Galatians chapter six, verse six. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Sowing and reaping. I wonder how many times when you've thought about that concept, you thought, oh, sowing and reaping.

May the Lord bless us in considering this so important subject. Let's pray together. Lord, we ask in Christ's name that we might have your presence that you would bless us for the Lord's sake, and that we might be enabled by your grace to sow to the spirit. Be our teacher. May we have your grace and favor, the forgiveness of sins. Give us all grace to look to thy son. In Christ's name we pray.

Sowing and reaping. What you sow, you reap. You sow corn, you reap corn. You don't reap wheat. This is just a very important truth. Sowing and reaping. Now let's look in verse six. Sowing and reaping has something to do with this in the context. Look in verse six, let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. What a blessing to be taught in the word. Human instrumentality is used.

The pastor is called the pastor teacher in Ephesians chapter four, but if you're taught, God's the one who teaches. not the man, God is the one who teaches. They shall all be taught of God. Every man that has heard and learned of the Father comes to me. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Let him who is taught in the word communicate, give, share, support, the one who is doing the teaching. Now, this is very important for me to understand how I'm to regard the one who teaches me the word. Let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth. Now, first of all, there is a call by God to preach the gospel. It's a calling. It's not a profession. It's a calling. If I am a true preacher, God, has called me to that." That's a very humbling thought.

He's given to the church, pastors, teachers. And Paul says, let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth. If the church is able, they ought to support the pastor. Now there are times when they're not able, not enough people, not enough money. If that's the case, the preacher needs to work. There's nothing wrong with that. Paul worked with tents, not having support. If a man has to work, he has to work. Some people think, well, you need to support me even if you can't. No, if you gotta work, work. But if you can support the man, support the man. so he can give himself to prayer and the ministry of the word. That is so important and I'm so thankful for the support y'all give me so that I can give myself to prayer and the ministry of the word.

I'm so thankful that As of this morning, I hope it remains this way until I get too old to think, but I'm excited every morning when I get up. I'm passionate about this. I'm thankful for the opportunity to give myself to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

And I always give it my best. You won't find me being unprepared. You won't find me being half-hearted about this. My whole soul, body, and mind is involved in giving myself to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And that is so important for the preacher to do that. I can't stand half-heartedness. I can't stand when I hear a preacher and I can tell he hasn't studied or he's unprepared. I'm disgusted by that. Give yourself to prayer and the ministry of the word. Now let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter five. And once again, y'all support me so well, and I'm thankful for it. Look at this passage in 1 Timothy chapter five. Verse 17.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor. Now, that means double pay. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine, for the scriptures say, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. is worthy of his reward. Now, to fail to communicate to the man teaching the word, if you're being taught in the word, is to muzzle the ox that treads out the corn.

And that's what he says in no uncertain terms. Now, somebody says, could God speak without the preacher? Of course he could. Of course he could. The preacher's a nothing. The preacher's a nobody. I love Scott Richardson's definition of a preacher. A preacher is a nobody who tells everybody about somebody who can save anybody. The other definition I love is a preacher is one beggar telling another beggar where he got bread. So this is not exalting the preacher. I hate the very idea of clergy laity. It's ungodly. That being said, there is a call to preach.

Somebody preaching the word and let him that's taught in the word communicate to him that preaches. Could God speak without a preacher? Of course he could, that's not the issue, does he? Does he, that's the question. The scripture says, it pleased God by the foolishness of what? Preaching, to save them that believe.

God has manifested his word, Titus 1.3. God has manifested his word through preaching, which is committed to my trust. How shall they hear without a preacher? How shall they preach except they be sent? If I'm a true preacher, that means God sent me for that purpose. I'm a nothing, I'm a nobody. Paul understood that about himself. He said with regard to himself, I'm nothing. I'm not a whip behind the chief of apostles, though I be nothing. If I ever think of myself above being a nothing, I'm way too high.

But that doesn't take away from the importance of the preaching of the word. Let him that's taught in the word, what a blessing to be taught in the word. Let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him who teaches all good things, and I love to think about the good things of the gospel, the character of God, as he's revealed in his word. Isn't that good, who he is? All of his glorious attributes, his salvation, the excellency and the glory of Jesus Christ, the God-man. What a unique, mysterious, glorious person. Two separate natures. Fully God, just as if he were not man. Fully man, just as if he were not God. The God man. Two natures in one distinct person.

Think of the good things of his grace. Oh, the freeness of his grace, the electing grace, redeeming grace, justifying grace. calling grace, life-giving grace, all the good things of the gospel. Let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things, the good things of the gospel. Now, let's go on reading. I'm in Timothy, let me get back to Galatians. Verse six, let him that's taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Be not deceived.

God is not mocked. For whatsoever man soweth, he shall also reap. Be not deceived. God is not mocked in the context. He's speaking of my attitude toward the pastor, him that teaches in the word. Don't be deceived. God's not mocked. I want to be, um, encouragement to you and I want you to be an encouragement to me. Mutually.

Be not deceived, God is not mocked. When we withhold our encouragement, our prayers, our support, our loyalty, it's to mock God. That's how important this is in the context. He's talking about those who preach the word and having the wrong attitude. toward them. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For this to be not important to me is to mock God. It's to thumb my nose at God. Now, that's how important this is. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 5. You know, it's kind of hard to talk about how you're supposed to treat the preacher when you're the preacher. Sorry, I don't know how else to do it, but I'm giving what the Bible teaches.

Somebody says, is he getting on us? No, I'm just, I think I'm treated well. I think I'm supported well. This is not like I'm trying to lobby for a raise or anything like that. But I want us to understand. And you know, I'm gonna be gone before long. And I want everyone to know, I mean, I don't know when, might be tomorrow, might be 10 years, I don't know. But I want us all to know how we are to, be toward this.

Look in first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 12. And we beseech your brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves. Now, be not deceived, God is not mocked, and here is this so very important principle.

Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. Now, every time I hear that, my response is, uh-oh, what's going to happen to me then? What a man sows, that shall he also reap. You reap what you sow. You sow wheat, you weep, reap. You don't reap corn. You sow sparingly, just a few seeds, you reap sparingly. Scripture says that, 2 Corinthians 9. You sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully. You put little effort, you will reap that. You put great effort, you will reap. that. Sowing and reaping. You reap what you sow.

This is a physical law. This is a spiritual law. You get out of it what you put into it. And to disregard this truth is to mock God. He's made this clear. You get out of it what you put into it. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. sowing and reaping. Now, even with regard to preaching, to preaching, I must always know that I've given my absolute best in what I'm doing. Like I said, you're not going to hear some half-baked, unprepared message from me. It's been given my heart and soul in prayer I can't expect God to bless it unless I do that. You reap what you sow. If I give little effort, if I give little prayer, if I give little seeking the Lord, what do you expect? You reap what you sow. The scripture says, and this is true with regard to everything we do, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Never settle for mediocrity on anything. Give your absolute best. Verse eight. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.

Now, This is true with regard to unbelievers. This is true with regard to believers. And he's speaking to believers here, isn't he? When he says, he that soweth through the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. He that soweth through the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. Now first with regard to the believer, I mean the unbeliever, you will reap what you sow. God always pays his debts. You will reap what you sow. You've sown to the flesh and of the flesh you will reap corruption, destruction.

What he's talking about is hell. Hell is a place of the justice of God. The person who is in hell, and that's a horrible thing to think about, but it's true. There really is a place called hell. And that's where God is giving that person exactly what they deserve. They're rewarded according to their works. You will reap what you sow. There will never be one sin that goes unpunished. It's either punished in the substitute or it's punished in you. Not one sin will ever go unpunished. God is absolutely just. You will reap what you sow.

But Paul is writing to the believer. If here in this life, I give more attention to the flesh than the spirit, I will reap accordingly. Now, what does that mean? Well the first thing that came to my mind when I was thinking about this with regard to a believer, I'm going to give you a New Testament illustration and an Old Testament illustration that teach us what this thing of reaping and sowing to the flesh or the spirit in a believer is. Because he's speaking to believers here, he's not speaking to unbelievers, he's speaking to believers.

Turn with me to Luke chapter 10. Now in John chapter 11, the scripture points out that Jesus loved Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. He loved them. He didn't love one more than the other. Like he loves all of his people completely. You know, God doesn't love in degrees. His love is all together. He gave his son. So these are people, these two sisters are people that the Lord Jesus Christ loved. What greater commendation could there be than that? Now look in verse 38.

Now it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. You ladies thinking about the Lord Jesus Christ coming into your house. How would that affect you? Him visiting your home? Well, you can imagine how Martha must've felt. What an honor.

Verse 39, and she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet. and heard his word. Well, I wanna be that person, don't you? To sit at his feet, to hear his words. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Every word that proceeded out of his mouth was nothing less than the word of God. There Mary is just sitting in his feet. There's a lot to be done. Mary, she's just sitting there.

But verse 40, Martha was cumbered about with much serving. Now who can blame her? Are you going to be critical of Martha? Wouldn't you want everything to be perfect? If the Lord was coming to your home, I can imagine how cumbered about she was with much serving. We're not going to criticize her for that.

But now she does something that is just utterly irreverent. She came to him and said, Lord, does thou not care that my sister hath left me alone to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. She told the Lord what to do. You don't do that. He's the Lord. You don't tell him what to do.

And so through her much serving, somehow she had become irreverent. She had way too high an opinion of herself and her serving. And she looked at her sister, Mary, sitting around doing nothing. What's wrong with her? And then she comes and corrects the Lord. This is not right. She's not doing anything. Bid her that she help me. Put yourself in her place. I get it. I get it. I'm doing more than she is. She's just sitting there doing nothing. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha.

You know, it's very special when the Lord repeats somebody's name. That's somebody he loves. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Every time he mentions somebody's name twice is to show his special affection for that person. Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful. And Mary hath chosen that not be taken from her. Now, two people. One is so into the flesh and careful and troubled about many things. That's what she reaped. And one was doing that one thing needful, sitting at his feet and hearing his word. Do you want to be a Martha? Do you want to be a Mary? Now, I admire Martha. I wouldn't be critical of Martha. But I want to be Mary, don't you?

To sit at his feet. This is the one thing needful, to hear his word. And that's the New Testament example. And the Old Testament example that I thought of was Abraham and Lot. two men loved by the Lord. You know Abraham, he was called the friend of God, but Lot was just as much a believer as Abraham was. As a matter of fact, the New Testament commentary concerning Lot was that righteous man, that just man, his righteous soul. Lot was a believer, but you take Abraham and Lot, you go into Genesis chapter 13, Abraham and Lot both were dwelling in the plain, and there was a strife between their herdsmen, their people watching their cattle, and all the things that are associated with this, but there wasn't enough room, and they were getting on each other's nerves, and they were fighting, and Abraham started this.

He said, Lot, you go to the right hand, I'll go to the left. You go to the left hand, I'll go to the right. And Lot looked at that well-watered plain towards Sodom. And he thought it would be advantageous to me to go to the right hand where the well-watered plain is. He doesn't show deference to Abraham, as he should have. He should have said, no, Abraham, you make the choice. Abraham demonstrated such humility the way he did this. But Lot said, I'm taking the well-watered plain.

And he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Now, the scripture says the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked before the Lord. And you know what happened to Lot as a result of that sowing to the flesh. He thought, you know, he ended up living in Sodom. He ended up being a community leader in Sodom because it says he sat at the gate. That means he was some kind of somebody in Sodom. And I dare say that he saw much advantage to be in Sodom, much advantage for his kids, better education, better, this is a good place. And Abraham took the other direction. And you know what happened to Sodom?

God rained fire and brimstone down on that place. And you remember Lot, even when he's there and the Lord says he's gonna destroy the place, he lingered. He lingered, even when the Lord warned him. He didn't want to leave. He saw so much about Sodom he loved. He saw so much he hated. His soul was vexed day by day by their unlawful deeds. Scripture points that out. But he didn't want to leave. And the angels grabbed him by the hand and yanked him out of Sodom.

Now look at the difference between Abraham's life and Lot's life. You know, the last we read of Lot, we don't even know when he died. But the last we read of him is he was living in a cave in fear. His daughters got him drunk. He had incest with them, and they had children from that that were thorns in the side of Israel for years to come. Lot was a believer. What about Abraham? He died in a good old age full of years. Now, they're both believers. They're both loved by God. Look what Lot reaped from his decisions. Look what Abraham reaped.

Now, if I sow to the Spirit, I know why I do it. It's because God enables me to. It's because His grace causes me to. I can't think, well, I'm better than so-and-so. They're sowing to the flesh. I'm sowing to the Spirit. I hope we don't have that kind of attitude towards our brothers and sisters in Christ, looking, look at them, look at me.

No, no, no. But I want to be somebody like Abraham and like Mary, who stood at Christ's feet and heard his word. Abraham believed God. Martha believed, but she was careful and troubled about many things. Lot believed, but he's hiding in a cave. What a miserable existence here on this earth.

Now, there's no difference in heaven between Abraham and Lot and between Martha and Mary, because the only righteousness they have is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. There's not degrees of different degrees in his righteousness. I have his righteousness. That's my righteousness before God.

But while I'm here on earth, I'm going to give us a heads up to what we're going to be looking at the next few weeks. He says, with regard to this sowing and reaping, He said, let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, as we have this time, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Now, may that characterize us in thinking about this, to not be weary in well-doing. the things of the gospel, and to, as we have opportunities, we have this time.

Let's do good unto all men. I don't care who they are. Not being divisive and manipulative. Do good to all men, to everybody that's around me, feels they're better off because they've been around me, rather than brought down. Let's do good to all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.