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January 13, 2008AM

John 4:31-38

The activity of a disciple

 

What is your spiritual journey like?

 Do you know where you are going?

  Do you know what your spiritual purpose is?

   Do you wonder if there isn’t something more to living for Jesus?

    Are you feeling like you are just going through the motions?

     It is possible you are suffering from a chronic spiritual condition.

      You may have a spiritual ailment.

       I have good news for you.

        This ailment can be cured.

         But first it has to be recognized.

          Maybe this video clip will help with the diagnosis.  (Show Video clip)

Most people who follow Jesus have this problem.

 They have this spiritual ailment or handicap, if you would.

  We see a classic example of this handicap in our Scripture this morning.

   This handicap was interfering with the disciples’ purpose in following Jesus.

    Our Scripture also shows us the remedy to this handicap.

     As is true for any handicap, Jesus can cure it.

      He can liberate us from our handicaps, especially spiritual handicaps.

       The cure to going through life with our head in a box is right here.

        The cure is found in what ought to be THE ACTIVITY OF A DISCIPLE.

 

I   The first activity of a disciple of Jesus is to RECOGNIZE.

     We have a vision problem.

      We are blind to the reality of the harvest that is all around us.

       Jesus knows we have a hard time seeing the harvest.

        We don’t believe that the harvest is so close to being lost.

         We look but we do not see the urgency.

          We look and say, “Someday we will bring in the harvest but not today.”

           Jesus knows our tendency to linger on the side lines.

           We have boxed ourselves into our own little world.

            We go bumping through life asking, “Did I miss something?”

Jesus asks us, “Do you not say there are yet four months before the harvest?” (v35)

 He presses us for a reply, “Well, isn’t that what you say?”

  We are forced to admit it and Jesus says, “You are absolutely wrong!

   “I tell you, lift up your eyes.

    “Get them out of that box.

     “See how the fields are already white for harvest.”

      On three occasions Jesus said basically the same thing.

       Matthew, Luke, and John record similar conversations.

        These conversations happened at different times in different settings.

         The challenge to see the harvest is chronic.

          Every time Jesus said, “Look, lift up your eyes, recognize the urgency.”

           Obviously when our head is in a box there is a vision problem.

           We must be willing to look around.

            And we must RECOGNIZE the harvest.

              Wherever you are, you are surrounded by the harvest.

              There are people all around you who are ready to come to Jesus.

               There are people all around you need to be loved and discipled.

                That is the first ACTIVITY OF A DISCIPLE.

 

II  But Jesus quickly moves to the second activity of a disciple.

     He tells us not only to RECOGNIZE.

      He calls us to REAP.  (vs.  36, 38)

What does it mean to REAP?

 Again the disciple often gets this wrong.

  The disciples had left Jesus alone at a well outside Sychar in Samaria.

   They went into the city to buy food.

    When they returned they were concerned that Jesus eat something.

     They wanted to look after Jesus.

      Jesus did not need looking after.

       That is where we often go wrong.

        We think our job is to look after Jesus and protect Him and defend Him.

         We want people to love Jesus.

          We spend a lot of time trying to make Jesus popular and acceptable.

           We want the church to look presentable.

           But building the church and making it presentable is Jesus’ work.

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25b-27)

            Jesus presents the church to Himself.

             He makes the church radiant and spotless and holy – not you and me.

Jesus said, “Don’t waste time trying to feed me!”

 Who did Jesus tell Peter, and the rest of us, to feed?

  We are to feed Jesus’ sheep.

   It took Peter a while to figure that out.

    Jesus had to repeat Himself to Peter.

     Three times He told Peter to feed the sheep.

      It takes us a while to get it too.

       How often do we come to church as a watch dog?

        We come, intent on making sure everything is done right.

         We want to protect Jesus and care for Him.

          When that is our focus Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan!”  (Mt. 16:23)

“Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

           “I don’t need looking after!”

           He says, “I have never needed protecting from the cross.

            “I never need to be protected from people’s sin.

             “Your job is to care for the sheep.

              “Don’t waste your energy on Me, care for the sheep!

               “I’m the Bread of Life and the Living Water.

                “If you want to prove that you love Me, feed my sheep.”

“New converts need the life sustaining fellowship of a loving congregation where there is instruction, inspiration and support.” (Leslie Parrott)

                 That is what it means to REAP.

                  That is the activity of a disciple.

                   Paul gives us our marching orders.

“Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ.  For this I toil, striving with all the energy which me mightily inspires within me.”  (Colossians 1:28, 29)

When we reap it is not just to get people into heaven.

 Jesus is the One who prepares people for heaven not you or me.

  The reaping is to equip for works of ministry.

   The reaping is to bring others to maturity in Christ.

    The reaping is to make disciples.

     The reaping is to get people’s heads out of their boxes.

      The reaping is to bring people to the place where they love Jesus by feeding.

       Reaping is bringing people to the point where they give Jesus away.

        Jesus commissions us to bring His disciples to maturity in Him.

         Jesus has given us authority not to build the church.

          He has given us all authority to go and make disciples.

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)

           How mature were the disciples who received the Great Commission?

           Some were doubters.

            Some were fragile and new believers themselves.

             But Jesus commissioned them all.

              In the process of making disciples we grow stronger.

               When we help someone follow Jesus we follow Jesus.

                We must help our friends follow Jesus and become mature in Him.

                 We pour our lives into them as Jesus poured His life out for us.

 

III When we enter into those activities we experience a third activity.

     When we RECOGNIZE and when we REAP, we then REJOICE.

      What is the cause of the rejoicing?

       It isn’t the size of the harvest that makes us rejoice.

        It is receiving our wages that makes us rejoice.

         It isn’t even gathering fruit for eternal life.

          We rejoice because we are working with Jesus and one another.

           The sower and the reaper rejoice together.

            We enter into each other’s labour.

             We recognize that our labour is following Jesus.

             We help others take their next step in following Jesus.

              We see what Jesus is doing right now.

               We see that He is working in people’s hearts.

                Only Jesus can do that.

                 Only Jesus can touch a person’s heart.

                  He is touching your heart right now.

                   And He commissions His disciples to disciple the harvest.

                    To make sure it is not lost but made productive.

                     I rejoice that I enter into ministry with Jesus.

                      He is the Saviour.

                       The disciple simply invites you to give Jesus your heart.

                        The disciple invites you to believe that Jesus loves you.

                         The disciple rejoices that you are born into Jesus.

                          And that being born you now follow Jesus.

If you claim Jesus as your Saviour He says, “Look to the fields” – RECOGNIZE!

 They are ripe right now.

  You go and make disciples – REAP!

   He doesn’t say wait until you are asked by a Pastor or Board Member.

    Don’t wait until you think you are adequately trained.

     Don’t wait until you think you are mature enough.

      He says, “I am sending you with all the authority that you need.”

       REJOICE! - “I am with you always even to the end of the age.”

 

Closing Song       I Give You My Heart