Galatians 6:7-10 – “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Most of us know this passage, and what it implies, but what about how it applies to our families?

Abe’s lessons are recorded below and further down you can follow along by viewing the lessons’ outlines.

Reap What We Sow – Family – Martin, part 1

Reap What We Sow – Family – Martin, part 2

Lesson One – Reaping What We Sow

Family

• There is a principle taught in the text from Galatians 6 that we will reap what we sow.
• Even if this was not taught in the bible, we can see this played out in our lives.
• As we look at nature, we reap what we sow.
• Even with that said, sometimes we have to be careful to not let other things get sown or grow where we have sown or planted good seed.
• It is a continuous process to keep our gardens, yards and other things clean of unwanted items.
• The same is true in our physical and spiritual lives.
• We are going to study this principle today in the family.
• La Bruyere said that “Most men spend the first half of their lives making the second half miserable.” 
• As Christians we do not want that to happen.  How do we prevent it?

Start Well – Parents

• Best parents never had children
• Best parent is our Father in Heaven

Live It

• Matthew 4:4
• Proper priorities – Matthew 6:33 –“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
• Do not live according to the flesh – Romans 8:5-9 – “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
• Do not be a hypocrite in front of your children – Jeremiah 9:12-14 – “Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?  And the LORD said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them,”
• Titus 2:11-12 – “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age”

Love It

• Matthew 22:37-39
• By keeping His commandments – 1 John 5:3 – “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
• By treating fellow Christians that way – 1 Peter 3:8-9 – “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

Show It

• Be the example – Philippians 3:17 – “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.”
• Assemble – Acts 20:7 – “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”
• Study – Psalm 119:13-16 – “With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.”
• Pray – Jude 20-21 – “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Do Not Shirk It

• Another person cannot do it for us – Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!   “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
• The church cannot do it for us – Ephesians 4:11-16 (read)
• Schools cannot do it for us – Psalm 119:99-100 – “I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:19-21 – “For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.“   Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
• Government cannot do it for us – Acts 12:1-3 – “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.   And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.”

Closing thoughts:

• Live it
• Love it
• Show it
• Teach it
• Do Not Shirk it
• As a parent, do nothing and expect nothing.
• Never spend time with your children.
• Never let them see your faith.
• Complain often, hard and loud about the church.
• Never pray for God to overrule in your mistakes.
• Turn them over to everyone else to train up.
• People are standing in line to train your children.
• Do you want to do well as a parent?
• Work hard, pray even harder and never give up!!

Lesson Two

• In the first lesson we talked to parents.
• In this lesson, we are going to talk to young people about their responsibilities.
• If you want to fail, sow to the wind. Hosea 8:7 – “They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind.”
• If you want to succeed sow to the spirit. Galatians 6:8b – “but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Continue Well – Young People

• Your parents are going to turn it over to you.
• Are you going to continue well?

Listen

• James 1:19 (the only time in life when we know everything)– “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;”
• To Instruction – Proverbs 1:8-9 – “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.”
• Proverbs 4:1 – “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding;”
• Proverbs 15:5 – “A fool despises his father’s instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent.”
• To wisdom – Proverbs 2:1-9 (read)
• To extend life – Proverbs 4:7-10 – “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.   Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her.  She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.“  Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.”

Obey

• Parents in the Lord – Ephesians 6:1-3 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
• Parents in all things – Colossians 3:20 – “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.”
• Proverbs 30:17 – “The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
• Start obeying God – Ecclesiastes 12:1 – “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”
• Take chastening – Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Serve

• With your possessions – Proverbs 3:9, 27-28 – “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase;”
  • “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.  Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.”
• With your life – Galatians 5:13 – “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Stand

• For God – Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
• For Truth – Ephesians 6:14-17 – “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”
• Against sin – Ephesians 6:11-13 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Control Self

• Do not be enticed – Proverbs 1:10 – “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”
• Add it to one’s life – 2 Peter 1:5-9 – “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”
• Show discipline like Paul – 1 Corinthians 9:27 – “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Do Not Sow Seeds of Sin

• Rebellion – Proverbs 19:26-27 – “He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.  Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”
• Rebellion – Proverbs 30:11 – “There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.”
• Fornication – Proverbs 2:16-19 – “To deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life”
• Proverbs 5:1-8 (read)
• Theft – Proverbs 1:13-14 – “We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, we shall fill our houses with spoil; cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse”
• Proverbs 28:24 – “Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, “It is no transgression,” the same is companion to a destroyer.”
• Alcohol and drugs – Proverbs 20:1 – “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
• Alcohol and drugs – Proverbs 23:29-35 (read)
• Lying – Proverbs 6:12-19 – “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth;  He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord.  Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.  These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”
• Murder – Proverbs 1:10-11 – “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.  If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;”
• Laziness – Proverbs 6:6-11 – “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep-so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.”

Closing thoughts:

• Listen
• Obey
• Serve
• Stand
• Control Self
• Do Not Sow Seeds of Sin
• Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 – “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.  Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.”
• Just like with parents, do nothing and your life will come to nothing.
• Do not obey your parents, those in authority or God and your life will be a mess.
• Learn to listen well to parents and those with wisdom.
• Be obedient to parents and to God.
• Learn to serve.
• Stand for the right One and the right things.
• Learn to control self and do not sow the seeds of sin and reap a whirlwind of trouble.