In the fourth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples
come upon a curious scene. They approach Jesus at Jacob’s well just as a young
Samaritan woman, to whom He has been speaking, drops her water jar and runs back
to town yelling. Perplexed by the story being played out in front of them they
do what any good religious person does – they prepare to eat (when in doubt…
potluck). Jesus seizes the opportunity to challenge their views of
reconciliation and the ministry there of: “My food is to do the will of him who
sent me and to accomplish his work.” Now that He has their attention, He
motions for them to look down and around at the physical realm to notice that
it is still four months till harvest. Then He says, “Look, I tell you [I see
Him here pulling His hands to His own chest], lift up your eyes, and see that
the fields are white for harvest.”
Often, this quote is ripped from its context
and preached as though these white fields are analogous to the lost world. – as
if, out there somewhere is a field of lost souls innocently waving in the wind
waiting for a missionary to come pluck them up and cast them into some heavenly
combine where the chaff of worldliness will be miraculously – if not instantaneously
– separated from the fruit of righteousness . Not only do I struggle to
reconcile such a misinterpretation with the whole of scripture or the historical
experience of evangelism, but John himself encases this initial teaching in a
context that vehemently resists such proof-texting.
The woman, to whom Christ offered living water,
did not fill her jar and run into town to peddle her wares (see 2 Corinthians
2:17). Rather, she dropped her jar and ran into town to see if there was anyone
who might come with her to draw from this well of living water. And those who
came, came to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. They didn’t believe because
of her testimony, but because she brought them to Jesus to taste of the harvest
themselves. The harvest is the Kingdom of God. And though the harvest of this physical
world is relegated to seasons and temporality, Christ offers the way to a
spiritual harvest now and forever.
Later when Jesus sent out his disciples “into
every town and place where he himself was about to go,” he instructed them to
spread the word that, “The Kingdom of God was at hand,” and reminded them that “The
harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10). His disciples were
not to harvest fields of lost souls and pray for missionaries to go with them.
They were to go out before Christ proclaiming that the fields are white for
harvest and seek anyone who might leave the wallow of narcissistic and apathetic
rebellion to come work this harvest with them.
To believe and operate as if our primary
kingdom work is to harvest lost souls is a grievous error. Our primary task is
to harvest the bounty of the Kingdom – “love the Lord your God with all your
heart…mind…soul…and strength.” Then, and
only then, are we able to invite others to join us in our work – “and, love
your neighbor as yourself.”
In evangelism, we do not take salvation to a
lost world; rather we go to bring a lost world to the Savior who grants them
access to the white harvest fields of God’s Kingdom.
