Sowing and Reaping

Happy Sunday. I had the great joy and privilege to pastor a church in farm country for 15 years. Many in our congregation were farmers. They grow corn and soybeans and wheat.

And right now they are in the middle of harvest. Today I want to talk about the great truth. You reap what you sow. Galatians 6 7-10 teaches us this.

Verse 7 says, "Do not be deceived. God is not mocked for you reap whatever you sow." You reap whatever you sow. My farmer friends know that this is true in the world of agriculture.

You want corn, you plant corn. It's simple. The point Paul is making here is spiritual. Earlier in Galatians, Paul has been talking about choices that people can make in their behavior, seeds we can plant, if you will.

In chapter 5, he says, "Live by the spirit." I say, "And do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the spirit, and what the spirit desires is opposed to the flesh. for these are opposed to each other to prevent you from doing what you want.

Now he's talking about the bad seeds to plant. Paul goes on to say, "Now the works of the flesh are obvious. Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." And then he says, "I'm warning you as I warned you before.

Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul is saying, "Live this way and you'll not enter God's kingdom. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

As chapter 5 closes, Paul gives us a glimpse of how we should live, what we should sow. I begin at verse 22. He says, "By contrast, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." And those who belong to Christ have been crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

And if we live by the spirit, let us also be guided by the spirit. We have two options. We can walk in the spirit and realize the fruit of the spirit. Or we can walk in the flesh and realize the fruit of the flesh.

Back to Galatians 6:7. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For you reap what you sow.

Paul is saying here in Galatians 6, don't be deceived that you can walk in the flesh and it'll be okay. What does the next phrase say? God is not mocked. What's that mean?

You can't mock God. That means God is not fooled or God is not ignored or God is not outwitted or you can't sneer at God. You cannot insult him. You cannot violate his holy law and think that you're going to get away with it.

God knows everything, every seed we plant, everything we do. Now, having said, "Don't be deceived. You're not going to be able to mock God." Here comes the great truth.

And the truth is whatever a man sws that he will also reap. The harvest as you know is determined by the planting. The fruit of a life is determined by what that life has planted. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I've taken the time to look back at my family tree and to be thankful.

My father was a pastor and he devoted his life to spreading the gospel and he swed so many seeds and I still hear stories of those seeds that have grown to fruition. My grandfather, my father's father, was also a pastor and he too sowed many seeds that are still bearing fruit to this day. I'm truly blessed and truly thankful. I'm also keenly aware that as a Christian, I cannot stop the sewing process that I was taught.

Nor can you. There is a harvest before us that has eternal consequences. Verses 9 and 10 of Galatians 6 tell us this. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right.

For we will reap at harvest time if we do not give up. So then whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith. Here Paul encourages us to not grow weary and to not give up. This harvest, the sewing of the gospel seeds is the most important mission of our existence.

Perhaps you have seen there are reports of revival in this world from so many corners including college campuses. We all can sew seeds that lead to great revival. Just last week, there were some important elections in our land. Have you prayed about what's going on or have you just complained?

Sew some good seeds. I will close with these words of Jesus from Matthew 9 of something else you can do. Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and they were helpless.

They were like sheep without a shepherd. And then Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few." Jesus is concerned about people witnessing to this world, sowing good seeds. To his disciples, he said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

And then he told him something to do. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest. There's a prayer request for you. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Pray with me. Lord, I'm thinking about missionaries I have known all over this world. And I'm thinking about how much is needed in every corner of this world, not just foreign, but local. And I pray that you would send out each one of us to sew good seeds.

And Father, that you would water them and tend to them and cause revival to grow. Help us to sew good things in our lives, in our families, and our faith. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

God bless. Have a great day.