Sowing in the New Year.4

The Sower, The Seed, The Soils, The Harvest

Bible Passages: Matthew 13:1–9; Matthew 13:18–23; Mark 4:1–20; Luke 8:4–15

Summary: Biblical teaching on harvest emphasizes the principle of correspondence between what is sown and what is reaped, alongside the themes of patience, perseverance, and ultimate reward. Keeping in mind always there is a divine purpose in sowing that is sacred.

1. Behold the Harvest

John 4:34–38 “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.””

There are some who would change the message to soften it for modern consumption. If you are a “post-modern” defeatist, then you could very well be living under the spell of the god of this world. It is a spell of fatalistic determinism; Satan kills, steals, and destroys. He would say we need to change our message to suit the times (see parable of tares Mt 13:24-30, 36-43 the tares are sown by the evil one). Jesus says, “Behold the fields, the are already white for harvest!” Don’t listen to academics who don’t get out in the field. Don’t look at the rejection of men. There have always been a remnant of grace believers. Listen to the Lord of the Harvest. Boldly preach the only message that saves.

Matthew 9:37–38 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.””

Luke 10:2 “Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

2. Sowing and Reaping

Luke 8:8 “But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!””

There is a spiritual principal of sowing and reaping. It is one of Identity, Quality, and Quantity.

We will reap the thing that we sow. Down to its DNA and the essence of it.

Quality - Galatians 6:7–9 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

We also will reap in the quantity that we sow. It is an example of the reward system of the kingdom.

Quantity - 2 Corinthians 9:6 “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” The measure of the harvest corresponds to the generosity (both in amount of seed sown and percentage of field sown) of the sowing—

3. Patience and perseverance

In due season - Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

ἐκλύω ekluo - give out, become weary, give up. success = showing up.

The A.T. is 2,000 miles an impossible journey, daunting and difficult. but it’s just walking. Consistent exercise and with a joyful reward.

Consider Noah - His patience building an ark when no one had seen rain. Perseverance pays off. Today we insist on “instant gratification” We don’t wait for anything… Results are like ‘slow food’ (the opposite of fast food). Very delicious, but it takes time to prepare.

The time between sowing and reaping demands patience, with the assurance that those who persevere will reap their harvest.

Weary in well doing - 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

4. Joy in the Harvest

John 4:36 “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

The privilege and excitement of bringing others to Christ.

illust: There is no greater joy than to witness the saving of a soul.

We have a National Holiday called “Thanksgiving” for the purpose of being joyful over the harvest.

Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz. It was a seemingly unremarkable harvest. Yet she ultimately found redemption in the work and we owe her our thanks for continuing the family of David and our Savior.

5. Reward of the Harvester

The work of the husbandman is hard, unnoticed, and sometimes a struggle. But when seeds are sown on good soil watch the amazing growth. a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. (Mt 13:8)

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:” We are rewarded for the vision to sow big.

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”

Daniel 12:3 “3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.”

Jude 22–23 “22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”

Psalm 126:5–6 “Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.”