Sowing & Reaping- Gen. 31
Notes
Transcript
Sowing & Reaping- Gen. 31
Sowing & Reaping- Gen. 31
Galatians 6:7–8 “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.”
The law of sowing and reaping is: if you sow to the flesh you will reap corruption and if you sow to the Spirit you will reap eternal life.
Paul elaborates on the flesh/Spirit in Gal. 5:16–23.
But what is this law, really? And does it apply carte blanche?
In one sense, no, at least on a specific level. If we think this Law applies in the sense that if I do right everything will work out, then this is incorrect. Job, for example, did everything right and yet suffered greatly.
(Jesus was perfect by the way, and he suffered!)
However, if we understand the Law of Sowing and Reaping as following our flesh and it brings destruction, and following the Spirit brings eternal life, then this is right.
Sow to the flesh, destruction it will bring,
Sow to the Spirit, eternal life will spring.
I. Jacob’s Sowing and Reaping- Gen. 31:1–16
I. Jacob’s Sowing and Reaping- Gen. 31:1–16
Jacob’s sowing began in the womb- Gen. 25:19–26.
Jacob’s sowing to the flesh and the birthright- Gen. 25:29–34.
Jacob’s sowing to the flesh and the stealing of the blessing- Gen. 27:1–29.
Jacob’s sowing to the flesh in taking another wife- Gen. 29:21–30.
Jacob’s sowing to the flesh in taking two concubines- Gen. 29–30.
Jacob regularly sows to his flesh, and in a way reaps the destruction.
Sow to the flesh, destruction it will bring,
Sow to the Spirit, eternal life will spring.
Jacob reaps destruction in his relationship with Esau—Esau hates him
Jacob reaps destruction in his relationship with his parents
Jacob reaps destruction in his own home
Jacob reaps destruction with his in-laws
II. Laban’s Sowing and Reaping- Gen. 31:22–42
II. Laban’s Sowing and Reaping- Gen. 31:22–42
Laban sowing to the flesh and deceiving Jacob- Gen. 29:21–30.
Laban sowing to the flesh and using Jacob- Gen. 30:27; cf. 31:19, 30, 32
Laban sowing to the flesh through his greed- Gen. 30:41.
Laban makes a covenant with Jacob (31:51–54) that they would not cross “the heap and the pillar” to do harm to one another.
Sow to the flesh, destruction it will bring,
Sow to the Spirit, eternal life will spring.
Laban reaps destruction in the relationship with his son-in-law
Laban reaps destruction in his finances—loss in animals and the financial blessings connected to Jacob
Laban reaps destruction in his family—he never sees his daughters or grandchildren again
III. Sowing and Reaping and Others- Gen. 31:17–21, 43–55
III. Sowing and Reaping and Others- Gen. 31:17–21, 43–55
Rachel sows to the flesh by stealing her fathers false gods
Rachel reaps destruction in the relationship to her father and husband
The children/grandchildren suffered
IV. Sowing in the Spirit- Gal. 5:16, 22–24
IV. Sowing in the Spirit- Gal. 5:16, 22–24
Sow to the flesh, destruction it will bring,
Sow to the Spirit, eternal life will spring.
How do we sow to the Spirit? We walk by the Spirit. Keep in step with the Spirit.
“We walk by the Spirit when
Upon His divine help we depend
And each and every choice we face
We obey His Word by His unimaginable grace”