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[0:00] I want you to take your Bibles and turn to the book of Galatians. Galatians and chapter 5.! We'll begin reading at verse 16. We're going to read through the end of the chapter, and then we're going to skip over to chapter 6, verse 7, and read a few verses there.

[0:19] So Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

[0:32] For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

[0:46] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 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, and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

[1:11] I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

[1:34] Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

[1:49] Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other. Chapter 6, verse 7. Do not be deceived.

[2:01] God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction.

[2:14] The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good. For at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

[2:28] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

[2:39] Let's hear the Word of God preached. Few things are more obvious in life than the law of sowing and reaping. Which is simply, that a man reaps what he sows.

[2:55] And yet, according to our text, it's this very thing about which many people are deceived. Isn't that something? It's so obvious, and yet many people don't get it.

[3:09] And so our merciful maker and judge kindly tells us about this in his words, so that we might not be deceived. You've been outside on an overcast day where the whole sky is covered by clouds, blocking out the sun, so everything's dark and dismal.

[3:30] Except for one spot. There's an opening, a hole in the clouds. And through that opening is a shaft of light coming right down from the sun upon the earth.

[3:46] Illuminating everything on that spot on earth. Well, that's kind of like our world and our text this morning. Our world is lost in darkness.

[4:00] Men have turned their back on the light that they have. They love darkness rather than light. And so they're left to grope in the darkness. That's our world.

[4:10] And yet our text is the word of God. And it breaks through into this darkness like a shaft of light to bring to us the truth that exposes the dismal lies and deception.

[4:27] That we not be deceived. So, blessed word to have a word from heaven is a shaft of light this morning. And I trust God will shine it right into your heart and show you the truth that you not be deceived in the darkness.

[4:45] Our text is Galatians 6, verses 7 and 8. Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

[4:57] The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit, will reap eternal life.

[5:14] Now, we're given here three things. We're given a consistent law, a needed warning, and the truth applied. Let's look at these three things. First of all, a consistent law.

[5:26] This law of sowing and reaping. Now, it's springtime, isn't it? And so farmers and gardeners all over northern Indiana are putting seed into the ground.

[5:41] Our brother Scott Ladig sells seed corn to farmers. And I bet he's never had a customer call him up in the fall complaining. You know that seed corn that you sold me?

[5:55] Well, I planted it, and now I'm harvesting corn. I wanted to harvest beans. Beans are worth more than corn. Well, Scott, before calling the county mental health officer, would very lovingly tell him, Harvey, if you want to reap corn or beans, you need to plant beans.

[6:22] Because a man reaps what he sows. A man reaps what he sows. That's the law of sowing and reaping in our world. And it's really quite consistent, isn't it?

[6:35] That's because we don't live in a chaotic world where things are just happening haphazardly and without cause and effect relationship.

[6:46] But God is a God of order, and he's governing his world according to certain laws that he has established. And year after year, farmers invest huge amounts of money believing that Galatians 6-7 is true, that a man reaps what he sows.

[7:08] The kind of seed they put in the ground will determine the kind of harvest they will reap. And it never happens otherwise. I'm even told that they're farming up in outer space on the International Space Station.

[7:23] And you may not believe it, but they're finding that this same law operates there as here. That what a man sows up there is what they reap.

[7:37] That's the way God has established his whole universe. Now, this law, I say, then, is so obvious, isn't it, in agriculture. But it's not just in agriculture.

[7:49] It operates in other arenas, in other areas of life. Your physical health, for instance. You reap what you sow. If you sow. If you eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and as much as you want, it may not be tomorrow that that comes back to haunt you.

[8:06] But eventually, it catches up, and we find that, all things being equal, we indeed reap what we sow. Some of you are finding that to be true in your school work.

[8:20] You sow good study habits. And all things being equal, you reap good grades. On your job, you sow promptness.

[8:33] You sow excellence and faithfulness and initiative and a cheerful spirit. And you reap benefits connected with that kind of work ethic, don't you? Job security, further job opportunities and promotions.

[8:46] Bosses are looking for your kind of worker. There, the law of sowing and reaping, it's woven right into the fabric of our whole universe by God, who governs all things according to this law.

[9:05] Now, this law is observed operating throughout the book of Proverbs. The wise man draws our attention to it in several places. He sees this law of sowing and reaping everywhere, whether looking at a little ant or looking at a sluggard's field.

[9:23] So he sees the ant, and it's sowing. It's working without any commander over it, and it's working diligently. And it's reaping.

[9:35] It has all that it needs. And then he walks by a sluggard's field. And he sees it again. There it is again. The sluggard's worthless field is covered with weeds and thorns.

[9:50] You see, he's reaping what he sowed because he was lazy and a little slumber and a little sleep, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on him like a bandit.

[10:05] Well, these are some of the examples found throughout the book of Proverbs. And no small part of parenting is simply to point these things out to children as you go past the sluggard's field and as you see the ant.

[10:22] To connect the dots between sowing and reaping. If you sow this kind of behavior, you reap this kind of consequence.

[10:33] And children, it's God who has established this law of sowing and reaping. Life is full of such lessons. And so this consistent law is found in agriculture, health, school, work, so many realms.

[10:51] But our primary concern this morning is to say that it is also true in the spiritual realm. It's indeed amazing how many people will acknowledge that a man reaps what he sows.

[11:08] In so many areas except the spiritual. And somehow it's expected that when we come to things spiritual, that this law is just abolished.

[11:20] It's lifted. But no, our text is going to show us that even here, especially here, in the arena of man's relationship with God, we reap what we sow.

[11:34] Now this is where we're given a warning. And why we're given a warning in the passage. We said in the Sunday school hour that not all warnings are needed.

[11:47] We've seen some ridiculous warnings. A warning on a hair dryer that says, Warning, never use while sleeping. Or a clothes iron that says, Warning, do not iron clothes while they're being warned.

[12:03] Warn. And we wonder, who needed those warnings? Some things are obvious. But that's not true of God's warnings in Scripture.

[12:15] There's none that are not needed. No unnecessary warnings. If God warns us, it's because we need it. And that's what we have next.

[12:26] A needed warning. We've seen the consistent law. A man reaps what he sows now. The needed warning. Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. Now kids, do you know what it means to be deceived?

[12:41] It means to be tricked. It means to be fooled. Bamboozled. We've got all kinds of names for it. We've got all kinds of names for it. Cheated. Led astray. And that's the warning.

[12:54] Don't be fooled. Don't be deceived. Now the reason this warning is needed is because man is so prone to being deceived.

[13:06] He really is. And he lives in a deceiving world. We live in a world where Satan is ever at our heels. And Satan is a crafty deceiver.

[13:19] Jesus says he is a liar and the father of lies. Convincing lies. Remember how he convinced perfect Eve? Making her think that God was wrong and he was right?

[13:35] Wow. How did he pull that off? He's deceiving. And Satan and his deceiving spirits have an easy time deceiving the children of Eve today.

[13:48] Furthermore, the deceiver Satan has filled the earth with his lies. John says the whole world is under the control of the evil one. The whole world is bought into the lies and deceptions of the evil one.

[14:02] And he has many people to pass on his lies as if they were truth. Both teachers, professors, scientists, politicians, news reporters, ministers, deceitful workers, false prophets, movie stars, musicians, entertainers, friends who give deceitful advice and deceptive philosophies.

[14:32] John says many deceivers have gone out into the world. That's why we need a warning to not be deceived. Furthermore, there's the deceitfulness of sin itself.

[14:45] Hebrews 3.13 talks about sin is tricky. The fact is that the wrong way can appear to be the right way.

[14:57] That's how tricky sin is. There's a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to destruction. How tricky is that?

[15:09] It can't be wrong when it feels so right. And we think it's the right way, only to find it's the wrong way. We need a warning about deception. And worst of all, we're born with deceitful hearts.

[15:22] Jeremiah says the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can know it? This is the heart we come into the world with. A heart full of deceitful desires.

[15:37] Desires that lie to you saying, I must have this. It's only right that I do this. And because of these deceitful hearts, we all love darkness rather than light.

[15:50] We love lies rather than truth. Lies that make us feel good about ourselves. Lies that justify our sinful desires and choices. We want to eat the forbidden fruit.

[16:01] And so we believe the lie that says, you will not surely die. Oh, well then I'll eat it, you see. But behind it was the deceitful desire.

[16:13] The deceitful heart that wanted to eat the forbidden fruit. That made it all so easy to be tricked and deceived. And that's what makes possible the very worst form of deception.

[16:27] Which is to deceive yourself. And James warns us about that. Being just hearers of the word. Not doers.

[16:38] And so deceiving ourselves. No wonder God warns us so often in the scriptures. Do not be deceived. We need that warning. Deceitful hearts.

[16:50] In a deceitful world. Where many have bought the devil's lies and are repeating them wholesale. But not only is man prone to deception in general.

[17:02] That's not the point here. We are prone to being deceived about this very law of sowing and reaping being discussed in the passage. That's the area of deception that warrants a warning to us.

[17:19] People actually deceive themselves into thinking that the law of sowing and reaping somehow does not work. Or doesn't apply to them. As if they're above this law. That there is no day of reaping for what they are sowing.

[17:36] Let me give you an example. Jimmy. Jimmy had a... Jimmy's neighbor was an old gardener who had a watermelon patch. And one day one of Mr. Jones' watermelons came up missing.

[17:47] And you see Jimmy had stolen it. And he had eaten the whole thing. Back behind the barn. And then buried all the evidence. He sowed the sin of stealing that day.

[17:58] That's what he was sowing that day. Stealing. Well, Mr. Jones came calling one evening and asked Jimmy in front of his father if he knew anything about the watermelon that was missing.

[18:10] And now he realizes that the truth might get him into trouble. And so he sows lying on top of his stealing and says, no, I don't know anything about it.

[18:24] Sowing lying. And yet, Jimmy was deceived to think that he could sow without reaping. Thinking he could get away with his stealing and lying without consequences.

[18:40] But a few weeks later, Jimmy's father was back behind the barn. And he saw a whole bunch of watermelon plants growing out of the ground. And he went and got Jimmy.

[18:53] And there was some reaping that happened behind the barn. And Jimmy learned an important lesson that a man reaps what he sows. In the spiritual realm.

[19:05] As much as in the agricultural realm. And God is ever at our heels and ever at our ears telling us, a man reaps what he sows.

[19:17] Know this for sure. Don't be deceived about this. Be sure your sin will find you out. Okay? He comes in kindness with this warning. There is a day of reaping for what we have planted.

[19:32] But this deception runs so deep and is so strong. And all men are so much like Jimmy. That he must on and on repeat the warning.

[19:46] To not be deceived. Do you know people think that they can actually sow to please their sinful nature. And yet reap eternal life. That they can live like hell and yet go to heaven.

[19:59] That they can ignore God's commands. And yet somehow escape God's punishment of eternal destruction. And the deception is found among church going people. People that claim to be Christians.

[20:12] That say they believe in Jesus. And yet the whole pattern of their life. Is to sow to please the sinful nature. And yet they claim grace and eternal life is awaiting them in the end.

[20:27] That's a denial of this consistent law of God. That a man reaps what he sows. The law of sowing and reaping is not abolished just because you're a Christian.

[20:41] Listen to this note in the ESV study Bible. I quote. A common deception throughout church history has been the notion that professing Christians can lead unrepentant sinful lives after conversion to Christ.

[20:58] And not suffer the consequences. It's seen in the surveys that are often taken. Between comparing religious people and non-religious or irreligious people.

[21:13] And what is being found is that the moral lives of many professing Christians are no different than the moral lives of those who do not claim to be saved.

[21:24] Is the world lying, stealing, cheating, sexually immoral, living only for time? So are many professing Christians who think they can sow sin and reap eternal life.

[21:40] Because after all, God's grace covers it all. It was a common deception in Jesus' day. When he was on the earth in the first century.

[21:53] And so he said in Matthew 7, 21. Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But only he who does the will of my Father.

[22:04] Who is in heaven. It's why the New Testament is full of such warnings as our passage. To expose this very lie. This very deception. Don't be deceived.

[22:16] He says in Corinthians. The wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. The sexually immoral thieves. The greedy. The slanderers. The swindlers.

[22:27] Thinking that they can sow such a lifestyle and reap the kingdom of God. And this deception is still with us today. 2,000 years later.

[22:38] They might as well say they can sow corn and reap beans. As to say they can go on living a life of unrepented sin. And still reap eternal life. Do not be deceived.

[22:53] God cannot be mocked. You see, you may fool yourself. But you can't fool God. That's what he's saying. He can't be tricked.

[23:05] He can't be hoodwinked. Nobody can pull the wool over his eyes. Nobody can deceive or mock him. He sees how you're living and it matters to him.

[23:16] And he said a day of reaping for what you are sowing. You'll never beat the system. No matter how much you talk about grace. You can't get around God's law of sowing and reaping.

[23:28] Don't be deceived about this. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. It's a consistent law.

[23:40] And because we're so easily deceived, we needed that warning. Now, lastly, the truth applied.

[23:52] We're given a spiritual application of this truth. Yes, it works in agriculture. But it works in the relationship between God and man.

[24:02] It's not just corn and beans. It's eternal souls and bodies. And what we do while we're in the body. And so here's the reality, folks.

[24:14] We're all sowing seeds every day, all day. From the moment you wake up in the morning till you conk out at night, you are sowing seed. You've got the seed bag and you're throwing seed in the ground.

[24:27] Every day you're sowing. To live is to sow, you see. So today, you're sowing. Every day, you're sowing seeds that will one day reap.

[24:39] In fact, in some ways, you may be reaping today what you sowed on some yesterday. Can you see that maybe in your life? You did certain things yesterday and today.

[24:52] Life is a certain way because of how you sowed. You're reaping what you sowed. We're always sowing. Perhaps even reaping.

[25:06] But we will reap what we've sown, whether in this life or in the next. Now, look at the truth applied. Verse 8. I want you to notice, first of all, there are only two ways to sow in life.

[25:32] Only two ways. Sowing to please your sinful nature. That is your flesh. Your sinful bent. Or sowing to please the spirit.

[25:42] That is the Holy Spirit of God. Notice there's no third category. There's no foot in each camp. One of these descriptions fits you.

[25:58] The pattern of your life is either pleasing the sinful nature or pleasing the spirit of God. It's an either or situation. Now, let's look at each one. First of all, the one who sows to please his sinful nature.

[26:14] This sinful nature or the flesh would be a better translation of it, perhaps. That is that powerful inward principle of self-importance. That is ever looking out for me.

[26:26] That's ever saying, I want it my way. What I think and what I desire is most important. That's your sinful nature. It puts yourself first as opposed to God.

[26:42] So what does it mean to sow to your sinful nature? Well, it means you sow to please it. You have your mind set on what the sinful nature desires.

[26:53] It means you let it have its way with you. You give it free reign. You let your sinful nature control the shot.

[27:06] So when you want something and can't get it honestly, your sinful nature says, just take it. And so you take it. You let it have its way. And if lying will get you out of trouble, it says, go ahead and lie.

[27:19] And so you lie. And if someone hurts you in some way, the sinful nature says, get even. Do back to them what they did to you. If you don't like the law, bend it or break it.

[27:40] And that's what the sinful nature says. And that's the way people without the spirit of God live. The spirit of God is not present to have a contrary influence in the life.

[27:54] All that's there is the sinful nature. And so they sow to please the sinful nature. It's quite natural to this person.

[28:05] We call it second nature when you do something naturally. It's really their first nature. It's their only nature. They just gravitate that way without even trying. It's just what happens, you see.

[28:17] Without even thinking about it. It just, that's the way they live. They sow to please the sinful nature. It's ingrained in them. And that's how every one of us started out life.

[28:29] We were sowing to please the sinful nature. For we all, like sheep, have gone astray from God. We've gone astray from God and His way.

[28:40] And we've turned each one to His own way. My way. That's how we started out. Pleasing the sinful nature. Now don't get me wrong.

[28:53] You can be very religious and still sow to please your sinful nature. Doesn't mean you never keep any of God's commandments. That is, as long as they are agreeable to you.

[29:06] As long as it serves you in some way. But if ever the command of God goes contrary to what you want. Well then, God loses and the sinful nature wins. And you may not be in your face, God.

[29:20] But you just ignore it. You just live as if God never said anything about that. Maybe very polite. Very respectable toward God.

[29:32] But it's still sowing to please the sinful nature. Instead of sowing to please God. That's the corrupt and rebellious part of man.

[29:42] Without the spirit. And that's all there is to him. So he sows to please the sinful nature. Now the only other pattern of life. The only other way to live life.

[29:54] Is described as the one who sows to please the spirit. Now we're talking about the spirit of God. God the Holy Spirit. So self is dethroned in this person's life.

[30:08] Somebody else reigns. And reigns with grace and power in this heart. Someone else's opinion and desires are given the preeminent place in this life.

[30:20] It's the spirit of God. Given by Jesus Christ to all his saved ones. Given to reign within us. To counter and oppose the sinful nature. So that it no longer reigns.

[30:32] And all who have the Holy Spirit within. Now so to please the spirit. I say it again.

[30:44] All who have the spirit within. Now so to please the spirit. Romans 8 verses 4 through 9. They do not live according to the sinful nature.

[30:59] This is explaining those who. Are not condemned. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now they're described for us. What are they like? They do not live according to the sinful nature.

[31:12] But according to the spirit. Romans 8 4. Romans 8 5. They have their mind set on what the spirit desires. Romans 8 6. Their mind is controlled by the spirit.

[31:24] They are controlled by the spirit. Romans 8 9. You however are controlled. Not by the sinful nature. But by the spirit. If the spirit of God lives in you.

[31:36] And if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ. He does not belong to Christ. So. If the spirit of God is in you. Then you are not controlled by the sinful nature.

[31:47] But by the spirit. Because wherever he is. He puts forth. That sanctifying. Influence you see. To have the spirit. Means your life is no longer characterized.

[31:59] As being controlled by the sinful nature. But now. Is characterized by being controlled by the spirit. So these people say. Not my way. But your way.

[32:11] See how contrary that is to the other folk. They say. Not my way. But your. Not my will. But your will. Be done. They are no longer going astray.

[32:22] They once were going their own way. But they have stopped and turned. And returned to the Lord. And to walk his way. The whole direction has changed.

[32:33] The whole. The whole. Tenor of their lives. Is going. The different direction. From pleasing the sinful nature. To pleasing. The spirit. And so by the spirit.

[32:46] Romans 8. 13. They now put to death. The misdeeds of the body. They put to death. The temptations. And suggestions. Of the flesh. They crucify. And mortify. The sinful nature.

[32:58] Because. The presence. And the power. Of the Holy Spirit. Within. Is there. To help. And to move. And to sanctify them.

[33:10] So where the spirit. Is found living. He works within the heart. Making. That person. Both willing. And able. To do. What pleases him. Philippians 2. 13. Says.

[33:20] So they walk. In the spirit. They keep in step. With the spirit. They bear. The ninefold fruit. Of the spirit. They're led. By the spirit. And paths. Of righteousness. Now. Not to perfection. But the characteristic.

[33:33] Habit. And bent. And practice. Of their life. Is a life shaped. Not. According to the sinful nature. But according.

[33:43] To the spirit. With his mark. Of holiness. On it. And when they do fall. And disobey the spirit. And. And obey. The sinful nature.

[33:54] They confess. Their sins. They renounce it again. And they return. To the spirit. With full purpose. To follow. And please him. Again. That's their habit.

[34:05] Yes. When they fall. Habitual confessors. And pursuers. Of holiness. The whole. New. Sowing. Is happening. Is happening. In their lives. They're scattering.

[34:16] Seed. To the spirit. Not. Wanting. To plant. The fields. Of the sinful nature. And that spirit. The spirit.

[34:27] How do you please. The spirit. Well. He's written. A whole book. And that's why. The bible. Is so precious. To the christian. Because it's here. That he finds out.

[34:38] What pleases the spirit. It's here. That he finds out. What. The spirit's. Desires. Are. The spirit's. Priorities. The spirit's.

[34:49] Commands. The spirit's. Goals. You see. A new potter. Is at the wheel. A new potter. Is at the wheel. The holy spirit. Is shaping us. And shaping our lives.

[34:59] In ways. Pleasing to him. He is the gift. That christ gives. To each. And every one. He saves. That we might. No longer. So to please. The sinful nature.

[35:10] But might. So. To please. The spirit. So just two ways. You see. Just two ways. To sow. Or to live. Pleasing either. The sinful nature.

[35:22] Or the spirit. And. And in the same way. There's only two harvests. To reap. And each form of reaping. Is inseparably tied. To each pattern.

[35:32] Of sowing. And living. Notice. And I'm going to take them. In reverse order. The one who sows. To please the spirit. From the spirit. Will reap. Eternal life.

[35:45] You see. This. This. This. Law of sowing. And reaping. Is not somehow. Abandoned. No. It's. It's there. And it's operative. God is the governor. Of the moral universe.

[35:56] And he has connected. The sowing. And the reaping. So that the one. Who sows. To please the spirit. Will reap eternal life. From the spirit. I want you to notice.

[36:08] That eternity. Is at stake. Eternity. Is at stake. Both reapings. Are eternal. What we're sowing.

[36:19] In time. Will determine. What we reap. In eternity. Some seeds. Ripe and fast. Others take a long time.

[36:29] To germinate. And to sprout. And to grow. And to bring forth. A harvest. Some of our deeds. Will produce. A partial harvest. Even in this life. But eternity. Will be the ultimate reaping.

[36:41] Of what you sowed. In this life. That makes. What you are sowing. Today. Of eternal. Importance.

[36:53] Now. Now what each. Will reap. Is going to be announced. On the day of judgment. Isn't it? We made known. In the day of judgment. What. What every individual. That's ever lived. Is going to reap.

[37:03] For all eternity. But. Do you see. The preciousness. Of having this. Shaft of light. From God. We don't have to. Wonder. And guess. I wonder.

[37:15] What I'm going to reap. In that day. Why don't I have to wonder. Because he tells me. He tells me right here. In his word. Exactly. What each person.

[37:26] Is going to reap. It's going to be based. On how they sow. What they sow. And. And the one. Who sows. To please the spirit. Will. From the spirit. Reap. Eternal.

[37:37] Life. Now. Eternal life. Is not something. Earned. It is not something. Merited. By our good. Sowing.

[37:48] If ever. There was a book. In the Bible. Written to demolish. That view. It's the book of Galatians. Where our text is found. Eternal life. Is a gift. It cannot be earned.

[38:00] By the way you live. And sow your life. Paul put it this way. In Romans 6. 23. The wages of sin. Is death. But the gift.

[38:11] Of God. Is eternal life. You see this reward. Of eternal life. For those who sow. To please the spirit. It's not earned. It is a free gift.

[38:22] That comes to them. Through Jesus Christ. Through his works. His merit. Indeed. Eternal life. Comes with him.

[38:33] John says. He. That has the son. That's the son of God. He that has the son. Has life. Because. Life is in Christ. And so. If you have Christ.

[38:44] You've got life too. It comes with Christ. This gift. Is wrapped up. In the gift of Jesus. You receive Jesus. You get the gift. Of eternal life. But how do you know.

[38:57] If you have truly. Received Christ. Christ. How do you know. Who those are. Who have received him. Well they are exactly. The same ones. Who are sowing.

[39:08] To please. The spirit. Exactly the same. Number of people. The very ones. They received. Christ. And they sow. To please the spirit.

[39:21] And eternal life. Is given to them. And to them alone. Now eternal life. Is. Endless. Life. Isn't it. It's eternal.

[39:31] Duration of life. It's life. Without ending. But eternal life. Is more than just. Unending. Life. It also. Refers to the quality.

[39:42] Of life. Because even the damned. Will exist in hell. Forever. But. But the Bible. Doesn't call that. Eternal life. It's anything. But life.

[39:53] It's the second. Death. It's the undoing. Of their life. It's the ruination. Of their life. It's. It's to live without.

[40:03] All that makes life. Enjoyable. No. So when. The gift. Is promised. And it's eternal life. Not only do we realize. That it's going to go on.

[40:14] Forever and ever. But. It's a quality of life. It's going to go on. Forever and ever. Forever. Jesus said. This is eternal life. Father.

[40:25] That they may know you. The only true God. And Jesus Christ. Whom you have sent. That's eternal life. It starts here and now. The moment someone receives Christ.

[40:37] Eternal life starts. Knowing. God. In Jesus Christ. Having a relationship. With him. Being right. With God. Through Jesus Christ.

[40:49] Having him for you. In everything you do. That's eternal life. That's the way you were meant to live. And that's what God gives. To all who receive Jesus Christ.

[41:01] With Christ. Comes eternal life. This new way of living. To have God as your best friend. Forever. In a glorified body. And soul. In a new heavens. And a new earth. In the presence of God.

[41:12] And eye has not seen. Nor ear has heard. Nor has it entered into the mind of man. What God has prepared. For those. Who love him. Are you sowing.

[41:23] To please the spirit. We're all sowing folks. Which is you. Are you sowing. To please the spirit. Well then. Keep walking with Christ. Keep trusting in Christ.

[41:35] Keep on sowing. To please the spirit. Let us not become weary. And doing good. For at the proper time. We will reap a harvest. If we do not give up. Verse 9 says.

[41:47] So keep up. Go on. Cling to Christ. And sow to please the spirit. Well the only other reaping.

[42:00] Is now described. The one who sows to please. His sinful nature. From that nature. Will reap destruction. And folks. The destruction. Is not annihilation.

[42:12] Remember. It stands opposed. To reaping eternal life. There's reaping destruction. And there's reaping eternal life. Both reapings.

[42:23] Are eternal. In nature. This destruction. Is likewise. Eternal destruction.

[42:34] And that's exactly what Paul says. In 2 Thessalonians 1. 9. They will be punished. With everlasting destruction. And shut out. From the presence. Of the Lord. That's what everlasting destruction is.

[42:48] To be shut out. From the presence. Of the Lord. From his mercy. His goodness. His grace. Is to live without anything. Good in your life. At all.

[43:00] To live that way. Forever. Forever. It's the undoing. Of life. Separation. From all.

[43:11] That makes life enjoyable. Left only with that. Which makes life miserable. And a torment. In body and soul. Weeping. And gnashing of teeth. According to our Savior.

[43:24] Remembrance. And regret. Hopelessness. Despair. Forever. And ever. You say. That's the reaping of what?

[43:37] Sowing to please the sinful nature. You say. Is sowing to please myself really that serious? Can I tell you what is at stake?

[43:50] In this issue? What is at stake? Is who will be served? By you. Who deserves to be served?

[44:01] You or God? And when you keep living to please yourself over God. You're saying. I'm more important than God. It's more important that my ways.

[44:12] And my desires. Are satisfied. Than that God. And his will. Is satisfied. What I want is more important than what he wants. I deserve to be pleased more than God does.

[44:25] Do you see? You may never have said that with your mouth. But that's what your life. Is yelling. Godward. You don't deserve to be served.

[44:36] I do. I do. Oh. Can you see why it's so serious? You're putting yourself before God. You've made yourself a God.

[44:47] Living for self is the most arrogant thing you can do. It's living without Christ. Living without wanting to please the spirit. That's the worst thing you can do. It's to say.

[44:59] I'm more valuable. More precious. More important. Than God himself. And that's why it will take eternity. To pay off.

[45:11] The offense done to a holy God. By simply living for yourself. As if you're more important than God. Well. To live is to sow.

[45:22] What are you sowing my friend? You're going to reap in eternity. And let no one think. I can sow to the flesh. And still reap eternal life.

[45:33] Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps. What he sows. And if you've been sowing to please yourself rather than God.

[45:43] What's the answer? It's still a day of grace. It's still the time of sowing. So right now. Stop sowing to please yourself.

[45:54] Right now. Stop. And turn. That's repent. That means repudiate that way of life. That whole way has to be repudiated. Not just this and that thing. The whole way is bad.

[46:05] And you repudiate it. And you say. Oh. I'm coming back. I'm coming back to you. Lord Jesus. I'm coming back to you. My God and maker. And I'm here to walk with you.

[46:18] To be saved by you. To be helped by you. To be indwelt by you. And so to please you. Trust in Christ alone to save you.

[46:28] Turn from the old way. Trust in Christ to save you. Do you know he died for people who are sowing to please their sinful. Nature. I told you. We all were born. Sowing that way.

[46:39] That means every Christian here. Is a proof that. That Jesus died. For people who sow to please their sinful nature. So.

[46:50] So come to him. Come to this Savior. Take him at his word. He says if you come. He will in no wise. Cast you out. He suffered the full punishment due to those who sow.

[47:04] To please their sinful nature. And if you will receive him. He will also give you eternal life. And he will also give you his Holy Spirit to live within you.

[47:16] And to make you to live a new way. Now. To please the spirit. Rather. Than to please. Your selfish nature.

[47:27] You ready for a new potter. In your life. Let's take our grace hymns. And sing a song of commitment.

[47:38] That says have thine own way Lord. Have thine own way. And you. It's number 20. In our grace hymns.

[47:48] Number 20. And you have dealings with God. As you. As we sing. I am the potter. You are the potter. And I am the clay.

[47:59] Have thine own way Lord. Let's stand as we sing. Amen. The Bible tells us of a man who lived his whole life.

[48:13] Sowing to please his sinful nature. And it got him in a lot of trouble. He was reaping. He was. Guilty of. The death penalty.

[48:26] Treason. Murder. And he's put up on a cross to die. And it so happens in God's goodness. That right beside him is the son of God. Also dying on the middle cross.

[48:38] He's. He's there between these two thieves. And. These two thieves are mocking Jesus. And. Everybody else is making fun of Jesus.

[48:49] And both thieves started out mocking. Sowing you see to the sinful nature. And then. One. Repented.

[48:59] One of the thieves. Repented. Stopped. Sowing to please the flesh. And right there on the cross. He looked to Jesus. And asked for mercy.

[49:12] Lord Jesus. When you come into your kingdom. Remember me. Have mercy on me. He started sowing to please the spirit.

[49:23] He confessed his sins. He said to the other thief. We're getting what we deserve. He confessed his sins openly. He confessed the righteousness of Jesus.

[49:33] But this man has done nothing wrong. And he put all of his hopes. On King Jesus. When he looked the least kingly. That he ever looked in his life.

[49:45] When the. Crown on his head. Was thorns. Streaking his body with blood. But he was given faith. To look to Jesus. And live.

[49:56] And do you know what that man received from Jesus? The assurance that. Today. You'll be with me. In paradise. Doesn't matter how long you've been sowing to the flesh. Today.

[50:08] Look to Christ. And receive his salvation. Freely. From his hand. Let's pray. Thank you Lord. For such good. Good news.

[50:18] For sinners. Who were born. Pleasing ourselves. Thank you Jesus. For what you suffered. On our behalf. That we might taste. This eternal life.

[50:30] And that we might have. Your spirit. Dwelling in us. As the potter. To shape us. And mold us. To make us new creatures. For if anyone is in Christ.

[50:40] He's a new creature. Father. We bless you then. For your word. Send us on our way. Rejoicing in this salvation. And in our savior. We pray in his name.

[50:52]  Amen. Amen.