Memory Verse - I Corinthians 3:8

[Pages:2]THE BIBLE WAY TO HEAVEN

Realize That God Loves You. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

The Bible Says That All Men Are Sinners. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory to God." (Romans 3:23).

God's Word Also Says That Sin Must Be Paid For. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

The Good News Is That Jesus Christ Paid for Our Sins. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

We Must Personally Pray and Call on Jesus Christ as Our Personal Saviour. The Bible Says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13).

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Memory Verse - I Corinthians 3:8

"Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

Businesses operate through an organizational structure. There are various roles that are absolutely

Your Thoughts

necessary in order for the business to operate and

properly carry out its functions.

Take, for example, a building supply company

that provides the materials in order for your home or

apartment to be built. In the organizational structure,

there would be an owner, a branch

manager, a sales manager, an office

Think about it:

manager, and a warehouse manager.

Under each of these positions there

The believer's

are numerous employees working in various roles.

There has to be someone making executive decisions for the

occupation is that of witnessing to all the world.

business, someone to find customers,

another to take the orders, another to prepare the

materials in the warehouse, and another to deliver the

materials to the job site. Each of these roles is distinct

in operation but necessary to the overall function of the

business.

Jesus uses the analogy of gardening in a

spiritual sense when teaching about the believer's

occupation - that of witnessing. He identifies two

distinct roles that are necessary for spiritual gardening

to occur. Read John 4:35-38.

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The Gardener The role of gardener is absolutely essential. In

verse 35, Jesus refers to a four month period of time

before the harvest can take place. This period of time is

all about the work of the gardener.

The gardener invests a large amount of time

and care into the garden. He or she is responsible for

selecting the spot, preparing the soil, planting the seed,

and nurturing the seed and soil to produce the best fruit

possible. It requires faith investing all this time and

labor while much of the results are completely out of

the gardener's hands. The gardener has no control over

if the seed will germinate, if the plant will produce any

fruit, or if the weather will be favorable. The

gardener's responsibility is to do everything in his or

Think about it: The gardener's

her power to give the seed the best possible conditions to grow in.

The gardener's role is hard work.

responsibility is to do everything possible for the seed to grow.

Jesus uses the word "labor" in verse 38 in reference to the gardener's work. Labor means to grow weary, tired, exhausted, or to labour with wearisome effort. Jesus

is teaching us that the work of gardening in people's

lives will require hard work and intentional effort. This

time invested will never be wasted time. Jesus sees the

labor invested and will reward the gardener based on

the effort given and not if fruit is produced. It takes

faith to garden because you may not see the immediate

fruit from your work.

The gardener's work is absolutely essential for

there ever to be any potential for a person to come to

Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus emphasizes in this

parable that the gardener's role comprises the bulk of

time and work in a person's life.

Spiritual Gardening

Lesson 1

The Harvester The role of the harvester is absolutely essential

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as well. The gardener's work is all in vain if there is no

one to harvest the fruit that is produced. At the same

time, you cannot harvest if no gardening has been

done. Each are absolutely essential to one another.

This role requires wisdom and discernment.

There is a specific window when fruit should be

picked. If it is harvested too early, it will not taste good

while if harvested too late it will be spoiled. The

harvester must discern when the fruit is ready or when

more gardening is needed to produce fruit.

The harvester's role is rewarding. Notice in

verse thirty-six that Jesus says the harvester "receives

wages" and "gathers fruit unto life eternal." The

harvester gets the reward and satisfaction of all the

hard work the gardener puts in. This verse also reveals that

through the harvester doing his job the

Think about it: Today's world of

gardener can rejoice too. There is no increased skepticism

competition in God's work! Each role is absolutely essential to the end goal, the salvation of people. Each role will

requires increased gardening time.

be rewarded for the work they performed. Read I Corinthians 3:8.

There can be a big misunderstanding that we are to be both

gardener and harvester in every contact or conversation we have with

someone. The idea that we MUST see each person saved that we talk

with or we have failed. This misunderstanding and undue pressure can

cause people to shy away from even engaging in the process at all.

Jesus reveals to us that there is one team on one field with one

goal. There are two seasons of work, a planting and a harvesting and

there are two roles that people will be engaged in, the gardener and the

harvester. You are gifted in one of the two roles. Recognize where you

are gifted and spend intentional time in your aspect of gardening.

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