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Seed Time and Harvests: A Biblical Perspective

Rev. Cecil Thorn

Good day, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I want to share a message with you about the timeless and profound concept of “Seed Time and Harvests,” as presented in the Bible. This theme is deeply rooted in the pages of scripture, and it carries invaluable wisdom and insight into our lives and the way we sow and reap in various aspects of our existence.

Let’s begin with a powerful scripture reference from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, taken from the book of Genesis 8:22(KJV)

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

This verse reminds us of a fundamental truth: the cycle of seedtime and harvest is a divine order established by God Himself. It’s a reflection of the natural rhythms of life, as well as a spiritual principle that carries significant implications for our personal and spiritual growth.

Sowing Seeds: In the Bible, sowing is a recurring metaphor for our actions, words, and intentions. In Galatians 6:7-8 (KJV), we read, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Just as a farmer carefully selects and plants good seeds to ensure a bountiful harvest, we should consider the quality of our actions and intentions, as they determine the kind of fruit we will reap in our lives.
Patience and Perseverance: The process of seedtime and harvest often requires patience and perseverance. In James 5:7 (KJV), it is written, “Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain.” Just as a farmer waits for the right time for the harvest, we too must patiently await the fruition of our efforts.
Multiplication of Blessings: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches a parable about the sower. He describes how different types of soil yield varying results, but the good ground brings forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty (Matthew 13:8, KJV). This parable emphasizes that when we invest in fertile ground, our blessings can multiply beyond our expectations.
Reaping What We Sow: The principle of reaping what we sow is evident in the Bible. In Proverbs 11:24-25 (KJV), we read, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” This reminds us that our generosity and willingness to sow can lead to abundance not only for ourselves but for others.
Spiritual Application: Beyond the physical realm, the concept of seedtime and harvest also holds a profound spiritual significance. In 2 Corinthians 9:10 (KJV), it is written, “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” Here, we learn that as we sow spiritually, God multiplies our efforts and produces a bountiful harvest of righteousness in our lives.

In conclusion, the principle of “Seed Time and Harvests” is not just an agricultural concept but a profound spiritual and life principle deeply embedded in the Bible. It teaches us about sowing with care, patience in waiting, the multiplication of blessings, reaping what we sow, and the spiritual application of this principle in our lives.

As we navigate our journey through life, may we be mindful of the seeds we sow in our thoughts, actions, and relationships. Let us strive to plant seeds of love, kindness, and righteousness, so that we may reap a bountiful harvest of joy, fulfillment, and blessings, both in this world and in the world to come.

Thank you for listening, and may the wisdom of seedtime and harvests guide your path and enrich your life in all its aspects.

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Go and Sin No More: Embracing Redemption and Transformation

Rev. Cecil Thorn

Brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today, we delve into a powerful message found in the Bible, a message of redemption and transformation.
Our focus will be on the scripture that echoes through time, “Go and sin no more.”

I. The Encounter with Grace

Our scripture is found in the Gospel of John 8:1-11(KJV).
Here, we meet a woman caught in the act of adultery, brought before Jesus by the Pharisees.
The religious leaders sought to trap Jesus in His words, asking if she should be stoned as the Law commanded.
But Jesus responded with compassion and wisdom, saying, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

II. The Conviction of Hearts

As Jesus wrote on the ground, the accusers began to leave one by one, convicted by their own consciences.
This reminds us that we are all sinners, in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.
The Pharisees’ hearts were exposed, and they recognized their own sinfulness.

III. The Message of Hope

Turning to the woman, Jesus asks, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
She responds, “No one, Lord.”
Then, Jesus delivers the powerful message we are focusing on today: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
These words reveal the heart of Jesus – full of love, mercy, and hope.

IV. Embracing Redemption

The woman experienced not only forgiveness but also an exhortation to “sin no more.”
In this, we find a vital truth: Jesus offers not just forgiveness but also transformation.
When we encounter Jesus, we can leave behind our old ways and embrace a new life in Him.

V. Walking in Grace

As believers, we must remember that we are not condemned in Christ.
However, this doesn’t give us a license to continue in sin; instead, it calls us to walk in His grace.
1 John 2:1(KJV) reminds us that if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the story of the woman caught in adultery teaches us about the boundless love and grace of our Savior.
Jesus doesn’t just forgive our sins; He calls us to a transformed life, to “go and sin no more.”
Let us accept His forgiveness and, by His grace, strive daily to live a life that reflects His holiness.
May we, like the woman, leave behind our past and follow Christ, knowing that in Him, we find redemption and transformation.

Closing Prayer

Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your boundless grace and love. We are grateful for the forgiveness and transformation You offer us through Jesus Christ. Help us, Lord, to heed His words, to “go and sin no more,” and to walk in Your grace daily. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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LOGOS

Rev. Cecil Thorn

The Logos.

Logos is Greek for “word.” Theologically, its meaning is far richer and deeper.

LOGOS (λόγος, logos). A concept-word in the Bible symbolic of the nature and function of Jesus Christ. Also used to refer to the revelation of God in the world.

Logos is the “principle of divine reason and creative order, identified in the Gospel of John with the second person of the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ.”

When John’s Gospel opens with, “In the beginning was the Word,” it actually means the Logos. Not just God’s word — but His “Created order.” John 1:1-2(KJV)

A. The Word (Logos) as he was in the beginning (1:1–5)

This opening paragraph of the Prologue (a) describes the person and work of the Word in a number of brief but highly significant statements.

A. The Word as he was in the beginning (1:1–5) This opening paragraph of the Prologue (a) describes the person and work of the Word in a number of brief but highly significant statements.

1. The first statement, in the beginning was the Word, echoes the opening words of Genesis, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth …’ (Gen. 1:1). As God was in the beginning prior to the creation of the world, so too was the Word. This implies something to be stated explicitly shortly: that the Word partakes of divinity.

The second statement, and the Word was with God, is susceptible to two interpretations. It may simply mean that the Word was with God in the beginning, just as Proverbs 8:27–30 says Wisdom was with God at creation. Alternatively, it could mean that the Word was faced towards God, in intimate relationship with God. The final paragraph of the Prologue (a1), which balances this first paragraph and extends its meaning, makes just this point when it describes the Son (= the Word) as the one ‘who is close to the Father’s heart’.

The third statement, and the Word was God, on first reading might suggest a unitarian understanding of God, the Word being simply equated with God. But the original language (kai theos ēn ho logos) will not allow such an interpretation. To read the text in that way also overlooks the stress on the relationship existing between the Word and God (being ‘with God’ and being ‘close to the Father’s heart’). Relationship implies different persons, and this moves us away from unitarianism (one God, one person) towards trinitarianism (one God, three persons—Father, Son [=the Word] and Spirit). As the Fourth Gospel unfolds it becomes clear that this is what is intended. Jesus, the Word incarnate, claims to be one with God, but that involves being in relationship with God. So when the Prologue says ‘the Word was God’ it is not saying that the Word and God constitute an undifferentiated unity, but rather it is saying, in words aptly coined by Moloney, ‘what God was the Word also was’.

2. Two key ideas stated separately in verse 1 are brought together and repeated in verse 2: He was with God in the beginning, i.e. the Word was in intimate relationship with God and he was in that relationship at the very beginning.

3. The evangelist explains the work of the Word in the beginning: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Genesis 1:1–31 tells how God brought the universe into being by his creative word. The evangelist picks this up when he says that it was ‘through’ the person of the Word that God brought all things into being, or, putting it negatively, without his agency God brought nothing into being. This teaching is also found in Colossians 1:16–17 and Hebrews 1:2.

Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 4, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 63–64.

Last Thought:

the Word was with God

the Word was God.

All things were made by him

without him was not any thing made that was made

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1:1.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1:3.

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