Alumni Bible Study

A Bible study initially set up for alumni of the Senior Sunday School Class at the First United Methodist Church of Lufkin, Texas. It is our hope and our prayer that this study touches the hearts of those who participate and helps spread the love and grace of Our Lord and God. All who want to learn more about God are welcome

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Location: lufkin, Texas, United States

I am a Christian family man, Lay Pastor and writer from Deep East Texas. I love life, and I enjoy working with young people. I have published two books; "A Small Mind Among Tall Trees" and "God If You Are Not Too Busy, Can You Give Me a Hand". If you want to obtain a copy drop me an e-mail or go to amazon.com or barnesand noble.com . I have been a salesman, cowman and athlete in my past. I still have a strong sense of humor and am not afraid to use it.

Monday, March 01, 2010

John 4:27-42

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christa]'>[a]?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

Many Samaritans Believe
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.

42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

The disciples return and find that Jesus has been talking to this woman, but they say nothing. They do ask Jesus if he is hungry, and tell him he needs to eat. Jesus tells them he has food to eat they do not know about. I like how they think that someone must have brought him food while they were gone. Jesus tells them he has food they do not understand, he must finish his harvest.

I can understand this story. We used to cut hay on the ranch, and when it was time to haul hay, everything waited until we go all the hay safely in a barn, and that was usually late in the evening. Supper had to wait, especially if it looked like it might rain. When we are harvesting we need to take care of that and then tend to the day to day details. Now Jesus is explaining that the disciples need to reap what others have planted.

The woman comes back with other people from town and Jesus teaches. We don't know what he said, but it had a powerful effect. The Samaritans in that city believed.

Questions:

1. What was the food Jesus was referring to?

2. Do you think his disciples understood what he was talking about?

3. Do we?

Prayer- Lord, give us the strength and drive to finish the harvest. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.


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