The Blessed Life #4

Need, Greed or Seed          

Galatians 6:1-10

Why do you do what you do? Did you just fall into it, or was it a choice? Is it because someone inspired you to do something as a child; you were reasonably good at it so that’s the career or that’s the focus that you took on in life? Or was it a choice, singularly by yourself; you weren’t raised that way, but there was a situation in your life and you made a decision to go in a particular direction?

I think for most of us it is probably a blend of both. Philippians 2:13: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” I started life as a scientist within aquaculture; that was a choice, but after an encounter with Jesus and the Holy Spirit at 23, I went into Youth pastoring and youth employment programs; combined both careers by going back into science doing Quality Assurance in the pharmaceutical industry, then went recruiting for a few years and then back into pastoring. Some of you are adding all those things up and have worked out that that should make me 105 – it feels like it at times, but there was a combination of both choice and calling. Some things were in my control and others weren’t. But, in all of those things, while the Lord is sovereign over all, I had choices to make in every circumstance.

Regardless of what you do in life, your job, calling, leisure time; the greater question is what choices do you make generally in life? Regardless of whether we are at home raising kids, working part time, head of a company, working home or overseas, 9 to 5 or shift work, what are your primary drivers? They all fall into 3 categories that focus on either8 Need, Greed or Seed.

Need is obvious. You have schooling fees, pay rent or have a mortgage. If you have worked or been blessed in other ways, and don’t have either of those you still have house and car maintenance costs, power, rates, tax, needy older children that keep coming back for a hand out, or grand children that you dote on, food, general living, health care, a holiday here and there – needs. Jesus says as we trust in him these things, the needs are provided. “Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25, 26). He later said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” "Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Verses 33, 34)

Greed. These are wants, not needs. In the West, most of us suffer from this. Earthly toys: enjoyment, extra cars, boat, holidays, extra food, extra leisure time. Scripture is fairly consistent on this: Be content in all things. (Philippians 3:19) “their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”

The Apostle Paul said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” 1 Timothy 6:6-10

 “Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:13-15)

The last one: our passage focusses this morning on seed. The whole reap/sow law. “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Proverbs 11:24) That’s a principle I have seen many times over with the Lord’s people who faithfully give; that’s why this is a principle in The Blessed Life series.

Sowing seed – Sowing time into others. Paul said, “if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Sowing a true identity of self. (verse 3) “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Pride before a fall, etc.

Test your sowing strategies. (verse 4) “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.” (Verses 4, 5) Wise farmers will check if their crop is any good and always try to improve the yield; hence our Lord’s pruning, which hurts at times – yields more a more godly harvest in us.

Sow seed into the ministry. (verse 6) “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.” I was counselling someone recently. I had paid for a large meal and drinks; a big feed. This person struggled with the concept of tithing and giving to a church, even though they were attending our church at the time. They are now not attending anyway, not growing in their faith, not being accountable, sowing into themselves, staying shallow Christians. The wife was more spiritual than her husband; he was letting the team down. Sowing into himself; not being blessed as a result. Why? Because there was a self-focused spirit: all about me, and that spirit is never satisfied.

Flesh/Spirit -sowing. As we looked at last week, Mind of Flesh/Mind of Spirit, there are eternal consequences to the way we sow in this life. (verses 7, 8) “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Don’t grow weary of sowing seeds. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.” (Galatians 6:9, 10)

Make the church your seed-sowing focus, “especially to those who are of the household of faith.” There are many opportunities to do good in the household of faith: Hospitality, Life groups, Worship ministry, Giving, Practical helps: plenty to do around the property, maintenance, projects, mowing, café, catering, Play Patch, Kids Hope, Kids@Church, Teaching ministries….