Note: The basic outline is from the sermon A Handful of Peanuts by Tom Lorvon
I just added some meat and focus.
Title: Principles of Sowing and Reaping
Theme: To show the principle of Sowing and Reaping
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Introduction
In 2 Corinthians 9 Paul has been speaking to the Corinthians about the generous gift that they are preparing to give to the Macedonians. The Macedonians were hit hard with a famine and Paul was taking up a collection.
I. The Principle, v. 6
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
MSG 6 Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop.
Now, I want us to look again at the Law of the Harvest to see the Principle, the Practice, and the Produce we’re promised.
The Law of the Harvest is a principle stated in 2 Corinthians 9:6. I can summarize that principle in 8 words: "Plant little, harvest little; plant much, harvest much!" Unless some other circumstances take their toll, that principle will work. If you invest a little bit, you can only expect a small amount in return. We also say it another way: "You reap what you sow!" This principle will work with any resource - time, talents, or tithe; but I particularly want us to think about the advantages of investing in God’s work.
I can also give you 3 axioms that accompany this principle of sowing and reaping:
(1) You will always reap what you sow. That means you won’t get beans if you plant peas. If you want high grade peanuts, you must plant high grade peanuts. If you want God’s best blessings, then give him your best.
In just about every prayer, we ask God to bless us. But, do you know that you, yourself, determine how much God will bless you? Jesus told us in Luke 6:38 how the Father decides the measure of our blessings.
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
"If you give, you will receive. Your gift will be returned to you in full measure, pressed down, packed together and overflowing. Whatever measure you use in giving will be the measure used to give back to you."
Invest the kind of seed-faith offering in God’s work that you need back from him. If you need money,
honor God with his tithe even when you don’t think you can afford it. He promises, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things will be added unto you."
(2) The second axiom is that you always reap more than you sow. One peanut planted can grow a bush with many roots full of peanuts. One corn seed can produce a stalk with 2 or 3 ears having hundreds of grains of corn. One dollar given to God to purchase 10 gospel tracts can result in thousands of saints thanking you in Heaven. One life lived for God can influence hundreds, even millions, to imitate that life.
(3) The third axiom applying the principle of the harvest is: You always reap later than you sow. Sowing and reaping don’t usually happen on the same day. It may take months or years to see your harvest, and you may never see all of its results until you get to Heaven.
II. The Practice, v. 7
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
MSG 7 I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
Now, look at the practice in verse 7. This tells us how to use the principle of the harvest. Do you know how farmers decide how much seed to plant? They first decide the harvest they want to reap; then, they plant accordingly. They don’t just plant haphazardly. They have a plan. That plan begins, not with the amount of seed they buy; but, before that, they decide what size crop they want to produce. If they need a large amount of oats to feed the livestock, they get a lot of seed and plant a large field of oats.
Here, I can give you some practical suggestions about giving:
(1) Give generously. If you want to produce a lot, you invest a lot.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 MSG Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. (2) Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.
(2) Give cheerfully. Farmers don’t begrudge the amount of seed they have to buy. They
do it cheerfully because they anticipate a bountiful harvest. That’s why verse 7 says God loves a cheerful giver. That word actually means a hilarious giver. You should be hilariously happy that you’re able to invest in God’s work. Thank him for the ability to give because you know God is going to repay you many times more than what you gave.
(3) Give prayerfully. Ask God how much his work needs and what your
responsible share is.
(4) give logically. Determine that it is your best choice to honor God first.
(5) Give purposely (proportionally). Don’t just give when you feel like it but have a plan to giving.
Why tithing? 10% Proportional
Because it keeps my heart in check. I don’t know about you but every once in a while I have to have a heart check up. Not just in finances but in a lot of areas in my life. God will test me in areas of finances but also in areas of commitment to find out where my heart it.
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
You see it is important where my heart is. You will also see that I can tell where my heart is because that is where my treasure is.
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; (20) "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke’s surrounding passages
Luke 12:31 "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
If you say, "But I’ve tried tithing, and I still haven’t caught up on my bills," don’t give up. Sowing calls for patience and faith in the principle of the harvest. It will work. In Malachi 3:10 God invites you to test him by returning all the tithes to his storehouse, which is your church, and see if he doesn’t open the windows of Heaven with more blessings than you can handle. Understand that all your blessings will not be in the form of material things, and God doesn’t give a time table for those blessings. He will do it when it’s best for you.
But, you can bet on this: God would not issue that challenge if he didn’t want you to try it and if he didn’t intend to bless you in more ways than you can imagine!
So, what do you do if you’re tithing and still having financial problems. You pray to see if there is another lesson God wants you to learn. Have you first dedicated 100% of your resources to God? Are you willing to give more than 10% if God lays in on your heart? Are you giving for the wrong reason just hoping to get more from God? Is there another area of your life he wants you to commit to him?
Then, when your motive is pure, what do you do while you’re waiting for God to provide some relief? You continue to sow more seed! Farmers stagger their planting in order to have a continual harvest. You keep trusting and investing, and all you invest will be growing with interest until God starts the pay-back flowing.
But, remember that most of your dividends will be laid up for you in Heaven with compound interest!
III. The Produce, vs. 8-15
A. Abundant Living from the Lord
Well, we’ve looked at verse 6 to see the principle of investing abundantly if we want to reap abundantly. From verse 7 we talked about the practice of giving in cheerful expectation. Now, from verses 8-15 let’s consider the produce. What kind of crop may we expect if we plant our handful of peanuts in God’s field?
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
MSG 8 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.
Abound – per-is-syoo’-o to superabound, (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous
All sufficiency – self-satisification, contendendness, or (concretely), contentment
Abundance
Jesus speaking in John 10:10
10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
God wants us to have abundance. The problem is that we think that abundance and prosperity surrounds money. But you know that may not be what you need the most. It could be love, or grace, or family or peace or joy or etc.
(9) As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."
(9) As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.
B. A Generous Spirit that Comes from the Lord
MSG (10) This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, (11) wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
C. Praise and Thanksgiving unto the Lord
1. From Us
2. From Others
MSG 12 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. 13 This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone.
And, look at the benefits to others from our faithful giving: They’ll be blessed by our generosity; they will praise God; and they’ll pray for us. Even God benefits when we give: He gets thanksgiving and praise. When we give, God’s work grows; missionaries and ministries are supported all over the world; and Jesus gets the credit. Hey, it’s a win, win, win situation when God’s people support God’s work the way God’s Spirit leads us to do.
D. Prayer of Others
MSG 14 Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they’ll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need.
Conclusion
(15) Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
(15)MSG Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!
I challenge you to give at least the tithe, 10%, undesignated to your local church and see how God will bless. There’s nothing God won’t bless if you give it to him first. He can bless your finances, your fitness, your family, and your future. The produce you reap will be directly received in proportion to how much you plant. Your blessings are in your own hands!
Give purposefully and give proportionally. It is all about the heart
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
You see it is important where my heart is. You will also see that I can tell where my heart is because that is where my treasure is.
Mat 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:31 "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
Mt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
