Morning Worship for Sunday 19th July 2020, from the Free North Church in Bank Street, Inverness. The service is based on John's Gospel Chapter 4, where Jesus responds to the spiritual needs of a Samaritan Woman and a crowd of people from her village. Jesus had an inner hunger to do the work and will of God His Father, a hunger that was satisfied by sharing the word of God with broken and needy people.

The service includes several praise items: "Psalm 63" from the Scottish Psalter of 1560, sung to the tune Bays of Harris by Chris MacLeod; "From the Depths of Shame and Sorrow", a song based on Psalm 130, sung by Ann MacRae; "Living Waters", a modern hymn by Kristyn Getty and Ed Cash, sung by the Free High Church Praise Group from Stornoway; and "The Perfect Wisdom of our God" sung by Inverness based folk singer Olivia Ross.

The service also includes a video retelling of John 4 from UCCF (a campus-based ministry to students in the UK), and a poetic meditation by the American author Paul David Tripp.

The sermon on John 4 verses 27-42 is by Rev Angus MacRae, minister of the Free North Church, with the title: "Hungry for the Harvest".

Sermon Summary:
The woman of Samaria ran to her village, asking “Could Jesus be the Messiah?” He offered himself as the thirst-quenching Saviour of a messed-up world. There are two things about Jesus in John 4 that we can all share.

1). SHARE JESUS’ HUNGER (FOR GOD’S WORK).
The disciples return from their shopping trip in embarrassed silence. Finding Jesus in unsuitable company they do not voice the question they were thinking about. What could Jesus WANT with this woman (v. 27)? Surely he did not want the woman or hunger for her in an inappropriate way? V. 32-34 reveal what Jesus really hungered for. He had a strong appetite to do the will of the Father, and to finish His work. At this moment, the Father’s will was that the Son should reach out to save the Samaritan and her village. God wanted many in her village to become part of God’s “Bride”. The disciples were hungry to get away from this hostile heathen territory as quickly as their legs would carry them, but Jesus had a hunger to reach out in love to the unlovely. Do you have God’s heart, hunger and passion for lost people in our city?

2). SHARE JESUS’ HARVEST JOY (FOR GOD’S WORLD). We may find talk of God’s harvest is frightening and overwhelming, but Jesus relates it all to deep joy and gladness (v. 36). Those who sow gospel seeds and those who reap God’s harvest share in God’s joy! Jesus was so excited by the approaching people from the village that he forgot all about his tiredness, hunger and thirst. He quotes a proverbial saying in v. 35, Do 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.” Most people took the saying to mean there was always plenty more time, harvest was months away, so why rush to do anything? The growth process is slow, so just be patient. Jesus thinks very differently. For Him, every day is a harvest day. Even the day you sow the seed can be harvest day. Jesus wants us to open our eyes to see the need of the harvest. Harvest time is NOW! While his disciples were fussing about lunch, God was drawing a crowd, recruited by one of their own people, the newest convert and evangelist for the Messiah! In Amos 9:13, there is a similar picture of glory-days after the exile and in Messiah’s Kingdom. He says: ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when the reaper will be overtaken by the ploughman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills…” What a wonderful jumble there will be when God acts in power! Sower and Reaper will tumble over each other, and both will experience God’s joy. Paul agreed and says in 2 Corinthians 9:6. Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. We may sow with tears or build on the work of others who shed many tears. But the joy and harvest shall come! God is always working for his harvest. The mission is His! The Samaritans had Jesus with them for just two days, but he really remains forever with anyone who believes the gospel. Are you finding it hard to be a witness? They mocked Jesus (8:48) calling him a Samaritan. If you want to see the glory of God, then hunger for God’s work and take joy in God’s Harvest.

Sunday worship from the Free North is shared online at 11 am and 7 pm each Sunday, and is available afterwards for catch up. See the website freenorthchurch.org for details.

The church hopes to partially resume in-person meetings in the historic church on Bank Street, Inverness, from 16th August 2020, but details will be confirmed once the elders take a decision.

Please contact us if we can be of any help to you, especially in your experience of knowing and serving the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

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