Matthias Frohlich: I uh bring greetings uh with me from our church plant in Berlin.
Matthias Frohlich: Uh it's the name of our church is uh Leuchturm.
Matthias Frohlich: That means uh lighthouse because we want to be a light for a dark world who needs the gospel.
Matthias Frohlich: And uh they are um praying for you and uh for for us this morning.
Matthias Frohlich: Uh we already or they had already their service this morning, uh six years ago, uh six uh hours ago.
Matthias Frohlich: And um it's a great joy to be here.
Matthias Frohlich: Thank you for having me here.
Matthias Frohlich: Um I already got uh a few of you to know, and you are such a lovely and uh dear congregation um uh who loves the Lord, who loves his word, um, who loves each other, and um um as a guest I recognize it.
Matthias Frohlich: Thank you so much for your welcoming.
Matthias Frohlich: I want you this morning, this morning to turn to Galatians chapter six, verse six to ten, and we want to see in this morning the unchanging principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: The unchanging principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, have you ever doubted gravity?
Matthias Frohlich: No, probably you wished to escape gravity the last time you fell down the stairs, or probably you wished you would have fallen in slow motion.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, what would happen if you ignore the law of gravity willfully?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, we see God has built the whole universe on natural laws, like the gravity or the speed of light.
Matthias Frohlich: In our physical life, we are so used to these laws and we pay close attention to them.
Matthias Frohlich: But there are also um spiritual principles which we ignore on a regular basis, and this is the reason why we have immature believers, why we have weak churches, uh weak societies, uh, an ailing humanity.
Matthias Frohlich: Because there is a spiritual law which is ignored, and this law is the unchanging principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: And the question is this morning will you apply this principle of sowing and reaping?
Matthias Frohlich: I personally believe when you apply this principle, it will result in keeping you away from sin.
Matthias Frohlich: Applying this principle will increase your spiritual health.
Matthias Frohlich: And not only your personal health, but it will have a huge impact on the unity and the maturity of the whole church.
Matthias Frohlich: It will have an impact not even on your personally, but even beyond that, on your work, on the ministry in the church, on your marriage, on your family, and even on your kids whom you are teaching.
Matthias Frohlich: Now let's turn to Galatians chapter 6, and I want to read the verses 6 to 10.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul tells the church there, let the one who is taught in the word share all his good things with the teacher.
Matthias Frohlich: Don't be deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, he will also reap.
Matthias Frohlich: Because the one who sows on his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh.
Matthias Frohlich: But the one who sows to the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.
Matthias Frohlich: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, Paul is writing this letter to the Galatians.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, it's not one church, but um they have been many churches, um, it's a whole region.
Matthias Frohlich: And the church in Galatia did well until Judaizers who claimed that the gospel was incomplete, came to this region and taught and had a huge impact.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, first they taught that Paul wouldn't be an authorized apostle.
Matthias Frohlich: And by this, they tried to discredit his teaching and his message and his gospel.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul addresses this issue in Galatians 1, chapter and um Galatians 1 and 2.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, second, they claimed that salvation comes first through circumcision and only then by faith.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, Paul addresses that issue in chapters 3 and 4 and makes clear that salvation comes by faith, not by outward signs.
Matthias Frohlich: And thirdly, these Judaizers who tried to influence the churches, they taught that Christian life required complete observation of the Mosaic law.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul addresses this issue in chapter 5 and 6 of Galatians.
Matthias Frohlich: So there have been some in the congregations who were caught by this false teaching of the Judaizers, and this created tension within the church.
Matthias Frohlich: So Paul charges the church to bear one another's burden and especially to restore a brother in the fruit of the Spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: And within this context, Paul teaches the principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Look again in verse 7, he says, Don't be deceived, God is not mocked.
Matthias Frohlich: For whatever a person sows, he will also reap.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, sowing and reaping is a law of farming.
Matthias Frohlich: If the farmer sows corn, so what will he harvest?
Matthias Frohlich: Corn, of course.
Matthias Frohlich: Nobody doubts it.
Matthias Frohlich: They will grow, they will, they will not grow tomatoes or apples or potatoes.
Matthias Frohlich: No, just corn will grow.
Matthias Frohlich: Somehow that is clear for everybody.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul wants to make it clear that this law, which exists in the agriculture, also applies to the spiritual life.
Matthias Frohlich: This principle applies to all areas of life, as well in the physical realm and also in the spiritual realm.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, of course, everybody knows it.
Matthias Frohlich: If you go to school and if you don't learn, you will have bad grades, right?
Matthias Frohlich: Everybody knows this applies to nutrition.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, eating too much and too unhealthy, well, it has consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: But Paul wants to make it clear that this is also true in spiritual life.
Matthias Frohlich: Your effectiveness is proportional to your prayer life.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul makes clear sowing will have the consequences of reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: It applies always.
Matthias Frohlich: So we reap today what we have sown in the past, right?
Matthias Frohlich: At the same time, we sow every moment with what we say, what we how we act, how we spend our money, our time.
Matthias Frohlich: And what we sow today, we will reap later, sometimes moments later, sometimes a couple of days later, a month later, a year, and sometimes even a whole eternity later.
Matthias Frohlich: It will be reaped what a stone today.
Matthias Frohlich: And the principle is the harvest is always greater than the sowing.
Matthias Frohlich: From one tomato seed, a whole bush of tomatoes is growing.
Matthias Frohlich: If you sow one grain of wheat, it produces a whole head of wheat with probably 40, 50, 60 grains, depending on the harvest.
Matthias Frohlich: So this means that the sowing is so important because the reaping is always greater.
Matthias Frohlich: We cannot escape this law just as we cannot escape the law of gravity.
Matthias Frohlich: It is always there.
Matthias Frohlich: And I want you to see in this text, I want that you learn three issues.
Matthias Frohlich: First of all, pay attention to the warning.
Matthias Frohlich: Pay attention to the warning.
Matthias Frohlich: Second, understand the principle, and third, apply it in a number of ways.
Matthias Frohlich: Now let's focus on pay attention to the warning.
Matthias Frohlich: First seven begins with a strong warning, don't be deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, it is a mistake to think that my action has no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: The word to be deceived means to be seduced, to be cheated, to be fooled.
Matthias Frohlich: And in the New Testament, we find occasionally such um sharp warning because it is very likely and possible to be deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: We live in the territory of darkness, and we do not always realize when we are fooled.
Matthias Frohlich: The error consists in thinking, I can do whatever I want, there is no consequence.
Matthias Frohlich: Or it won't be so bad.
Matthias Frohlich: Or probably you even thought, God will surely understand me.
Matthias Frohlich: No, Satan has done everything to let us believe these lies.
Matthias Frohlich: Since the first day he deceived man with this illusion, you will surely not die.
Matthias Frohlich: That have been his words.
Matthias Frohlich: Your action has no bad consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, since this moment in the Garden of Eden, this error has ruled our whole world, our society, well, and even ourselves.
Matthias Frohlich: In some areas, sowing and reaping is practiced prominently each day.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, probably you know that.
Matthias Frohlich: If you park in a no-parking area, um, or if you drive too fast, well, there are pretty quickly reaping, right?
Matthias Frohlich: And it costs you something.
Matthias Frohlich: But at the same time, this principle, it is.
Matthias Frohlich: At the same time, this principle is ignored in very, very important areas in our life.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, even our society, on the other hand, on one hand, sowing and reaping is pretty close, yeah, especially in no parking areas.
Matthias Frohlich: But in other areas, our society teaches teenagers you can have fun whenever you want with whomever you want, and there are no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Or rather, we will take care of the consequences and drive them away or eliminate them.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, as a society, we are reaping today what we have sown, and it will become even worse.
Matthias Frohlich: Proverbs 22, verse 8 says, the one who is sowing injustice will reap disaster.
Matthias Frohlich: Psychology wants us to believe that you should not be responsible for all your failures.
Matthias Frohlich: But you could blame everybody else.
Matthias Frohlich: You could blame your parents, you could blame your genetics, you can blame your environment.
Matthias Frohlich: But you know what?
Matthias Frohlich: This is a frontal attack on the principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Because God says you have a responsibility.
Matthias Frohlich: It has come so far, at least in Germany, that some politicians want to abolish consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: They say, let's abolish grades at school.
Matthias Frohlich: We don't need them.
Matthias Frohlich: Grades are so cruel.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, it is it just puts kids under pressure.
Matthias Frohlich: They can't endure it, they can't handle this pressure.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, of course, what are kids learning?
Matthias Frohlich: Nothing.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, it teaches the kids you don't need to try hard, you still achieve everything you want.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, that's not what the word of God is teaching us.
Matthias Frohlich: But it's bad enough that you and me, we can be deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: But there is one issue which is even worse than being deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: Now you may think, what is worse than being deceived?
Matthias Frohlich: Let's look in verse 7.
Matthias Frohlich: Don't be deceived.
Matthias Frohlich: God is not mocked.
Matthias Frohlich: So, what is even worse than being deceived is to make fun of God, to mock God.
Matthias Frohlich: So, if you think that your action has no consequence, then you are not only deceiving yourself, but you are mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: Can you imagine that?
Matthias Frohlich: You are mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: When we reject our responsibility, we are mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: This is exactly what the wicked person is doing.
Matthias Frohlich: Psalm 10 verse 4 is saying the wicked person arrogantly thinks there is no accountability since there is no God.
Matthias Frohlich: In other words, I can do whatever I want, it has no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: But it has consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, even if this general principle applies to all people in all situations, at all times, Paul has a special focus on the believer because he's writing to the believers.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, why?
Matthias Frohlich: Because even as believers, we can fall into this trap to think it has no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Our heart is still deceitful as long as we are not yet glorified.
Matthias Frohlich: So probably there is someone who thinks the consequence won't be that bad.
Matthias Frohlich: Or probably God will surely understand me.
Matthias Frohlich: Or probably, I couldn't help me.
Matthias Frohlich: Or probably somebody else is saying, My circumstances are to blame.
Matthias Frohlich: They are the reason I made this or that bad decision, or my circumstances are the reason I sinned.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, actually, no.
Matthias Frohlich: If you say this, so you are not only deceiving yourself, but actually you are mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: Because you think it has no impact.
Matthias Frohlich: Now I want to do a little test with you.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, probably you remember Achan, right from the Old Testament.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, during the destruction of Jericho, um he lusted and he took a Babylonian cloak, 200 shekels of silver, a bar of gold.
Matthias Frohlich: So why did he do that?
Matthias Frohlich: So what is he thinking about?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, he thought the thing will be destroyed anyway.
Matthias Frohlich: It won't hurt anybody if I take something with me.
Matthias Frohlich: And no one will notice what I what I did.
Matthias Frohlich: So how would you judge this issue?
Matthias Frohlich: Was it trivial?
Matthias Frohlich: Was it stealing?
Matthias Frohlich: Now take this verse again and apply it to Achan's sin.
Matthias Frohlich: What would it be?
Matthias Frohlich: It would be blasphemy because he thinks it has no consequences to disobey.
Matthias Frohlich: So if this is not the same what happens, is this not the same what happens often in our hearts?
Matthias Frohlich: We think, yes, God is omniscient.
Matthias Frohlich: Yes, nothing escaped his notice, but there will be no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, another test.
Matthias Frohlich: Probably just remember your last sin, probably an outburst of anger.
Matthias Frohlich: What were the thoughts you thought about your anger?
Matthias Frohlich: Probably it wasn't quite okay, but actually everybody is angry at some times.
Matthias Frohlich: It was a good reason to be angry.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, the kids have been disobedient, or whatever it was.
Matthias Frohlich: So what is the reason?
Matthias Frohlich: What is the outcome?
Matthias Frohlich: Actually, this mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: Because I think it has no consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Maybe it were impure images you saw and you enjoyed them and you lusted for them.
Matthias Frohlich: Why did you risk a second chance?
Matthias Frohlich: Because you thought it wasn't that bad, right?
Matthias Frohlich: One look wouldn't certainly would not lead you to commit adultery, right?
Matthias Frohlich: If you downplay sin, you think it's not that bad.
Matthias Frohlich: If you downplay sin, then actually you are mocking God.
Matthias Frohlich: Now escaping this principle of sowing and reaping is just as to try to escape gravity.
Matthias Frohlich: Now I'm sure you don't try ever in your life to escape gravity because you know it's always there.
Matthias Frohlich: But we want to ascribe this principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: And I want you to pay attention to the warning.
Matthias Frohlich: Now let's take a look at the principle and understand it.
Matthias Frohlich: Uh just see in verse 7 once again.
Matthias Frohlich: Verse 7 is saying, Don't be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, he will also reap, because the one who is sowing to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh.
Matthias Frohlich: Now understand the principle here.
Matthias Frohlich: Why is this principle, why does it exist at all?
Matthias Frohlich: Why are there at all consequences for my doing?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, the reason is God equipped man with reason, with willpower, and with strength.
Matthias Frohlich: Adam and likewise you and me had an intellect.
Matthias Frohlich: He understood his task.
Matthias Frohlich: God gave Adam as well as like you and me, willpower, understanding, strength.
Matthias Frohlich: And this makes man responsible.
Matthias Frohlich: And this means you have your actions have consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: You cannot blame somebody else.
Matthias Frohlich: Because God equipped you with a mind, with willpower, and with strength.
Matthias Frohlich: We see the principle of sowing and reaping for the first time in the Garden of Eden.
Matthias Frohlich: Uh, in Genesis 2, verse 17, God tells to Adam, um, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, this is actually sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: So what you do has consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what did the harvest of Genesis 3 look like?
Matthias Frohlich: I mean, Adam he ate of the fruit and he reaped what he had sown.
Matthias Frohlich: Adam was sowing, so Paul would say Adam was sowing on the flesh.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul understood this term flesh in the whole context of Galatians 5 and 6 as the disposition to sin.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul is speaking of the lust of the flesh, um, 5.16, the sinful desires.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul speaks of the works of the flesh, 5.19 to 21, sinful actions like disobedience, envy, selfishness, anger, partiality, self-indulgence, sexual sins, and so on.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, Adam was sowing on his flesh by disobedience.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what did Adam reap?
Matthias Frohlich: Corruption.
Matthias Frohlich: Adam reaped corruption on different levels.
Matthias Frohlich: So, first of all, his relationship with God was ruined, he was separated, he was now fleeing from the presence of God.
Matthias Frohlich: While second, he reaped the corruption in the relationship with his wife Eve.
Matthias Frohlich: Then we see he um he reaped corruption within the physical realm.
Matthias Frohlich: So his body began to die, his work became laborous and exhausting, but he also reaped eternal consequences, separation from God.
Matthias Frohlich: So one single action had consequences on different levels, destruction on every level.
Matthias Frohlich: So the Bible calls this the wages of sin, corruption of sin on every level.
Matthias Frohlich: And exactly the same applies to your sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: The harvest is always greater and takes place on different levels.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, probably you don't take time for prayer and devotion.
Matthias Frohlich: Probably you don't bath yourself in grace.
Matthias Frohlich: And you expect grace for the day, right?
Matthias Frohlich: So you are reaping what you you want to reap what you didn't sow.
Matthias Frohlich: We need to sow the grace of God in our lives.
Matthias Frohlich: We need the closeness, the nearness to God in our personal day-by-day walk.
Matthias Frohlich: So we want to reap it, but we don't sow it.
Matthias Frohlich: And this doesn't work.
Matthias Frohlich: We need to be close to God, to be at the throne of God, to receive grace for everyday labor.
Matthias Frohlich: Probably you hang out around place a place week.
Matthias Frohlich: You shouldn't visit.
Matthias Frohlich: Probably you are too busy to build your own kingdom.
Matthias Frohlich: And then you sit in church on Sunday and you wonder why your heart is so hard and cold.
Matthias Frohlich: The songs and the sermon leaves you cold.
Matthias Frohlich: You cannot rejoice.
Matthias Frohlich: You have no inner peace.
Matthias Frohlich: You feel like the prayer or just get stuck with the ceiling.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, the effects is not only on your personal life, but it affects all the relationships you are in.
Matthias Frohlich: The relationship within your marriage, within the family, the relationship within the church.
Matthias Frohlich: It has consequences.
Matthias Frohlich: The harvest is always greater than the sowing.
Matthias Frohlich: Reaping has more consequences, multiple effects, multiple levels.
Matthias Frohlich: Maybe you think, what about salvation?
Matthias Frohlich: Doesn't salvation eliminate the eternal consequences?
Matthias Frohlich: Oh, yes, it does, of course.
Matthias Frohlich: The grace of God saved us and eliminates our eternal separation from the Lord.
Matthias Frohlich: But still, our doing has eternal consequences, right?
Matthias Frohlich: Paul tells it in 1 Corinthians 3.
Matthias Frohlich: What about forgiveness?
Matthias Frohlich: God forgave us all the sins and doesn't throw us into hell, right?
Matthias Frohlich: Absolutely.
Matthias Frohlich: What about grace?
Matthias Frohlich: Grace means that God is not dealing according to our sins with us, according to with wrath and judgment, right?
Matthias Frohlich: Absolutely, right.
Matthias Frohlich: Are we not saved by grace without works?
Matthias Frohlich: Absolutely.
Matthias Frohlich: Works cannot add and cannot take away anything to our salvation.
Matthias Frohlich: What about the security of salvation?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, scripture teaches that our salvation is sure.
Matthias Frohlich: Whoever is saved, whoever is born again, will not perish.
Matthias Frohlich: But we must be we must never play off these principles against each other.
Matthias Frohlich: These principles, we are not allowed to play them against each other.
Matthias Frohlich: Um it this principle never may lead us to think that God will always eliminate all negative consequences of our sinning.
Matthias Frohlich: This principle may never lead us to think we are immune against sin and the consequences of sin.
Matthias Frohlich: There is always forgiveness.
Matthias Frohlich: And if you just find out right by hearing God's word, that probably you think I haven't sown rightly in this and this and this area of my life.
Matthias Frohlich: Praise the Lord.
Matthias Frohlich: Today is time for repentance.
Matthias Frohlich: Just come bring it to the Lord and confess the sin to Him that you didn't sow.
Matthias Frohlich: You sow on the flesh, and there is grace for your life, there is grace for everyday life.
Matthias Frohlich: But we are not allowed to play this principles against each other.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what about the application?
Matthias Frohlich: Where should we apply this principle?
Matthias Frohlich: Let's go, let's turn to verse six, and we come to the third point.
Matthias Frohlich: Apply this principle in a number of ways.
Matthias Frohlich: Now look into verse six.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul is saying, Don't be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, he will also reap.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul here has three specific applications in mind.
Matthias Frohlich: So in this context, Paul is addressing is addressing three specific applications.
Matthias Frohlich: Of course, this principle has a lot of applications.
Matthias Frohlich: But in verse 6, he is applying this principle to the support of preacher and teacher.
Matthias Frohlich: In verse 8, he is applying this principle to personal sanctification.
Matthias Frohlich: And in verse 8 uh and verse 9 to 10, he is applying this principle to doing good to one another.
Matthias Frohlich: Let's start with the first, um, verse 6.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul applies this principle to the support of those who preach and teach, to the pastors, actually.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, this means to share all the good things.
Matthias Frohlich: The word is used for moral goods, for goods, for possessions.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what can the one who is taught give the one who is teaching?
Matthias Frohlich: We could so what should he share?
Matthias Frohlich: Paul is saying, share every good thing.
Matthias Frohlich: Just he says every good thing.
Matthias Frohlich: He should share in every good.
Matthias Frohlich: So it could mean financial provision, but also moral good.
Matthias Frohlich: For example, the one who is taught should share to the one who is teaching, hey, rejoice with me, for I am making progress.
Matthias Frohlich: Yeah, and he gives thanks, he gives appreciation to the one who is teaching.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, sowing and reaping is God's unchanging principle.
Matthias Frohlich: And at first glance, it looks like this verse is fully out of context.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul, this verse hasn't to do anything with this principle.
Matthias Frohlich: But actually, look exactly here.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul is pointing, is directing, he's making the first application of this principle to the support of the preachers and teachers.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, just remember for one moment what was the state, the spiritual state and the condition of the churches in Galatia.
Matthias Frohlich: I just mentioned it.
Matthias Frohlich: It was catastrophic.
Matthias Frohlich: It was bad, worse.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul feared for these churches like for none other.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what could have been the reason?
Matthias Frohlich: Actually, this could have been the reason.
Matthias Frohlich: They harvested so poor in investing into their preacher and teacher, and they reaped poorly.
Matthias Frohlich: They had no, they had neither appreciation nor thank, nor didn't they support their teachers.
Matthias Frohlich: And the result was just an unhealthy church open for um false doctrine.
Matthias Frohlich: Oh, in Germany, actually, it's a bad example.
Matthias Frohlich: Um many churches don't, I know you do.
Matthias Frohlich: That's good.
Matthias Frohlich: But in Germany, many churches don't support a pastor, their pastor.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, probably you you can't even imagine that that's really, really the case.
Matthias Frohlich: They even would pay um a facility manager, but not their pastor.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, can you imagine how the spiritual condition would look like?
Matthias Frohlich: That's exactly the condition.
Matthias Frohlich: It's bad, it's worse.
Matthias Frohlich: Why?
Matthias Frohlich: Because they don't appreciate the word of God.
Matthias Frohlich: So they don't teach the word of God, they don't have time to study the word of God.
Matthias Frohlich: So you see, the churches they reap what they have sown.
Matthias Frohlich: And they have sown poorly, and they reap poorly.
Matthias Frohlich: That's exactly what happened to the Galatian churches.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, the second area Paul applies this principle is personal sanctification.
Matthias Frohlich: Um, just look to first uh verse uh seven and eight.
Matthias Frohlich: For a person sows, he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: So this is Paul's second application, and it relates to personal sanctification.
Matthias Frohlich: Some believers sow daily to the field of the flesh, and they wonder why there is nothing to reap from the Holy Spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: They are sowing to the flesh, that means giving in to sinful desires instead of crucifying those desires.
Matthias Frohlich: It means feeding those desires instead of killing those desires.
Matthias Frohlich: Romans 13, verse 14, Paul says, make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Matthias Frohlich: So he says, pay no attention to the flesh with regard to the lust, to indulge the flesh, to pamper and to spoil it.
Matthias Frohlich: John Stott says, every time we allow our mind to harbor a grunge, to nurse a grievance, entertain an impure fantasy, or wallow in self-pity, we are sowing into the flesh.
Matthias Frohlich: Every time we linger in bad company, whose influence we cannot resist, every time we lie in bed when we ought to be up and praying, every time we pursue pornography, every time we take a risk which strains our self-control, we are sowing, sowing, sowing to the flesh.
Matthias Frohlich: He says, holiness is a harvest.
Matthias Frohlich: Whether we reap it or not depends almost entirely on what and where we sow.
Matthias Frohlich: Well, really good.
Matthias Frohlich: He put it really good.
Matthias Frohlich: So if we sow to the spirit through the books we read, the time we invest into the close fellowship with the Lord, the company we keep, the real relations and the recreation we pursue, the disciplined habits we have in daily prayer and Bible reading and worship, then we reap the fruit of the spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: Then you will reap.
Matthias Frohlich: So not only what Paul is saying in chapter 5, verse 22, the fruit of the spirit, like joy and love and peace and patience and kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in your life.
Matthias Frohlich: But Paul continues actually here the fruit of the spirit, and he says, You will reap eternal life from the spirit.
Matthias Frohlich: Now let's go on to the third area Paul applies this principle, and um, this we will find in verses 9 to 10.
Matthias Frohlich: It is doing good to one another.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul is saying, Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.
Matthias Frohlich: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
Matthias Frohlich: So this is the third application of Paul to do good to one another.
Matthias Frohlich: So it looks like if it would be a completely new topic, but actually Paul is continuing with um sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul picks out really strange areas to make it clear, yes, this principle of sowing, reaping also applies to spiritual matters, especially within the church.
Matthias Frohlich: So, what is Paul saying?
Matthias Frohlich: What should we do?
Matthias Frohlich: He says, good deeds, doing good, invest into the church, and not bringing fraction to the church, not bringing slandering into the church, but doing good.
Matthias Frohlich: So when should we do good?
Matthias Frohlich: What is Paul saying?
Matthias Frohlich: At every opportunity.
Matthias Frohlich: And whom should we do good?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, to all, but especially to those who belong to the household of faith, so the believers.
Matthias Frohlich: And Paul's emphasis in this verse is do not grow weary.
Matthias Frohlich: So your sacrificial service can become tiresome.
Matthias Frohlich: It can become discouraging.
Matthias Frohlich: You may even think about quitting the ministry of the church.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is hard work.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is exhausting.
Matthias Frohlich: Usually we don't see the harvest yet.
Matthias Frohlich: But we have to sow like a farmer.
Matthias Frohlich: We shouldn't stop if we are halfway through the field.
Matthias Frohlich: We should continue until the end.
Matthias Frohlich: That's what James is um uh telling his uh recipients in James 5, 7 to 8.
Matthias Frohlich: He says, Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord's coming.
Matthias Frohlich: See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rain.
Matthias Frohlich: You also must be patient, strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.
Matthias Frohlich: Sometimes we are so impatient like little children, right?
Matthias Frohlich: We want to sow now and we want to reap right now away.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is doing good.
Matthias Frohlich: If sowing is doing good, was Paul is saying here, what is reaping?
Matthias Frohlich: So if I have to sow, which is doing good, what is the harvest?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, Paul leaves it open.
Matthias Frohlich: He doesn't say what the harvest is.
Matthias Frohlich: He only says, We will reap in time.
Matthias Frohlich: He doesn't mention it.
Matthias Frohlich: And he, well, in Greek you have two words for time.
Matthias Frohlich: The one is chronos, that means chronological passing time, and the other one is kairos, which which means um a period, a moment, a point of time, and Paul is using this one to make clear there may be a point of time, probably even in this in this time or even when the Lord returns, when you will be reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Paul wants to make this point clear.
Matthias Frohlich: If you sow in this area and doing good, especially to the household of the faith, you will reap.
Matthias Frohlich: He doesn't say what, but you will reap.
Matthias Frohlich: And you must be patient and not be discouraged.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing in your ministry can be sacrificial, it can be exhausting, it can be draining.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing can even involve tears.
Matthias Frohlich: Psalm 126, verse 5 says, Those who sow in tears.
Matthias Frohlich: So sowing is sometimes connected to tears.
Matthias Frohlich: But it doesn't finish there.
Matthias Frohlich: It goes on and says, They will reap with shout of joy.
Matthias Frohlich: So the principle is applicable in many areas.
Matthias Frohlich: Ask yourself during the next week in your quiet times, where do I sow poorly?
Matthias Frohlich: And where do I expect a rich harvest, and probably I don't sow right?
Matthias Frohlich: Do I expect the grace of God, the nearness of God in my life, and I don't sow it?
Matthias Frohlich: Maybe it applies to the to your relationship with the Lord, to your sanctification.
Matthias Frohlich: It applies to your marriage, your child, your children, your parenting.
Matthias Frohlich: It applies to your church.
Matthias Frohlich: Probably you have high expectation of a rich harvest, but you are not sowing into the church.
Matthias Frohlich: No time, no investment, no money, not into relationships.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is actually the opposite of gathering.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, what makes fun?
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing or harvesting?
Matthias Frohlich: Well, sowing is not that much fun, isn't it?
Matthias Frohlich: We all want to harvest.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is hard work, sowing is sacrifice.
Matthias Frohlich: Sowing is usually not fun.
Matthias Frohlich: Harvesting makes fun.
Matthias Frohlich: You can taste the fruit or whatever you take.
Matthias Frohlich: But we have to invest, we have to sow in order to reap.
Matthias Frohlich: Now, this principle of sowing and reaping is an unchanging principle that always applies.
Matthias Frohlich: This principle arises from the character of God.
Matthias Frohlich: And to ignore this principle is to mock God.
Matthias Frohlich: To ignore this principle would be like hoping to escape gravity.
Matthias Frohlich: So Paul urges us to pay attention to the warning, to understand the principle, and to buy it in a number of ways.
Matthias Frohlich: Let's pray.
Matthias Frohlich: Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for Paul who charges the church in Galatia to take heed for this unchangeable principle of sowing and reaping.
Matthias Frohlich: Thank you so much for understanding how important it is.
Matthias Frohlich: This principle comes out of your character.
Matthias Frohlich: And Lord, we want to apply this principle in our lives.
Matthias Frohlich: Please show us areas where we are sowing poorly in order and give us grace, Lord.
Matthias Frohlich: Thank you that this is a time of grace today where we can confess our sin, where we can confess where we have sown poorly, and your grace will be there.
Matthias Frohlich: But Lord, we will be also reminded that sowing is hard work, it is sacrificial work.
Matthias Frohlich: Let us not grow weary, especially not within serving one another in the church.
Matthias Frohlich: Amen.