DAILY TEXT, Today's Saturday September 24, 2022, Look up and see, the fields are white, ready for harvest (John 4:35).

DAILY TEXT, Today's Saturday, September 24. from 2022

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022

Saturday September 24

Look up and see, the fields are white, ripe for harvest (John 4:35).

On his journey to Galilee, Jesus passes through several fields, perhaps green fields of barley just beginning to sprout (John 4:3-6). There are still about four months to harvest. Then Jesus tells his disciples something that must seem strange to them: “Lift up your eyes and see, the fields are white, ripe for harvest” (John 4:35, 36). What is he referring to? Apparently, Jesus is talking about a spiritual harvest, that is, a gathering of people. Let's think about what just happened. Although Jews normally avoid Samaritans, Jesus has preached to a Samaritan woman, and she has paid attention. In fact, while Jesus says that the fields are "white, ready for harvest", a good group of Samaritans to whom the woman has told about Jesus come to learn more about him (John 4:9, 39-42 ). A specialized work comments on this story: “The good disposition of these people […] showed that they were like the grain that is ready for harvest.” w20.04 8 paras. 1, 2 

Why will our preaching improve if we see people as Jesus saw them?

And we? How do we see the people to whom we bring the good news? Do we think that they are like the grain that is ready for harvest? In that case, three things will happen. First, we will preach with a greater sense of urgency. As the harvest season is of limited duration, there is no time to lose. Second, we will be happy to participate wholeheartedly in this work. The Bible says, “The people rejoice at harvest time” (Isa. 9:3). And, third, we will see each person as a future disciple, so we will adapt our presentation to the topic that interests you.

What will we learn from the apostle Paul in this article?

Jesus did not think the Samaritans were hopeless, as his followers might have thought. Rather, he saw them as future disciples. This is how we should see the people of our territory. The apostle Paul set an excellent example for us in this regard. In this article, we will discuss three things we can learn from him. First, that he knew a little about the beliefs of those who listened to him. Second, that he understood what they were interested in. And, third, that he saw them as future disciples of Jesus.

Why could Paul understand those who listened to him in the synagogue?

Paul often preached in Jewish synagogues. For example, in Thessalonica, he spoke with the Jews and “for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them using the Scriptures” (Acts 17:1, 2). He sure felt comfortable in the synagogue, since he had been raised Jewish (Acts 26:4, 5). He understood the Jews and so could confidently preach to them (Phil. 3:4, 5).

What was the difference between those who listened to Paul in the synagogue and those who were in the market in Athens?

When Paul's enemies forced him to flee Thessalonica and later Berea, he went to Athens. Once there, he again “was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and with others who worshiped God” (Acts 17:17). Instead, when he preached in the marketplace, he met a different kind of people. Among them were philosophers and other Gentiles for whom Paul's message was a "new teaching." They told him, “You are talking about things that sound strange to us” (Acts 17:18-20).

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