Finishing Stronger

Galatians 6:1–9 (ESV)

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Msg Title: “Finishing Stronger”

Prayer

Intro: I was sitting in a service a week ago ad the pastor read this verse up and it captured my attention: because as are not long away from the end of another year, thanksgiving is around the corner, christmas not far behind it and i believe the Lord today is stirring you here with this word to finish the year not weary - but strong - but if we catch the text here - not just finish OK… but finish with a harvest, finish stronger.

How we start is one thing (a new year a new endeavor, a new challenge)

but whats more important?

how we finish.

and i want to impart into your spirit today: lets not just FINISH… but lets FINISG STRONGER than how we started - in Jesus name!

Context / Explain what is happening here:

The early church context is one that is fraught with so much. There is so much happening in this time. doctrine is forming, correction is coming, healings are happening left and right, supernatural events are taking place …. and a hefty amount of persecution as well.

PAUL WRITES TO A REGION OF CHURCHES and encourages them at the end of his letter here and say

DONT GROW WEARY…. IN DOING GOOD… FOR IN DUE SEASON WE WILL REAP IF WE DONT GIVE UP.

Are you on the verge of giving up?

Are you WEARY right now?

are you worn out… tired and fed up.

Maybe you are in a season of what seems like ONGOING CHALLENGES… well this message is for you

Or perhaps your here today and you can confess well things are pretty good. Life is good. seems like things are going OK. Im glad you are here too because this message is also for you - Tuck it away in the back pocket of your heart for that time when it will show up.

Maybe you are spiritually in a season of dryness. maybe you have lost some of the vibrance and vitality

The truth is this: Life isnt all peaches and cream all the time. The bible talks about our lives as being like a pilgrimage to God, with a unique pathway, ordained and pre-set before almighty GOD> you have a destiny but you have a prescribed path…. uniuqe to you… but not seperate from what others in the body of christ have seen and experienced.

Here is one of the most challenging words Jesus spoke his disciples

Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Its a narrow path… not necessarily an easy path: but its a better path - it leads somewhere you want to go. up to GOD.

Proverbs 15:24 ESV

24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

Paul knew the trajectory..

Philippians 3:14 ESV

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

That same apostle writes to a persecuted, attacked,

The apostle ends this section of the letter with a summary of how he hopes the Galatians will act (9–10). At every opportunity, we must make the effort to do what is good, and we should be particularly alert to meeting the needs of the Christian community. While there may be many discouragements along the way, we must take courage with the assurance that God will vindicate his people. At the appropriate time, we will certainly reap the fulness of God’s own goodness.

Silva, Moisés. 1994. “Galatians.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 1220. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

LETS USE THIS VERSE, PAULS INSTRUCTION, AS THE FOUNDATION FOR 4 POINTS THIS MORNING.

What can we draw out here? Here is Paul teaching the galatian’s and instructing the galatians but also doing the same to us today also!

1.DONT GROW WEARY

Paul says to the church - Dont grow weary in doing good.

But here is something for us all…. He says dont GROW weary

YOU WAKE UP TIRED, NOT WEARY

YOU DONT WAKE UP WEARY YOU GROW WEARY

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

How does that work: the word Paul uses here “Enkakaeo” in the greek doesnt mean tired, it means to become discouraged

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 1591 ἐγκακέω

1591 ἐγκακέω (egkakeō): vb.; ≡ Str 1573—LN 25.288 become discouraged, give up, lose heart (Lk 18:1; 2Co 4:1, 16; Gal 6:9; Eph 3:13; 2Th 3:13+)

Growing weary is “becoming discouraged”

losing the vitality you once had, that Passion for the Lord

what are signs of weariness? Here are some signs that you may have become weary (become discouraged)

SIGNS THAT WE ARE GROWING WEARY

-Stress (getting to us more than usual).

-frustration (repeated at little things… a sign we’ve lost our touch with the ministry). Frustration at some of the little things or the simple tasks.

-a lack of compassion (like usual). a failure to be moved by the plight of peoples struggles. You find it diffucult to empathzise and have compassion like you once did. As a pastor for me thats not checking boxes. Thats why i love to ask people about their own journey, their own story,…. to understand why they are feeling what they are feeling ( i like to ask people about their kids more than their hobbies because i get to the heart stuff quicker!!!)

-indifference (who cares, it’s not gonna make a difference anyway.).

Growing negativity and outlook (things are going to get worse not better type of thought process). “hope springs eternal”

-disengaged spirit…. Or just a mentality that’s checked out. Or on autopilot or just “not there”.

A loss of hope… (Proverbs 13:12 “12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” )

(I know I’ve been wary before because when I’ve written messages I didn’t get the same revelation as before it was bc there was an impediment.. a blockage i was weary.

What’s yours? What’s a sign of your own weariness.

What fixes weariness? (not an exhaustive list)

Sabbath. (the amount of times i can boil weariness down to two things in a family or a couple or a marriage? an overloaded schedule and a lack of sabbath rest. Rest Replenish Rememember that Jesus is our rest. Do you have a day where you just rest. Make that your sunday. make that today. the Lords day. Be in hise house and be blessed by all hes given you

Study of the word: Deep diving into the word will envigorate the soul. Dig into a book.

Your own need…. for the things of God.

-Worship:

A lack of encouragement: Whats the deal ith this?

2.DOING GOOD IS A GOOD THING

“KEEP DOING GOOD”

IF ITS GOOD, ITS GOOD - But make sure you keep DOING it.

If its GOOD - then its worth doing.

the key word here is DOING

are you doing good?

what Good are you doing?

“if you havent got anything GOOD to say…. dont say anything at all”

WHEN DOING GOOD, YOU ARE DOING GODS WORK

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Philippians 4:8 NIV

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

All GOOD THINGS.

You know as christians its our job to exhibit GOOD things all the time. to emminate and to illuminate the goodness of God through the GOOD in our very lives.

If you have a GOOD THINGS going chances are you have GOD WORKING HIS BLESSING IN YOU

this connects all the way back to what God created - which he said was GOOD

and then when Moses wanted to see the Glory of god instead what god replied with was something which he wants us to know today:

Exodus 33:17–19 (ESV)

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

This is greater than just “WHOLESOME” things.. these are GOD THINGS

Gods goodness..is one of the ways He shares himself with humanity… Gods goodness and his Name go hand in hand. When people encounter the GOD-GIVEN good in you - they encounter as perspective of GOD.

your family, your friendships

whatever is GOOD.

3.WAIT ON GODS TIMING

TIMING IS THE ULTIMATE TEST:

because: GODS TIMING IS PERFECT MINE IS at best - IDEAL

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

for in due season

we will reap.

Trusting in Gods timing: is our obedience in the christian life.

Are you really willing to wait on GOD?

Gods timing, is our obedience - I want you to think about that. its the ultimate form of obedience before the lord

If not now - My response? When you say

It not ever - My Response? Then i trust you that its not meant for me.

There maybe things that you are beating yourself up trying to GET… and youve become WEARY. But the truth maybe that God never wants you or for now doesnt want you to have it. why? because he knows the difference between what we want and what we truly actually NEED.

What we want is what we WANT (as we think)

but what we NEED - thats only what HE KNOWS.

Q:are you willing to wait? and continue doing good even if you dont witness the harvest when you want or at all?

1 Corinthians 3:6 ESV

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV

7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Gods timing…. is my obedience.

and my obedience is “better in the eyes of God” than any sacrifice or works i could perform on his behalf.

4.WE MIUST NOT GIVE UP

GIVING UP ISNT AN OPTION, BECAUSE GOD DOESNT GIVE UP ON US

FOCUS ON JESUS - WHO IS OUR REST - AND OUR BURDEN BEARER in THIS LIFE

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

We cant give up because Christ never gave up on us.

But Christ Shows up… to HELP US Remain ABLE TO BEAR THE WEIGHT, CONTINUE THE FIGHT, REAP THE HARVEST… AND FINISH THE RACE

Hebrews 12:2–3 ESV

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

So whats the way through weary?

dont let it grow

rememember whats done thats GOOD, is done for GOD

his timing is perfect

and He comes to help us live without the burdens that come our way

what a magnificent savior we have

He will never leave us nor forsake us

Jesus is with us.

Matthew 11:27–30 (NIV)

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

How do we finish stronger? rest in the one wh is strong, and we will always finish stronger even when we are weak.

lets praise Jesus together.