Introduction
We have been studying Paul's letter
to the Romans, and have come to the section that focuses on spiritual growth.
Paul says we can approach spiritual growth in one of two ways.
We
can approach it under Law, which means focusing on God's commandments and trying
to keep them by our own moral will-power. Although this makes intuitive sense,
it is actually counter-productive (EXPLAIN).
Or we can approach it under
grace, which means trusting the power of God's Spirit to gradually transform our
lives to love God and others. Paul calls this second way "walking by the
Spirit."
What does it look like to walk by the Spirit?
Two weeks ago, we began a miniseries on this subject, studying Rom. 8:1-11
and the parallel passage in Gal. 5:16-6:9. In physical walking, there are
three important elements: balance, locomotion, and direction. In walking by the
Spirit, there are also three important elements.
Two weeks ago,
we learned the first element--"setting your mind on the things of the Spirit"
(read Rom. 8:5,6). We discovered that this means to choose to think about
every major area of your life from the perspective of God's grace.
Last
week, we learned the second element--"keeping in step with the Spirit"
(read Gal. 5:25). We discovered that this means to be responsive to the
Spirit's personal guidance in your life. If you weren't here for these two
teachings, I urge you to get the tapes, because you need to understand all three
elements for a balanced understanding of this crucial subject.
This week,
we will learn the third element, which is found in Gal. 6 . . .
Walking
by the Spirit involves "sowing to the Spirit."
Paul began using
an agricultural metaphor toward the end of chapter 5, describing the results of
walking by the Spirit as the "fruit of the Spirit." After explaining
how to "keep in step with the Spirit" in 5:25-6:5, he returns to the
agricultural metaphor in 6:7-9 (read). His point is obvious--you reap what you
sow. This is not Paul's version of karmic law (what goes around comes around),
but rather a basic principle of cause and effect in spiritual growth.
If
you sow to your own fallen nature, you will reap "corruption"--which
is not damnation, but the lifestyle described in 5:19-21a as the "deeds of
the flesh" (read). If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap "eternal
life"--which refers not to heaven, but to the "fruit of the Spirit"
as described 5:22,23 (read). If you want to reap a good spiritual harvest in your
life, you must sow consistently to the Spirit.
The key principle here is
that the results don't show up immediately, but later--but they always show up.
You may choose to get involved in a porn habit because it provides immediate pleasure
and escape--but you will reap an eventual harvest of corruption (dissatisfaction
with marital sex; bondage to sexual lust; arrested relational development). Or
you may choose get involved in a spiritual habit like Bible memorization. It will
not be immediately pleasurable--but you will reap an eventual harvest of spiritual
health (Ps. 1 RESULTS).
"Sowing to the Spirit" is
participating regularly in the "means of growth."
So what does
it look like to "sow to the Spirit?" It means to consistently participate
in those activities that the Bible says will eventually result in spiritual growth.
Theologians often call these activities the "means of grace." We like
to call them the "means of growth." Here's what John Stott, one of the
greatest Bible teachers of the 20th century, says about this passage:
"(If
Paul) speaks in Galatians 5:22 of the harvest of the Spirit, he writes in 6:8
that we are to sow to the Spirit, and then we reap what we sow. Whether
we reap the fruit of the Spirit depends on whether we sow to the Spirit. The seeds
we sow to the Spirit that produce this harvest are . . . a
disciplined use of the means of grace. That is, daily prayer and meditation on
the Scriptures, . . . reading Christian books, making Christian
friends, and getting engaged in Christian service. It is by a disciplined use
of these means of grace that we grow in grace, and the Holy Spirit within us is
able to produce the beauty of holiness."1
If
you want passage that captures most of these means of growth, look at Acts 2:42.
3000 people have just begun a relationship with God by receiving Christ and being
indwelt by the Holy Spirit. In 2:43-47, Luke describes the dynamic spiritual vitality
and fruitfulness of these people. In 2:42, he describes how they "sowed to
the Spirit" (read).
Notice what they sowed:
"The
apostles' teaching" - This refers to learning the Bible, especially the New
Testament's teaching about God's grace.
"Fellowship" - This refers
to sharing God's truth and love with one another in the context of Christian community
and personal relationships.
"Prayer" - This refers to both individual,
private communication with God--and also corporate prayer (see Acts 4,12).
NOTE:
"The breaking of bread" is a little ambiguous. It may refer to the Lord's
Supper, which then connects it to prayer and emphasizes thanksgiving. Or it may
refer to having meals together (2:46), which then connects it with fellowship.
To
these I will add a fourth means of growth--that of serving love. Love is not only
a fruit of the Spirit; it is also a dynamic that produces fruit. You can see that
Paul includes this in "sowing to the Spirit," because after enunciating
this principle in 6:7-9, he says 6:10 (read). We should do good to all people--not
just Christians, but also those who don’t know Christ. As we give ourselves
away in love to serve others for Christ's sake, the Holy Spirit vitalizes us spiritually
and gradually transforms our lives. And this would include sharing Christ through
word and deed.
Notice how they sowed:
"They
were continuously devoting themselves to . . ." Luke goes
out of his way to emphasize that they initiated this sowing ("devoted
themselves to") and they did this consistently ("continually").
This is the open secret to their vitality and fruitfulness.
SUMMARY:
"Sowing to the Spirit" means building a lifestyle that centers around
these means of growth. This is also the context in which you will get more personal
guidance from the Spirit (ELEMENT #2). In my experience, the most common cause
of spiritual stagnation and sickness is neglect of the means of growth (MY DAUGHTERS
WITH EATING). We like to think our spiritual problems have obscure, exotic causes--but
this is always the first place to look.
Practical tips concerning the
means of growth
Be sure you approach the means of growth under grace.
Two weeks ago, we saw that the first element of walking by the Spirit was viewing
every major area of your life from the perspective of God's grace, rather than
apart from grace. Here is another key area.
What does it look
like to view these apart from grace? As a young person, I was familiar with these
practices--but I viewed them in a superficial, formalistic, impersonal way. God
expected me to go to church, hear Bible readings, and recite some memorize some
prayers. I assumed that I had to perform these arbitrary religious practices to
get or keep God's acceptance. They had no personal relevance to my life. Not surprisingly,
I hated them, and ran from them as soon as I was old enough to say "No"
to my parents.
It's amazing how my perspective changed once I personally
received Christ. Now I knew that God had permanently accepted me. Now I had God's
Spirit indwelling me and introducing me to a personal relationship with God that
I could enjoy anywhere and any time. Now I viewed the means of growth as avenues
through which I could relate personally with God and receive his life-changing
power.
Maybe that's what you need to do today. Before you profit from sowing
to the Spirit, you need to receive God's forgiveness and his Spirit as a free
gift (GOSPEL).
It is possible to be a true Christian and still approach
the means of growth apart from grace. To the extent that you participate in them
simply out of mindless habit, or so you can be socially acceptable to your Christian
friends, you are doing this and they will become dry and lifeless. But this is
so easy to turn around . . .
You will
probably need to cultivate a taste for some (or all) of the means of growth.
This point tempers the first point with some needed realism.
I
started running about 21 years ago because I was starting to gain weight and I
knew I needed to get in cardiovascular shape. I found out that I could get the
biggest bang for my buck by maintaining my target heart rate for 20 minutes, three
times a week. The cheapest way to do this was jogging. It was (to say the least)
not that enjoyable to begin with. I was out of shape, my stride was poor, and
all I thought about the whole time was how much my muscles hurt and how much farther
I had to go. But after a while, as I began to experience less stress, better sleep,
more vigor, etc., I came to enjoy it more and even increase my running distance.
Today it is one of the most enjoyable activities in my life. I run even in weather
like this, and I genuinely miss it when I can't run.
If you understand what
I am saying about physical exercise, the same principle applies to the means of
growth--only with much greater benefits (read 1 Tim. 4:7b,8). For a
variety of reasons (newness, fleshly aversion), it is normal to initially find
these activities uncomfortable and intimidating. But as you stick with them by
faith, you experience the good results and develop increasing enjoyment of them.
WORD:
Especially personal study seems confusing at first. This is why teaching helps
so much. After you get the picture, its gets clearer and more exciting (SAURAT
PAINTING).
PRAYER: Especially prayer with may feel strange to begin with--but
it will help you to learn how to pray and it can become a wonderful way to relate
to God and your Christians friends simultaneously. You will also learn how to
pray much more quickly.
Remember that you need
all of the means of growth. Because of the previous point, the temptation
is to specialize in those means of growth that you find easiest and most enjoyable,
while neglecting the ones that are more difficult for you. You may be tempted
to believe that your specialization in some will compensate for your neglect of
others. This is a serious error.
The means of growth are like
FOOD GROUPS. You need a balanced diet for healthy growth. Neglect of any one can
eventually result in a complete breakdown in spiritual growth. The means of growth
are also interconnected, so that genuine progress in any one requires involvement
in all (EXAMPLES).
Do you want one practical step that will
give you the biggest bang for your buck in learning how to "sow to the Spirit?"
Get involved in a home group. Why do I say this?
You
will automatically get exposure to all of the means of growth through a home group
in a way that will never happen in a meeting like this.
You get access to
people who can help you learn how to pray, study God's Word, build Christ-centered
friendships, and share your faith.
You don't have to take my word on this--listen
to the folks on this video, and notice how the means of growth are interwoven
through their testimonies.
For some of you, this is the next step that God’s
Spirit is prompting you to take . . .
Next:
one more means of growth
Footnotes
Copyright
2000 Gary DeLashmutt