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.
[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.
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