You Will Always Reap What You Sow

Galatians 6:7-8 -Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

I was listening to Eunice the other day talk to her son Tj in America the other day. She said, “Have a nice day Tedz, make the right choices!” And without interrupting, it brought me good memories with my grandma when was I little. She would always warn me to make right choices in life. In her attempt to see that her grandson behave well, she used to say, “Don’t forget, Jonathan, you always reap what you sow … always.”

And of course, she was right. I don’t think she even realized that what she was saying comes from the Bible. When we think of reaping what we sow, we usually would think of this in the negative sense. We think of evil sown and therefore we reap evil. Yes, we surely pay the consequences for our sinful actions or foolish choices, but do not forget that the laws of the harvest are not just negative. These laws of sowing and reaping are also positive.

Galatians 6:7-8 stand as a promise of blessing for sowing that which is good and a warning against sowing what is bad. Am probably is going to cover all this in a series of two or three messages. But this morning I am going to talk only about how we reap what has been sown. This way, we will learn how to be thankful and how to correct what wrong has been sown.
May this message really motivate and encourage us in our walk with Jesus our Saviour—not so much of the negative connotations—but of the positive outlook it can give us in our walk with God.

We reap what has been sown, by yourself or by others. One time I was foolishly thinking that it was better if we had no choices. Then immediately I snapped out of it and I said to myself how stupid a thought that would be? Thank God we are not made to be robots. Amen! That’s just unthinkable. What a wonderful privilege it is that we have the freewill to choose. And we reap what we sow. The more I think of this the more I appreciate the genius of our God almighty.

I praise God that life is filled with choices. It would have been so boring a life if we have not been endowed with such a privilege to choose. Daily we make choices. There’s not a time we don’t make choices for even a failure to make choices is a choice. But they affect us in everything we do on a daily basis. Choices always will carry some significance, whether we immediately see it or not. Our choices affect others and us in significant ways.

No man will ever mock God for His laws of sowing and reaping. Our text says, God is not mocked. Because, in reality, can you imagine if there was no sowing and reaping, we would have no harvest! And we would surely starve. This truth is meant to encourage us rather than intimidate us. Since we all make choices, may this truth instead motivate us to make wise choices because in making right choices we are actually redeeming the time!

ILLUS: I was driving once in North Carolina. Up top the hill I could see the long stretch of the freeway I was on. However, I could also see the town right below on my right. I was short on petrol so without thinking, the moment I saw a big road to the right I turned thinking it was a short cut. Not only that I got lost but I lost so much time that I almost didn’t make it to the gas station. I ended up on a river cleft. I followed the river trail on the right thinking there would be a bridge to cross. It was a case of so close yet so far.

I thought of myself as one like a fool because the least I could have done was ask someone or take time to read the signs. Ephesians 5:15-17 – See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

How many of you have experienced losing so much time because of our neglect to study the situation before you first. Or how many of you lost time and money despite the given instructions because you did it your way instead of following the instruction? I just read a funny Fb photo this week that the theme song in hell was popularised by Frank Sinatra- I did it my way.

I love the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90:12 – So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. But why do we need wisdom? Isn’t it- so that – we can make wise choices? And so we need to stop and think before doing anything! God gave us minds for thinking and hearts for feeling so that we can make good and wise decision.

ILLUS: This week, we shed tears for a fallen pastor who was careless in making the right decision. He was very popular in the circles of great pastors in the Philippines. He was an eloquent speaker and a Bible College professor. He had been the assistant of a huge church in the Philippines for 38 years. He was enjoying a free dwelling, with travel allowances. He was the head of the deacons. He was once president of BFIP. He was a choir director and perhaps 10 other more titles in his name. But this week, he lost all that. He was stripped to nothing because he carelessly involved himself with a woman.

That’s a clear bad harvest for bad seeds sown. But on the other hand, do you realise that we actually are reaping much of the fruit from which we have not really worked for??? We are actually recipients of fruits from the labour of others, either good or bad. Don’t look too confused with what I just said. One good example for this is our children. They are reaping what you sowed, bad or good.

In other words, this law of the harvest, we reap what has been sown either by you or others, has both a positive and a negative side. We actually reap what was planted either naturally or purposely, either by God or by man, and for either positive or for negative results.

Please open your Bibles in John 4:35-38- Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.)

Let me explain. This is the positive side; we have the privilege to enter into the labour of others although we have not really laboured. How? ILLUS: I can really relate to this because we had a big farm before. Dad and our tenants will cultivate the land and sow the seeds at a particular season. During harvest, however, Dad would announce to the entire community for anyone interested to participate in the harvest.

So, it says here And he that reapeth receiveth wages… that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. In our case, those that would harvest with us would receive wages in this way: out of every ten bags they harvest they will get two to three bags as their wages. They have not actually sown the seeds with us but are reaping for which others have sown. Are you with me here? It was a joyous time.

As a matter of fact, we all are reapers for what God has done on our behalf. Look for instance the grace of God:
(1) We enjoy the blessings of Common Grace- In Matt 5:45 we read this- for God maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And so whether you are bad or good, you enjoy the sun, the air, the water, the change of climate, the crops, the herbs and the herds.

In Acts 17:24 to 28 we also read this- God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, ….. he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made …. men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; But there is always a purpose for God doing this. It says here: That they should seek the Lord, ….., though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

And James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father…” In fact John says John 3:27- A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Would you agree that God is gracious toward all men whether they realize it or not, or whether they ever give Him thanks for His blessings?

But not only does man enjoy the blessings of common grace, man also have the luxury of being redeemed unto Himself after that man have fallen unto sin.

(2) We also enjoy the Blessings of Salvation Grace- I want you to open your Bibles in Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Salvation grace is free. You cannot work for it. In fact, you cannot pay with good works or anything the sacrifices Jesus did in the shedding of His blood at Calvary’s cross. It is free to whoever receives it by faith. John 3:15- That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
God has given man the greatest gift of all in His Son who became man that we might have life by faith in Him. But this gift can be received only by those whosoever believes. This is a gift that would be the deciding factor whether you are going to enjoy heaven with God or for the eternal judgment in the lake of fire in hell.
For 1John 5:12 says, he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (John 3:16) Yes, these are the blessings we reap because of what others- in this case, Jesus have done on our behalf.

In Deuteronomy 6:10-11 we see this principle demonstrated to the children of Israel. It says here: And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the Lord.
We’ve read John 4:35-38 earlier but in those verses we find our Lord’s statements, although this is dealing with the ministry of evangelism, it is nevertheless based on the fact that there are blessings we reap because of what others have done on our behalf. This deals with the laws of inheritance. Those who are saved will inherit the kingdom of God.

We see people who brag about being a self-made man. But whether they realize it or not, their talents, their opportunities for success, and their fruitfulness they are experiencing are all given by the grace of God. So, not only are we blessed because of what God has done in our behalf, we are also blessed by what others have done. Others have laboured and we have entered into the blessings of their labours. For example, in this country….

Australia is enjoying a lot of freedom, of justice, of equality; of ministering to the suffering, the poor and the like- history tells us that these are all the by-products of Christianity and our godly heritage. Out liberty, language, and the law have been drawn from the Bible alone.

Without this Book, Australia would not have become what she is. When this country loses its guidance and wisdom from heroes gone by who followed the precepts of the Word of God, I believe this country will start to go downhill. Today, despite many ungodly people in our parliament, I praise God that at the leadership of someone fearing God, they still call upon God in prayer at the start of their sessions for guidance.

Now, I have a question. Do we realize the far-reaching implications of our choices on the lives of others; firstly, our children, family members, friends and workmates perhaps? We thank god for the Bible where God’s words still teaches us and stresses the importance of being a good example to others; be it to your children and church family. In 2Chron. 17:3 we find how the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David who followed God.

Folks, we need to be good models for our children in honouring God. Always remember that we are created mainly for the purpose of giving glory to our God. Jesus Himself said in John 13:15- For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Apostle Paul said this to the believers in Thessalonica in 1Thessalonians 1:6 -And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. The same in 2 Thess. 3:7 where apostle Paul said, For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Then in v9, he declares they were making a good example for other to follow.

Here in this church, we see people who are only starting in the faith. They are observing. They are noticing all of us that have been here for a while. By their observations, they can grow fast or they can be stunted depending on what example we can show them to follow. That’s why Paul had this warning in 1Tim 4:12- Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Folks, being a good model is a positive form of sowing that can result in reaping Christlike changes in the lives of others. However, we also find negative form of sowing that will reap negative results. WE can also reap the wrong that others have sown. We do not only enter into the blessings God has bestowed, but unfortunately, we can also reap the results of the wrong others have sown both before us and around us.

In reality, there are no parents who want their kids to be bad but with the wrong choices of us parents, our children can inherited and be recipients of choices. Let us really think twice what we sow if you want to see your children reap well. David said this of God in Psalm 51:4 – For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

We all know that because of the sin of our first earthly father Adam we inherited that sinfulness. Romans 5:12 says, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: We reaped the sin of Adam and pass that along to our children. This means that we can continue passing on our sinful nature to our children but we have the choice given of God to learn the ways of Christ, so that we can effectively teach them to be Christ-like also.

Our election for leaders in this country is fast approaching. We much make the right choices. Already there are leaders who are blatant in going against the law of God in allowing same sex marriage. We must stand to what is right with God now or our children will suffer. Isaiah invites us saying come let us walk in the light of the Lord. Because if we are not careful we will reap the wrong, foolish and corrupt path our leaders will lead us to. And the consequences will be decay for our future generation.

Let us pray that our nation is not treasuring up the wrath of God unto ourselves, as Romans 2:5 says, after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. This is very concerning because any ungodly law will surely affect us all greatly. Already we see spiritual and moral decay, as most of our politicians these days do not fear God.

Today we see rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. There is mad craze for pleasures to keep people entertained and to be side swept from the real issue. Sports and luxuries have become the idols of our day. So let me encourage you to grow your faith. Strengthen your faith. When faith is fading into just mere form, losing touch with God, we become impotent to warn and guide the people as a result.

Let this be an encouraging challenge for us to do as children of the Most High God to be diligent in our prayers. Do not make our 9 o’clock prayer together a mere ritual. Let is be pleasing to God and exalting His holy name as we together in one heart pleading for God’s interventions on things beyond our ability to change. Let us truly intercede for one another and for our leaders.

Let us also be mindful to sow godly living. We need to be doing what we can to be good example to our children, our brothers and sisters, our neighbours and our workmates while we can and leave the results with God- knowing that our labour is never in vain in Him. And let us be always concern that everything we do has consequential implications on others.
Always remember that God is at work and He brings the increase according to His purposes. So live in the purposes of God. Let me read again what it says in Ephesians 5:15-17 -See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Let us be always thankful to God. This is lifting our voices in praise to God. Psalm 100 says this: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
One challenge is by acknowledging the reality of a personal God who has blessed us with His providential care and given us the privilege of not only sowing and reaping, but of reaping the blessings of what others have sown.

Let us be always aware of our moral responsibility. Jesus gives us this instruction to show His love in Matthew 5:43-48. Let us love others and treat them in grace as we all experience the common grace of God. Love not lust. Take careful attention that we are created in the image of God. We are to be holy because He is holy; and perfect because He is perfect.

Let us trust God in providing our needs and not trust ourselves. When you really trust God, you would not forsake the assembling of ourselves together than choose to earn money. The reality of resting in God’s power and His ability to sustain and supply our needs is by putting Him first and by using the resources He gives us for His glory. Trust God rather than lean on your own solutions and understanding in handling life to find security, significance, and happiness.
Let us ask for daily wisdom from above. Sometimes, we think we are wise that we don’t need to ask for wisdom. You might be very clever in your job but you do not have godly wisdom to comprehend things that only the wisdom of God can do. Be humble by asking God for it. James 1:5 says, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

Do not just ask wisdom for wisdom sake. Ask wisdom that is from above. James 3:17 says, … the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Lastly, but not least, let us be witnesses for Christ. In Acts 1:8, Jesus says, ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. When will be your first to share Jesus to others? Proverbs 11:30 says it is wise to win souls. Let us pray…