Fields White For Harvest (Part 1)

While in Samaria, Jesus told His disciples, “Do you not say, There are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (Jn. 4:35, NKJ). As in agriculture, so also in evangelism: fields “white for harvest” do not just happen. Preparation must first be made. Jesus had prepared these people by teaching the Samaritan woman, who in turn went and told her village about Jesus (Jn. 4:4-30). The local church must constantly be looking for souls who can be brought to Christ. Let us note three principles on fields that are “white for harvest” and reaping those souls for Christ.

Finding Contacts

There are two ways contacts can be found: they either come to us or we go to them. First, consider how contacts come to us. When Jesus left Judea for Galilee, the Bible says, “But He needed to go through Samaria” (Jn. 4:4). This need was not so much geographical as it was a moral need for the people of Samaria to come in contact with the Gospel. While Jesus was resting at the well, the Samaritan woman came to Him (Jn. 4:5-6). She did not come to the well because of Him. She simply came to draw water. However, Jesus took advantage of the situation and initiated a conversation that eventually led to spiritual truths. Lesson one: let us initiate a conversation that leads to spiritual truths among people within our reach, even if they are strangers. By talking with the Samaritan woman, Jesus went against the status quo. In the first century Jews and Samaritans avoided each other. Even the woman was surprised that Jesus spoke to her: “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn. 4:9). Lesson two: let us be willing to go against the status quo. Sometimes we think that some people would not even give us the time of day, but, as Jesus shows, that is not always the case. In fact, there are people out there who are looking for what we have, but if we never strike up that conversation that leads to spiritual truth, they may never find the Gospel.

Second, consider making contact with others by inviting them to “Come and see.” Shortly after John the Baptist identified Jesus as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” two of John’s disciples stayed with Jesus to learn more about Him (Jn. 1:29-39). One of those disciples was Andrew, who “first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (Jn. 1:41-42a). Notice that Andrew did not deliver a great lesson to his brother, Simon. He simply brought him to Jesus! Lesson three: family members are often good contacts for us to take the Gospel. Of course, sometimes family members are the hardest to reach, but it is a lesson worthy of our attention that Andrew first invited his brother. Next, consider taking the Gospel to friends and acquaintances. “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see (Jn. 1:45-46). Again, Philip did not teach some great lesson to Nathanael; he simply invited him to “Come and see” Jesus! Lesson four: people who know us personally are more likely to accept our invitation to “Come and see” than those to whom we are strangers, such as in “door knocking” situations. Door knocking is legitimate in most circumstances, but it is not always effective.

Whether they come to us or we go to them, contacts are not difficult to find. Sometimes we are hindered by fear or shyness, but this can be overcome (cf. Phil. 4:13). Sometimes we are disinterested in the Gospel. This is a serious problem and must be overcome (cf. Rev. 3:14-22). Let us constantly look for contacts, realizing that we do not have to eloquently teach them. If nothing else, let us invite them to “Come and see”!

Taking the Message to Others

Going back to the incident with Jesus and the Samaritan woman, let us consider three lessons from her on taking the message to others. First, when we are convinced of the truth of the Gospel, evangelizing others will become a priority in our lives. Following her discussion with Jesus, “the woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city” to tell them about Jesus (Jn. 4:28). The very reason she went to the well in the first place was to draw water (Jn. 4:7), which is essential to physical life. Yet, after learning the truth about Jesus, this woman’s priority was no longer sustaining physical life. Rather, she was more interested in spiritual life, not just her own, but also that of her entire village! Like the Samaritan woman, we also must realize that “Whoever drinks of this [physical] water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I [Jesus] shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:13-14). The spiritual water that Jesus offers is part of the great invitation intended for all. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

Before Jesus ascended back to the Father, He commissioned the apostles to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:15-16 cf. Mt. 28:18-20). The commission did not just apply to them, but all of God’s children have a role to fulfill in taking that message to others (cf. Mt. 5:13-16; 13:3-8). If we do not see evangelism as a priority and carry the Gospel to others, who will?