Why and What Do We Sow? 

Ecclesiastes 11:6  

Harvest time is one of those moments in the year that brings us back to the
basics. 

I am sure that everyone here today… knows and understands that Food
does not begin on a supermarket shelf.

It begins in soil, seed, rain, sunshine, patience, labor and the mercy of God.

Somewhere… someone sowed.

Someone waited.

Someone worked.

Someone trusted that what disappeared into the ground was not wasted.

And that is not only true of farming.

It is true of discipleship.

Every day we sow something.

We sow words into our family.

We sow habits into our character.

We sow prayer into unseen places.

We sow kindness into people who may never thank us.

We sow the Gospel into a world that is distracted, suspicious and often
spiritually hungry without knowing how to name or understand its hunger.

I invite you to open your bible with me to the book of Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 speaks into that world with blunt, beautiful wisdom: It is
saying to each of us… do not stop sowing simply because you do not
know exactly what will succeed.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 - “Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all
afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or
another—or maybe both.”

That is the message for today:

Sow anyway.

Sow when you can see results.

Sow when you cannot.

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Sow in the morning.

Keep working in the afternoon.

Sow generously.

Sow patiently.

Sow prayerfully.

Sow… because the harvest belongs to God.

Ecclesiastes belongs to the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament.
The book looks at life honestly: It examines work, time, death, pleasure,
frustration, injustice and the limits of human control.
This verse sits in a section that encourages wise action in an uncertain
world.

Ecclesiastes does not teach laziness.
It does not teach us to have a fatalist attitude.

It says, in effect: life contains mysteries you cannot master, but that does
not mean you should stop obeying God.

Verse 6 includes ordinary agricultural language,
but it carries a deep spiritual meaning.

Seeds disappear before they appear.

Sowing requires trust.

You release what is in your hand before you see what will come from it.

The phrase “keep busy all afternoon” reflects the idea of not withholding
what is in your hand.

Do not plant once and then fold your arms.

Do not obey once and then do nothing else.

Keep sowing.

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Keep working.

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Keep trusting.

The reason given is humbling: “you don’t know.”

It says… You don’t know what will succeed…

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That is not an insult.

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It is wisdom.

We do not know which conversation will open a heart.

We do not know which prayer will be answered in a way we can see.

We do not know which act of obedience will bear fruit years later.

We do not know whether one thing or another will prosper — or whether
God… in his grace, may bless both.

There are several truths in the bible about sowing and harvesting…

The first harvest truth is this:

we sow faithfully because God is faithful.

Genesis 8:22  says: “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting
and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”

The timing of this promise is the after the flood.
Noah leaves the ark and builds an altar to the Lord.

God speaks a promise over a world that has been judged and preserved.

Seedtime and harvest will continue.

The rhythms of creation are not random accidents.

They are sustained by the covenant mercy of God.

The Hebrew word for harvest is referring to reaping, gathering, the moment
when what has grown… is brought in.

But Genesis places the harvest inside God’s sustaining order.

A harvest is possible because of
God’s kindness.

We can plow, plant, water, organize, make all kinds of plans and work hard.

But none of us can command life itself.

You can shout at a tomato, but you cannot make it ripen.

I have tried that… it does not work… the tomatoes do not listen.

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You can hold a seed in your hand, but you cannot manufacture the mystery
of life inside it.

Modern life tempts us to think we are in control.

We have apps for everything,

We have dashboards for our performance,

We have forecasts for the weather,

We have trackers for our fitness.

We have instant updates for almost everything.

But Harvest reminds us that beneath every system we build, we remain
dependent creatures.

Dependent on breath.

Dependent on grace.

Dependent on the God who gives life.

Charles Stanley famously taught,

“Obey God and leave all the
consequences to Him.”

That is harvest faith.

It is active obedience with surrendered outcomes.

So, in discipleship, faithfulness matters.

Be faithful in prayer when you cannot see immediate change.

Be faithful in worship when emotions rise and fall.

Be faithful in Scripture when the world offers louder voices.

Be faithful in generosity when the cost is real.

Be faithful in your witness when a response is necessary.

The disciple does not say,

“I will only sow when I can guarantee results.”

The disciple says, “Because God is faithful… I will be faithful with the
seed that he has placed in my hand.”

The second harvest truth is this:
what we sow matters.

Galatians 6:7–9 says: “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of
God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy
their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.
But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the
Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we
will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Paul writes Galatians to defend the Gospel of grace and to call believers to
a life in the Spirit.

He is not teaching salvation by works.

He is showing that the direction of a life reveals what is being sown.

When Paul used the words “harvest” or “reap”… He was talking about
gathering the crop.

Paul takes agricultural language and applies it morally and spiritually.

Sow to the flesh, reap corruption.

Sow to the Spirit, reap life.

Every habit is a seed.

Every private compromise is a seed.

Every act of obedience is a seed.

Every word we speak is a seed.

Every click, every conversation, every attitude, every use of money, every
hidden choice is sowing something.

The 21st-century challenge is that we often want instant harvest without
faithful sowing.

We want deep character without hidden discipline.

We want spiritual maturity without surrender.

We want healthy relationships without truth and forgiveness.

We want church growth without prayer,

hospitality, service and Gospel witness.

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But Scripture says: do not be deceived.

The harvest reflects the seed.

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 says: “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a
few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get
a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give.
And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a
person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need.
Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to
share with others.”

Paul is writing about generosity in giving.

I learned this week that The Greek word translated “cheerfully” is hilaros.

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It is the root behind our word hilarious.

It does not mean silly giving.

It means glad-hearted, willing generosity.

Max Lucado wrote, “God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to
leave you that way.”
That is grace.

God receives us in Christ, but he also transforms the soil of our hearts.

So here is a personal question for each of us:

What am I sowing into the field of my life?

Am I sowing resentment or forgiveness?

Am I sowing fear or faith?

Am I sowing greed or generosity?

Am I sowing prayer or panic?

Am I sowing the flesh or the Spirit?

It is about what we plant every day.

The third harvest truth is this:

we sow patiently because God gives the growth.

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1 Corinthians 3:6–7 says: “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos
watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.

What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.”

The early church in Corinth had become divided around personalities.

Some church members preferred Paul, others Apollos.

Paul corrected them.

He reminded them that they are all servants.

Workers may have different tasks.

But God alone gives the growth.

Paul used that disagreement to remind the church that spiritual fruitfulness
is not produced by human charisma, technique or status.

That is a good thing… that is liberating.

You are not the Lord of the harvest.

I am not the Lord of the harvest.

Jesus is.

Our task is to be faithful.

God’s task is to give life.

This matters deeply in ministry, family life and evangelism.
A parent can sow truth into a child.

A friend can sow the Gospel hope into a conversation.

People can sow Scripture into a congregation.

A church can sow love into a community.

But only God can make the seed grow.

That should humble us when fruit comes.

It should comfort us when fruit is slow.

It should keep us from boasting.

It should keep us from despair.

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We need to remember that the Gospel will cut through both pride and
despair, because it tells us we are more sinful than we dared believe and
more loved in Christ than we dared hope.

That Gospel logic protects us from two harvest dangers:
thinking success makes us superior, and thinking slow progress makes us useless.

I read about bamboo this week.

Bamboo is an interesting plant.

It is the fastest growing plant in the world.

It can get up to 100 feet tall.

Some types can grow up to 35 inches in 1 day.

That is what they claim… growing 35 inches in just 24 hours.

But… that is not why I mentioned bamboo.

When they plant Bamboo… the plant can spend 2 or 3 years developing
roots before you ever see visible growth above ground.

The hidden years are not wasted years.

The root system is growing and forming what the future growth will require.

Some of the most important sowing happens underground.

It is the prayer nobody sees.

The apology that costs your pride.

The Sunday school lesson taught to 1 or 2 children.

The text message sent to encourage someone who is struggling.

The help you give when nobody seems to appreciate it.

The quiet refusal to give up.

God sees the seed.

The fourth harvest truth is this:

we sow in a world that is on the wrong path because Jesus sees the fields.

John 4:35–38 says: “You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting
and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already

ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they
harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter
and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another
harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others
had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

The scripture is part of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at
the well.
He talks to the woman and then the disciples show up… They were
surprised to see him talking to a woman… especially a Samaritan woman.

The woman leaves them and now the disciples try to get Jesus to eat
something.

The disciples are concerned with food.

Jesus is concerned with people.

A woman with a complicated past… she becomes a witness to her village.
The disciples see an interruption.

Jesus sees a harvest.

Harvest is not only about food gathered from the fields.

It is also about people gathered to Christ.

Matthew 9:37–38 says: “He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but
the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest;
ask him to send more workers into his fields.’”

Jesus says to pray for more workers…
Not spectators.

Not consumers… Workers.

Jesus does not say, “The harvest is small.”

He says the harvest is great.

The shortage is not opportunity.

The shortage is workers.

The purpose of a Church is not about building up our name or reputation.

It is about seeing God worshipped and people saved.

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We live in a world full of noise.

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People scroll endlessly, but many are lonely.

People are more connected than ever, yet often spiritually just drifting.

People have information at their fingertips,
yet wisdom feels scarce… like it is rare.

People are tired, anxious, distracted, skeptical and searching.

And Jesus says: look around.

Not with irritation.

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Not to be superior.

But… With compassion.

There are people everywhere…
people in our families,

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people on the streets,
in workplaces,

in schools and in all of our neighborhoods who need the
hope of Jesus Christ.

So… sow the Gospel.

Invite someone.

Pray for someone by name.

Share your testimony simply.

Offer practical kindness.

Ask a thoughtful question.

Open a door.

Explain the hope you have in Christ.

You may be planting.

Someone else may water.

Someone else may harvest.

But all of it matters in the field of God.

Harvest finds its deepest meaning in Jesus.

John 12:24 says: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in
the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new
kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
Jesus speaks these words as he approaches the cross.

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The image is agricultural, but the meaning is about redemption.

The seed must fall into the ground and die if there is to be a harvest.

Jesus is speaking about himself.

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The eternal Son of God entered our world.

He lived the sinless life we could not live.

He loved perfectly.

He obeyed completely.

He revealed the Father fully.

Then he went to the cross.

He was not just a teacher whose death was a tragedy .

He was the Lamb of God who bore our sin.

On the cross Jesus took the judgment we deserved.

He shed his blood for sinners.

He died and was buried.

But on the third day…
God raised him from the dead.

The crucified Savior is the risen Lord.

And now the harvest of salvation is offered to all who repent and believe.

Our greatest problem is not poor circumstances, it is not
bad luck or a lack of resources.

Our greatest problem is sin.

Sin separates us from God.

Sin bends us inward towards ourselves.

Sin deceives us into thinking we can be our own lord and savior.

But Jesus died for sinners.

Jesus rose for our justification.

Jesus saves all who call upon him.

You cannot harvest eternal life by your own goodness.

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You receive it by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

We end this today with a question…
What should we do with the seed that is in our hand?

First, sow gratitude.

Begin with thanksgiving.

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Thank God for daily bread, for creation, for
provision, for people who labor, and for the grace you have received in
Christ.

Second, sow obedience.

Ask: what is the next faithful thing God is asking me to do?

Do not wait for perfect certainty.

Ecclesiastes says you do not know which activity will prosper… Sow
anyway.

Third, sow generosity.

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Give cheerfully.

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Share food.

Support the work of the church.

Help people in need.

Practice hospitality.

Let harvest become more than a display;
let it become discipleship.

Fourth, sow the Spirit.

Feed what leads you towards Christ.

Starve what pulls you towards the world.

Sow prayer, Scripture, worship, forgiveness, holiness and love.

Fifth, sow the Gospel.

Choose one person to pray for by name.

Look for one open door this week.

Invite, encourage, serve and speak of Jesus.

Sixth, sow perseverance.

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Do not give up because the crop is not visible yet.

Some seeds bear fruit quickly.

Others take time.

God is not careless with faithful sowing.

Harvest time reminds us that the seed in our hand is never insignificant
when surrendered to God.

You may not know which act of obedience will prosper.

You may not know which prayer will be answered in visible ways.

You may not know which conversation will awaken someone’s faith.

You may not know which kindness will soften a heart.

You may not know which Gospel seed will bear fruit years from

now.

But Ecclesiastes says: plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all
afternoon.

The call is for us to sow anyway.

Sow because God is faithful.

Sow because the harvest reflects the seed.

Sow because God gives the growth.

Sow because Jesus sees the fields.

Sow because Christ himself died and rose again to bring a harvest of new
lives.

And may our lives, our homes and our church become fields of faithful
sowing for the glory of God.

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