Time for Harvest: Sharing the Bounty
Time for Harvest • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Mom was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 7, and Ryan, 5. The boys began to argue about who would get the first pancake. Kevin said, “I am the oldest and I should get the first one.” Ryan said, “That’s not fair, I should get one first.” Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson, so she said, "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'"
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
Sometimes, it is difficult to share isn’t it? You have worked hard for what you have and you certainly have the right to claim it all. Why should you let someone else that hasn’t done the work get part of what you accomplished? After all, the Bible says that “God helps those who help themselves,” right?
"If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'"
Actually, no. It does not say that. In fact, the Bible says quite the opposite in several places. One such place is found in our scripture today.
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.
The Book of Leviticus is a book that showed the sinful Israelites how they were to relate to a Holy God. Leviticus can be used today to show us the grace of God, the importance of preparing to meet God, the presence of God, and what it means to live holy.
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
Throughout this book, we have ancient teachings that set the foundation of which Jesus expanded upon that we might experience the benefits of holy living. One such teaching is this passage we are looking at today.
It teaches us that we should not be greedy. We should be glad to share what we have been blessed with and do so without expecting a return. It also teaches us that the harvest time is a celebration in which we should include others in because in God’s eyes we are all equal.
Bountiful Field
Bountiful Field
Notice at the beginning of verse 9 it says, “When you reap the harvest of your land...” It does not say “if”, It does not say “maybe you can.” It says “when.” That indicates to me that in some form or fashion, you and I will be able to reap a harvest of some type.
The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
We have the promise of a bountiful field from God’s word. The inference of when in also gives me a promise that it will happen. So if i know I will be blessed with a bountiful field, I am going to pay attention to what comes next in that verse. I have specific instructions to leave the edges of the field and not gather the gleanings of my harvest so that poor and alien can come share in the harvest.
Jewish tradition called for 1/60th of the harvest to be left. So we see the precedent was set. In fact, our verses end with the declaration, “I am the Lord your God.” Whenever you see that in Scripture, you can see it is a statement of authority and whatever was stated has been set firm and fast. Now we could leave is here and just say it is the law of the Lord. We can look at it from a totally legalistic viewpoint. Or we can see how it evolves as a precept throughout scripture. In Ruth chapter 2, we see the beautiful story of Ruth honoring the favor of her mother-in-law and going out to the bountiful field of Boaz. She was able to pick up left over grain. She gained the favor of Boaz. A matter of the law became a matter of the heart as Boaz provides the kinsman redeemer. The kinsman-redeemer was a relative who restored or preserved the full community rights of disadvantaged family members previously cut off by a death. The concept comes from God’s covenant relationship with Israel and points to the redemption of humanity in Jesus Christ.
When one understands how they have been redeemed, it changes their heart. As this progression continues, a bountiful field that is rightly appreciated leads to a bountiful heart.
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-39
Bountiful Heart
Bountiful Heart
When you truly understand the abundance of your field, you will also have a bountiful heart. In other words, your heart will be overflowing with gratitude and appreciation. A bountiful heart has no room from selfishness. My college professor, Dr. Joe Godwin, said “Selfishness is the sin that stinks all the way to heaven.”
Psychologists akin selfishness to narcissism which is the psychological disorder that reveals excessive self love. It is “all about me” and it is “my way or the highway” kind of mentality.
shows us that selfishness is the work of the flesh.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
Paul warns us in that there is no room in the Christian’s life for selfishness.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
tells us that selfishness leads to disorder and every evil practice.
Selfishness caused the rich young ruler to turn his back on Jesus as recorded in .
tells us that selfishness ruins friendships.
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends;
he defies all sound judgment.
Selfishness hinders prayer.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Selfishness also shows us where and what our treasure is!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:
God is His wisdom set the tone early on for mankind to move from selfishness to selflessness. He shows us throughout scripture that this requires genuine humility. Moving from selfishness to selflessness helps us restore and grow our relationships with both mankind and with God. It gives us a true perspective of our relationship with God.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
We are aided in this process by turning to Scripture.
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
Psalm 119:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10
When we do this, we are having the attitude of Christ and we are able to demonstrate tenderness and compassion for all we encounter.
It can start simply by obeying the law we have in where we simply share the abundance of what is in our field. A bountiful field can lead to a bountiful heart which in turn can lead to a bountiful life.
Bountiful Life
Bountiful Life
Who would have ever thought that something seen as a legalistic way of life could lead to a life that was blessed and beautiful? Well God did! He set into motion and gave us the example through Jesus Christ. A bountiful field can be any blessing you have received from living a life that is devoted to our God. Recognizing that this bountiful blessing comes from God will definitely lead to a bountiful life.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 10
2 Corinthians
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The example we have in Jesus is that the Son of Man came to serve.
Mark
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
When we serve others as Jesus did, we will have a bountiful life.
Jesus gave up His will for God’s will.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
When we pursue the will of God as Jesus did, we will have a bountiful life.
John the Baptist made a profound statement about this.
He must become greater; I must become less.
If you allow Jesus to become greater while you are becoming less, you will live a bountiful life.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians
Christ living you and you being crucified with Him leads to a bountiful life.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Godliness and contentment lead to bountiful living.
Praise the Lord.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who finds great delight in his commands.
The person that looks at the command of God and finds great delight in His commands will also find bountiful living.
So how does one take a law like is laid out in and glorify God with it? The answer is the same way you glorify God in command that Jesus gave and we read earlier:
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Are you loving the Lord your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind?
Are you taking your blessings and blessing others?
In 1989, Robert Fulghum released his classic book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. He gives a list of 15 things he learned in kindergarten and writes essays on each of them. Some of them include:
Play fair
Don’t hit people
Put things back where you found them
Clean up your own mess
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody
But do you know what the number one thing was on his list? The very first item on list of 15 things learned in kindergarten was “share everything.”
God introduced that idea way before there was a kindergarten! He made it one of His laws. Jesus picked up on that and told us as His followers, to love our neighbor as ourselves. In order to do that, we share. You see, it comes down to the simple question, “Are you going to be selfish or are you going to be selfless?” It is the will of God that we share the blessings He has bestowed upon us.
These are the things I learned (in Kindergarten):
Sometimes it is very hard to do that. Our old sinful nature pops up its ugly head and says, “no…it should be all about me.” That is when we need to fire right back and say, “no…it’s all about God so God, Have thine own way!”
1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don't hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS.
6. Don't take things that aren't yours.
7. Say you're SORRY when you HURT somebody.
8. Wash your hands before you eat.
9. Flush.
10. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
11. Live a balanced life - learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
12. Take a nap every afternoon.
13. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
14. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
15. Goldfish and hamster and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
16. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.”
