May it please God to bless us
together tonight as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 11, and we'll read verse 6. The book of Ecclesiastes, chapter
11, and reading verse 6. In the morning sow thy seed,
and in the evening withhold not thine hand. For thou knowest
not whether shall prosper either this or that, or whether they
both shall be alike good. I believe a word like this has
a personal application and it also has a general application. But what is very clear It directs
us to be instant, in season and out of season. To always be concerned
about the work of God and the great and glorious seed of the
gospel. And therefore to never be slack
in our concern for the benefit to ourselves and for the benefit
to others. the Ecclesiastes is very instructive
to us directs us in so many ways and it clearly turns us away
from the poor things of time which so easily consume us so
easily eat into our time so that we do not do that which we should
in the previous verse the fourth verse in this chapter Solomon
says he that observeth the wind shall not sow, and he that regardeth
the clouds shall not reap. It's very easy for us to be turned
aside from the great work that God has given his church throughout
the ages, not just now, but throughout the ages and down to the end
of time. There is that work that God has
given to us. And it's described in this verse
here as sowing thy seed. Well, the seed generally spoken
of in the Word of God is the Gospel, the great and glorious
Gospel. And we should not think that
such a privilege is just for those who are called to preach
the Gospel. or the whole Church of God are
indeed servants of God. And it is the privilege of the
whole Church of God to be concerned in this great act of sowing. And so it says, in the morning
sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand. It would
seem to indicate that whenever there is the opportunity, we
should desire to sow the seed. We should be concerned about
the honour and glory of our God. And she should be concerned about
doing that which the Lord instructs us to and what the Lord brings
before us, whatever our hand finds to do. And in the second
chapter, second book rather, of the Corinthians, the Apostle
Paul directs the Church of God in this way. and it's good just
to realise what he says and he speaks in this way, moreover
brethren from the first verse we do you to wit, that means
to understand of the grace of God bestowed on the churches
of Macedonia how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance
of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their
liberality for to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond
their power they were willing of themselves, prying us with
much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the
fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they
did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the
Lord and unto us by the will of God. how important that should be
to all of us as there were these people in Macedonia who were
blessed in their giving and willing to give naturally but the most
important consideration was as we read in this fifth verse but
first they gave their own selves to the Lord that means they put
the things of God first that means they didn't concern themselves
about all the natural things the comforts of this life they
gave themselves to the Lord to serve him well we live in a material
day don't we? and it's so easy to make excuses
so easy to turn to the things of time and to be taken up with
them but the Lord tells us where on that occasion when he spoke
to Martha with regards to Mary he said but one thing is needful
Mary has chosen that good part that should not be taken away
from her and of course that part was that she sat at the feet
of Jesus to hear his words and no doubt as those words filled
her soul and strengthened and were a blessing to her those
blessed words from the lips of the Saviour she was able then
to go forth and to speak of those things to those that she came
in contact with well this statement is very simple to understand
really to sow thy seed and in the evening in the morning sow
thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand Because we're told
for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or
that or whether they both alike shall be alike good. The clear
picture here is that this sowing will bring forth fruit. This
sowing will be good. This sowing will not be a waste
of time. And therefore, we should ever
be concerned to be amongst those who hear the Word of God and
listen to the Word of God and to the clear direction of the
Word of God. How important it is to be doers
of the Word and not hearers only. And as the Apostle James says,
faith without works dead. It's just a mockery. We need
to take these things to heart because they are relevant to
the prosperity of the Church of God and they are relevant
to the blessing of God. The Lord has seen fit to use
sinful men to spread the word of the gospel. Again in an earlier
chapter of Ecclesiastes in the 9th chapter in the 10th verse
we read whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might that
means give all our strength to it give all our ability to it
not be half-hearted and not just do something and then think well
that's me for the day I can get on with what I want to do now
in the world because the word carries on for there is no work
nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou
goest you see when the time comes for us to die then we shall be
passed being able to do that which comes to our hand it'll
be passed we don't want to come to our dying bed with regrets,
that instead of hearing and obeying the blessed instruction of the
Word of God, we've wasted our time. And if, as we read through
this book of Ecclesiastes, it is so very clear that Israel
thrust of what is written, because Solomon says a number of times
all is vanity all the things that he endeavoured to find happiness
in in this world and he had every ability and everything that he
wanted to do he could do and yet he finds they were vanity
there was no real blessing in the things of time well I'm sure
such words are very familiar to us all this vanity of vanity
and vexation of spirit but on the other hand you see we have
these words these words which are encouraging to us because
it tells us of that which is good that which will prosper
we don't know what will prosper but we can believe it will prosper
as God gives us that grace and ability to sow thy seed you know
we can't hide and say well of course I haven't got much ability
in this and I'm not very good at that and therefore I don't
think I can become involved there are always things that you and
I can become involved in many things that you and I can be
involved in in accordance with the Word of God, sowing the good
seed of the Gospel, when every opportunity presents itself,
not to walk away from it, but to recognise it is the time,
the opportunity that God has brought into our life, and we
should never be concerned about the cost. That's the problem. We're worried about the cost,
and therefore we often turn aside and turn away from it and the
Apostle Paul well he knew these words very well didn't he? he
doesn't quote them but his actions fulfill them very clearly in
his life his great wonderful work and his constant work was
to serve his God whatever the cost and we only have to read
what the cost was to him it was very great but nonetheless he
was still very pleased and very satisfied to be occupied in it. And he tells us in the sixth
verse of the ninth chapter of the second epistle of the Corinthians.
But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly. And he which soweth bountifully
shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposed
this in his heart. So let him give, not grudgingly
or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. Now this doesn't
only relate to what we may classify as almsgiving. It does relate
to that, but it relates probably more relevantly to us to the
blessing of being able to sow the great word God you know ours
is an immense privilege because God has given us his word we're
not without his word he's given it to us and he's given it to
us not to remain on the shelf he's given it to us to read he's
given it to us to feed upon and he's given us given it us to
speak the word of God to those that we come in contact with
and those that we should pray that we might be able to sow
the good seed I sometimes think of the late
John Broome who told me I think on more than one occasion he
was a school teacher and in his teaching He had a number of young
people who were converted under the words he spoke. And he said
this, he said, you know, when I prayed for opportunities, opportunities
occurred. When I didn't pray for opportunities,
they didn't occur. So the Lord would be inquired
of to do these things, but there were those Many who were blessed
and of course one as you probably know was Mr Ridout, one of the
men blessed through that. And there were a number of others.
And we should be encouraged by such a testimony. And so in the
morning sow thy seed. And then don't just retire and
think I've done my bit for the day, now I can get on with my
worldly pursuits. No, it doesn't say that. and
in the evening morning and evening withhold not thine hand don't
hold it back spread the word sow the seed because we don't
know what will prosper this or that you see we should not make
an assessment by natural viewing because we don't know what's
going to prosper this or that but God does and you see we should
do these things as unto the Lord for his honour and for his glory
and for the salvation of souls it's a great blessing to have
a concern about souls it's good when the Holy Spirit comes and
gives us a little light on the position of the lost in eternity
the terrible anguish they would endure forever and yet to us
is given the great and glorious gospel and we are not to hide
it we're not to bury it there was that example wasn't it the
talents and God gave talents to be traded with, to be used
for his honour and glory and not to be buried that one man,
he buried it he wasn't commended for it he kept it he brought
it up, there it was still he hadn't traded with it hadn't
benefited anybody and the Lord classified him as a wicked servant
these things are very searching aren't they, really to us especially
in the day and age in which we live because we do live in a
dark day and the Solomon tells us but if a man lived many years
and rejoiced in them all yet let him remember the days of
darkness for they shall be many we do live in a day of darkness
but nonetheless there is the glorious light of the gospel
which still shines never will shine down to the end of time
and what a privilege it is if the light of that glorious Gospel
has shone into our hearts and because of that we have been
delivered from the wrath to come how important it is that we might
be blessed therefore to experience these things for ourselves in
the prophecy of Hosea a prophecy which is perhaps not referred
to very often but there are some very good words of instruction
in it and in the 10th chapter of Hosea we read this in the
12th verse so to yourselves in righteousness that means rejoice
in the Word of God read the Word of God meditate in the Word of
God pray unto God sow to yourselves in righteousness reap in mercy
break up your fallow ground so there may be some ground which
is laying fallow there's been no crop it's been nothing to
see really and yet you see here is this statement break up your
fellow ground and he says this for it is time to seek the Lord
till he come and rain righteousness upon you you have ploughed wickedness
you have reaped iniquity you've eaten the fruit of lies because
of its trust in thy way in the multitude of thy mighty men. Well, how true it is, perhaps
in each of our lives, definitely in the Church of God today. What
a blessing, therefore, if God gives us grace to sow to ourselves
in righteousness, so that we might be blessed and rejoicing
in the Gospel. You see, the more blessed we
are, The nearer to Christ we live, the greater desire will
be to spread the word, to sow the seed to those who know not
the Lord. And you see, it's not to the
righteous. Jesus came to save sinners. So, my friends, never turn away
from anyone. Never turn away. from someone
who you may not think much of. Remember the parable of the Good
Samaritan. There were those religious men
who passed by on the other side. They just didn't want to know,
did they? They didn't want to get involved. They thought it
might hinder them. They thought it might stop them.
They thought it might cost them. Perhaps they didn't want to see
themselves associated with such a person. but it was left to
a Samaritan a despised person to come where that man was and
to help him and to do for him all that was necessary it's a
good parable to remember it's a good parable to think upon
when we're tempted to turn away and take an easier path and think
well I don't want to get involved I'm a bit short of time and well
well if you work out the value of a soul in eternity that will
give a good value with regard to our time on the earth, won't
it? in the morning sow thy seed can
also refer to the young those who are young in the morning
sow thy seed the young, young in their life to sow the seed
of the glorious gospel to read the blessed Bible and to be instructed
by it and that's one end and then it says also and in the
evening withhold not thy hand so that means young and old all
come under the same category We're not to fail in sowing our
seed. We are to be concerned about
it. We are to desire to follow the
great and glorious Word of God. The Lord has graciously given
us these words of instruction. The Apostle Paul, as we know,
he wrote so much instruction, really, in the epistles. But
in the epistle to the Galatians, he tells us this in the sixth
chapter. He says, and let us not be weary,
this is verse nine, and let us not be weary in well-doing. Perhaps
let me read the eighth verse. For he that soweth to his flesh,
shall the flesh reap corruption. And he that soweth to the Spirit,
shall the Spirit reap life everlasting. let us not be weary in well-doing
for in due season we shall reap if we faint not as we have therefore
opportunity let us do good unto all men all men especially unto
them who are of the household of faith well it's a good word
for us to be found not sowing to our flesh but sowing to the
Spirit. These are not my words, these
are the word of God and these words are here written to the
Church of God so that the Church of God might be strengthened
and blessed because the Apostle wrote these words to all the
brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia.' Yes,
he wrote this, that everyone might hear such a word, and might
be blessed in hearing, and might rejoice in it. In the morning
sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand. No excuse
is there. Both ends are tied up here, for
there knowest not whether shall prosper this or that and we don't
but you know we should do everything as unto the Lord that should
be our great concern and our great desire unto the Lord not
unto ourselves because we don't know what shall prosper this
or that or whether they both shall be alike good what a blessing
isn't it? if it was the Lord's purpose
to use us in his great and glorious work to the salvation of never-dying
souls well I'm sure the true believer such occasions are occasions
of joy occasions of thankfulness and no doubt perhaps we can be
thankful when God has granted us occasions to be able to speak
the truth of God to those who apparently have never heard His
name not to pat ourselves on the back
and think well I've done very well today but to thank God that
we've been favoured to just do the duty the Lord has laid upon
us because the second and last verse in this 12th chapter tells
us let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God
and keep his commandments and this is a command for this is
the whole duty of man the last verse tells us for God shall
bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether
it be good or whether it be evil so you see we can be involved
in these things which are good or we can be involved in those
things which are evil and if we are involved in those things
which are good there'll be so much less time to be involved
in those things which are evil we see how gracious the Lord
is to us in these things in showing us plainly the great and glorious
truth of God well these words are simple as I said but may
God give us grace to walk them out especially in a day and age
in which we live you know we read those words in the book
of Esther where Esther was told by Mordecai that perhaps she
was in her place in that palace for such a time as this and perhaps
we in our little corner a place there for such a time as this
and of course God was with her she was fearful Esther was fearful
but God gave her that grace to go forward with those words and
if I perish I perish What did she do? She went in the strength
of the Lord God. So as we read these words tonight,
in the evening sow thy seed, in the evening withhold not thy
hand. Do it not without prayer. Pray. Seek for God's blessing
in our own souls. Seek for God's blessing as we
may speak to one and another, desiring not our glory but God's
glory and the salvation of souls. And so we read here, in the morning
sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether
they both shall be alike good. Amen.