You Can Run...

Jonah 1[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on 24 Oct 2010 

Today's message is named, "You can Run… and you can finish the rest, I'm sure. We're beginning a study through the book of Jonah, pages 774-775 in your pew Bibles (ESV).

Jonah 1

1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me."

3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

6 So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish."

7 And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

8 Then they said to him, "Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?"

9 And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."

10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

12 He said to them, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."

13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

14 Therefore they called out to the LORD, "O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you."

15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Prayer.

About Jonah. We aren't told very much about this man. His name means dove, and Amittai means my truth. He lived and prophesied during the reign of the Jeroboam II (782-753 B.C.). It was in 722 B.C. that Assyria attacked and over-ran Israel, the nation that was at that time the ten northern tribes of Israel. So this is roughly 50 years before Assyria became the deadly destroyer of the northern tribes. Some key things we need to hold on to about this book and this person…

He is not a fictional character. He was a real prophet referred to both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, in 2 Kings 14:25, and by our Lord Jesus in Matt 12:38-41.

This is not an allegory or a parable. Certainly there are truths we could learn from Jonah as from an allegory. It is not a parable either; it is far too complex and detailed to be a parable written to teach a single point.

This is a true story. It rather is a true and phenomenal story, one that is beautifully written. (I'm not going to preach through this outline; I'm going to preach through by chapters). Jonah demonstrates God's grace; being a disobedient, bipolar prophet who was nevertheless used by God, and who enjoyed God's good patience and kindness.

About Nineveh. (Map, location). If you were Jonah, how would you have felt about Nineveh? After all, it was a great city that happened to be the capital of the (at this particular time) threatening, antagonistic nation of Assyria to the east of Israel. It was an ancient city even then; it was built back in Genesis by Nimrod (Gen 10:11), and it was condemned to destruction by Nahum in his book; that came true, as Nineveh fell to a coalition of Medes and Babylonians in 612 B.C. It is an important city in the Old Testament, but it is desolate now. So there's a bit about Jonah and Nineveh; but this book is really…

About God (for He is the central figure of this book). Here is what the central story of the book is:

He is a gracious God, abounding in steadfast love. God is compassionate: He relents of His wrath when people repent of their sin. (Jonah 4:2).

He is sovereign: over the affairs of men, nature, and over all events on earth. He called Jonah, chased his disobedient self, and then used him. He displayed His sovereignty in His work with the wind on the sea, the fish, the worm, the plant, and the hot east wind. He sent a messenger from His own people to Gentiles, those not of the covenant neither of Abraham nor of Moses, out of compassion for them.

He is persistent and patient with His servants: this was also displayed with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was evident with David, Samson, and Elijah and Elisha. God's patience was confirmed with this bipolar prophet, and it is evident with you, and with me.

A Good Outline of Jonah. If you wanted a good outline for the book, the best I've seen is in The ESV Study Bible[2].

 Jonah's commissioning and flight, 1:1-3 

Jonah and the pagan sailors, 1:4-16

Jonah's grateful prayer, 1:17-2:10 

The re-commissioning and compliance, 3:1-3a

Jonah and the pagan Ninevites, 3:3b-10

Jonah's angry prayer, 4:1-4

Jonah's lesson about compassion, 4:5-11

Hopefully that helps you as you read through this book; now back to chapter one. When I say, 'You Can Run...', the rest obviously is, '… but you cannot hide'.  This man had no desire to go speak God's words to the Ninevites. We're not shown why in chapter one, but we learn that in chapter four; he didn't want God to save them(4:1-2). He wanted wrath on the enemies of Israel, and mercy for Israel. This is typically human; good for us, bad for the enemies. A Chinese emperor once heard of an insurrection in a distant province, and he said to his officers, "Come, follow me; and we will quickly destroy them." He marched, and as he neared them, the rebels submitted to him. Surprisingly, he treated his enemies kindly. His officers were surprised, and reminded him of his promise to destroy. "I promised", he said, "to destroy my enemies. I have fulfilled my word; for you see, they are enemies no longer; I have made friends of them[3]. God's prophet was not even as kind as a Chinese emperor; he didn't care to even offer the enemies an opportunity to repent! So Jonah flees from having to speak truth to a bunch of pagan Ninevites; and look where he winds up. He winds up having to speak truth to a bunch of pagan sailors! God displayed His sovereign power over the wind and waves, and these sailors knew something wasn't right. Casting lots showed Jonah to be guilty, and he had to tell the story. Now look at this; the heathen sailors even had more compassion than Jonah! How hard-hearted we can become, Christians! If Jonah were here, I would have to ask this question of him; how did that whole running thing work out for you? Not that good, I think he would say. He's running from his work and God gives him more work to do, because he couldn't run from His God. He also couldn't run from God. Perhaps Jonah would answer me with a question; how can one run from Almighty, All-seeing God? Exactly. Perhaps Ps 139:7-10 would come to mind… Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

If Jonah wouldn't think of it, maybe it's good for us to think of it today. There is no place you can go where God can't see you. There is no place we can go where God cannot find us. So we have to have done with this notion of, "OK, He won't find me here." Yes, He will; He sees us all, all the time. So God has him tossed over-board, and a fish swallows the prophet. And here is what I want us to see about this part of the story…

The fish is God's mercy to Jonah and to Nineveh.

Jonah is saved from drowning.

Nineveh get to hear the good news.

Doesn't seem very merciful to be swallowed by a fish and kept in digestive juices and slime for three days, does it? But does it beat death? Not only that, but we have something else here…

Jonah in the fish portrayed Christ in the grave. Matt 12:40-41

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

It was Jonah's suffering that led to the mercy of God being shown to lost people in Nineveh. And it was through Christ's suffering on that cross, and taking the punishment for our sins – death! – that enabled us, the lost Ninevites, to hear of God's good compassion for us. He would love for us to believe His warning of wrath and to repent of our sins; God relents when we repent of our sin. Christ in that grave was the mercy of God.

You can run… but you cannot hide. Not from God's plan nor from His mercy. But I wonder…

Are we resistant to take truth of Christ to the lost?

Maybe it's not hatred of an enemy like Jonah's motive, but – what holds us back?

Is it more about us, or about them?

And do we desire to see God save those who are far from Him?

Let's pray.

 

 

 

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[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved

[2] Page 1685-1686, Introduction to Jonah, in The ESV Study Bible, published by Crossway Publishing, Wheaton, IL, © 2008 Crossway Bibles

[3] from 6000 Sermon Illustrations, edited by Elon Foster, © 1992 Baker Book House

Building a Church on Truth and Relationships

From Acts[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on 17 Oct 2010

What does a church look like when it is built on truth and relationships? I think we can get a picture of that from the book of Acts. It looks like a church on mission empowered by God. Acts is a narrative of the establishment of the early church. It is Luke's continuation of His gospel; the first about the story of Christ on earth, the second – Acts – about the work of Christ through the Holy Spirit through the Church. Acts is more about God than about the church; and a healthy church is more about God than about itself, isn't it!

Acts 1:1-8

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me;

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Prayer.

I want to make some observations from Acts that I believe stand firm in the Epistles to the church as well. When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Mission is clear and central. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

This church knew what they had to do. When a church has a mission that is clear and agreed on, so much difficult is avoided from within. It still comes from without, but at least the church is largely unified and focused on the work! Their mission – take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Our mission? It's the same. It motivates the church to see people come to faith in Christ and grow and reproduce!

When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Holy Spirit power is required. Wait here in Jerusalem, Jesus said. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. We are in the same boat; we need the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do; our work is simple obedience! We share the gospel, but He brings to life dead sinners, convicts of sin, draws women to Christ, and saves them. We need His power to even speak, read, or discuss the message of Christ!

When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Gospel truth is the focus. This is both in the church and out of it. Christ is preached to the lost and to the saved. In fact, speeches and sermons are a full one-third of the book of Acts![2] The church's central message in Acts is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The entire gospel was preached; He IS the Messiah, Salvation is in Him alone; He died due to and for our sins, and God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of these things. Church, gospel truth must be central to us today; we can't get away from this into mini-kingdom building, program-generated excitement, or any other fad the church sees coming. Listen; we must be built on the rock of the gospel truth! Let me say this for us to consider; a reading of Acts shows that gospel evangelism appears to come easier when the church is persecuted. It is certainly more consistent. What is our persecution level compared to theirs? What is our evangelism output level?

When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Prayer is essential and frequent. Prayers are not avoided in Luke's records, but rather they are focused on. It was the work they did while waiting on God (Acts 1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, Acts 13 praying when called to mission), and it was the work they did after they were persecuted. It was intercession for the lost (Acts 7), it was begging for power to stand firm in the gospel (Acts 4), and it was praise for God's good mercies in saving the lost (Acts 15).

When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Fellowship is truth-based. Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. This is all through the book that love grows when people grow in the gospel. Jew/Gentile barriers were taken down with truth and with love. Here's what happens when people believe Christ and become part of the church; Christ unites different people in love. Paul loved Barnabas the godly Jewish man, and he loved Timothy, the godly half-Jew, and he loved the Ephesian elders who were Gentiles. Why? Jesus Christ. Fellowship was based on truth, and love grew from that truth being central in the lives of the church. Love was evident and growing, and it was based on the gospel. Acts 2:44-45 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. This wasn't planned or commanded; it was a natural response to those in need that they knew and loved.

When a church is built on truth and relationships…

Trouble is coming. False teachers mixing the gospel with Judaism, persecution from the threatened dead religions, financial people who see loss due to faith, sickness and death, people falling away… it's coming. How do we prepare for it? Knowing it's coming is half the battle, isn't it? Thus the value of weather forecasts! We can know a hurricane is coming, or that conditions are right for a tornado. We can see a blizzard coming across the northern plains toward us, so we can prepare for it. We can't avoid it, but we can prepare for it. But we can safely prepare for such trouble by considering what we've already seen today…

Stay on mission: preach, teach, and share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray much and often. Remain devoted to Bible truth. Remain in fellowship based on truth.

What does a church look like when it is built on truth and relationships? It looks like a church on mission empowered by God. Our mission is to magnify God, mature in our faith, and multiply believers, small groups and churches. We won't accomplish this alone, and we can't accomplish it half-heartedly. We must be devoted to God, the work, and each other. Let's pray for God to re-focus us on our work. As we begin to go through Jonah next week, evangelism will come up; let's prepare for God to use us more in our communities.

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[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved

[2] Page 213 of Baker Exegetical Commentary on Acts, by Darrell L. Bock. Published by Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, © 2007 by Darrell L. Bock.

Boasting in the Cross

Gal 6:11-18[1] 

Preached at Rolling Hills Church on 10 Oct 2010.

 The theme of the book of Galatians is grace by faith alone. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. No human work is needed nor desired by God; our righteousness is a gift, imputed to us through faith in Christ. Circumcision was being preached to these people as necessary for salvation. Paul was obviously strongly opposed to such teaching. Now as he comes to the close of this letter, he again drives the theme home in the summary. Let's read the text…

Gal 6:11-18

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Message: Our boasting is in the cross.  We'll briefly examine this passage with three contrasts; what is here and what is not, what to boast about and what not to boast about, and what doesn't and what does count. First off…

Closing: what's here and what's not

Here: autographical certification (2 Thess 3:17), concluding exhortations, the peace blessing, and the grace benediction[2].

Missing: Personal greetings, rejoicing and praise. The tone and the theme of this letter are too serious to suddenly change to 'all is well'; Paul was very concerned for these people and for their grip on the gospel. There is even a warning; don't let these false teachers cause me trouble any more! This is very unusual for Paul's epistles, but we do see similar warnings of other troublemakers in Timothy's letters and in Philippians 3. So that is what is here and what is not. Now…

Boasting: what not to and what to boast about

Not in the flesh. Not in accomplishing goals of turning entire evangelical churches in to pseudo=Jewish congregations. Not in gaining a few more proselytes to Judaism who then believed Christ and could be numbered in both camps.

Boast in the cross. Now we can accept this rather smoothly; we sing it, say it, and we are grateful for what Christ did there. However, we must gain a 1^st Century perspective. F.F. Bruce wrote that it is a major problem for us after centuries of seeing the cross as a positive symbol, "to realize the unspeakable horror and loathing" which the mere thought of the cross would have provoked in Paul's day[3]. You see the cross would have been described as ugly, horrible, shameful, publicly humiliating, and devastating. Embarrassing wouldn't even begin to describe what having your leader die on a Roman cross would be! And yet Paul uses one of his favorite phrases (far be it from me, may it never be, God forbid) to make certain he would NEVER NOT boast in the cross. We can't be ashamed of our Lord, of His suffering, His death; you see, that death is our only hope! Let me read one of the most powerful laments ever written of the cross; and it was written about 725 years before the cross…

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Yes there is shame, humiliation, and horror with the cross; but it was OURS. Our Lord, who was righteous, never deserved that death. The fact that He took our sins upon Himself is our source of joy, regardless of how backward that may seem to an achievement-driven, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. Our boasting is in the cross. So we see what is here and what is not, and what to boast about and what not to boast about. Now to finish up…

 

Final Tally: what doesn't and what does count

Circumcision doesn't. Paul's entire argument is that circumcision in and of itself doesn't matter. Circumcision as a way to seek righteousness, is dangerous; in the context of salvation, it defiles the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not sin; it is not evil; it has no saving value, yet it is heresy to teach that it DOES have any saving value. If you learn anything from this letter, learn that Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and that to the glory of God alone. No other work, no human work, no help needed; God saves us through faith in Christ Jesus, the Lord. That death on the cross has satisfied the wrath of God. Circumcision, to be counted in the Old Covenant is unnecessary when faith in Christ counts us right in the New Covenant, the one in His blood.

New Creation does. This is what Christ came to do, and what was accomplished on that cross; to make dead men live; to make sinful men righteous, to turn enemies of God into sons and daughters of God, and to transform condemned souls into new, forgiven creatures. THAT matters. It matters that God has seen us as righteous, having been counted such through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. When we die and stand before God it won't matter whether or not we were identified with the covenant of Moses; what will matter is whether or not we were in Christ! Church, our boasting is in the cross.

 

Let us celebrate and glory in the cross by having the Lord's Supper together to remember the death of our Lord Jesus on that cross. But before we do, let me ask a few questions…

Do you know that God has made you a new creation?

Have you been to that cross to confess your sins and place all your hope there in Christ? I mean for forgiveness, for right standing with God, for eternal life – do you believe Christ purchased that for you?

Are you, as a Christ-follower, growing to hate sin the way God does?

Are you, as a Christ-follower, growing in your love for Jesus, His love, and saving grace?

 

Let's contemplate such things while the brothers pass out the elements and we prepare to take the Lord's Supper together.

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[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved

[2] As noted in the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary Volume 14, on Galatians, by Gerald L. Borchert, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, IL © 2007 by Gerald L. Borchert

[3] ibid.

Sowing and Sticking With It

Gal 6:6-10[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church, 03 Oct 2010

Harvest time is here in Wisconsin. The corn is brown and drying, and much of it is already in the grain bins, or on barges weaving it's slow way down the Mississippi. The harvest requires hard, persistent work; it's only ready for a time, and winter is coming. It requires work to gather in this blessing because somebody took the time to plant it back in April and May. Fields were prepared (mostly no-till around here now), and equipment was checked and readied, then the planting began. Sowing and reaping take place right before our eyes here in Southwest Wisconsin. But it is taking place in this body of believers as well. Let's read the text here in Gal 6:6-10.

6 One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

8 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.

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

According to Paul's wisdom in Galatians 5-6, we are to use our freedom in Christ to walk in the Spirit, and bear fruit of the Spirit, sowing seeds of faith and obedience and generosity to the Spirit.  That is the message summed up that we're seeing here in this passage. It seems to break down naturally into four commands…

·      Share all good things.

·      Believe the law of the harvest.

·      Learn persistence and patience in doing good.

·      Do good in your days here.

Let's pray.

Share all good things. I'm going to have our elder, Dan Hauk, come and speak to this for a few minutes.

Believe the law of the harvest. What you sow is what you will reap. It sounds very simple in a farming country, doesn't it? When you plant corn, you'll reap – corn. It's the same with beans or alfalfa. I've diligently sown dandelions in the south side of my yard, and in the spring I get the beautiful yellow crop. This law is God's law; it does happen, whether you believe it or not (hence, do not be deceived). Earnest Hemingway, a well-known writer from the 1920s-1950s, was deceived. He publicly snubbed God and set out to prove that he could live any moral code he chose, and no 'god' was going to punish him for it. He even wrote an antithesis "Lord's Prayer". He had four wives, reveled in debauchery, and claimed that his own life would prove that a person could do anything they wanted without paying the consequences. Hemingway considered moral laws religious superstition that had no relevance. How did that work out for him? Some of you know; his filthy life led him to such complete despair and hopelessness that he put a bullet in his head in Ketchum, Idaho. He mocked God, but as it turned out, God isn't mocked at all[2].

In our approach to life, we have those who would deceive us nearby. The world (the system of thinking and acting that is under the rule of Satan, not God) would lead us to disbelieve th is law. The devil, as he did with Eve in the garden, would have us ignore this law. And our flesh, Judas that it is, tries hard to convince us that we won't reap; others might, but we'll get away with it.

Don't you believe it, Paul says. You sow seeds of faith in God, and works of the Spirit of God, and you will reap eternal life with God. You sow seeds of flesh (5:19) and you'll reap corruption; rotting, nasty, stinking, death. Have you ever seen a deer that's been hit by a truck on the side of the road? There are at least four raccoons dead between my house and Livingston. Watch what happens to their bodies over the next few days; that action will model this word, corruption. Since deceivers are nearby, we must cling closely to the truth, and keep it even nearer; we must hide it in our hearts, lest we sin against God. This truth is here; sow to the Spirit, church. Sow faith in Christ, and sow good deeds as a result of that faith in Christ. Go about serving and loving the body, it's what the context of this passage is firmly couched in. Walk in the Spirit, in love serve one another, bear one another's burdens, and help the weak in faith.

Church, we only have two fields and two kinds of seeds; it's either to the flesh (that indwelling sin remaining in believers, fighting their pursuit of Christ), or to the Spirit. And the crops will come up. Do not, Paul says, do not be deceived. This somber warning must lead us to contemplate our sowing; and to repent of our sin! Also, this is good encouragement to sow to the Spirit; we will see a harvest!

Learn persistence and patience in doing good. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Now we know that we will reap what we sow; but we often get weary of waiting for the crop! It's common among us to desire to sow and reap the same day! Wise financial advisors counsel young men and women to begin saving for retirement in their 20s, not in their 40s. That's because you make money in the stock market over a course of 10 years, not 10 days or 10 weeks; that may happen here and there, but the long haul is the constant best bet. The difference between beginning to save and invest in your 20s and beginning to save in your 40s can be hundreds of thousands! But you put away what you worked for many years before you see it. Often it is this way in the kingdom of God; we sow, we sow, and we sow; weariness sets in, and still – no crop. Paul understood this, so he encouraged us to Going good in the face of opposition, difficulty, or trials was Paul's modus operandi. He knew from the beginning of his ministry it wasn't going to be easy: Acts 9:16 "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." What kept Paul going? The words he heard from Christ that he shared with us at the end of his ministry: 2 Tim 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

And yet Paul, being aware of what a drain this in on our souls, constantly encourages us to persevere in doing good. Listen to how his words near the end of the first letter to the Corinthian church: 1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Growing weary and losing heart are common foes of our faith and obedience. Some give up the fight due to spiritual weariness. Some give up because of spiritual laziness, though; others because of spiritual hypocrisy (hearing and talking about serving Christ and His body, but doing little of it)[3]. Sharing the gospel, walking in the Spirit, receiving correction, giving correction, loving enough to help bear burdens. How do we gain this perseverance? We look past our toil and weariness to Christ, to our reward! Heb 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

So; Share all good things. Believe the law of the harvest. Learn persistence and patience in doing good. And lastly…

Do good in your days here. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. I believe Paul is summing up his teaching from Gal 5:1 where he begins to discuss walking in freedom of the gospel. Many think this while we have opportunity phrase means when we run into a situation periodically. Certainly we should be ready to help those on the side of the road, but I believe this means while we are here on earth. The word for opportunity literally refers to a fixed and distinct period of time[4]. We are here only a few years in light of eternity, and they pass swiftly, don't they? We do good to all, but especially the household of faith. There's not a turning away from obvious need in our neighbor's house to the advantage of the church; but there is a priority on the church. I think there are two reasons we are to emphasize the church in our 'doing good', our sharing, our sowing to the Spirit and giving.

1)   Love for the body is strong proof of our faith in Christ. 1 John 3: 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. You've received grace from God through Christ, and His shed blood on that cross, have you? Then we'll see that evidence, as you love others who believe. This is a deeper tie than country, team, or platoon – even family, when Christ isn't Lord in your bloodline. We are members of one body.

2)   The world won't long take care of the church; disrespect will turn to persecution. So our love for one another often requires food, money, lodging, labors, or time. It has happened many times in many places since Christ rose from the dead, and it will happen around the world until He returns; a government grows weary of the gospel and begins to push the church aside. On that day, it's critical that we've learned to give to one another, work for one another, and share with one another.

Don't pass up chances to bless. It brings blessing to others, joy to you, and glory to God.

So let's review Paul's words to us.

Share all good things.

Believe the law of the harvest.

Learn persistence and patience in doing good.

Do good in your days here.

Church, this is what our freedom in Christ is to be used for, to walk in the Spirit, and bear fruit of the Spirit, sowing seeds of faith and obedience and generosity to the Spirit.  This we do because, through the death of Jesus Christ on that cross, we were set free from the law of sin and death, from stifling selfishness to joyful generosity and love! Let freedom ring through the church in good deeds, in grace, and in sharing.

 

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[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved

[2] From John MacArthur's New Testament Commentary on Galatians, © 1987, Moody Press, Chicago

[3] ibid.

[4] More from Mr. MacArthur, ibid.