Luke 12:8-9

Do we confess, consent, acknowledge, celebrate with public praises and agree with Jesus or do we deny, refuse, reject either in the face of former relationship or better knowledge and decline the One who can save our souls from the pit of hell? It matters you know. Jesus tells us in our verses for today we will receive the behavior we divvy out. I am reminded of verses in Luke dealing with this exact issue:

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38 (NIV)

Here Jesus is teaching a fundamental principle of the universe – what one sows, one reaps. I love how the Bible Knowledge Commentary expounds on this verse:

“Jesus outlined five areas which were proof of the sowing and reaping theme, mentioned so often in Scripture:

1. Mercy will lead to mercy (Luke 6:36). The disciples were exhorted to have the same merciful attitude God displayed toward them.
2. Judgment will lead to judgment (Luke 6:37).
3. Condemnation will lead to condemnation (Luke 6:37).
4. Pardon will lead to pardon (Luke 6:37).
5. Giving will lead to giving (Luke 6:38). It is simply a fact of life that certain attitudes and actions often reflect back on the individual.”

Paul gives us further instruction and warning in the book of Galatians:

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal 6:7-9 (NIV)

God’s rule that a man reaps what he sows is immutable. Each sower decides what his harvest will be – either consciously or sub-consciously (no decision is a decision) or better yet, intentional or non-intentional. If we sow to please the sinful nature we will reap a harvest doomed for destruction. Conversely, if we sow to please the Spirit, we will reap a harvest that is eternal. This doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out. Hell-o, do we want to work all our lives for dross? In God’s economy there is no neutral ground – we are either for Him or against Him. Paul adds that we must not become weary in the wait! Have you ever noticed that our timing is a bit different from God’s? One thing we must learn in waiting is that it is not a mute period. He is working in and through us in the wait. For instance, as we are merciful and do not receive mercy right away, He is perhaps working patience in us and showing God’s love to someone who needs to be shown mercy rather than condemnation! I do not know how He accomplishes all the different workings in each individual’s life through one circumstance but He does. I guess that is why He is God and we are not! He is all about changing and molding and conforming us to His image. Not always pleasant but always necessary. We will reap a harvest if we continue in obedience to His call. I love what Paul teaches us in a passage dealing with relationships in Colossians:

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. Col 3:23-25 (NIV)

There is a time that is coming where God will judge without favoritism repaying wrongdoers and rewarding those who serve Him – you can take that to the bank.

“Tomorrow’s history has already been written. At the name of Jesus, every knee must bow.” Paul Kauffman

Let us remember what Jesus tells us in Matthew:

30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. Matt 12:30 (NIV)

Jesus has invited us all to make a clear decision in following Him. He also asked this of His disciples as His feet walked this dusty earth and as He felt the sting of rejection from many followers whose apostasy had begun to affect the twelve (you can almost feel the grief in His question:

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:66-69 (NIV)