Laws of Seedtime and Harvest

Galatians 6:6–10 NIV84

6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

If you don’t open the door. . .you will never enter your new house.

If you don’t put the key in the ignition. . .you will never start your new car.

If you don’t’ get to work on time. . .you will never get your promotion.

If you don’t practice your musical instrument. . .you will never become an accomplished performer.

If you don’t tell somebody you love them. . .you will never know the blessing of love reciprocated.

If you don’t prove yourself as a faithful employee. . .you will never get a raise.

If you don’t study the text book and take good notes. . .you will never be a great student.

If you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. . .you will never obtain eternal life.

If you don’t show faith in His promises. . .you will never receive the benefit of his blessings.

If you don’t tithe and give offerings. . .the windows of heaven will never open over you.

If you don’t sow. . .you will never reap.

If you sow excuses, regardless of how valid they may seem. . .you will never reap a harvest of financial blessings.

If you say you have nothing to sow. . .you never will.

If you say you’re on a fixed income. . .you are.

If you say. . .you’ve sown and sown but have never received a harvest. . .you never will.

The Bible is a book of absolutes.  The promises and principles of God are not conditional. . .based on your circumstances and situations.  They are only conditional when God says: “If you do this…then I’ll do that.”

Here is an absolute. . .

God said, “As long as the earth endures…seedtime and harvest…will never cease.” Genesis 8:22 “22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.””

If you sow. . .you will reap.

Conversely, if you don’t sow. . .you won’t reap.

And what you sow. . .that is what you reap.

1. We Reap WHAT We Sow (Week 1)

Genesis 1:24–31 “24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

A. The law of sowing and reaping is universal

Galatians 6:7 “7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

B. Our thoughts, words, and actions are seeds

Proverbs 18:21 “21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

C. We must be intentional about what we sow

Philippians 4:8 “8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

2. We Reap WHERE We Sow (Week 2)

A. The importance of sowing in good soil

Matthew 13:8 “8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

B. Sowing in our areas of influence

Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

C. The principle of proximity in sowing

Galatians 6:10 “10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

3. We Reap MORE Than We Sow (Week 3)

A. God's principle of multiplication

Mark 4:20 “20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.””

B. The power of compound growth in spiritual matters

2 Peter 1:5–8 “5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

C. God's ability to exceed our expectations

Ephesians 3:20 “20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”

4. We Reap LATER Than We Sow (Week 4)

A. The importance of patience in waiting for the harvest

James 5:7 “7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.”

B. Perseverance in doing good

Galatians 6:9 “9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

C. Trust in God's perfect timing

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

This sermon introduces the key principles of sowing and reaping, setting the foundation for the upcoming 6-week series. It emphasizes the universal nature of this spiritual law, the importance of intentional and strategic sowing, God's multiplication of our efforts, and the need for patience and perseverance in awaiting the harvest.