We All Will Reap
06/28/09 AM
Text: Galatians 6:7-9
Introduction
Illus: South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, 49, a conservative former congressman viewed as a strong contender for the White House in 2012, had disappeared from his state of South Carolina, telling aides he was going hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. Instead, the married father of four was 5,000 miles away in Argentina with a glamorous divorcee named by local newspapers as Maria Belen Chapur.
In one of the many radio commentaries I heard concerning this scandal the radio personalities were debating the severity of the rhetoric from those critical of the Governor and whether the reactions were to harsh and one of the commentators said “you reap what you sow.”
Galatians 6:7 - 9 (NASB) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
There’s at least one area of life where the law of sowing and reaping always applies. And that’s in our spiritual life. Our character, our relationship with God, our relationships with one another, these are ruled by the law of sowing and reaping. It’s part of the moral fabric of the universe created by God. This law can’t be overturned by judicial rule; it can’t be repealed by a winning lottery ticket. It holds fast. And so the way of wisdom is not to war against it, but to understand it and live by it and benefit from it. Ignoring the law of sowing and reaping only leads to sorrow and regret. What we need to do is respond to it in a way that’s spiritually healthy and pleasing to God.
“Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked.”
What’s Paul’s first point? Do not be deceived.
1. This sentence comes within Paul’s flow of thought regarding Christian conduct and applies a natural principle to our attitudes of service, humility, and sharing.
2. The Greek verb tense suggest that some of the believers had been or were already deceived. Paul is basically saying: don’t kid yourselves.
3. But this is the way of the world.
God cannot be mocked.
1. The Greek word literally means “turn up the nose at.” This could also be translated “God is not fooled” or “You cannot mock [or fool] God.”
a. Some people today are mocking God. Not explicitly – they’re not glaring up at the sky, laughing at God, taunting Him, daring Him to strike them down. But they are mocking Him implicitly, by the way they’re living; by disregarding His claims on their life; ignoring God, ignoring His law, ignoring His Son Jesus Christ. Living however they please, with no thought or concern about God.
b. They think they’re beating the system. They think they’re “getting away with it.” They think that as long as they’re clever enough to cover their tracks, as long as they can avoid discovery and exposure, as long as no one finds out, then they can do whatever they want.
c. But what Paul is telling us here is that they’re not getting away with it. It’s corroding their soul. It’s destroying their integrity. It’s eroding the foundation of their relationships, and placing a barrier between them and God. And sooner or later, it is going to come out. Sooner or later, they will reap what they’ve been sowing. (IIL: Sanford)
2. But – What if you don’t get caught? Sometimes the cover-up works, doesn’t it? What if you’re never exposed? What then? Well, at the very least, hidden sin weakens our relationship with God.
a. When Christians try to conceal their sin, it distances them from their Lord. It erects a barrier to prayer; it destroys fellowship with Christ. And at worst, concealed sin shows that there was never really a relationship with God to begin with.
b. You see, people who think they’re “getting away with it” may be able to con everyone around them, every day of their lives, until the day of their death. But they can’t con God. There will be a judgment, and all of their deeds, good and bad, will be exposed.
1 Timothy 5:24 - 25 (NASB) 24The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. 25Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
Hebrews 4:13 (NASB) 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
You reap what you sow
1. Everything we sow eventually bears fruit. It’s the law of harvest. If what we’re sowing is bad, then the harvest will be bad, whether our deeds come to fruition in this life or whether they are exposed at God’s judgment seat on the last day.
Job 4:8 (NASB) “According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it.”
Proverbs 11:18 (NASB) The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
Hosea 10:12a (NASB) Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness;
James 3:18 (NASB) And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
2. Sowing and reaping; action and consequence; stimulus and response. Let me pause here and ask you a question. What are you sowing in your life right now? This day in April, 2009?
a. How did you spend your day yesterday? Are you giving any thought to what you’re going to harvest from the seeds you’re planting right now? Are you seeking to please God, sowing seeds of obedience and service? Or are you sowing seeds of sin that will produce shame when Christ returns?
b. Our words, and actions and decisions are more significant than we can possibly know. They echo through our lives and the lives of everyone we meet; they reverberate into eternity.
We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny.
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (16th Century theologian)
What are you sowing in your children’s lives? What are you teaching them? Are you teaching them? What kind of example are you setting? How are you preparing them to walk with Christ?
What are you sowing in your own spiritual life? Are you reading the Bible? Are you praying? Are you cultivating a relationship with God? Or are you neglecting your spiritual life? What kind of harvest are you expecting? Are you sowing seeds to produce a a strong faith, and joy, and peace? Are you expecting a harvest of Flowers, and fruits and vegetables? Or weeds?
What are you sowing in your relationship with your spouse? Criticism? Neglect? Disapproval? You shouldn’t be surprised if those seeds produce a harvest of thorns and thistles. Or are you sowing encouragement, and praise, and attention? The harvest of those seeds is love.
What about your relationships with others? Are you sowing peace, or discord?
* What are you filling your mind with? How are you spending your time and money? What kind of seeds are you planting in these areas? What kind of fruit are you expecting?
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. (Galatians 5:17-23)
1. Here’s they key. We don’t have a choice as to whether the law of sowing and reaping is going to apply in our lives.
a. We don’t have a choice whether the seeds we plant are going to bear fruit. And we don’t have the option of harvesting good fruit without first planting the seeds.
b. The only choice we have is what kinds of seeds we’re going to plant. The choices you are making today, the actions you are taking today, with respect to your family, your marriage, your children, your relationship with God, your time and money – these will bear fruit; either good fruit that will bring you joy, or bad fruit that will bring you heartache and sorrow.
c. You have to decide: Which will it be?
Do not lose heart
1. Now at about this time, I expect that some of you are starting to form some objections, some questions. Because this law of sowing and reaping, although absolutely true, is not that simple in its application.
2. For example, sometimes the “good fruit” doesn’t look all that good to us. We do our best to obey God, we pray, we read the Bible, we speak the truth, we seek peace with others, we stay faithful to our spouses and we love our kids. And yet, things still go wrong. Conflict, bitterness, angry words, betrayal, tears, sorrow.
3. What gives? I thought that if I sowed good things, I would receive a good harvest. Let’s look again at Paul’s words:
Galatians 6:7 - 9 (NASB) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
4. What do we see? Paul thought it necessary to caution us against becoming weary. He spoke about reaping a harvest “at the proper time.” Why? Because sometimes the harvest doesn’t come when we expect, or when we desire.
Sometimes the "harvest" takes months, years, or decades.
Your children -- You may say something that you forget, but which sticks with them for years afterward.
Sometimes the harvest comes too late for us to see it. [Moses died before entering the Promised Land.]
Sometimes we’re unaware of who we’ve influenced; the fruit appears when we’re not around to see it.
And, in some cases, the harvest just doesn’t come in this life at all. Our reward is “Well done, Thou good and faithful servant.”
5. Here’s another thing: not only does the fruit sometimes appear at a time we don’t expect; sometimes it appears in a form we don’t recognize as good fruit.
a. Sometimes the result of obedience is not an improvement in our circumstances, but a strengthening of our faith and a refining of our character. God, in His wisdom, defines that as good fruit, even though we may be looking for something else.
6. So, what should we be doing? Just doing whatever we feel like, and hoping for the best? A garden treated that way would produce nothing but weeds. We need to reflect on how we’re living, we need to consider what kind of seeds we’re planting with our life. We need to work diligently to plant the right kind of seeds, so we won’t be disappointed at harvest time:
Proverbs 20:4 (NASB) 4The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.
We need to place our trust and confidence in God. Only he can produce a good harvest. It’s by His power and grace, and not because of our effort, that good fruit comes.
Invitation
Finally, what about the bad seed we’ve already sown, the sins we’ve already committed, the months or years that have been wasted? Well, you may have to endure the consequences of your sin. You may need to accept that you’re going to be reaping some bad fruit. Maybe you’re experiencing that right now – maybe you’re suffering the consequences of your past actions. Maybe you’re even reaping the fruit of someone else’s wrong choices. The important thing to realize is that there is a higher law that supersedes the law of sowing and reaping. And that’s the law of love, the law of grace. That’s the promise of forgiveness and eternal life to all who will place their faith in Jesus Christ. In Christ, the punishment for our sins is removed and our guilt is completely erased. We are no longer under God’s condemnation; our sins will not bear the fruit of God’s wrath and anger and judgment. Although we may still experience the consequences of our actions in this world, Christ will make sure there is no harvest of judgment in the next.
