Paul s Words of Grace to Galatia Galatians 6:1-18 (NKJV)

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1 Paul s Words of Grace to Galatia Galatians 6:1-18 (NKJV) Paul is continuing in his application of the grace of God and here in chapter 6 Paul reminds those who are walking in grace how to restore those who have fallen into sin. Notice Vs. 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Notice how this works. When someone has been overtaken in sin this happens, because it does. Those who are spiritual should restore. Restore: to restore to it s original condition. Like a bone that is broken that needs to be put back in place. Setting a bone back into its place I hear can be pretty painful. I have never broken a bone, I would not know. I have been told. Let me ask you? If you have a broken bone would you want someone who is experienced and knows how to be gentle? Or would you want your brother? That s why Paul says, those who are spiritual. The last thing you need to do when you re in sin is ask the world for its two cent s. You need someone spiritual, someone with spiritual maturity. How do we know if we are mature enough to restore? Question: Are you more interested in revealing their sin or restoring them from their sin? Are you more interested in telling others about their sin or helping them get out of their sin? There are a lot folks that like to expose sin, that like to post your sin. Don t seek them out for help on sin. Look for the person that wants to restore. It s the carnal person that likes to reveal, it s the spiritual person that likes to restore. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 1

2 If you truly have a heart to restore then you will look for ways to restore with gentleness, you will choose your words with wisdom. You won t be telling the world you will be helping them get out the world. Notice Paul will also remind us, keep the guard up when others fall into sin. I have seen it, those who spend there time revealing sin and not restoring might find themselves in the very same sin that they are so strongly against. It might even be a revelation of where they are truly at. I have also seen those who had a heart to reach out to a brother or sister who was caught up in sin, hoping to pull them from the fire only found themselves embracing the fire. In the name of wanting to connect, wanting to relate, they ended up falling into sin themselves. Vs. 2 Bear one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Remember we are family, it s important that we serve one another in love and bearing one another s burden s can be one of the ways we do this. It s also a way for us to fulfill the law of Christ. Jesus speaks about in the gospel of Matthew. Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV) The law of Christ is the law of love. Loving the Lord, loving one another. And when we are bearing one another s burden s this is being fulfilled. Notice what will keep us from bearing one another s burden. Vs. 3-5 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 2

3 Pride is what can keep us from caring for one and bearing one another s burdens. It s pride that says, I am too important to listen to your struggle s. I don t have time to hang out and help you. I am busy. So we move through life missing out the joy of helping others, serving others, seeing others restored. Paul continues this principle of loving and serving one another in the church. Notice Vs. 6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. The way that ministry get s done everyone s giving, giving of their time, there gifts and their finances. As we do we see lives changed, the lost saved and we see the kingdom of God expand. I am so grateful to be a part of a giving church, that you understand the principle of giving, that you see this is a place where you are being fed the word of God, that your being blessed by the presence of God, this is a place where your spiritual needs are met and so you give so that this ministry can continue. We don t beg you, won t beg you; we serve you, love you and feed you and it s a natural byproduct of being healthy sheep. You give, giving is not a chore but a opportunity. In Malachi we are reminded Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this, Says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) The tithe simply means 10% and as we are faithful notice He will pour out a blessing in our lives. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 3

4 Wendi and I saw this work in the lives of our parents growing up, they were and still are givers. They always gave more than 10% and God has blessed them and we knew it was something we wanted to do when we got married. I am so glad we don t argue over that, this is a principle we both believe in. It s always been the first thing we do, then the mortgage, then the bills, then food on the table. It s not the last thing we do it s the first thing we do. It s not the leftovers it s the first fruits and God has blessed us more than we could ever imagine. Notice here that Paul points out that it s not just a way for the ministry to thrive but most importantly it s for the one giving. Vs. 7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. The law of the harvest. Whatever you sew, that s what you re going to reap. It s like the farmer; whatever he plants that s what s going to grow. If he plants an apple seed then he is going to eventually have apple s, possibly hundreds of apples and even more seeds to plant, all from that one seed. The farmer not only reaps what he sow s he will often reap more than he has sown. Now, some of you have given, possibly your time or maybe your finances, or possibly you have interceded for someone over the years, for your spouse to come to Christ or your prodigal child to make his way back, maybe even that calling that s on your life and it has not happened as quick as you hoped for. You re sewing hoping for a return, waiting for something to happen. Paul has a word for you. Notice Vs And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 4

5 Don t grow weary because the time between sewing and reaping can take a while. I remember praying and outlining how we were going to buy property in 7 years and then in 10 years we would be in our building. All the while doing ministry, not growing weary, not getting our eyes off Jesus, feeding sheep and winning souls. 7 years passed, 8 years passed, we ended up purchasing the property in 10 years and then we waited another 4 years before the we built. I look back now and can see God working in every part. The finances, the leadership team, the community of Yucaipa, the building we wanted to build and the building we ended up building, even the loan amount and the interest rate. The key to all of it, don t grow weary. In due season, in the right season you will reap a harvest. Don t force it; don t get impatient. Wait on the Lord and He will reward you in His time, in His way. Lets continue Vs See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. What a great statement, in speaking of the cross He proclaims that it was at this place that the world was crucified to Me and I to the world. That s really what should happen when we come to the cross. We should die, die to the old life, die to flesh, die to sin. The Roman cross was a horrible and cruel way to die. It was reserved for the worst of criminals. Being nailed to wooden planks, having to push your body up for a breath, which only prolonged your death, eventually you would die of exhaustion, suffocation, even brain or heart failure. Today we wear crosses as jewelry, on our neck; we might have a tattoo of one, a bumper sticker. But Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 5

6 you didn t do that in Paul s day; that would be weird, psycho. Just like today you wouldn t wear an electric chair around your neck, nobody is getting a tattoo of an electric chair. Why?? It speaks of death, cruel death. But did you notice what Paul said? He boasts of the cross because it did speak of death to him. The cross is where Paul died to the world; he died to the old life, to the life of his flesh, to his self-righteous living. Think about that! If Paul is dead to the world then the world cannot have any influence over him. If you died to something then you re no longer alive to it. Then it doesn t have the ability to influence you. Paul saw the cross as the very place where the world and its influences over him died, it was where they were conquered, and it was where they were crucified. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24 (NKJV) All the stuff of the flesh, that list in chapter 5 Adultery, fornication, idolatry, lewdness, sorcery, hatred, it s all part of my flesh that is stimulated and encouraged by the worldly system that is at war with God. It s been that way since the fall, from that point man became sinful in his nature and the enemy became the ruler of this world. Now it s under his influence. That s why John reminds us Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:15-16 (NKJV) And there will be a day when it will all come to end. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:17 (NKJV) Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 6

7 It s all passing away, the world, its influence, and those who bow down to its influence; it will come to an end. That s why the cross is so important. It s there the flesh dies, it s there we are no longer enemies of God, but friends of God. Its there the enemy is defeated; it s there the price for sin is appropriated. It s there we give back to our creator what is rightfully His, our hearts, that s why Jesus reminds His followers. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19 (NKJV) Don t get freaked out if the world is not rubbing shoulders with you, if you re not invited to the bar after work, if you re not invited to the new years party in the neighborhood. If your looked down upon because you go to church or you re always taking the road of restoring people from sin instead of revealing peoples sin. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV) Did you get that? We are over comers because He overcame. Paul will go on and remind us in vs.15 Vs.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. That s the wonder of the cross; that s the amazing gift of Christ. When we come to the cross, not only do we die to the old life, but we die to the world, it s at the cross we are giving new life. We become a new creation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 7

8 It s the cross where we die, but it s also the cross that we are given new life. We get a new start. I think one of the greatest signs and wonders is a life that has been changed by the power of Christ. To see someone who was deep in sin find forgiveness and liberty, to watch a person fall in love with their creator and savior. It s the lifeblood of our fellowship. Every week seeing people come to Christ and seeing them become a part of this family, the family of God. It s awesome, a sign and a wonder. At the cross there is a great exchange. We turn in the old life that is perishing for the new life that is abundant. Jesus said it this way The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV) Paul would say it this way I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) It s at the cross that all this takes place and it s at the cross we find His grace. Notice what Paul chooses to finish up this book with Vs And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. He finishes with grace. Even the mark s, the wounds on his body, Paul knew that His grace would be sufficient to carry him through. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 8

9 It s grace, it s grace that reaches out to us. It s grace that saves us, it s grace that redeems us and adopts us, it s grace that gifts us and it will be grace that will enable us to stand before Him and hear Him say, Well done good and faithful servant. What a great letter, a letter of grace. Amen. Copyright 2014 Scott Wright 9