Hard-working farmer's hope

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph – January 24, 2010 at NLF, Vashi. Here’s hoping I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

Let us continue with the illustrations given in 2 Timothy 2. We saw the illustrations of Christian life against the backdrop of a good soldier (v3), a winner athlete (v5). Let us now turn our attention to verse 6 for our next illustration. It says,

“The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops”

India  is mainly an agricultural country. Many of us, who live in cities, probably have no exposure to what a farmer does. But if you have had the good fortune to visit a farmer, one thing that strikes you is that the farmers are really hard-working. And today, let me teach you all a little bit of farming from the Bible; how we can be a farmer in our own lives and in the lives of others.

If any farmer has a fertile farmland, but does not cultivate any crop or work over it, the farmland will soon become a wasteland with weeds and unwanted things. He is a lazy farmer who does not work his fields. In our life too, if we are lazy, we won't be able to accomplish all that God has kept for us. We can learn the principles of sowing, hoping and reaping from the hard-working farmer.

We can invest our time and effort in the lives of others-our near and dear ones, our spouse, and our children (Those of you who are parents will understand that it is indeed hard-work at times investing in the lives of our children; just providing food, clothing and shelter is no guarantee that the child will not go astray).

We can invest in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. You see, church growth is not only by the work of leaders, but every member in the body of Christ must be willing to sow in the lives of others. If we have fellowship, one with another, each of us can be useful to God.

1. We reap only WHEN we sow

Psalm 126: 5, 6 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him”

The principle here is, without sowing there is no reaping. Here is an illustration of a man who probably had very little grain. He is in need to provide for himself and his household in the present circumstances. But he has to look for the future provisions too. And he chooses to sow, even with his little, even in tears. Under siege of want, he shows the face of courage, even with weeping, bearing seed for sowing. he will doubtless come rejoicing bringing ih his sheaves.

Sometimes we may not feel like sowing the seed of God's word in the lives of others, including our children. But if we refrain from sowing, there can be no harvest, no reaping. Jesus taught us the parable of the Sower, sowing the seed of God's word. God's word is to instruct, correct and guide ourselves and our fellow believers. We can plant the seed of God's word in the tender hearts of our children. There will doubtless be a wonderful harvest in due time.

Any farmer knows that there is time between sowing and the harvest-for example rice will take about 6 months. The times you have invested in the lives of your children and fellow believers will indeed bear fruit. Do not lose hope if you have sown God's word, even in tears and weeping.

2. We reap only WHAT we sow

The second principle of farming is found in Galatians 6: 7. “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”

If a farmer has sown rice in the field, can he expect a wheat harvest? He can pray, fast and spend sleepless nights, but only the seed that is sown will grow for harvest. This is an area to pay careful attention in our own lives and in the lives of our children. What do we allow to be sown into our lives? If we sow to the flesh, we reap corruption and when we sow to the Spirit, we reap everlasting life.

Look around and see the influence of movies, music videos and television. Are these the non-nonsensical seed sown in our lives and in the lives of our children? Then is it any wonder to reap death? You can never under-estimate the power of the seed that is sown.

‘Sow to the Spirit.’ Impart God's word to the children; when we walk, when we sit down, when we talk… So shall our reaping be to everlasting life.

3. We reap only in proportion to what we sow.


Our harvest depends on the quantity that is sown. How much or how little? We thank God for our Sunday school teachers. But as parents, if we have sown only a little in the lives of our children, we can expect a harvest only in proportion to what we have sown. Thirty, sixty or hundredfold…but always only in proportion to what we have sown.

II Corinthians 9:6 says, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully”

The context here is about giving-giving of money. Paul encourages the church in Corinth to give willingly and bountifully to the needs of saints in Jerusalem, who were having a real hard time. It can be applied as a financial principle in how much we bring as offering. You can choose to be a farmer, who sows sparingly; or one who sows bountifully into the kingdom of God. And our reaping is always in proportion to what we have sown. Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

4. Know where to sow; sow the seed in good ground

If we look at the parable of the Sower, in Matthew 13:3 onwards, we find that the seed is the word of God. Some fell among thorns and rocks and yielded no crop. “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (v8).

Paul urges Timothy in 2Tim. 4:2 “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season…” You see, all the goody goody words, the rational reasoning, the noble thinking, the lofty ideals and high principles of man can never bring about LIFE change, but just ONE WORD of GOD can! Therefore, we must be ready to sow God's word in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Jeremiah 4:3 says, “…Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns”.  If you've seen a farmer, you would know that they first plough the ground before sowing. After breaking up the ground, it becomes ready for the seed. We need to guard our hearts and be receptive to God's word. If we harden our hearts, the word of God will have no impact in our lives. We chug along the Christian life without any crop, because the ground is fallow.

Similarly, when we sow in the lives of others, the seed of God's word, gauge their receptiveness. Consider these verses, Do not sow among thorns, Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, and Pearls before swine… Else we will end up with fruitless labor that has no reward. We must be wise in our hearts to know where to sow the seed of God's word.

5. Know when to sow; sow in times of peace

Although we are ready with the seed in all season, we must know when to sow the seed. A farmer knows the time for sowing of seed for a particular crop. Also, he will not sow if the climatic conditions are adverse-for example, when it is too windy, or stormy. James 3:18 says, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace”

Sow in times of peace. This is especially true when we deal with cranky children. By experience, we know that they are least receptive to correction and God's word during those times. Then it is wise to allow things to calm down before speaking to them; before sowing the seed of God's word into their lives.

It is the same way to sow in times of rest in people's lives. People who are angry and upset will be least receptive to God's word.

6. Embrace teamwork; For one sows and another reaps

Look at John 4: 37, 38 “For in this the saying is true: One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors”

Beloved, there is teamwork in the kingdom of God. Nobody is created to be a ‘be-all, do-all’ human-industry. We are all in this together to fulfill His plan. Paul confronts the Corinthians thus: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Cor. 3: 6, 7).

If we look at our own lives, we know somebody has sown into our lives and we are reaping the benefits. Similarly when we sow, there will be others who will reap the harvest. Some are called to plant churches, others to minister, some as preachers and teachers and administrators… we can reap and rejoice in the reaping of others in an attitude of teamwork.

7. Be patient and do not lose heart

A farmer knows to wait. It takes time and patient hard-work to finally see the harvest-crop. In farming, there are no instant results.

James 5:7 says, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain”

We, in the present time, are so enamored with instant  results – we want instant coffee or tea, instant (fast) food, instant service and instant (live) news. But in the greatness of the kingdom of God, there is no such thing as a  'salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity'. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”. We will surely see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Therefore do not lose heart.

In closing, let us ponder the warning found in Proverbs 24:30-34.

 "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man."

Remember the principles of sowing, working, hoping and reaping. Let us receive His word in our hearts. Let us be patient; let us always have hope and may God bless us with the fruit in due season. Amen.