C, Pent 6 Proper 9 - Galatians 6:7-9 "To Boldly Sow"
Last week we were presented with the bold farmer looking forward in faith as the weeds of his sinful nature were ploughed out and he was planted with the seeds of the Spirit, trusting a bountiful harvest was forthcoming. He looked forward in faith because he was guided by the best GPS known to humanity; this was not a GPS dependant on satellites for guidance along the right track, but rather it was on God Providing Salvation, through a Grace Perfecting Saviour, and a Gospel Positioning Spirit. With a threefold GPS like this, there’s no reason why you and I can’t be the bold people we’re called to be in Christ.
However, this boldness given through our Triune GPS, must also be constantly tuned by God so that it draws on him alone and leads us to him alone. The temptation to move past the power of God’s guidance and turn his GPS off, thinking we can keep the furrow straight by our own power is real, once God gives us the confidence to stand firm and look ahead in him.
This happens so easily with all of us. The old sinful nature, sometimes encouraged along by the devil or others, quickly takes credit for the boldness and confidence we have in Christ. We are tempted to think we might do better and yield a bigger harvest, if we take back control.
Yet Paul warns, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A person reaps what they sow. The one who sows to please their sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; 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.” (Galatians 6:7-9)
You see as soon as we think we no longer need the Triune GPS, turning off God’s guidance — God’s single track to salvation through his Son and the Holy Spirit — there’s no way we can follow God’s way. We simply turn from looking forward in faith by the Spirit, back to the ways of the old sinful nature.
Even if we convince ourselves and others we are ploughing out the weeds and planting the seeds of the Spirit, we are in fact, aerating the weeds so they only get stronger and tougher, and destroying the seeds of the Spirit. After all, Paul also says, “If anyone thinks they are something when they are nothing, deceives themselves.” (Galatians 6: 3)
However, on the other hand, if we realise our weakness and boldly stand in the grace of God, owning the reality of our sinful nature but continually trusting God daily washes us clean in the waters of baptism, we testify to the power of God and his means of guiding us through this life towards the harvest of eternity. When we accept the reality of our sinful nature and depend on the gifts of Spirit, given through Christ at the cross, we testify to the worthiness of these gifts and that there are no other gifts like them. In our bold confession of our sinfulness and our dependence on God’s guidance, glory is brought to God as the one and only source of all truth.
Both, the Old Testament narrative of Naaman’s healing and the Gospel account of Jesus sending out the seventy two, testify to the power of God in a number of ways. And it is by these you can be encouraged to boldly stand firm in Christ, believing who he has made you to be and where he is taking you in eternity.
Firstly, in 2 Kings 5, Naaman, the Aramean military commander, is struck with leprosy. The disease was severe, and warranted attention, Naaman knew it and so did his master, the king of
Two things stand out as unusual with this servant girl and her masters. Firstly, she has the boldness to suggest Naaman see Elisha, the prophet from
What is going on here can be revealed in Naaman’s disgust at Elisha’s instruction to go and wash in the
Added to this is the response of Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. After Naaman leaves for home healed after Elisha refuses payment for the healing God had performed on Naaman, Gehazi goes and deceitfully demands Naaman give Elisha silver and two sets of clothes for a couple of fictitious people from the hill country of Ephraim.
It’s in Elisha’s condemnation of Gehazi, the boldness of the Naaman’s servant girl, the healing powers of the tranquil Jordan, and Elisha’s command to go to the Jordan, that we see the true power of God, which in turn encourages us to boldly stand firm in the guidance and leadership of the Lord, through which his means of placing salvation and the Spirit is given to us.
After Gehazi had extorted these gifts from Naaman he went in and stood before his master Elisha. “Where have you been, Gehazi?” Elisha asked. “Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered. But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and he was leprous, as white as snow. (2 Kings 5:25-27)
So too, wasn’t it God’s Spirit who rested on the servant girl who first suggested Naaman go to Elisha? The same Spirit who opened the hearts of Naaman, his wife, and the King of Aram, to receive God’s guidance through the girl, coupled with the deadly reality of Naaman’s leprosy? Wasn’t it the Spirit of God who led Elisha to direct Naaman to the
Therefore, we are encouraged by these to stand firm and continually return to Christ and his gift of the Spirit given in the waters of baptism, so we might boldly be the Spirit led Christians we are called to be! We can look forward in faith and hope, rather that looking back in fear and faithlessness to serve our sin which so easily entangles and destroys us! Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A person reaps what they sow.
Secondly, the gospel for today points us in the same direction. Jesus himself sent seventy-two faithful disciples out to prepare the harvest for him. They returned amazed, full of joy, exclaiming, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (Luke 10:17)
Even greater than God’s Spirit resting on Elisha and using him to be the bold bearer of his word, Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. Jesus was not just a prophet with a message from God, Jesus is the message and Jesus is God! Therefore the seventy-two could go out boldly into the harvest fields as lambs amongst the wolves bearing Jesus Christ, their message, and in the message they could confidently proclaim the
This is why Jesus says, “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The
The Kingdom was near those to whom they were sent because in their message of proclamation was Christ. Just prior to them going out Jesus said to them, “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16) And on their joyful return and surprise that even the demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name, Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Likewise we too, who are being guided by God towards salvation, are called to recognise we are nothing without Christ leading us by the Spirit in his word. We can never move past the guidance of God, in these things, thinking we have the power to sow the seeds of our salvation or to renavigate the track Jesus has put in place.
However, we can be bold in Christ, remaining in him and his word, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us towards the heavenly harvest, having given us authority and power over the enemy forever.
“All” glory and power be to our Triune GPS – our God Providing Salvation, our Grace Perfecting Saviour, and our Gospel Positioning Spirit, who scuffles out the weeds of our sinful nature, and sows the seeds of the Spirit, the seeds of our salvation.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Galatians 6:18) Amen.
