Lift Up Your Eyes to the Harvest
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.
John 4:34–35
Why Jesus “Must Needs Go Through Samaria”
John chapter 4 shows our Lord stepping over man-made barriers to reach one soul. The Jews avoided Samaria, yet Jesus said, “he must needs go through Samaria.” He met a woman at the well, exposed her need, and gave her living water. She left her waterpot and brought many from the city to hear Christ. Right then the Lord told His disciples to lift up their eyes. Harvest was not a someday idea. It was walking toward them. The lesson is plain: when we see people as Jesus does, we find fields already white and ready to reap.
From the Pulpit
Jesus said, I’ve been sent here for a purpose. I’ve been sent here for a reason. I am to do the will of God.
Four Ways to Lift Up Your Life for the Harvest
- Lift up your eyes and look. Seeing like Jesus changes what we value and how we live. In John 4 the disciples saw lunch; Jesus saw lost people approaching. Vision precedes burden.
- See people, not problems. The Samaritan woman was avoided by many, yet Christ engaged her with truth and grace.
- Remember the fields are “white already.” Do not delay with “after four months.” Someone near you is ready to hear today.
- Let eternity set your priorities. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Souls outweigh stuff.
- Lift up your voice and pray. Jesus tied compassion to prayerful action. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
- Pray for labourers. Ask God to raise workers from our church, our families, and yes, from you.
- Pray for specific souls. Put names before the Lord daily. Follow your prayers with invitations and gospel conversations.
- Pray with compassion. “When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:36). Compassion keeps prayer from becoming cold routine.
- Lift up your wallet and give. The Lord uses our stewardship to send reapers where we cannot go.
- Give by faith, not leftovers. Trust God to supply what He prompts you to invest in the gospel.
- Give with eternity in view. Fruit “unto life eternal” remains when cars, gadgets, and hobbies fade.
- Give to share in the harvest. “He that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (John 4:36). Your gift stands beside the missionary’s go.
- Lift up your feet and go. Every believer can carry the message.
- Go across the street. Urgency is right to show when eternity is at stake, like warning a neighbor of a fire.
- Go across the hall. Speak to classmates, coworkers, and friends. Invite, testify, and explain the gospel clearly.
- Go across the world. Pray, give, and take opportunities for missions trips. Let God direct your next step.
Bringing It Together
John 4 teaches that one conversation can open a city to Christ. The Lord finished the work of redemption and now calls us to His harvest. See people as He does, pray for labourers and souls, invest in eternal fruit, and walk toward those who need the gospel. When we lift up our eyes, our voices, our wallets, and our feet, we join the Lord of the harvest in work that lasts forever.
Quote to Ponder
You will never have a burden until your eyes get to see the way that Jesus sees.
This Week’s Gospel Habits
1) Look: Write down three names of people you can reach this week. Ask God to help you see them as He does.
2) Pray: Each day, pray Matthew 9:38. Ask the Lord to send labourers and to make you one.
3) Give: Determine a faith-filled, consistent amount for missions. Set it aside first, not last.
4) Go: Share a clear gospel testimony with one person. Invite a friend to church or a Bible study, and follow up.
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