BGF sermon 2.28.10                                                          part 1 of 6 "The Laws of Sowing & Reaping"

 

Think about this:

...Who you are today is the result of:

          1) everything that has been sown into you, and

          2) how you have responded to what has been sown in you

 

...if you want to change who you are...if you want to see different results in your life: learn the principles of sowing and reaping

...and remember: reaping happens naturally - the labor is in the sowing!

 

- also, others can sow into your life but don't sidestep your responsibility or say, "I didn't reap because those around me didn't do their job."

...accept your responsibility and be deliberate in sowing the right seeds in your life

...decide the areas of your life that you want to be fruitful in and apply the biblical laws of "sowing & reaping"

 

A basis for this series:

- it is God's will that, as individuals, we bear spiritual fruit

 

"Garden" illustration:

...a gardener seeks out the best soil to plant in

...he marks off an area using a border

...he chooses his seed based on the type of fruit desired

...he maintains (weeds, prunes, waters...) the garden to ensure the best results

...God's people are like His garden

 

Luke 8:5-8 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.  And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.  And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold."

vv11-15 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

 

- to be "born-again" (become a child of God) is like a seed that is planted, and because the soil was good, it sprouted

...God never intended for His word (the "seed") to do nothing more than sprout - His purpose is to produce bountiful fruit

 

John 15:1-8 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

- a born-again person who stays connected to the "vine" will naturally bear fruit

...all the branches get pruned...fruitless branches are removed

 

Matt. 3:8 "Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance..."

 

 

Let's consider 3 basic principles of sowing/reaping:

 

Principle #1

The kind of seed you sow determines the kind of fruit you reap.

 

Gal. 6:7:8 whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

 

- as followers of Christ, we are responsible to invest in our spiritual growth and development and not continue to allow our carnal nature to blossom

...the scripture is clear: gratifying carnal desires produces corruption that can lead to spiritual death, but:

...yielding to the will of God's Spirit ensures eternal life

 

Gal. 5:16-25 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works (deeds) of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

 

- Can you monitor the kind of seed that is sown in you?

...can you control which seeds take root in your life?

...to quote a famous author:

"Sow a thought and you reap an action;

          sow an act and you reap a habit;

                   sow a habit and you reap a character;

                             sow a character and you reap a destiny."

 

Matt. 7:16-20 Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

...some seeds may need to be uprooted in you - can you think of any?

 

The kind of seed you sow determines the kind of fruit you reap.

 

 

Principle #2

Your reaping will be in proportion to your sowing.

 

...if you sow nothing, you will reap nothing

...if you sow little, you will reap little

 

2 Cor. 9:6 whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

 

...also, what you give out is what will come back to you:

Luke 6:36-38 "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

 

- how much do you try to profit others?

- how many godly habits do you have?

- if more than half of the input in your life is from carnal/secular sources, how can you expect to blossom spiritually?

 

 

Your reaping will be in proportion to your sowing.

Principle #3

The season for reaping comes later than the season of sowing.

 

Gal. 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

- spiritual growth is not a quick process

...many believers drop out during the long seasons of waiting

...we need to help each other endure until our "due season"

- God's pruning process is uncomfortable, but yields the best fruit

 

The season for reaping comes later than the season of sowing.

 

 

Remember these points:

 

- God's word is the basic "seed" of the Christian life

          ...keep yourself exposed to God's word

          ...attend regular worship services

          ...read the Bible daily

          ...listen to Christian radio

- prayer is a form of sowing

          ...learn to pray as naturally as breathing

          ...if you want to reap often and in big portions, learn to pray           likewise

 

 

Ultimately, what is God looking for from us?

 

Isa. 61:3 "...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

("fallow ground" is usually defined as dry, hard, unfertile soil in need of plowing)

 

...re-visit areas of your life that have been neglected

...tenderize your heart towards God in a fresh way

...make plans to reap where you have been unfruitful

 

2 Cor. 9:10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Heb. 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

James 3:18 (NAS) And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

 

- after the Garden of Eden, mankind became "unrighteous"

...we were all born as "unrighteous"

...God has come to us, planting the seeds that can produce righteousness

...He requires "good soil" to nurture the seed to fruition

...the fruit of righteousness is the goal

 

- Jesus said to His disciples:

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

 

refs for extra study (1 Pet. 1:23; John 12:24-25; 1 Cor. 3:6-9; 1 John 3:9; Matt. 5:6, 6:33)