LOOKING TO HARVEST TIME – Galatians 6:7-1
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on Apr 10, 2011 in 2011 | 0 comments
Preached Sunday, April 10, 2011
from
Galatians 6:7-10
Theme: We should keep fervent in doing good, because God promises a harvest in due time.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
One of the most fiery letters in all of the New Testament is the little book of Galatians. In it, the apostle Paul throws all his authority, logical force, and emotional power into defending the vital doctrine of ‘justification by faith’—that is, that fallen people are not made righteous in the sight of God on the basis of their good works, but on the basis of God’s grace through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone. Because of the importance of what it was Paul was defending, it’s a letter that contains some of his strongest words of rebuke toward those who were relying on their own good works to make them right before God.
But the letter isn’t all harsh. After stressing that good works are not to be seen as the basis of our salvation in Christ, Paul also goes on to stress that good works are to be seen as the natural outflow of our salvation in Christ. And so, it’s also a letter that’s filled with great encouragement to us as followers of Jesus.
One of those very important ‘encouraging’ portions of Paul’s letter of the Galatians—a portion that seems to start off harshly, but that definitely ends on a high note—is found in 6:7-10. The apostle Paul wrote to his brothers and sisters in Christ and told them;
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:7-10)
I’ve been thinking much about this passage lately. I’ve grown increasingly impressed with the wonderful people God has brought into our church family. I never cease to be delighted with the talent and skills that are represented in this place. And I’ve been thrilled to discover ways that the individual members of our church are serving one another behind the scenes.
The Bible tells us, in another of Paul’s letters, that we are a “body” for whom Jesus Christ Himself serves as the “head”. It tells us that Jesus himself—through the ministry of the Holy Spirit—has formed us together as individual members of a body that, “joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). The body causes the growth of the body—when every part of the body does its share. And I want you to know that I see increasing numbers of us rising up within this church family, and serving together in the ways that He has gifted us. It’s truly exciting; and I pray that more and more of us will do so at the Holy Spirit’s call.
And it’s in the spirit of protecting that wonderful increase of happy service to the Lord Jesus that I’m calling your attention to this morning’s passage.
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There is a danger—if we’re not careful to protect ourselves from it—of becoming discouraged and disheartened in our work in the body today by losing our focus on the results that come in the future. Perhaps you’ve felt a little of that discouragement at some point or another.
Perhaps you yourself have said things like, “Nobody seems to notice what it is that I do around here. Nobody seems to care if it gets done or not. I have to do all the work by myself. And why do I keep doing it? It doesn’t seem to make any difference anyway. It doesn’t seem to change anything. Maybe I’ve made a mistake in thinking this was God’s will for me. Maybe He doesn’t even notice. Maybe He doesn’t even care. Maybe I should just quit. Maybe I should just leave.” And I want you to know, dear brother or sister, that if you have ever felt that way—or if you’re feeling that way right now—it’s not a small matter. It’s something that I believe should be taken very seriously; because it has the potential of robbing us of your vital part in the body.
I believe that, in this morning’s passage, the apostle Paul—writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit—has given us something very important to remember; something that will help us through those times of discouragement; and will keep us serving joyfully and faithfully for the advancement of Jesus’ kingdom.
Let’s look, first, at . . .
1. THE PRINCIPLE.
It’s a very basic principle—one that we see in operation in lots of different areas of everyday life. It’s something that every farmer and every gardener knows. Paul describes it in verse 7 in these words: that “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
When we think a little more deeply about that principle, we discover three important ‘laws’ of sowing and reaping that have to do with our ministry in the body of Christ. First, because it tells us of a man who “sows”, we can see a law that has to do with the initiative of taking action: Someone cannot justifiably expect to reap anything when they have not sown anything. No farmer stands around and expects a crop to grow on its own. He must first take initiative and sow. No gardener stands around and expects beautiful flowers to grow in her garden by themselves. She must first take action and plant seeds or bulbs. And, of course, in the body of Christ, we cannot expect good things to happen unless—as Paul said elsewhere—we put forth “the effective working by which every part does its share”.
A second ‘law’ that we derive from this principle has to do with the nature of what is sown: Someone cannot expect to reap anything other than what has been sown. “Whatever” a man sows “that” he will also reap. Someone should not expect to reap anything other than what has been sown. A farmer doesn’t plant grass-seed and expect to grow corn. A gardener doesn’t plant tomatoes and expect to grow tulips. An bird lover doesn’t even plant bird-seed and expect to grow birds; because it’s not really in the nature of bird-seed to produce birds. (I found that out as a very little boy.) And when it comes to the body of Christ, we not only shouldn’t expect something to happen unless we put forth the effort, but we also shouldn’t expect to “reap” what is good in the church unless we “sow” what is good.
And a third ‘law’ of this principle has to do with expectations for the future; because it tells us that whatever a man sows, that “he will also reap”: If someone sows, they will reap. There’s a cause-and-effect relationship between sowing and reaping. Reaping follows after sowing as surely as day follows night. If a farmer sows seed, he will reap at the time of harvest. If a gardener plants bulbs, she will have beautiful flowers in her garden in springtime. And if we faithfully sow what is good in the church and in our personal lives, we will eventually reap what is good for the body of Christ and for ourselves.
This extremely important principle—that “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”—is something that the apostle Paul reaffirms once again in verse eight. He embraces it as an important principle of the spiritual life. And if you pay close attention, you’ll find those three ‘laws’ once again represented in what he says.
He writes,
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (v. 8).
There’s the ‘law’ that has to do with the initiative taken in sowing: “For he who sows . . . , but he who sows . . .” A deliberate decision to sow something occurs. And there’s the ‘law’ that has to do with the nature of what is sown: “For he who sows to his flesh . . . , but he who sows to the Spirit . . .” The nature of what is reaped is connected to the nature of what is sown. And finally, there is the ‘law’ that has to do with expectation: “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
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Now; let’s take things a bit further. There are two opposing dynamics being described to us in this passage. One is called “the flesh”—or, “the sinful nature”, as it’s translated in the New International Version; and the other is called “the Spirit”. These two dynamics were described in this letter by Paul back in Galatians 5:16-26; and we need to take a moment to consider what he tells us there.
In a way, it’s easy to tell what the “flesh” is by what Paul describes as its opposite. In Galatians 5:16-18, he writes;
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:16-18).
The “flesh”, then, is the opposite of walking under the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. It’s that dynamic in us that seeks to do things from out of a selfish motive—according to our own will and in our own power—apart from submission and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
And it’s a dynamic in us that is sure to fail. As Paul went on to write;
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (vv. 19-21).
As we’ve already learned from the principle of sowing and reaping, “he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.” The active, intentional decision to sow to the flesh—that is, to gratify our selfish, sinful passions, that dynamic in us that sets itself up against the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives—will, as a natural and certain consequence, result in our reaping the sorts of “works of the flesh” that Paul described.
Every time, dear brothers and sisters, that we make the choice to gratify the “flesh”—every time we choose to nurse a grudge against another, or to engage in gossip or falsehood; every time we choose to gaze at something on television, or in a magazine, or on the Internet, that God’s word tells us not to see; every time we choose to neglect our duty before God, or to cheat on a business deal, or to lust after what belongs to someone else—we are sowing to the “flesh”. And eventually—as surely as night follows day—we will, of the flesh, reap “corruption”.
But note that Paul goes on to write that, by contrast,
. . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (vv. 22-26).
If, instead of “sowing to the flesh”, we actively choose to ‘crucify the flesh with its passions and desires’, and ‘walk in the Spirit’, we will—of the Spirit—reap the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”; all of which are pleasing to God and in keeping with His law.
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All of this stands behind that important principle in our passage this morning—that “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And I’d like to point out another thing we need to notice from that passage; and that is . . .
2. THE DANGER (v. 7a).
The danger we face is that of being fooled into believing that the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping isn’t really true. As Paul says in verse 7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” To say that “God is not mocked” is, essentially, to say that no one turns their nose up at Him. No one will ever be able to say, “Ha! I cheated You, God! I got away with wrong-doing! I ‘sowed’, but did not ‘reap’!” That will never happen! But Paul warns that there is the danger of our being deceived into thinking it will.
How might that deception come? I certainly believe it can come from the devil himself. I believe one of the greatest deceptions that the devil seeks to foist on the world is that the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping really isn’t true. I believe he is actively and aggressively engaged in a campaign to convince people that you can ‘sow to the flesh’—and do what God says not to do—and not reap the consequences. He brings about terrible destruction in people’s lives through that deception. But another way that deception can come is through our own hearts. In the Bible, the Lord Himself tells us,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
Quite often, the devil doesn’t have to do much at all to deceive us about “sowing and reaping”. He just simply takes advantage of the self-deceiving bent that already exists in our own hearts.
But another way that the devil might deceive us about the principle of sowing and reaping—or that we might deceive ourselves—is through the other side of the coin. He does a great deal of damage in the church, and greatly hinders the faithful service of God’s people, by getting them to believe that it doesn’t do any good to serve the Lord. He gets Christians to believe that “he who sows to the Spirit” will NOT “of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” And that’s why we easily grow weary in the service of the Lord, and begin to lose heart. That’s why we begin to think, “Why keep giving myself to all this labor and heartache? What good does it do?” That’s why we freeze-up, and quit, and—sadly—lose the opportunities to see God do great things in and through us.
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Now; the Bible makes this “warning” a matter of command! Grammatically, the idea is that we are to “stop being deceived” about the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping. We need to disregard the lies of the devil—and of our own fallen and unbelieving hearts. We need to seize hold this principle as a revealed truth from God, and act upon it as something that He—by His sovereign rule—ensures is absolutely, unfailingly true and certain.
And that lead us, next, to consider . . .
3. THE PROMISE (v. 9).
Paul writes, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
We don’t always see the fruit of what we’ve sown right away. We have to be patient—just as “the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth” (James 5:7). It comes in the time that God has appointed for it—that is, “in due season”; or as the New International Version has it, “in the proper time. And sometimes, that “due season” may be years later than we expect. Some fruit may not even appear in our lifetime. But the promise is that, eventually—at the proper time—”we shall reap”.
I’ll never something I heard once in a church that my wife and I attended in Seattle. An dear elderly couple was sharing a matter of rejoicing to the church family. “Praise God with us,” they said. “A relative of ours that we’ve been praying for has finally come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him as their Savior. They had been resisting the Lord for a long time, and we’ve been praying for them for years and years. And now, they’ve finally given their lives to Jesus!” We all rejoiced with them; and asked how long they’d been praying for this family member. And then, we all gasped when they said, “We’d been praying for them for over fifty years!” Think of that! Fifty years! Most of us get discouraged and quit after fifty days! But they didn’t lose heart and quit. They kept on praying; and, in due season, they reaped!
The other day, I read a story about an unbelieving man named Luke Short. He lived in the 1700s; and grow to be a very old man. When he was 103 years old, he was sitting around outdoors—just thinking. And as he sat in thought, he remembered a sermon that he had heard long ago by the famous Puritan preacher John Flavel. As he thought through the sermon he heard long ago, he asked God—right then and there—to forgive him for his sins through Jesus Christ. He became a Christian, and he lived for another three years in happy faith in Jesus until he died at the age of 106. And here’s the remarkable thing: That sermon that he thought back on and remembered—that led him to repentance, and that changed his life—was a sermon that he heard eighty-five years prior! The old pastor John Flavel preached a sermon—faithfully sowing to the Spirit; and he reaped the fruit of it almost a hundred years later!1
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ; let’s not you or me grow weary in doing good. We have a promise from God—that “in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
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And that leads us to . . .
4. THE CALL (v. 10).
It’s a natural consequence of all that we’ve studied so far from this passage: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (v. 10)
Do you have an opportunity to serve? Do you see a need in the body of Christ? Is the Holy Spirit leading you to give of your time and energy to minister to those in need around you—and especially to others in the body of Christ? Or, are you already serving? Are you already giving of your talents and skills to minister in Jesus’ name?
And do you, at times, find it hard to keep going? Are you ministering to children and teaching them about Jesus’ love—and wondering if anything is sinking in? Are you serving in the kitchen or meeting some needs in the building—doing ‘thankless’ little chores, and feeling like no one seems to notice or care? Are you pulling along side someone who is hurting—trying to counsel them to do the right thing, but feeling like it’s going in one ear and out the other? Are you praying for someone’s salvation; but feeling like God’s not hearing you?
Then don’t let yourself be deceived. God will never be proven wrong. He has established a principle in His moral universe—that whatever we sow, that we will also reap. And if we keep on faithfully sowing good things under the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will—in due season—reap if we do lose heart.
So; let’s not grow weary. Praise God—harvest time is coming!
Cited in Philip Graham Ryken, Galatians (Philippsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2001), pp. 265-6.
