Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman is the television series about an early frontier doctor (played by Jane Seymour) and her devotion to medicine, her patients, her family, and her friends.

In one particular episode, Dr. Quinn's best friend, Dorothy, has breast cancer.

She doesn't know how bad it is and is worried she may not have long to live.

As she walks somberly among the townspeople, who are enjoying a picnic in a large clearing, a 10-year-old boy named Brian runs up to her. "Hey, Miss Dorothy, look what I found."

"Acorns."

"Sully says if I plant one, it'll grow to be as big as that oak."

"None of us will live to see it get that big, Brian," says Miss Dorothy.

"That oak is a hundred years old."

"Oh," Brian replies.

Dejected, he puts the acorns in his pocket and walks back to his family, who are seated on a blanket.

He tells his mother, Dr. Quinn, "Miss Dorothy says there's no use in planting it.

She says none of us will get to see it grow that big."

Dr. Quinn takes an acorn from him and says, "Brian, you must plant it, because by next year it will have grown up to your knees.

The year after that, it will be taller than you.

When it's time to go courting, you can take your young lady for a picnic under it.

Then, when you have children, they could build a tree-house in it.

And some day you can tell your grandchildren about how you planted it.

When that tree gets to be a hundred, it doesn't matter that you're not here to see it."

She places the acorn back in his hand.

"All that matters is today.

Today, you hold a hundred years in your hand."

He looks at the acorn thoughtfully, then asks Sully to help him find a place to plant it.

Of course, this is just a small story from a mid 90’s tv show… but this morning, I want us to focus on the importance of what we are planting in life.

You see, just like this acorn that has the potential to turn into a massive oak tree, every day our actions, in their own rights are like that of the acorn, that although we might not see it grow day-to-day, although we might not even see it’s long-term impact, every decision that we make in life is so critical.

Everything we sow, whether in our actions or in our words, will automatly grow into something.

The question is… what are you sowing?

You see, many of you this morning are farmers or have family or friends that serve in this industry, in fact 1 out of 7 Ohioans work in some for of agriculture… and while you may be able to teach me how to operate a combine or a plow, together this morning, we’re going to as a church, look at the principles of planting and specifically of seeds.

And so for today and next week, we’re going to look at farming principles, or gardening principles as we consider roots, planting, the fruit that we’re growing, and weeds that get in the way of life.

So with this in mind, If you have your bibles with you this morning, turn with me to the book of Hebrews 12.

And our message this morning is entitled Sow What?... Reaping what you sow.

As your turning to Hebrews 12, there are 3 sermon principles we’ll dig up together as we look at things that we plant.

I want us to see that a Godly life is 1.

Sown (or planted) in discipline.

2. Sown in Holiness.

3. Sown (ultimately) in Christ.

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1.

A Godly life is Sown in discipline

As your turning to Hebrews 12 this morning, I want to briefly unpack the book of Hebrews and the occasion for why it was written.

A couple things to know.

To start, Hebrews is a book in the bible that we don’t specifically know who wrote the human author is.

Some have clamed Paul, others Appolos or Peter, but non one conclusively knows.

But ultimately, it’s fitting that we don’t know who the exact author is, because the primary purpose for the book of is to Exalt Christ, and furthermore, we do recognize that all Scripture is God-breathed and so the fact that we don’t know the exact author is not a problem, because ultimatly the author is God.

But the recipients of this book are primarily a Jewish people in the early church who are part of a relatively small congregation.

And much of the book talks about that the superiority of Christ.

That Christ is better than anything.

And ultimatly, because of Christ, there is a new covenant.

Now, in Hebrews chapter 12, we get to the point where the Author begins to transition to the point of Holiness and maturing through discipline.

Which, at first glance, discipline doesn’t sound like anything fun or appealing, and yet, we see that this is what’s best.

Hebrews 12: 1-13 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

So, if we stop for a second, we see ultimately that Christ is our example,that we are to consider him, and keep our eyes on him.

Interestly enough, the scripture says that he endured opposition from Sinners, and then in verse 4, it includes us as part of this group of those who sin.

It Continues:

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son?

It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.

For what children are not disciplined by their father?

8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.

How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

(listen to this key verse)

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

So if we stop for a second, I want us to consider the fact that discipline, is not pleasant.

It’s not something feels good.

In fact, growing up I’m sure many of us have stories that we can look back on where we acted up, and we were spanked or disciplined because of our poor choices.

In fact, I remember being right around Carter’s age, and I was still in pull ups at the time… but I remember I had done something that I was supposed to do, in all likelihood I was fighting with my older sister.

And my dad came home one day, and spanked me… Now to this day, he probably didn’t know that I decided to put one of those little pull ups on to cover my rear end… because Guys… getting spanked hurts!

Right?! I mean no one this morning would say looking back at life that spanking was one of the highlights of early years, no one enjoys spanking or discipline, and yet… this is the very thing that God has designed for us.

The question then becomes, why does God discipline His Children?

If God is so good, why would he allow things to happen to us that feel so bad?

And certainly for the early church, this letter was written them, to show them ultimately, it may not feel good at the time, but it’s ultimately what’s best.

John MacArthur puts it this way regarding discipline.

He states: “When we discipline our children, even for something serious, we do not put them out of the family.

No, We discipline them to correct their behavior, not to disown them.”

You see ultimately discipline is used by God for our own good.

Discipline 1. CORRECT our behavior, 2. PROTECTS us from repeating the same sin and facing the consequences, 3. TEACHE us boundaries, and 4. causes us to draw closer to God. (ALWAYS OUT OF LOVE)

You see I think of my daughter Jordyn this morning .

Who’s facing the terrible 2’s as we call them (can anyone relate with that age?)

The funny part of this age is she’s testing me, as her father, to see what her boundaries are (what she can, and can’t get away with…) but as she crosses the boundaries, and disobeys her mom and I, even though she gets spanked… in her emotional state, in her sadness and in her pain, this somehow, causes her to come seeking comfort.

It’s almost at the end of her emotional exhaustion, at the end of herself, she comes seeking her father.

Friends, many of us can relate with that this morning.

Many can relate with times where we have been disciplined, and although it didn’t feel good at the time… it was ultimately for our good.

You see, if we look back to Hebrews 12:11, it says: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

You see, when we talk about planting seeds, the fruit isn’t evident right away… but ultimately, the fruit comes… the vegetables grow.

Your struggle this morning with sin, perhaps that you’ve been disciplined for, or perhaps your struggle in righteousness, where you haven’t done anything wrong… but yet your enduring hardship for the sake of Christ, it’s ultimately leading to harvest.

Although there’s pain now, the ultimate result is righteousness and peace.

2. A Godly life is Sown in Holiness

We continue reading in the text this morning.

Hebrews 12:14-17 says:

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected.

Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

I want to camp out on a couple thoughts for a brief moment.