John 4:35-38
4:35 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.
4:36 And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.
4:37 And herein is that saying true, One sows, and another reaps.
4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Jesus is not speaking of a physical harvest here, for it is not yet ripe. As the townspeople stream out of the city toward Him, Jesus uses this "picture" to teach.
People are ready to hear the gospel! All on account of one woman's testimony.

"He that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together." [John 4:36.]
We are to study these verses because they outline God's plan for witnessing.
What is that plan?
Those who sow the seed, sharing the message where ever they can, are people who believe in the truth for this time.
But it is not always easy and often frustrating as they may not always be able to gather the harvest.

Often the Lord's workers meet with a lot of opposition.
They do their best; earnestly and methodically sowing the good seed of the gospel. But the opposition becomes fiercer and fiercer.
The witnessing person may even think their student is ready to accept the truth, but the students are intimidated by the opposition, and they don't have the courage to acknowledge their convictions.
That was Jesus experience in Jerusalem, even Nicodemus who seemed to be very interested was afraid to step out in faith at that time.

The lives of the workers may even be endangered by those who are controlled by Satan. They should follow the example of their Master, who left Judea and went to Samaria for a short time, go to another place. "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel," Christ said, "till the Son of man be come." [Matthew 10:23.] So if things get too difficult in one place, the messengers of truth find a new place to witness. The new place may be an easier and more successful opportunity for work, with seeds of truth being successfully sown and ripening for the harvest.

The report of success may find its way back to the place where the work was apparently unsuccessful, and the next messenger of truth who goes there may be more favorably received. Maybe the first person to share the message will also reap someone in their new place, who received truth from someone who witnessed there before them, but sometimes the two who sowed the seed of truth never actually meet and someone else does the reaping.

Then of course, today with all the technology being used to witness, the one seeking to find people responsive to the gospel may find many in whom the seeds of truth have already been sown.

The plan is for the people of God to sow the seeds of truth and reap people for Jesus without worrying who sowed the first seeds and if they can actually be the one to see the person baptized, but simply to work for the Lord, sharing and encouraging people to hear and respond to the gospel of Christ.

We've studied almost everything in the first four chapters of John
What has John revealed about Jesus?]

Jesus is the Word
The Word is with God and the Word is God (1:1)
He created everything that was created (1:3)
He is the light of the world (1:5,9)
In Him is life 1:4
He became flesh like us (1:14)
Fullness of grace 1:16)
Grace and truth come through Him
He is the son of God (1:34)
He is the Lamb of God (1:36)
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (1:29)
He is zealous for proper worship (2 :17)
He knows all men, He knows what is in them (2:24)
He tells us heavenly things (3:12)
He is the son of man come down from heaven (3:13)
He gives eternal life to all who believe in Him (3:15)
Through Him salvation is available for all in the world that believe in him that they might be saved (3:17-18)
He is the one and only begotten Son of Gods (3:16,18)
He brought light into the world (3:19)
He is the bridegroom (3:29)
He is above all (3:31)
He speaks God's word (3:34)

He experienced the physical feelings of humanity (4:6)
He offers living water to humanity (4:10)
Jesus is the promised Messiah (4;26)
He knows everything we have done (4:29)
His great satisfaction comes when people accept his gift of salvation (4;33)


There are more. How many do you find in the first four chapters of John?

Two of the great themes in the book of John --

1. To show who Jesus really was --
The One who was with God, and is God, the Creator of everything. (John 1:1-2) The Promised Messiah.
This in turn also reveals the Father, His character, for Christ and the Father, though two personages, yet are One. Jesus told the disciples if they have seen Christ, Jesus tells them, they have seen the Father. "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Show us the Father? "
(see John 14:7-10)

2. The second theme concerns the sharing of the Gospel. Study His methods.

For He " sends you to reap" for "the fields; they are white already to harvest." " gather fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together".

In our study of the book of John we are still in chapter four.

In verse one, Jesus was seeing conflict arising in Judea, so He "departed again into Galilee", " he must needs go through Samaria" where the encounter with the Samaritan woman took place, and "many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him"
John 4:43-46
4:43 Now after two days he departed from there, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet has no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine.

After two days in Samaria ministering in a city where most believed He was the Messiah, he continued on His journey and went into Galilee.
That is, into the country or region of Galilee: but not to His hometown, Nazareth, where he had spent his childhood and youth. It was especially in that town that he had no honour.
To those in Nazareth, He was just another person like themselves: "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?" What makes Him think he is someone special??? They were ready to throw Him over the edge of the cliff!

And therefore he passed by Nazareth, and went to other towns.

Christ's sorrowful words, "a prophet has no honour in his own country, he must seek it abroad" included more than Nazareth. Jesus had gone abroad from Galilee to Jerusalem. He was there during a feast, and Galileans who heard him speak at the feast in Jerusalem, and saw His miracles performed there, were now more receptive to Him..
"when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast:"
These Galileans " for they also went unto the feast." were back home in Galilee and welcoming Jesus in a way in which they would not have done earlier, for they too, were accustomed to deny a home grown prophet.

How about us? Is it possible that we too can be so used to hearing about Jesus, we think we know it all and His Word has nothing more to offer? Could it be true that the very common access to the Bible causes people to ignore its value, and think of the gospel as only a common, self evident thing, and lose their thirst and hunger for God's Word, while people in far off lands soak up the gospel like thirsty deer, for to them it is something wonderful and precious they hadn't heard before?

John 4:46-50
4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

John seems to be beginning a new theme on faith here which we will see more of in the following chapters.

To BELIEVE ....

Is our belief based on signs and wonders.
4:48 Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe?

John, in the texts just previous, told us the reason the Galileans were happy Jesus was in their midst was because they had seen Him preform miracles in Jerusalem during the feast there. They weren't really hungering for truth, they were drawn by the signs and wonders.

How about this nobleman who now comes to Jesus.
Jesus challenges him -- do you believe in me or are you here just because you saw some signs and wonders?

The nobleman doesn't argue, he is hoping Jesus signs and wonders are strong enough to heal his son who is dying. and begs Jesus to "come down ere my child die".

But Jesus doesn't go with him.
He tells the man, "Go on home, your son lives"

A test of faith!

The man believes, without first seeing any evidence, in faith heads home.


How can we strengthen our faith, to believe, even if the evidence is not seen at the time.?

John 4:48-53
4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told [him], saying, Thy son liveth.
4:52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
4:53 So the father knew that [it was] at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

What an exciting testimony! Jesus is life and healing! His power to give life and heal all manner of diseases was demonstrated during His earthly life. Do we believe?

The problem we face: what happens to our belief and faith when the ones we pray for are not healed? After reading these miracles, we may envy those who had Jesus walking and healing right there in their midst. We may exclaim like Martha, "Lord, if only you would be here .... my loved one would be restored to health, he would not have died".


The question -- is our belief based on signs and wonders?
Do we still believe when our loved one, or even we ourselves, are sick and we pray, and have others pray, and have anointing service, but there is no healing. Do we still believe when we've prayed earnestly for our loved one to be healed, but they die?

The truth is that through the Holy Spirit, Jesus IS HERE! And He lost none of His power or willingness to do the impossible for us today.
So why, are prayers for healing not always ?
Jesus longs to heal us all, He has the power to do so, but there is a greater purpose in this whole controversy between good and evil. And it must be allowed to play out. But God will restore health and wonderous life to all who trust and believe !

God has our best and eternal interest at heart. His great purpose for us, is that we are fitted for eternal life. We tend to focus on immediate things, like how can we go on without our loved one who, in spite of all our prayers, now rests in the grave.
But Jesus says, "I am with you, I will uphold you with my own right hand, I will comfort you." (see Is. 41:10)
"I am the resurrection and life, do you believe?" "In this life you will have sorrow and trouble, but be of good courage, I have overcome the world, (John 16:33)

"He that believeth in Me," said Jesus, "though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die (the eternal death). Do you believe this?"(John 11:25)

Those wonderful stories in the book of John, of Jesus healing ministry are shared with us that we may be encouraged and look up. John did not write them to make us envious, or to make us think that God favored past generations more than us. What we simply must realize is that God has not only infinite power to heal and infinite love for each person, He also has INFINITE WISDOM.

So we present our petitions before Him, we are encouraged to do so boldly. but also in trusting humility, believing that God's infinite wisdom, and infinite love, will choose for us what is best.

I guess no one else has ever faced this problem:
" what happens to our belief and faith when the ones we pray for are not healed? When in spite of earnest prayers, anointing service and believing Christ can heal, still they die?"

As there are no comments.
But it seems Jesus preformed those miracles so people would believe He was the Messiah.
In our day we have enough evidence that Christ is our Savior, in all the little miracles in each day showing us God cares, and we need to believe even if there are no momentous signs and healings.

But let's move on:
John 4:53 So the father knew his son was healed at that very same hour in which Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth. And he himself believed, and his whole house.

Many see this account as the same one recorded in Matthew 8:13 "Then Jesus said to the centurion, ?Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.? And his servant was healed that same hour.
If it is the same healing miracle, then we see John in chapters three and four, covering all people as receivers of Christ's blessings. Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles. People in high standing and questionable reputation. Young and old.
1. The Pharisee Nicodemus, a man of high standing, a Jew.
2. A woman of questionable reputation, a Samaritan.
3. A child of a Gentile.

John 4:54 This is again the second miracle [that] Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Seven Signs Pointing to Jesus as the Messiah
The first half of John?s Gospel shows that Jesus is the Messiah by way of seven signs:

Changing water into wine 2:1-11
Healing the official's son 4:46-54
Healing the invalid 5:1-15
Feeding the multitude 6:5-13
Walking on the water* 6:16-21
Healing a man with a birth defect (blindness) 9:1-9
Raising Lazarus 11:1-44

CHAPTER FIVE
John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

A couple chapters earlier, we read of Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. (2:13)
A big sale of livestock was talking place in the temple courts, which Jesus chased out. The encounter with Nicodemus took place, in which Jesus spoke of being lifted up (implying the cross) by which all would be drawn to Him. We saw the relationship of the Passover symbolism being expressed.

He had stayed in the Judean area for several weeks, and then began his journey back to Galilee, travelling through Samaria.
In Galilee He was received a little more joyfully, as people had heard some of the reports of what Jesus had done while He was there in Jerusalem.

But now He is leaving Galilee once again -- and again to attend a feast.

Which feast is Jesus now attending in John 5:1?

It is suggested by some scholars that this feast is a fall feast. (feast of trumpets, atonement, tabernacles)
John seems to show Jesus relate the characteristics of the feast in progress to His ministry of salvation.

The feast of trumpets happens 10 days before the Day of Atonement, presenting a solemn time of spiritual renewal and preparation for the day of atonement.
Do we see the theme of renewal and judgment in chapter five. I believe we do!!

It begins with the account of the man by the pool of Bethesda.

John 5:2-4
5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market] a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

The pool of Bethseda was located just north of the temple complex, it was fed by an underground stream which probably explained the "troubled water" occasions.
What is significant here is the large number of people who need renewal. A great multitude of people with all manner of disabilities, longing for renewal! Kind of reflects the condition of all people on earth struggling with the deadly virus of sin with all its manifestations, looking to some promise for renewal only to be disappointed.
There was no magic in the troubled waters of pool called Bethesda (house of mercy).
Legend had it that healing was available to anyone who was able to enter the pool first, when there was bubbling disturbance in the water for they believed an angel stirred the water.
It is also suggested this pool was used for various cleansing rituals as well. Cleansing from various " defilements".

But none of it cleansed, renewed, healed --

But then we see Jesus -- He is the true "house of mercy" the healer, renewer, the living water of life.
And, as we will see as we progress into the chapter, it also deals with Day of Atonement subjects, like judgement.

John 5:5-7
5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time [in that case], he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

The poor man was helpless; he had not used his limbs for thirty-eight years. He had lain there by the pool for many years, hoping somehow he could dip into that water and be made whole.

To be made whole! That was why he was there, but the hope was dim, nearly dead. He had tried, or yes, he had tried again and again, but some others always got their first.

How does that compare with our lives?
We find ourselves no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. Oh, we try, making plans, resolutions, but just don't have the strength to stand against the sins that so easily beset us. "There are many who realize their helplessness, and who long for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God; they are vainly striving to obtain it. In despair they cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?"

There is a Savior. There is One that can make us whole.
"Do you want to be whole" to be healed of sin, to stand blameless, victorious before God?


Ephesians
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, (totally helpless in sin) has quickened us (awakened us to spiritual life) together with Christ, by grace ye are saved;
2:8 Yes, by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
2:9 Not by your own efforts, lest any man should boast.
2:10 For we are his workmanship, (placing our will under His will) created in Christ Jesus unto good works, (Yes, by His power and guidance) which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.