Sowing And Reaping

Introduction

Sir Robert Watson Watt, the inventor of the radar was arrested himself for speeding. He had been caught in a radar trap. Shortly after his irony, he wrote this poem:

"Pity Sir Robert Watson Watt

Strange target of his radar plot,

And this, with others I could mention,

A victim of his own invention."

Brett Blair, Sermon Illustrations, 1998

There are three principles given to believers in this text.

Principle One: God knows what you sow.

Principle Two: What you sow is what you will get.

Principle Three: If you sow, you will reap a harvest

I. God Knows What You Sow

The idea found here is simply this; “Don’t fool yourself about what you are sowing because God isn’t fooled.”

He knows what you are sowing. Why? Because He is a good husbandman and takes care of his fields.

There are some valuable lessons for us.

1. Lesson One – Do not be a Fool (or fooled)

2. Lesson Two – God is not going to be fooled

3. Lesson Three – Sowing is the beginning of God’s Harvest (blessing)

4. Lesson Four – There can be no harvest without sowing the right seed

II. What You Sow is What You Will Get

Once the seed is sown, it is settled what you will receive.

There are two possibilities:

1. Sowing Good Seed will bring Good Harvest

2. Sowing Bad Seed will bring a Corrupted Harvest

Paul’s idea here is to remind the Galatians of their options.

You can get what you want or you can get what you do not want.

Getting what you want:

The idea here is not so much the “Prosperity” gospel as it is the God’s “Principal” of increase.

This principal is the basis of God’s command to Adam and Eve. “multiply and replenish the face of the earth”. It can also be said, “reproduce yourself”.

Adam and Eve were to reproduce themselves and reap the blessings of children. The blessings of children are the heritage or the increase of ourselves.

Paul was saying that whatever you sow --- whether it be physical, natural, or spiritual can only reproduce itself. So, in order to be blessed you must sow the things that are good or that increase or that are spiritual.

Example: Physical – Sowing seeds of increase (from these we are able to increase our family, our living, or our wealth.

Jacob asked Laban for the ring-straked and spotted calves. Then, he sowed the “seed” of rings and spots into the minds of the heifers. They began to “catch his vision” and the Bible says that calves were born ring-straked and spotted.

Jacob became wealthy because he sowed seeds of increase. God was able to bless him with wealth because he sowed seeds of increase.

Jacob also sowed natural seeds. He knew that cows have calves. He also knew that cows that are strong and healthy will have strong and healthy calves. He also knew that cows that are bred to good, strong, and healthy bulls will have calves that are the same. He recognized the “natural” principle. Like begets like. If God was going to bless him, he would have to be wise enough to use the principle of natural sowing.

Jacob also sowed spiritual seeds. He knew that God had promised him several things. He had promised him wealth. He had promised him a heritage. He had promised him.

God said to Jacob (in the middle of his rejection by Laban:

"Here Am I" -- Comforting words when you are facing the pressures of this world.

"Lift up, now, thine eyes, and see... -- spiritual vision.

1. "All the rams...ring-straked, speckled, and grisled..."

2. "For I have seen all that Laban doeth to thee"

"I am the God of Bethel" ---

1. "Where you anointed the pillow (of stone)

2. "Where you vowed a vow unto me..." (Jehovah God)

"Now arise and go to the land of thy kindred..."

1. Leave behind this world

2. Find faith, forgiveness, and fellowship among your own kin -- (whatever you sow is what you get)

3. Fulfil the dream (vision)

a. Jacob’s vision came in the wilderness, but was birthed by his commitment

b. Jacob’s dream was of a ladder set on earth that reached into heaven. He saw angels ascending and descending on it. He saw the Lord standing at the top of the ladder. He heard God say to him: "I am the Lord God of Abraham and Isaac (remember the "I ams" of scripture). I will give the land you are sleeping on to you and to your seed. Your seed will be as the dust (uncountable), spread abroad (to the north, south, east, and west,) and in thee (thy seed) shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (What you sow is what you get.)