Galatians Lesson 12 - Fairhaven Baptist Church

Galatians

Lesson 12

Text: Galatians 6:1-5

Intro: As we enter into the last chapter of Galatians, Paul is going to address on how they should act toward one another. It is not enough to simply point out problems, there needs to be some advice given to help instruct on how to go. Let us remember what the problem is, they were adding to salvation. You must be born again, and…. So for the last few pages, Paul has tried to prove that it is either grace, or it is not. And if it is grace, then how should we act after salvation and toward others.

Bearing Burdens,
1. The Burden of Restoration,
  1. Who is responsible for restoration,
    1. First, this is in part a lot of what Paul was doing to the Galatians,
      - he was helping to restore them to the previous relationship they had.
        
        Get them back to the place where they were when he left them.
      - It was some time after Paul left that he heard of the problems they had at Galatians.
      - So Paul was assuming the role of the “Spiritual” person.
    2. But, if it comes to the members of the churches of Galatia, it was the duty of the “more Spiritually Mature” ones to set things into order.
      - When Paul is writing to Timothy, one of the pieces of advice he gave him, was for the leadership to be among other things….
      - I Timothy 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”
        
        knowing that pride can lead to the destruction of people.
      - There are more places that teach that the older “Spiritual” members should teach the younger,
        
        Titus 2:1-5 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,”
        
        he goes on in the next few verses, to say “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works ”
      - I think the assumption here, is that the older is also the more spiritually mature,
  2. How are they to instruct?
    1. In the spirit of meekness,
      - in gentleness,
      - Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ”
      - Colossians 4:5&6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”
      - We more often than not push people away when we are harsh, or hard.
        
        Kim and I have both used the example of Stu Webber, how when a solider falls on the field, not to run up to him and start to criticize him, but first bandage the wounds, then instruct.
    2. He gives this warning, “Consider yourself, lest you also be tempted” think about that, then skip down to vs. 7&8, you reap what you sow,
      - how would we want to be handled in a like situation?
      - None of us are perfect, and we all have the ability to fall,
        
        just because one person stumbles over a trap, doesn’t mean they are more of a sinner than you are.
2. One Another Burdens,
  1. Bear their burden,
    1. we are going to look quickly tonight at he words used here for burden,
    2. the first one is: Bar-os,
      - it means a load of abundance,
        
        it comes from two words, that roughly mean a brisk pace, and in the deep.
        
        It carries the idea of being overwhelming.
        
        More than one ought to carry.
  2. This is why we are compelled to carry one another burdens,
  3. These extra loads can come in many different forms:
    1. There seems to be a little disconnect between vs.2 and vs.5,
      - the word used in 5,
3. One’s Own Burden,
  1. freight,
    1. for-tee-on
    2. this is what it means, the freight, or the normal load.
      - The difference between the word used in vs.2 and vs.5 is simply in vs 2, we are to help carry the extra load, while in vs.5, we should carry our own weight.
    3. There is certain work that we have all been called to do,
      - it is this work that we should carry, not causing an extra burden on others.
      - This is in our spiritual lives, as well as our physical lives.
        
        A lot of people in the world today expect others to do for them, what they are not willing to do for themselves.
      - I often think of the man in John 5,
        
        when Jesus ask him “Wilt thou be made whole? ” (Jn.5:6)
        
        you think what a crazy question. The man had been cripple for 38 years.
        
        The assumption is of course he wants to be made whole.
        
        But think of the change? His whole life would change.
    4. Some people have no desire to carry their own weight.
      - This is why Paul is telling the Galatians, we need to do this.
    5. In vs.3&4 Paul is contrasting the response to the two types of burdens,
      - first, we should never think our-self too good to lend a helping hand to others.
        
        To lift them up,
        
        it is by helping one another, we are fulfilling the law. Remember, the thing they were wanting to get back to.
      - Second, we have pleasure and rejoicing in carrying our own weight.
        
        One of the things I love to point out about the garden of Eden, is Adam and Eve had a job to do before sin.
        
        Some people think labor is a by product of sin, and this couldn’t be further from the truth.
        
        Perhaps our labor became more difficult after sin, but we had a job to do before sin, and I think even in Heaven we will have jobs to do after sin is cast into the lake of fire.
        
        Revelation 22:3 “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”
        
        Jesus said in Matthew 25:23 that if we are faithful here, he will make us rulers of things there….

Points for Home:

It is the duty of Christians to pass on to others what we have learned form God, and His word.
- We all have areas of maturity, and we should desire to help others grow.
- But to do it in the spirit of meekness, and the honest desire to see others in a proper relationship with God.
We all have our own burdens to carry, and we should be faithful in carrying them.
- At the same time, we should be sensitive to others and help when we see they are struggling.
We should not view our labors as a bad thing. We should count it a blessing to know God had placed His trust in us concerning the task He has assigned for us to do.