Christians are called to live for God and demonstrate his goodness.

Often, Christians are told to focus on their own shortcomings, not the sins of others. However, as the apostle Paul taught the Galatians, Christians must not only be ready to repent of their own sins, but also be ready to help restore fellow believers who are guilty of serious moral failure. This kind of help, Christians offer one another, is more than a mere procedure to be followed; it is a priority to help carry one another’s burdens of weakness by means of forgiveness and encouragement. Christians also show their love for one another by practical acts of Service, and they seek to attract the unsaved to come to Christ by doing good to them.

GOLDEN TEXT:

Galatians 1:9  Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

1. ABOUT BURDEN BEARING

A. Restore Those Who Sin

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

…….One of the greatest ways to lead someone to Christ is to show them the love of Christ. Many of us can’t help others because we can’t figure out how to help ourselves! When we know we are loved by Christ it is easier to allow that same love that flows in us to flow through us!

Our relationship as Christians is not a me, me process and progression. 1John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us…….It is that we love others, why? Because Christ loved us. What is the greatest commandment? Matthew 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus said ALL, everything hangs on these commandments!

B. Examine Your Own Work

3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

…….Before your minds go there, this isn’t about our looks, but let’s go ahead and settle it. Our looks didn’t save us, it ain’t gonna keep us, and there is nothing about them that will give us a spiritual promotion or cause us to operate under His anointing! It is nearly impossible for an arrogant conceited person to help someone else out of their failure!

…….There is absolutely nothing about what we do in the Spiritual or church setting that can be done without His empowerment! For that sake alone, He deserves ALL the glory! Too many times have I felt His anointing power and performed in ways beyond my means to ever try and take the credit! The danger in this is, if we don’t begin to realize and credit the source, the source may remove His resource! Dear Lord I never want to operate without your anointing!

…….Always remember this no matter how long you are saved and no matter how far you go in this walk with the Lord, this right here, that while you were living in sin there was someone out there that pitied your soul and prayed for your situations! Never let your spiritual accomplishments turn into arrogant achievements!

4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

…….The Apostle Paul was not encouraging others to go around proving that they themselves had performed such a wonderful work. He was saying that our focus should not be on the progress or lack thereof in others lives, that’s not the focus. Our focus must be dually on what we ourselves can do better and how we can help others at the same time.

5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

…….There is too much for me to do in my own personal life and ministry to worry if others are doing enough in theirs. On the Great day of Judgement, the Lord isn’t going to deal with me about others ministries. I will only be dealt with my own and how I utilized what He provided for me to accomplish personally.

6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

…….The word communicate here literally means to be a sharer or distributor. The ones who spend such quality time in studying should never have to worry where the next financial support will come from. It is up to us who are taught to always have a free spirit of giving to the house of God and never worry how that support is distributed. A giving heart is a learning heart.

2. PERSEVERE IN DOING GOOD

A. Sowing and Reaping

7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

…….This verse is so true in many ways! If you plant a garden and take all the right steps, you will reap a harvest that seems so undeserving. When you reap in spiritual things, you will find life in the Spirit so undeserving! Whatever you do, work hard at it! God seriously blesses those who take sowing seriously.

8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

…….If we sow into things that only promote ourselves, we will find ourselves in pure misery. There’s not enough money in this world that will buy you true happiness and freedom of mind! But, when we sow to the Spirit, everlasting life is our reward and the foretaste is so sweet! I praise God for those small glimpses of heaven!

B. Do a Good to Everyone

9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

…….When we become weary we become susceptible to the temptation of giving up. When we don’t see immediate results for a period of time, it becomes easy to doubt. Even in the times we don’t see growth or improvement, we must continue to press on with faith knowing the rain will come and the harvest will flourish!

3. GLORY IN THE CROSS

A. Spiritual Maturity

11  Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

12  As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

…….No different than today, the church was dealing with false teachers trying to force legalism on the congregation with Old Testament laws. While today’s legalistic tactics have changed, the motive is still the same. We must never forget who saved us and why He saved us.

13  For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

…….When people push others to abide by man made ordinances, they only teach to depend on what can be built by man and not God. The spiritual growth that must take place will never depend on what we can accomplish outwardly.

B. Boast Only in the Cross

14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17  From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18  Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. To the Galatians written from Rome.

…….Paul never tried to change personally people. He never used man made tactics and methods, only the Spirit. We can encourage and distract people from their failures for a season, but without the plan of Salvation and help of the Spirit it will never last. No matter how good we learn to talk and entertain, the Spirit is the only fix for the lost!

May we never lose thought of the knowing that the Spirit of Christ is the only tool to saving the lost.