TOPIC: SOWING AND REAPING
Biblical principles – the Law of sowing and reaping.
Sowing and reaping is also the law of secular and the spiritual world.
Sowing is a labour. It is not for the lazy.
Sowing is visionary.
God uses the law of sowing and reaping to bestow His blessings on us.
2 Cor 9:6-7(NLT)6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
It is more than just an agricultural principle. It is true in life choices
It is an order of life that we reap whatever we sow.
Gal 6:7-10 (NKJV)7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 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. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
There are natural consequences to our actions.
The world operates under the law of Cost and effect. There is no way around it.
Every time we choose an action, we also choose the consequences of that action.
Jer 12:13(NLT)13 My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worn themselves out, but it has done them no good. They will harvest a crop of shame because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
Sowing and reaping implies waiting; nothing good grows overnight.
A farmer must be patient in order to see the fruit of his labor.
James 5:7-8(NIV)7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Life is about planting, watering and reaping and this is what we must do in all aspects of life – 1 Cor 3:6-7 (NKJV) I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
We all are called to labour in God’s field – Matt 9:37-38(NKJV)”The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
We will reap a harvest very soon.
Ps 126:5-6 (NKJV)5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Ps 126:5-6(NLT)
Sowing and reaping work both positively and negatively. – Prov 11:18(NKJV)The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
But whosoever sows injustice reaps calamity – Prov 22:8a (NKJV) He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
Hos 10:13 (NIV)But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception.
We reap proportionately to what we sow. The rule is the more seed planted the more fruit to harvest.
The Bible applies this to our givings and our sacrifices.
Those who show generosity will be blessed than those who don’t.
The more you sow, the more bountiful the harvest. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (KJV)“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever…”
This principle is not concerned with the amount of gift, but with the spirit in which it is given. – 2 Cor 9:7(KJV)7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Even the widow’s mite was noticed by our Lord Jesus Christ.Luke 21:2-4 (KJV)2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
In the same principle we reap more than what we sow, in order words, the law of sowing and reaping is related to the law of multiplication.
Jesus spoke of a seed that brought forth a 100, 60 or 30 times more than what was sown. – Matt 13:7-8(KJV)7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
One grain of wheat produces a whole head of grain. In the same way, one little fib (a lie or falsehood) can produce an out of control frenzy of falsehoods, fallacies, fictions etc.
Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind
Hos 8:7(TLB)7 “They have sown the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. Their cornstalks stand there barren, withered, sickly, with no grain; if it has any, foreigners will eat it.
Positively, one kind deed can result in a blessing to last a life time.
Remember sowing and reaping is used as a metaphor for death and resurrection .
1 Cor 15:42-44(TLB)42 In the same way, our earthly bodies which die and decay are different from the bodies we shall have when we come back to life again, for they will never die. 43 The bodies we have now embarrass us, for they become sick and die; but they will be full of glory when we come back to life again. Yes, they are weak, dying bodies now, but when we live again they will be full of strength. 44 They are just human bodies at death, but when they come back to life they will be superhuman bodies.
A seed may die when it falls to the ground, but that is not the end of its life.
John 12:24(NLT)24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
Found, throughout the scripture, the idea of sowing and reaping is an important principle impacting wisdom for both in this world and in the world to come.
Rev 14:13 (NLT)13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
What you sow may be spoiled – where good seed was sown, some other bad seeds may grow or may be planted, then your harvest will be destroyed. However, you may not be blamed.
Parents might do everything possible to bring up children well, yet one child falls into bad company and becomes a criminal.
Examples of those who reaped what they sowed.
Mordecia – Est 6:1-3 (NLT)That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. 2 In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.3 “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked.His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”
V10-11- 10 “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”11 So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” 12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.
Whatever you sow, your children and ground children will reap it.
v Good seeds are not wasted.
Mephibosheth – 2 Sam 9:1-3(NLT)9 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.”Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. 3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”
The woman of Shunem – Kings 4:8-13 (NIV)8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. (read)
Dorcas – Acts 9:39-41 (NLT)39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.
Lazarus – John 11:1-3(NLT)A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
Betrayers
Judas – Matt 27:1-5(NLT)Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.””What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
Haman – Est 7:9-10 (NLT)9 Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.””Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.
Growth begins with the sowing of seeds. What are you doing about sowing good seeds now!
