demons and to heal diseases. He also gave them the authority to forgive sins that held man captive. However, many in today’s churches behave like sowers of the Old Testament. Firstly, they do not preach the full counsel of Christ. Secondly, they are not anointed to break the power of sin or cast out demons. Because members of the church are inadequately discipled, new believers cannot experience eternal life as promised. Eternal life is synonymous to the life that Christ lives. And without eternal life, these will also find the words of Jesus impossible to follow. Subsequently, the church considers the full counsel of Christ a tall order and omits them. In so doing, they also remove from the church the key to eternal life (see John 6:68).

Therefore, it is paramount that the church of the New Testament receive the authority of Christ to forgive sins to teach the full counsel of Christ and bring eternal life to the world.

Application

Do you as a believer live the eternal life? Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. To know Jesus is to understand the full counsel of His teachings:

• Jesus must have our highest loyalty (see Luke 14:26).
• God’s Kingdom concerns must take precedence over all other concerns (see Matthew 6:33).
• One must be prepared to lose all possessions to become a disciple of Jesus (see Luke 14:33).
• In order to bear the fruit of eternal life, one must die to his aspirations, rights and fleshly nature (see John 12:24).
• One must put God’s interest as well as the interest of the kingdom above his own (see Luke 22:42).
• One must forgive those who hurt him (see Matthew 6:15).
• One must lay down his life for his friends (see John 15:13).

Is your life cluttered by work such that you have little time to read the word or to serve the needy? Is your soul burdened by mortgage payments or distracted by financial investments? Simplify your life by getting rid of luxuries and things that you do not need. Begin by being a good and considerate spouse… a patient and exemplary parent to your child… a filial son or daughter to your parents… a thoughtful friend … a conscientious worker and evangelist at the workplace. Let eternal life begin at home, then in the church and in the workplace and beyond.

Are your efforts in evangelism effective in bringing eternal life for the hearer? Are you anointed to forgive sins, cast out demons and heal diseases? Do not give up in seeking out a teacher who is gifted in this aspect of ministry. When you find your teacher, humble yourself and submit to his authority. Above all, seek God for the anointing to reap the harvest towards eternal life.

 

Dear Lord, I will simplify and re-order my life so that I can invest my time and resources in things that truly matter. Anoint me with your power so that I may bring eternal life to the people around me. Regenerate me so that I may obtain eternal life; to live out the full counsel of Christ’s teachings. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.