Planting the Right Seeds
By Rev. Heidi L. Barham | July 6, 2025
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Read Galatians 6:7 – 16 (NIV)
Our text this morning comes from the Lectionary and is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church. It seems to be a fitting text for this weekend when many of us may be celebrating our country’s independence and freedom. In fact, the commentary on the book of Galatians in the Life Application Study Bible says that “The book of Galatians is the charter of Christian freedom.”
It goes on to say, “In this profound letter, Paul proclaims the reality of our liberty in Christ – freedom from the law and the power of sin, and freedom to serve our living Lord” (Life Application Study Bible, 2005, p. 1963).
But what, exactly, does that liberty and freedom mean for us as Christians... those who are true followers of Christ?
First, it means understanding that we have been saved by faith, not by keeping the law (Galatians 5:1 – 12).
It means understanding that what we have really been set free to do is to love and serve one another... not to do wrong to others.
And it also means that, as Christians, we should be focused on carrying one another’s burdens and being kind to each other.
And while that all sounds rather simple and straightforward... as recent events have unfolded, on the local and national level... we have been reminded that actions really do speak louder than words.
So, this morning, as we reflect on this passage from Paul’s letter to the Galatians... I want to invite us to listen to the first four verses of the text again as we consider the subject: PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
Read Galatians 6:7 – 16 (NIV)
Our text this morning comes from the Lectionary and is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church. It seems to be a fitting text for this weekend when many of us may be celebrating our country’s independence and freedom. In fact, the commentary on the book of Galatians in the Life Application Study Bible says that “The book of Galatians is the charter of Christian freedom.”
It goes on to say, “In this profound letter, Paul proclaims the reality of our liberty in Christ – freedom from the law and the power of sin, and freedom to serve our living Lord” (Life Application Study Bible, 2005, p. 1963).
But what, exactly, does that liberty and freedom mean for us as Christians... those who are true followers of Christ?
First, it means understanding that we have been saved by faith, not by keeping the law (Galatians 5:1 – 12).
It means understanding that what we have really been set free to do is to love and serve one another... not to do wrong to others.
And it also means that, as Christians, we should be focused on carrying one another’s burdens and being kind to each other.
And while that all sounds rather simple and straightforward... as recent events have unfolded, on the local and national level... we have been reminded that actions really do speak louder than words.
So, this morning, as we reflect on this passage from Paul’s letter to the Galatians... I want to invite us to listen to the first four verses of the text again as we consider the subject: PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
To be perfectly honest, it’s hard to listen to these words from our text and not give consideration to the practical application it has for our state and this country... particularly as we find ourselves facing so much uncertainty following the passage of budget bills that have the potential to negatively impact millions of men, women and children.
But rather than focusing on the political implications of everything that has been happening... I want to invite us to think about our responsibility as Christians for PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
In the text, Paul uses imagery that would have been particularly meaningful for his readers. The idea of sowing and reaping or planting and harvesting were very familiar concepts to the Galatians then... but they are also familiar to us now.
It is not a difficult concept to grasp (even for a non-gardener or farmer like me) that if we plant corn, it is highly unlikely that we will get tomatoes... because at the end of the day, we reap what we sow.
But that concept lends itself to other areas of our lives as well... we cannot engage in activities that are designed to please the flesh and expect to experience the blessings that come with living a godly life.
In Proverbs 22 (8), we read, “Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity.” Or as we find in Job 4 (8), “As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.”
What it all comes down to is that actions have consequences... and that is why Paul offers these words of encouragement in our text, “whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “...the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.”
And if that is what our ultimate goal is... eternal life... then it is incumbent upon us to be sure that we are PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
I have been following a reading plan in the Bible app on my phone recently that is entitled, Holy Hustle: 10 Days to Embracing a Work Hard, Rest Well Life (by Crystal Stine). The reading for day five of the plan looks at the story of Ruth and how hard she worked... not for the fame or fortune, but because she was doing what needed to be done.
The author of the plan wrote something that aligns with our text for the morning:
But rather than focusing on the political implications of everything that has been happening... I want to invite us to think about our responsibility as Christians for PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
In the text, Paul uses imagery that would have been particularly meaningful for his readers. The idea of sowing and reaping or planting and harvesting were very familiar concepts to the Galatians then... but they are also familiar to us now.
It is not a difficult concept to grasp (even for a non-gardener or farmer like me) that if we plant corn, it is highly unlikely that we will get tomatoes... because at the end of the day, we reap what we sow.
But that concept lends itself to other areas of our lives as well... we cannot engage in activities that are designed to please the flesh and expect to experience the blessings that come with living a godly life.
In Proverbs 22 (8), we read, “Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity.” Or as we find in Job 4 (8), “As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.”
What it all comes down to is that actions have consequences... and that is why Paul offers these words of encouragement in our text, “whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “...the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.”
And if that is what our ultimate goal is... eternal life... then it is incumbent upon us to be sure that we are PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS.
I have been following a reading plan in the Bible app on my phone recently that is entitled, Holy Hustle: 10 Days to Embracing a Work Hard, Rest Well Life (by Crystal Stine). The reading for day five of the plan looks at the story of Ruth and how hard she worked... not for the fame or fortune, but because she was doing what needed to be done.
The author of the plan wrote something that aligns with our text for the morning:
It can be hard to go out and do the hard work God has called us to do. Maybe you’ve been asked to serve in a workplace that doesn’t honor God, and you feel like the stranger in a foreign land. Or maybe God has brought you to a new place, and your dreams of doing impressive work that would bring recognition and fame have been replaced with a call to serve in a much smaller way. Maybe you’ve been serving faithfully in a role that you love but feel frustrated that you don't see the fruit of your work.
When we stop striving and start serving, we begin to trust God to harvest what we’re faithfully planting. The kindness you bring to your workplace may be the very thing that draws someone closer to God. The love you show to others in the small, unseen, faithful places may be the very stepping-stone God will use to bring people closer to Himself. And those seeds you plant in faith may one day, generations after you’ve been gone from this earth, be the catalyst to a beautiful gift God wants to share with the world.
So, this morning, l want to encourage us to take heart... your hard work has not gone unnoticed by the One who matters most. That is why Paul wrote, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”
We have to keep going... we must not quit... future generations are depending on us. It is like the old adage that says, “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”
So, regardless of what we may see going on in the world around us... there is still much work for us to do... and we have to keep PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS, not simply for ourselves, but for the generations that are yet to come.
Paul says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Or as we find in the Message, “Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.”
So, whenever the opportunity presents itself, we ought to be taking advantage of that opportunity to do good.
And it was Jesus, Himself, who told us what that good might look like.
In Matthew 25, we find a familiar passage that, depending on which version of the Bible you are reading, generally comes under a heading that makes reference to sheep and goats... but it is really about those who choose to do good and those who do not.
Listen to these words of Jesus as they appear in the Message Paraphrase:
Or as it reads in the Message, “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”
We have to keep going... we must not quit... future generations are depending on us. It is like the old adage that says, “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”
So, regardless of what we may see going on in the world around us... there is still much work for us to do... and we have to keep PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS, not simply for ourselves, but for the generations that are yet to come.
Paul says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Or as we find in the Message, “Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.”
So, whenever the opportunity presents itself, we ought to be taking advantage of that opportunity to do good.
And it was Jesus, Himself, who told us what that good might look like.
In Matthew 25, we find a familiar passage that, depending on which version of the Bible you are reading, generally comes under a heading that makes reference to sheep and goats... but it is really about those who choose to do good and those who do not.
Listen to these words of Jesus as they appear in the Message Paraphrase:
“When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
When we are intentional about PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS, those who are hungry will be fed... the ones who are thirsty will have something to drink... those who are homeless and cold will have shelter and clothing... and the ones who are sick and imprisoned will be cared for and comforted... because that is what Jesus would have us to do.
As Christians, we are called to be sheep that follow the Good Shepherd... who follow His commands... first and foremost to love God and the people of God.
And that is what it all boils down to... love. A four-letter word that is more powerful than anything else we can imagine... a word that has the power to defeat death...
It is in 1 John 3:11 that we read, “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” While just a few verses later we read:
As Christians, we are called to be sheep that follow the Good Shepherd... who follow His commands... first and foremost to love God and the people of God.
And that is what it all boils down to... love. A four-letter word that is more powerful than anything else we can imagine... a word that has the power to defeat death...
It is in 1 John 3:11 that we read, “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” While just a few verses later we read:
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death... This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (v. 14, 16 – 18).
We have been called to plant the right seeds, and rest assured these are not just any type of seeds...
Following the path set before us by the Good Shepherd means we must be willing to plant seeds of love... seeds of love that will flourish and grow as we show care and concern for others... seeds of love that will blossom and bear fruit through our actions and in truth.
And while it may sound like there will be a lot for us to do, especially in the days, weeks, and months to come... we have the assurance that we do not have to face the task alone.
Jesus has promised to be right there with us... giving us the strength to do all that He has commanded us to do.
So, no matter what the circumstances look like around us... we should not get weary and give up... there really are brighter days ahead...
We just need to keep showing up and showing love to one another just as Jesus has done for us...
So, today, let us make a commitment to keep PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS... those seeds of love... as we live out the Great Commission and follow Christ’s command to let the world know about a Savior who loved us so much... He was willing to give His very life for us... even while we were yet sinners...
And that is good news!
Because it makes no difference where we have been or what we have done or how long we have been doing it... Jesus has promised to be right here with us... ALWAYS, even to the end of the age... and He went all the way to a cross at Calvary roughly two thousand years ago to prove it.
And here we are today... with arms outstretched, Jesus is still softly and tenderly calling for you and for me... and it is with that thought in mind that I want to invite you to stand and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship: Softly and Tenderly #340.
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Following the path set before us by the Good Shepherd means we must be willing to plant seeds of love... seeds of love that will flourish and grow as we show care and concern for others... seeds of love that will blossom and bear fruit through our actions and in truth.
And while it may sound like there will be a lot for us to do, especially in the days, weeks, and months to come... we have the assurance that we do not have to face the task alone.
Jesus has promised to be right there with us... giving us the strength to do all that He has commanded us to do.
So, no matter what the circumstances look like around us... we should not get weary and give up... there really are brighter days ahead...
We just need to keep showing up and showing love to one another just as Jesus has done for us...
So, today, let us make a commitment to keep PLANTING THE RIGHT SEEDS... those seeds of love... as we live out the Great Commission and follow Christ’s command to let the world know about a Savior who loved us so much... He was willing to give His very life for us... even while we were yet sinners...
And that is good news!
Because it makes no difference where we have been or what we have done or how long we have been doing it... Jesus has promised to be right here with us... ALWAYS, even to the end of the age... and He went all the way to a cross at Calvary roughly two thousand years ago to prove it.
And here we are today... with arms outstretched, Jesus is still softly and tenderly calling for you and for me... and it is with that thought in mind that I want to invite you to stand and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship: Softly and Tenderly #340.