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Sunday School Special : Lesson 62

Text: John 4
30 May 2021

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 30 May 2021

Text: John 4

Subject: Evangelism

Focus: Special Challenges III

INTRODUCTION

1. The Return of the Disciples

They had gone to buy food from a Samaritan town

They had returned to find the Lord Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman

They marveled at what they saw (John 4:27)

But no one dared to ask Him… (John 4:27)

“What do You seek?”

“Why are You talking with her?”

2. They knew enough of the Lord

Not to ask foolish questions

Nor to offer unwise and unhelpful comments

THE WITNESS OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

1. She had abandoned her waterpot at the well (John 4:28a)

a) An unusual occurrence
b) But her heart and mind were not on mundane things at that moment

2. She went back to her city

a) She found some people who would listen to her
b) She invited them to seek out the Lord Jesus Christ
i) “Come
ii) See a Man who told me all things that I ever did
iii) Could this be the Christ?” John 4:29

3. Intrigued, the invitees responded immediately

a) They left their Samaritan city
b) They came to see for themselves who the Lord Jesus really was  John 4:30

THE DISCIPLES IN CONVERSATION WITH THE LORD JESUS

1. The Disciples had gone to a Samaritan town

2. They had returned with food

3. They urged the Lord Jesus to eat the food they had bought 

a) They were thoughtful
b) They were dutiful
c) They said simply, “Rabbi, eat” (John 4:31)

THE CRYPTIC REPLY OF THE LORD JESUS

1. Food of a different kind

“I have food to eat of which you do not know” John 4:32

2. The Lord was a Master-Teacher through and through

a) He seized the opportunity to teach His disciples a deep lesson
b) There was physical food
c) There was spiritual food

3. The Disciples did not understand this word

a) Their thought level was on “physical food”
b) They were puzzled
c) Who had brought the Lord food to eat?
“Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” John 4:33
d) The Disciples had rather limited spiritual knowledge and perception at this stage

DOING THE WILL OF GOD

1. The Lord taught His Disciples a vital lesson

2. Doing the Will of God

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” John 4:34

a) There was a work that God had sent Him to do
i) Evangelism
ii) In this context, ministry to the Samaritan woman
b) He had begun this work
c) He must complete this work
d) To finish God’s work was His food!

A COMMON SAYING

1. “Do you not say?”

2. “There are still four months and then comes the harvest?” John 4:35a

3. This may be true where an agrarian harvest is in mind

a) One sows
b) One reaps four months later

IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM

1. This understanding does not strictly apply in the realm of the spiritual 

2. A new understanding must be obtained

THE EVANGELISTIC VISION OF THE LORD JESUS

1. “Behold, I say to you” John 4:35b

2. “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields” John 4:35c

3. “For they are already white for harvest!” John 4:35d

ENCOURAGEMENT TO LABOUR

1. The work of reaping

“And he who reaps receives wages” John 4:36a

2. The work of gathering eternal fruit

“And gathers fruit for eternal life” John 4:36b

3. Sowing and reaping

“That both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together” John 4:36c

ANOTHER COMMON SAYING

For in this the saying is true: “One sows and another reaps” John 4:37

1. A common saying 

2. A true saying

a) One sows
Some may be better at sowing
b) One reaps
Some may be better at reaping

THE LABOUR OF THE DISCIPLES

1. Reaping

“I sent you to reap” John 4:38a

2. Sowing

“That for which you have not laboured” John 4:38b

3. Other people’s labour

“Others have laboured

And you have entered into their labours” John 4:38c

a) John the Baptiser’s labour
b) The Disciples’ labour