The Harvest

On this final evening, as Jesus lingered with His disciples, it wasn’t just Thomas who didn’t get it. In John 14:1-14, Phillip struggled to understand who the Father was and asked Jesus, “Show us the Father.” Jesus spoke to Phillip, revealed the Father, and the power of their union.

**“Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”**

Jesus Spoke to Philip

I think I hear some disappointment as Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” Nevertheless, in His loving gentle and patient way, Jesus went on to explain that having seen Him, they had seen the Father. It was a matter of faith, of believing the words He spoke and the works He had accomplished.

Jesus Revealed the Father

There must be belief that Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. Even the words Jesus spoke came not from His own imaginations but rather from the Father. It is He, the Father within the Son, that did the work. For His disciples, it was a matter of faith. “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me,” This union, this oneness of two did not mesh with human reasoning. It demanded faith.

The Power of the Union

Power comes with believing in Jesus and the works that He does. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” Jesus in union with His Father would release the power to grow His Kingdom on earth. As His followers, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” There was a grand purpose! God the Father would be glorified in His Son, Jesus the Christ.

When the disciples found Jesus, He was talking to a woman. This was not a cultural norm. It puzzled them, but they didn’t question. Instead they said, “Rabbi, eat!” Again the men of earth encounter the man from heaven. In this encounter Jesus has a lesson for the disciples about His food, the ripened harvest and the workers in the harvest.

**“Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” Matt. 9:38.**

Food of Jesus

The disciples had gone into the city to buy food. Naturally, when they found Jesus by the well they thought He was hungry and encouraged Him to eat. “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Jesus told them. The disciples ponder His words when Jesus clarifies, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work.” Above all else, even above food, Jesus desired to obey God.

The Ripened Harvest

This door of questioning gives Jesus the opportunity to speak to His disciples about the work they are called to do. In Matthew 9, Matthew writes about the work of Jesus teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel and healing every disease and sickness. He also describes the compassion Jesus had for the weary, those scattered like sheep without a shepherd. He saw a harvest ready. The problem wasn’t the harvest, the problem was finding the workers and Jesus tells them to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” In John, again Jesus tells them the harvest is ready. He is calling them out to work the harvest.

Workers in the Harvest

Jesus had been reaping the harvest when He spoke with the Samaritan woman. Now He instructs His followers. There are wages for working in God’s harvest. There is also gathering fruit for eternal life. Both the sower and the reaper rejoice together. It isn’t a one person job. In fact, many have already been at work. Now Jesus is sending them out to reap for what they have not sown. Neither one nor the other is of greater importance but as Paul writes in 1 Cor. 3:6, one plants and another waters but it is God who gives the increase. In this encounter Jesus has a lesson for the disciples and any who would follow Him, about His food, the ripened harvest and the workers in the harvest.

Show Us the Father