Sermon Outline:  Sowing and Reaping

Part 1, Sowing to the Flesh

 

Gravity, not just a theory, it’s the Law!

God has woven into his creation certain natural laws or principles that govern His universe.

 

The principles of Sowing and Reaping:

 

1. Galatians 6:7

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

 

2. The Nature of Seeds

 

–The seed sown, hidden in the ground, in time grows into a plant, bears fruit and becomes visible to all

–The seed sown, in time, produces fruit in greater numbers and in a different form than the original seed  I Cor 15:37

– Each piece of fruit may hold one to thousands of seeds John 12:24

– Each seed can take on a life of its own and propagate and spread indefinitely

 

3. Galatians 6:7-8

 

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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.

 

4. What does it mean?

 

Definitions:

Ø                 flesh; literally our body, figuratively our human nature or desires

Ø                 Spirit; the Holy Spirit of God, God’s Spirit or His nature

Ø                 sowing to the flesh; sowing to please our human nature, our natural desires

Ø                 sowing to the spirit; sowing to please God’s Spirit, God’s desire (for us)

Ø                 corruption; what happens to all temporal things of this world Matt 6:19-21

Ø                 eternal life; more than just living forever

 

5. Paraphrased;

 

Indulging our natural desires results in an earthly, temporary reward, but obeying the will of God results in communion with God forever.

 

 

6. Galatians 6:8a

 

⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption

 

 “the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption”

Story of Ecclesiastes?  Writer in an effort to please all the desires of his flesh concludes that life is futile or meaningless, a chasing after wind. All his human efforts left no satisfying results, there was nothing he did that was of eternal significance.

 

The nature of our natural desires

 

Are our natural desires, the desires or lusts of our flesh, inherently sinful?  (Is the NIV correct in translating the flesh as the sinful nature?  Did we inherent an irresistible desire from Adam to sin?)

Human, natural desires are not necessarily evil in and of themselves.  God gave us these desires for our survival when he created us.  Desires such as thirst, hunger, wanting to be comfortable-not too hot or too cold, the need to procreate, and even our territorial protectiveness.  However, these natural, God given desires do become evil and sinful when we choose to obey them rather than God.  When we choose our desires, the lusts of our flesh, over the desires or will of God, this disobedience to God is sin.  Not the desires

 

 

7-17.  2Samuel 11:1-12:14

 

Classic Biblical Example: David and Bathsheba, 2 Sam 11-12

 

1. David was not doing what he should have been doing (Gal 5:16)

“Idle hands . . .”

2. David sinned, committing adultery, then tried to cover it up

3. Tried to avoid damaging his reputation (pride)

4. Continued the cover-up by having Uriah killed

5. Nathan rebuked David, putting his own life at risk (Gal 6:1)

6. Nathan described the fruit that David would reap

7. God forgave David immediately after David confessed

8. But David (and others, Israel, etc) still suffered the fruit of his sin

“ You cannot sow your wild oats, then pray for a crop failure”

9. David’s children (3 died violent deaths) and household suffered calamity

A. 1^st son by Bathsheba died

b. Daughter Tamar was raped by ½ brother Amnon

c. Tamar’s brother Absalom kills Amnon

d. Son Absalom rebels against David, taking kingdom and sleeping on the top of the palace with David’s concubines.

E. Son Absalom is killed

F.  Son Adonijah is killed