34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do
they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
INTRO
IF THE SEED REFUSES TO DIE, THE QUICKENING POWER REFUSES TO ACT. THE QUICKENER CAN ONLY WORK THIS NEWNESS OF LIFE WHERE THERE IS DEATH. PAUL SAID 1 Cor 15:31—(31) I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Gal 2:20 -- I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ( I DIE DAILY)
1. SOWING SEEDS IS NOT ALL THERE IS TO REAPING A HARVEST.
A. IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A HARVEST THE SEED HAS TO ROT, DECAY AND DIE.
UNDERSTANDING HEART – THE SEED MUST HAVE FULL LIBERTY. IN THE HEART – THE
SEED GERMINATES.
B. JESUS JUST BEFORE HE WAS CRUCIFIED John 12:20-24 20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
C. DISCIPLES SAID SIR, THERE ARE SOME MEN OUT HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MEET
YOU.
D. EXCEPT A CORN OF WHEAT FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE, IT ABIDETH ALONE: BUT IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT. (VS 24)
E. I CAN LOOK AT THE DISCIPLES - SIR, WE DID NOT COME FOR A LESSON IN AGRICULTURE.
F. JESUS WAS SAYING, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, ALL I’VE BEEN DOING IS SHOWING
YOU THE FATHER. ( IF YOU’VE SEEN THE FATHER, YOU’VE SEEN ME.)
G. IF YOU WANT TO SEE JESUS THEN PLANT ME IN THE GROUND AND AFTER THREE DAYS I WILL RISE UP AND MY SONS AND MY DAUGHTERS WILL SHOW YOU JESUS FROM ONE END OF THIS EARTH TO THE OTHER.
H. Matt 9:37-38 (37) Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; (38) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
2. WE MUST BE PREPARED TO GIVE OUR SEED AWAY
A. DO WE NOT KNOW HOW ONE GRAIN CAN BE MULTIPLIED INTO MANY - HOW THE EARTH, AIR WATER AND SUNSHINE COOPERATE TO CREATE NEW LIFE. WE BELIEVE IT, NOT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND IT, BUT BECAUSE IT PRODUCES RESULTS.
B. IF WE REFUSE TO BURY THE SEED AND HOLD IT BACK, WE SHALL NEVER REAP A
HARVEST.
C. Eccl 11:1-6 -- 1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of
God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for
thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
TELLS US TO GIVE OUR BREAD AND IT WILL BE RETURNED TO ONE WHO IS GENEROUS AND HOSPITABLE AND GIVE A PORTION OF YOUR BREAD TO SEVERAL OR MANY.
D. FOR NO ONE KNOWS WHEN HE WILL NEED BREAD. PREPARE TO GIVE.
E. VS 6 IF ONE DOES NOT SOW A SEED IN PROPER TIME HE CANNOT TELL WHETHER HE
WILL PROSPER OR NOT.
3. THE ONLY WAY TO PROSPER IS TO MORTIFY YOUR DEEDS. HOW?
A. YOU CAN’T LIVE UNLESS YOU DIE --Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
B. MANY CHURCH PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO PROSPER BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM ( THEY
MUST TOTALLY LEARN TO DIE OUT TO THIS WORLD)
C. HE THAT COVERETH HIS SINS SHALL NOT PROSPER – PROVERBS 28:13
D. WE MUST PUT ON THE NEW MAN-- Col 3:5-10
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
4. GETTING INTO POSITION FOR REAPING YOUR CROP
A. MAKE A VOW TO GOD AND PAY IT
B. Eccl 5:4-5 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
C. A VOW TO GOD MUST NOT BE BROKEN
D. IF ALL THINGS PRODUCED BY THE EARTH WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL MEN THERE
WOULD BE PLENTY FOR ALL. IT WILL NOT BE UNTIL CHRIST COMES THAT A TRUE AND
UNSELFISH ECONOMY WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
E. MOREOVER, THE PROFIT OF THE EARTH IS FOR ALL. Eccl 5:9 -- Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
F. Job 22:27-28 (27) Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
G. THE THINGS OF THIS EARTH BELONG TO THE CHILD OF GOD, AND IT IS OURS FOR
THE TAKING.
CONCLUSION:
CHURCH BELL AND THE CORN –
THERE WAS A TOWN NORTH OF GERMANY CALLED GROSSLASWITZ. IN THE TOWER OF THE CHURCH WAS A BELL WITH THE ENGRAVING OF A SIX EARED STALK OF CORN. THE CHURCH HAD AN OLD BELL AND IT COULDN’T BE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE. PEOPLE BACK IN THOSE DAYS DEPENDED ON THE BELL TO TELL THEM WHEN THE SERVICES WERE. THEY DECIDED TO BUY A NEW BELL, BUT THE COST OF IT WAS BEYOND REACHING BECAUSE THE PARISHIONERS WERE RATHER POOR. EVERYBODY GAVE WHAT THEY COULD, BUT STILL WAS NOT ENOUGH. A SCHOOL TEACHER ON HIS WAY TO CHURCH NOTICED A STRONG STOCK OF CORN WAS GROWING OUT OF THE CHURCHYARD WALL. HE HAD AN IDEA. CLOSELY, HE WATCHED THE STALK UNTIL IT GREW SIX WELL FORMED EARS OF CORN. THESE HE PUT AWAY AND SOWED THE NEXT SPRING. EACH YEAR FOLLOWING, HE DID THE SAME THING FINALLY DIVIDING THE EARS AMONG HIS FRIENDS. AFTER EIGHT YEARS THEY RAISED A CROP BIG ENOUGH TO EARN THE MONEY TO BUY THE BELL.
