Five Lessons on the Great Commission from John 4:32-38

One of the final commands that Jesus Christ gives to his disciples is, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). This is has become known as the Great Commission. It is one aspect of the Church’s mission: make disciples, while the other aspect is being disciples. If this command is crucial to the church’s mission, it stands to reason that, as Christians, we should know what Christ has said on this matter.

One great example of Jesus making disciples comes in John 4, the story of the Samaritan Woman. While this story is worth meditating on, Jesus provides a worthy analysis of his interaction with the Samaritan Woman to his disciples after it takes place. John 4:32-38 records this dialogue between Jesus and his disciples. When this is read in light of Matthew 28:19, we are able to glean several lessons about the nature of making disciples of all nations. We will look at just five of those lessons in this article.

1. The Father’s Will is to Bring in His Harvest

After his conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus is urged by his disciples to eat food that they have brought him. He refuses by saying, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” (John 4:32). When the disciples question him, Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (4:34). This statement sheds light on the priorities of Jesus, but it also tells the reader what the will of the Father is. Jesus moves on to explain how the harvest is plentiful and the time for reaping and sowing is now (4:35-38). Reading this in light of the conversation that took place between Jesus and the Samaritan woman reveals what the will of the Father is: to bring in His harvest, or in other words, share the Gospel with the lost. This is reiterated in Luke 19:10, Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” If Jesus’ food is to do the will of the Father, who sent him, then Jesus’ will and the Father’s will are aligned. One need only look to Jesus’ will to see the Father’s will. In Charles Spurgeon’s book The Soulwinner, he expounds upon 1 Corinthians 9:22 and says that Paul’s great life ambition is to “save some”¹. As Paul imitated Christ, he adopted the same life ambition.

2. Doing the Will of the Father is Spiritual Sustenance

Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me…” (John 4:35, emphasis added). Jesus recognizes that doing the will of the Father is more important than physical food. It was of greater priority. This echoes back to what Jesus says in Matthew 4:4 while quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This reveals two things. First, living for God’s will and by His Word is of greatest importance. Physical food is of near utmost importance. It is needed to survive. But if these verses are true, how much more important is doing God’s will and living by His Word? Second, it reveals that living this way is true sustenance. A life filled with physical food leads to a fleeting happiness; but a life filled with spiritual food leads to an everlasting joy.

3. The Harvest is Plentiful

Timothy Beougher writes about living in Louisville, Kentucky – “where the Bible belt buckles” – the vast majority of those he witnesses to do not know the Gospel message.² Two thousand years later and what Jesus says in John 4:35 rings true, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” Jesus is urging his disciples to not turn a blind eye to the lostness around them. The Father’s will is to bring in His harvest, and His harvest is plentiful. Therefore, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21). Jesus commands his followers to partake in the gathering of the Father’s harvest.

4. Harvesting is a Joint Effort

Jesus describes how this harvest is collected – it is a joint effort. One reaps, while another sows. He says, “For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4:37-38). In the immediate context, it seems that Jesus is talking about previous prophets who have proclaimed God’s Word. Now, the disciples have entered into their labor and reaping what they did not sow. It is similar for Christians today. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” The Gospel can be compared to a seed. One that plants and is watered by another. Ultimately, however, growth comes from the Lord. This is so that no one may boast but all glory may be given to God.

5. Rejoice in the Harvest

Whether one sows or reaps, one is to rejoice with one another in the harvest. Jesus says, “Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.” (John 4:36). Thomas Johnston explains that the sower can sow with an expectation to reap, and the reaper can reap with an expectation that someone has sown. Therefore, Christians should boldly share the Gospel message expecting God’s Word to save souls.³ Then, this should lead to rejoicing. Rejoice in the growth that God has provided and the miracle He has accomplished to save one’s soul. Rejoice not in the human efforts but in God working through His servants.

Final Thoughts

The Great Commission command is not foreign to Jesus — he lived it. His life was marked by it. He’s not commanding us to do something that he hasn’t already done himself. These lessons are to deepen our knowledge of who our God is, learn how we are to engage in the Great Commission ourselves, and understand the nature of the harvest and harvesting. As God’s Word is not merely to be understood, but to be applied, here are three encouragements to leave you with.

First, the Great Commission should lead to more worship in your life. It is how I was saved and you were saved, if you are in Christ. Praise the Lord that our God is the Creator, and his plan of redemption incorporated bringing in a people to himself from all nations.

Second, intentionally live your life in obedience to the Great Commission. For some, this means domestic or international church planting. Others, this means that you financially and prayerfully support that church planting. How can you organize your daily and weekly life to build relationships with the lost so that you may share the Gospel with them?

Third, do not look to your own strength, but to Christ, in order to obey his commands. As discussed, God is the one who gives the growth to the seed of the Gospel. He is also the one who strengthens you to share the Gospel with your coworker or your neighbor. He will sustain you as you live in the obedience of faith.

2 Timothy 2:1

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus…