1. Christmas: SOWING AND GROWING

2. 2010: The Year of Sowing and Growing
Sowing and Growing comes after Expansion
Expansion is like acquiring new land; but then the time will come to cultivate the land, to sow and to grow the harvest in the land
Christmas is firstly the expansion of God’s Kingdom to include the earth

3. Christmas: Expansion of God’s Kingdom
Luke 1:30-33 (NIV) 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

4. Expansion is Followed by Sowing
Luke 2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Luke 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

5. Sowing is an Act of Faith
Faith of Mary: Luke 1:38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Mary sowed her life, reputation and future for God’s plan.

6. Sowing is an Act of Faith
Faith of Joseph: Matthew 1:19-21 (NIV) 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

7. Sowing is an Act of Faith
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Joseph sowed his pride, dignity and future for God’s plan

8. Sowing is an Act of Faith
Genesis 26:1 Now there was a famine in the land--besides the earlier famine of Abraham's time--and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.

9. Sowing is an Act of Faith
Isaac stayed and sowed and prospered because he acted in faith to what God said
Genesis 26:1 Now there was a famine in the land--besides the earlier famine of Abraham's time--and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.

10. Sowing is an Act of Faith
4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws." 6 So Isaac stayed in Gerar.
Genesis 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;

11. We are called to sow and grow
In Prosperity:
Why should God prosper you?

12. We are called to sow and grow
In Grace:
Why did God save you?
Hosea 2:23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!' "
Jeremiah 31:27 The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will help the families of Israel and Judah and their children and animals to grow.

13. We are called to sow and grow
28 In the past I watched over Israel and Judah, to pull them up and tear them down, to destroy them and bring them disaster. But now I will watch over them to build them up and make them strong,“ says the Lord. 29 “At that time people will no longer say: ’The parents have eaten sour grapes, and that caused the children to grind their teeth from the sour taste.’ 30 Instead, each person will die for his own sin; the person who eats sour grapes will grind his own teeth.

14. We are called to sow and grow
Psalms 126:5-6 (NKJV) 5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.