"LIFT, LOOK AND LABOR!"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte




JOHN 4:35-38

The world would like to consider itself beyond any need of God. Self-sufficiency, self-effort, self-determination, self-orientation, and self-reliance seems to supplant any dependence on God. The world heads down a self-chosen path, one Jesus called the "wide gate," which leads to destruction. But in the midst of all this pseudo self-adequacy and smugness is restlessness, emptiness, uncertainty and fear. It reminds me of a situation I heard about. A man lived in an area that abounded in deer and other wild animals. One morning he was walking across a meadow and he heard dogs barking. Then, as he looked up, he noticed that two dogs were chasing a frantic young doe. Her tongue was hanging out and she was panting with exhaustion. There was something pathetic and appealing in the panic of the little deer. She was in real trouble and the man wondered what, if anything, he could do to rescue the doe. Like that doe, there is a world being pursued and hounded by futility, despair and destruction. When Jesus lifted His eyes, he saw the masses harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. He bids us to also look up and see that world and observe its trouble. As the man lifted his eyes to see the chasing dogs,
  1. WE NEED TO LIFT UP OUR EYES: V35:
    1. The disciples has just returned from grocery shopping. As Jesus spoke, He may have seen the Samaritans coming. Perhaps they were dressed in white garments and Jesus used the field metaphor to represent their readiness for harvest. But in order to see them, the disciples needed to lift their eyes.
    2. We, too, need to lift our eyes. If we are going to see the fields white unto harvest, we must life out eyes
      1. From temporalities to eternal things:
        1. Paul reminds us that "the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NASB).
        2. Paul urges us "set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV).
      2. From selfish interests to altruistic concerns:
        1. We are told, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3, 4 (NIV).
        2. Jesus reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35.
      3. From personal limitations to His sufficiency:
        1. We are not too old, too poor, too weak, too ignorant, too whatever else to serve Him.
        2. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. He does provide every need of ours!
      4. From faulty concepts to the truth:
        1. Sharing the gospels, the work of missions, and soul winning is not just for "professionals." Every heart with Christ is a missionary, and every heart without Christ is a mission field.
        2. Jesus commanded, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19, 20 (NIV).
    3. We need to lift our eyes. The problem is, we are often like the boy who found a dollar on the sidewalk. From then on he walked with his eyes glued to the ground, looking for more treasure. In the next few weeks he found a few more dimes, nickels and quarters, banana peels, gum wrappers, a dead bird and some other things. But he should have lifted his eyes because he missed a lot of life going on around him.

To see the life going on around us, we need to lift our eyes. The man lifted his eyes and saw the frantic doe. Two fierce dogs were pursuing her relentlessly. The chase was nearly over; she was about done in. Her pursuers closed in -- and then she saw the man. Her impulse was to turn and run in another direction, but instead she fell defenseless at his feet. Perhaps she sensed that he was her last, and only, hope. The man looked at the dogs and then looked at the little deer. Like that little deer, the world is in deep trouble. The church is her last, and only, hope. Look at the trouble and look at the world. As the man looked on that little doe,

  1. WE NEED TO LOOK ON THE FIELDS: V35:
    1. We need to look away from some things and look toward other things. There are a number of ways we look at things:
      1. We might look at a slug or spider of snake with revulsion - unless you like 'em bar-be-qued.
      2. We might look at an ad in the paper and our glance may be cursory or intense depending on our interest in the item being advertised.
      3. We might look at crime news with anger, outrage or even fear.
      4. We might look at a sunset with awe and enjoyment.
    2. Jesus wants us to look at the field, the world. And the word He uses means, "to look upon attentively and with interest and desire." It is to look on the fields
      1. As Jacob looked on his beloved son Joseph in Egypt after their long separation. He held him in his arms and wept in joy. Genesis 46:29.
      2. Or as the father of the prodigal son looked on him as he returned home after his profligate living. Seeing him a long way off, the father ran to him, and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20.
      3. And as Jesus looked at Jerusalem and lamented, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Matthew 23:37 (NIV).
    3. We need to look at the fields as Jesus does, with concern, compassion, and desire for their salvation.

The man looked at the little doe lying at his feet and desired to save her. He picked up the stoutest stick he could find and began beating on the dogs. After a few blows, he drove them from their prey. He said, later, "I stood there fighting off those barking dogs. I was determined they would not capture that little deer which, in her weakness, had appealed to my strength." He worked and fought with compulsion to save that deer. Should we not work that hard to save the world? Should our effort be less intense? Should our purpose be less defined? As the man labored to save that deer,

  1. WE NEED TO LABOR IN THE HARVEST: VV36-38:
    1. Jesus said the fields are already ready for harvest. Jesus said, "I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." Some sow, some water, some reap, but we must all labor in the harvest.
    2. Notice the teamwork needed:
      1. "One sows and other reaps.": John 4:37 (NIV).
      2. Paul said, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NASB)
      3. Some sow the seed: they evangelize, they directly teach the word.
      4. Some water the seed: they do some follow up work with those who have heard the word but have not yet been brought to harvest.
      5. Some actually get the harvest; they lead someone into accepting Jesus Christ and they baptize them.
      6. But remember that whatever our part, we work with God and He causes the growth.
      7. Ours is to faithfully share the word, encourage others in their growth, help people come into relationship with Jesus and to trust God for the success.
    3. One little girl sets the good example for us. Her name is Bambi. She was baptized on day, and the next day she put on her finest church dress and went next door. The neighbor lady asked, "Why, Bambi, how come you're so dressed up?" Bambi said, "I'm all dressed up so people will ask me why I am dressed up and then I can tell them that yesterday I was baptized. Then I can ask them to give their hearts to Jesus, too." Not only was that neighbor won to Christ, but several others, too. She lifted her eyes, she looked on the fields, and she labored in the harvest.

The fields are white; the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Jesus said, "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Yes, ask that He send workers - and then volunteer to be an answer to your own prayer. Lift up your eyes, look on the fields, and labor in the harvest. Jesus Christ stands at the end of every life and all will meet Him as either Savior or Judge. If we don't share the gospel, if we don't reap the harvest, many will lament, "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved." You can make a difference. You can share the gospel. You can water the seed. You can reap a harvest. Your life, consecrated to the Lord, can be the means for others to consecrate their lives to Him, too. This is the moment to decide. Will you serve Jesus by leading others to Him? Will you fulfill the task to which He calls you? Will you lift your eyes, look on the fields, and labor in the harvest? Determine to do that, as we sing our song of invitation.

Story of deer from A. C. Dixon, Little girl from Knight, Up To The Minute Illustrations.

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