Valley Grove Assembly of God
September 14, 2008
Tomatoes, Squash, and Zucchini
II Corinthians 9:6-15
INTRODUCTION: How many of you like bacon and tomato sandwiches? Last year I planted one tomato plant in the front landscaping. It was a strong, sturdy plant; but I had to wait for so long before I had one or two tomatoes. It was a long time between sandwiches! This year I planted five plants which each produced tomatoes. It wasn’t such a long wait between good bacon and tomato sandwiches because each plant produced a crop. A friend of mine who planted lots of tomato plants had lots of tomatoes at the end of the season to give away. Anyone who wanted tomatoes, squash, or zucchini could have them for the taking. One person even put a basket out by the mail box with a sign that said, “Free: Take Some.” Tomatoes, squash and zucchini remind me of plenty--of ABUNDANCE. They remind me of the dictionary’s definition of the word thriving--which means to prosper, be fortunate or successful, increase in prosperity or wealth, grow richer or rich, to grow or develop vigorously, flourish or succeed. Tomatoes, squash, and zucchini are three plants that thrive rather than merely struggle to survive. Surviving means to “barely hang on.” Sometimes people will ask, “How’s it going?” People say, “Oh, I’m hangin’ in there.”
In today’s economy people seem to be struggling to survive rather than thriving, but this is not God’s plan. Today’s scripture is an indication that God can change dire circumstances and cause a turnaround to occur in the most discouraging of times or circumstances.
As a background for today’s scriptures, in A.D. 52-57 an offering was to be taken from the Gentile churches for the poor among the Christians in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26). After becoming Christians these people were being socially and economically ostracized. There were food shortages because of famines as well as the Jews were subjected to a high taxation that just crippled them. The Corinthian church had said, “we will help and they were eager to help but a year had gone by. Paul said this offering needs to be completed. Paul sent this letter as a reminder to be ready when the person came by to collect it. He tells them that the Macedonian Christians were in dire circumstances too, but they had given generously--really more than they were able to give.
Paul uses the illustration of a farmer who plants seed to get this truth across to them as well as to us today.
He says, “a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” One tomato plant--five tomato plants--or a whole garden full of tomato plants determine what will be produced at the end of the growing season. Tomatoes, squash, and zucchini remind me of plenty and how it works for us today.
Sowing is the way you position yourself to receive whatever it is you need to receive according to what we plant. We do not live as the world lives or at least we shouldn’t because we are people of faith. The blessing of God is on our lives in many ways. We should walk in a different way. Our needs should be met because we have the favor of God resting upon us.
Many Christians are so pinched financially that they can’t meet their every day needs let alone help others or give as they would like to give. Many Christians are not walking in health and wellness as is God’s will for them. Barely hanging on, there is a survival mentality rather than thriving and being in health. Many Christians sit in church Sunday after Sunday yet barely existing spiritually from week to week.
What can we receive from today’s scripture that will help us change our direction to receive whatever it is we need from God? Several things stand out to me in this scripture.
1. Decide in Your Heart: Paul begins by saying “a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop but one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” But he follows this up by saying it is important that you think about what you are going to give--to decide in your own heart--not an impulse decision because someone put pressure on you. There will be people who come across your pathway that cry a sob story--“Oh, I’m going under if you don’t help me out.” You are pressured and then you resent it. “I didn’t want to give, but they made me feel guilty if I didn’t. I didn’t want them to go bankrupt.” So you give anyway and resent it. It was not a cheerful gift. Many TV ministries will make a plea, “we are going under if you don’t give.”
Paul tells the Corinthian people “you decide in your heart what to give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure because God loves a cheerful giver. You think, “well how can I know who I should give to or what to give.” That is where you have to pray about it for yourself and allow God to speak to you and direct you. Where are you going to plant that spiritual “tomato plant?” As you seek the Lord, He will give you the ideas and the amount to give. You will just know in your heart what to do. So that means you have the responsibility to pray on a regular basis rather than just once in awhile. You be in touch with God. Don’t depend on someone else to say you should do this or that. Why? Because you will resent it.
STORY: Grandma had made a pledge to her church, and the preacher was going to stop by to pick up the pledge money. She had pledged $5.00 and it was her last $5.00. “Should I go ahead and give it or not?” My Mom told her, “Go ahead and give it because the Lord will send more.” Grandma decided in her heart to cheerfully go ahead and give it. It was ready when the preacher came by to pick it up.
The Lord did send in what she needed a few days later. Sometimes we wrestle with God about whether we should give this offering or pay our tithes. Should I let go of this? Will I run short? We have to decide in our own hearts what to give and accept by faith the promises of God. Grandma could have said, “I’ll catch up later, but she didn’t.” We could use our tithes to pay our bills first, but that doesn’t give God anything to work with. That doesn’t show our faith in God to supply our needs.
STORY: One preacher I know told his congregation, “Don’t start paying tithes until you get your bills paid up.”
If you take that approach, you will never start paying your tithes or giving.
Paul says, “decide in your heart what to give because God loves a cheerful giver--not a pressured giver.”
The Macedonian church gave as much as they were able to give and even went beyond that. They were eager, enthusiastic givers as shown in II Corinthians 8:1-5.
Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. They gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it out of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem.” Most of all Paul said that their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord for whatever direction God might give them. Today, take a look at your own giving pattern--Do you give because you have decided in your own heart what and where to give it? Do you give just the least you can get by with? Is your giving out of a sense of eagerness and cheerfulness? Can you give without dread that you will run short and go under?
2. Grace Abounds: One man told us, “I paid tithes once and couldn’t do it again. I got in debt and thought I was going to go bankrupt.” Well, God doesn’t do us like that. Some people think that they can plant a seed one time and that there should be a crop ready to harvest by the next Friday. It doesn’t work that way in the natural with our tomato plants or our squash and zucchini. It takes some time and some Miracle Gro and water and pulling out the weeds. Then the harvest. Galatians 6:9 says, “Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest at the appropriate time.” Our sowing and reaping must become our lifestyle--not a one time thing.
I really don’t know how God multiplies the seed sown. You plant a seed from one apple and you get an apple tree that has many apples with many seeds. There is a saying,
“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.”
The clue here is in verse 8, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things, at all times you will abound in every good work.” His grace and unmerited favor makes it happen. Sometimes we say, “this just happened OUT OF THE BLUE--it just HAPPENED or is it really the HARVEST that God sent?
STORY: A few years ago Marie was unable to work because her youngest son had a heart defect and had to have constant care. Her other two sons were very rambunctious and were always playing in the mud and their jeans were always in need of being washed. During these lean times she checked on her laundry soap before going to the grocery and found that the box was almost empty. She wondered if she should cross off some things from her list and get the soap or wait until it ran out completely. She decided to wait.
Monday morning rolled around and she heard a noise on the back porch. When she went out to see what was going on, she found a plastic bag hanging on the doorknob. Someone had delivered a product sample. It was a box of laundry soap. She thanked God for the soap. Later she went out the front door to sweep her porch and found another bag on the front doorknob. Same soap. Later she went to the mailbox and another bag was hanging on the mailbox. The same soap. This couldn’t be possible, she thought. She now had three big boxes of detergent and only several hours earlier she was almost out. When she was heading back toward the house, she saw something hanging on the basement door. You guess it--another box of laundry soap.
Many times we think God is trustworthy in the larger areas of our life but fail to take Him at His word in day-to-day needs. She had more than enough laundry soap because of God’s grace in providing it.
People say, “If I just had enough to pay my bills.” Actually that is a selfish prayer. God wants you have more than enough so you can be in the position to dispense good to others. You should be the person with the pitcher in your hand--not the empty cup.
Psalm 37:19 LNT says, “They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.”
There are many scriptures that speak of more than enough. Proverbs 11:24 says, “There is he that scattered and yet increaseth; and there is he that withhold more than is fitting but tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” How does that work? How can we not lack when we give? How does God give back? God’s grace supplies seed to the sower, provides bread for the eater, multiplies and increases the harvest.
That is where our faith comes in. He does it in all kinds of ways--75% off on bargains, rebuking the devourer for our sakes, giving us creative ideas..
3. Be on the Lookout: People will say, “I don’t see how God can do that for me.” You have to open your eyes and be on the lookout for the harvest. Why not begin to give God the chance to turn things around. God is perfectly able to do it. He has to have our cooperation. Some people will say, “I can’t imagine having a better job. I can’t imagine having a good car or living in that neighborhood. I’m on a fixed income. I can’t imagine having a better job. If you are on a fixed income--unfix it. How do you do that? Plant your way out of an economic crunch. Plant more tomato plants--plant more squash and zucchini.
Many years ago my Mother began to say, “The Lord is going to prosper me.” I said, “Well, how in the world is He going to do that?” She said, “I don’t know but He is.” A few days later she got a phone call. She was asked if she would be interested in taking care of my Dad’s 90 plus year old aunt. This contrary old lady was driving her daughters bananas and they said would pay whatever she asked. It worked out and God did prosper her. We don’t have to try to figure out how God is going to do it. Just let him.
CONCLUSION: Today we talked about Deciding What to Give, The Grace of God and the Harvest, and Being on the Lookout for the Harvest. The verses conclude with the idea of Thanksgiving to God for the benefits of the giving. People you give to will be thankful to God for your gift. The harvest will reach out many times beyond your borders. As you plant seed at every opportunity wherever God tells you to, the sun will never set on your ministry. What a great way to live. It is a lifestyle of giving and receiving, planting and harvesting.
Let us Pray:
