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Victory Church
Sowers and Reapers
Pastor Frank Bailey / 2/2/20 / Sunday Morning
Locations & Times
Victory Church
5708 Airline Dr, Metairie, LA 70003, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
SOWERS AND REAPERS
I. DISCOVERING THE WELL OF LIFE
I. DISCOVERING THE WELL OF LIFE
Passion Notes
The Greek verb used for “springing up” is hallomenou, and is never used for inanimate objects (water). It is a verb used for people (living things) and means “jumping,” or “leaping up.” The Septuagint translates this verb elsewhere as an activity of the Holy Spirit.
Edwards
“They that have found Christ have a fountain that is exceeding full, full of that which they stand in need of for the supply of the wants, and satisfying the cravings of their souls; a fountain of that happiness that is true happiness, that which is exquisitely sweet, a fountain of living waters from whence rivers are continually flowing. They that find him find rivers of waters in a dry place. Here they find an inexhaustible treasure. Here they find balm to heal the wounds of their souls, excellent food, “fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees well refined”. Here they find that fruit that is sweet to the taste. Here they find gold tried in the fire. Here is white raiment to clothe them. Here are crowns of glory. Here they have enough, enough to live upon as long as they live in this world, and to all eternity. Here is enough; they can desire no more. The fountain is inexhaustible and never can be diminished.”
II. BECOMING A WORSHIPER
The Greek verb used for “springing up” is hallomenou, and is never used for inanimate objects (water). It is a verb used for people (living things) and means “jumping,” or “leaping up.” The Septuagint translates this verb elsewhere as an activity of the Holy Spirit.
Edwards
“They that have found Christ have a fountain that is exceeding full, full of that which they stand in need of for the supply of the wants, and satisfying the cravings of their souls; a fountain of that happiness that is true happiness, that which is exquisitely sweet, a fountain of living waters from whence rivers are continually flowing. They that find him find rivers of waters in a dry place. Here they find an inexhaustible treasure. Here they find balm to heal the wounds of their souls, excellent food, “fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees well refined”. Here they find that fruit that is sweet to the taste. Here they find gold tried in the fire. Here is white raiment to clothe them. Here are crowns of glory. Here they have enough, enough to live upon as long as they live in this world, and to all eternity. Here is enough; they can desire no more. The fountain is inexhaustible and never can be diminished.”
II. BECOMING A WORSHIPER
Piper
The first thing we learn is that worship has to do with real life. It is not a mythical interlude in a week of reality. Worship has to do with adultery and hunger and racial conflict. Jesus is bone weary from the journey. He is hot and thirsty. He decides: “Yes, even now, just now, I will seek someone to worship the Father—a Samaritan adulteress. I will show My disciples how My Father seeks worship in the midst of real life from the least likely. She is a Samaritan. She is a woman. She is a harlot. Yes, I will even show them a thing or two about how to make true worshipers out of the white harvest of harlots in Samaria.
III. FINDING YOUR PURPOSE
The first thing we learn is that worship has to do with real life. It is not a mythical interlude in a week of reality. Worship has to do with adultery and hunger and racial conflict. Jesus is bone weary from the journey. He is hot and thirsty. He decides: “Yes, even now, just now, I will seek someone to worship the Father—a Samaritan adulteress. I will show My disciples how My Father seeks worship in the midst of real life from the least likely. She is a Samaritan. She is a woman. She is a harlot. Yes, I will even show them a thing or two about how to make true worshipers out of the white harvest of harlots in Samaria.
III. FINDING YOUR PURPOSE
FIRST MARY’S SONG GIRL
This story serves as a prophetic glimpse into the future of the church. Jesus is venturing into non-jewish waters, ministering for three days among the hated Samaritans. The open door into this community was the most unlikely candidate of all, the well known immoral woman who had five husbands and a current live in arrangement. This is reminicent of the revival in Northampton so many years later where Jonathan Edwards spoke of a woman he refered to as the ‘greatest company keeper’ in town. Its is as if the Lord takes the least likely candidate and chooses them to display the glory of His grace. Here are some comments from the Passion Notes about the woman at the well in Samaria.
“Although unnamed in the biblical account, church tradition identifies the Samaritan woman to be Photini. An internet search of her name will yield many interesting stories about her post-conversion ministry, including her being named as an “apostle” of Jesus and her eventual martyrdom. Regardless of the validity of the extrabiblical references, she will go down in history as the first New Testament evangelist to win a city to Christ. God is faithful to use anyone to reach others when we are honest to tell others that Jesus knows everything we’ve ever done and still loves us.”
This caused all sorts of problems for the disciples. First, this woman was a Samaritan. Samaritans were despsied by the Jews as a half breed race of cursed people. Secondly, she was a woman. How could a woman be used to touch a region for Christ. Third, her story was horrible. How could the Lord work with someone with such a sketchy past? The funny thing, these three problems were the very reason the Lord chose this woman. Today, the Lord is at it again; 1 Cor.1:28,29 - “He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence”.
IV. NOW IS THE HARVEST TIME
“Although unnamed in the biblical account, church tradition identifies the Samaritan woman to be Photini. An internet search of her name will yield many interesting stories about her post-conversion ministry, including her being named as an “apostle” of Jesus and her eventual martyrdom. Regardless of the validity of the extrabiblical references, she will go down in history as the first New Testament evangelist to win a city to Christ. God is faithful to use anyone to reach others when we are honest to tell others that Jesus knows everything we’ve ever done and still loves us.”
This caused all sorts of problems for the disciples. First, this woman was a Samaritan. Samaritans were despsied by the Jews as a half breed race of cursed people. Secondly, she was a woman. How could a woman be used to touch a region for Christ. Third, her story was horrible. How could the Lord work with someone with such a sketchy past? The funny thing, these three problems were the very reason the Lord chose this woman. Today, the Lord is at it again; 1 Cor.1:28,29 - “He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence”.
IV. NOW IS THE HARVEST TIME
V. HARVESTER’S REWARD
VI. JOINING WITH THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US - SOWERS AND REAPERS
VII. LIVING AMOS 9:13