THE AUDITORIUM SUNDAY
SCHOOL CLASS
AUGUST 28TH, 2005
THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING
AND REAPING
I. “Be not deceived.....” (7).
A.
Paul is saying, “Stop being deceived.”
1.
Stop thinking that your works are important enough to merit salvation.
2.
Stop thinking that you are something when you are nothing.
3.
Stop listening to the false teachers who tell you that your works
impress God.
B.
“God is not mocked....”
1.
Self-sufficiency is a mockery of God.
2.
Believing yourself to be something apart from
God is mockery.
3.
God will not tolerate ridicule from those who claim his name.
C.
“...whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.”
1.
This is a principle that can be applied to all areas of life.
2.
Like begets like.
3. The more a person sows, the more a
person reaps (II Corinthians 9:6).
4.
You reap more than you sow (Hosea 8:7).
5.
In this context, the more pride that you have,
the more deceived you will become.
II. The principle of sowing and reaping
applies to the spiritual life (8).
A.
A life lived for the flesh will reap fruits of corruption.
B.
Sowing seeds of godliness will reap everlasting fruit.
1.
Living a godly life produces godly fruit.
2.
Godliness produces fruit that remains, while worldliness produces
vanity.
3.
Spiritual fruit has already been listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
III. The cure for spiritual weariness (9).
A.
“A Christian can become physically and emotionally weary in the work of
the Lord, but he should never grow weary of it.”
1.
We should not be weary “in well doing.”
2.
There is always a lapse of time between sowing and reaping.
B.
Reaping is a fact that follows sowing.
1.
We are promised that we shall reap what we sow for God.
2.
“In due season” is a time appointed by God.
C. “...if we faint not.”
1.
Weariness can cause fainting, and spiritual fainting can cause crop
failure.
2.
If fainting can be avoided by not growing weary, then we need to
strengthen ourselves spiritually at all times.
IV. Christians are to take opportunities to
do good (10).
A.
It is a fact that opportunities to do good will come our way.
- An opportunity is a temporary window of
service.
B.
“...let us do god unto al men....”
1.
Our Christian service applies to saved and lost.
2.
“All men” are to be treated well by Christians.
C.
“.....especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
1.
There is never a situation in which a Christian should NOT do the right
thing.
2.
But, we should “especially” be concerned about our good works towards
other saved people.
- “The household of faith” implies a family
relationship that should always have our attention.
Conclusion: A person who is not deceived into believing himself to be something is not too proud to take opportunities of service.