How Do I Get Help When I Need It?

Introduction:

As we continue to build on the theme, The Man and His God, we have seen thus far that in order to develop the Spiritual Disciplines we need to be a man of God, we must be strengthened by the grace of God and recognize that as a leader we are to thinking towards passing on or entrusting what we have heard to others, and do so in the environment and fellowship of suffering. Which means we set aside time in or daily routines to be soldiers focused on Jesus Christ, athletes who compete according to the rules, and farmers who persevere to the end.

In order to accomplish this we saw that we must be men of prayer, and not just any old prayer, but prayers that ascribe to the worship and submission to our eternal God, confession of sin, petition of our needs, and request for safety against our enemy the devil.

We learned that we cannot become men of God without knowing God. The only way we can know God is through his eternal word. Therefore, we sought to answer the question, How Do I Study the Bible?, and saw that our responsibility is not only to ready the scriptures, but to diligently seek “the sense” of the word so that we know what God is communicating to us and this we communicate to others.

We’ve also learned that being closer to our God is to understand that God’s primary attribute above all others is his holiness. Therefore, to become like him as leaders, we must answer and implement the question, What is Holiness?

We saw that holiness is grace focused, looking forward to the final grace we will receive when Christ returns, and lives our lives in the meantime according to the standard of God’s holiness. We also saw that holiness conducts itself with fear, fear of standing before God and giving account of our deeds, and fear of devaluing our redemption by not living holy. Finally, we saw that holiness lives by the truth we say we believe. That truth found in God’s word produces brotherly love, and is timeless.

Last time we looked at what happens when we know all we have talked about is true and we strive with all our heart to live it out but we keep running into our own wall of sins. So we answered the question, How Do I Deal With Besetting Sin? from Romans 6:1-14, in which we showed that we died with Christ so that our sins are dead and no longer rule us. As a result, we now yield our members (body, mind, emotions) to doing righteous deeds since we now have freedom from the flesh.

This morning, we will look at what happens when all that we know and believe is still not enough to keep us continually stable in our faith and growth. Is there something that God has provided to helps us get back up when we fall or help hold us accountable so we don’t fall? Thankfully the answer is yes, which is what we will seek to answer this morning in the question, How Do I Get Help When I Need It?, from Galatians 6:1-10.

Text: Galatians 6:1-10

Galatians 6:1–10 ESV

1 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. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Background:

Author - Paul, Galatians 1:1 “1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—”

Recipients - Churches in Galatia, Galatians 1:2 “2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:”

Purpose: He wrote to counter those who taught that Christians must be circumcised in order to be accepted by God.

Theme Verse: Galatians 2:16 “16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

Chapters 5-6: Paul showed how the gospel of grace leads to true freedom and godly living, showing itself in our responsibility to one another.

I. Restoration Through Responsibility (6:1-3)

You could explore how these verses encourage believers to gently and humbly restore those caught in sin, reflecting Christ's bearing of our burdens. Emphasize the importance of examining our own attitudes, ensuring a climate of grace and accountability. Highlight that as Christians, cultivating a restorative community is vital to expressing genuine love and maintaining spiritual health within the church.

1 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.

Brothers - written to believers

caught (prolambano [aor, pas, sub] - caught unawares) in any transgression (paraptoma [noun] - act of going beyond some moral boundary or limit…to trespass)

you who are spiritual. This does not refer to an elite class of Christians but rather to those who have more maturity and experience in the Christian life and who are therefore in a position to help their beleaguered brother or sister. The adjective “spiritual” means “living and walking according to the Holy Spirit” (see note on 5:16; also 1 Cor. 2:15; 3:1; 14:37) and includes, but is not limited to, the qualities listed in Gal. 5:22–23.

should restore (katartizo [pre, act, imp] - conceived as replacing a part or putting together what is torn and broken) him (the one who has fallen)

spirit of gentleness. Paul may mean an “attitude” of gentleness rather than harsh condemnation; but he also may imply that God’s Spirit, whose fruit includes gentleness (5:22), enables believers to restore one another.

[Keep watch on] (skopeo [pre, act, par] - to vigilantly be on the look out) yourself, lest you too be tempted. - There is no room for pride, but vigilant self-awareness of being tempted and falling as well.

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

Bear (bastazo [pre, act, imp] - to carry or pick up) one another’s burdens (baros [noun] - heavy onerous weight). Another Christian’s ensnarement in sin is not his private problem, but is a burden that others must bear with him and intervene to help him escape.

fulfill (anapleroo [fut, act, ind] - to fill up or complete) the law of Christ - This includes loving not only one’s neighbor (5:14; Matt. 22:39) but one’s enemy as well (Matt. 5:43, 44), with God’s love as the model.

3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. - to not obey is to think of oneself higher then he really is, thus becoming self-deceived.

II. Reflection and Responsibility (6:4-5)

Perhaps focus on personal accountability and the call to test our own actions. This passage urges us towards self-reflection before comparison, reminding us that each believer bears their own load. Christ himself exemplifies selfless service, urging us to take ownership of our spiritual growth while contributing positively to the community. Encourage believers to cultivate introspection as a pathway to spiritual maturity.

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.

[let…test] (dokimazo [pre, act, imp] - examine carefully to determine if genuine) his own work. Paul urges the Galatian Christians to examine themselves as individuals before God, rather than drawing false confidence from relative comparisons with others (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5, 6).

reason to boast will be in himself. Lit. “have reason to boast in himself.” As Paul subsequently makes clear, reason for “boasting” is not to be found in one’s obedience to the law. While the Judaizers “boasted” of their success in encouraging legalism (v. 13), Paul “boasts” in the cross of Christ alone (v. 14; cf. 2 Cor. 11:16–12:10). Paul’s meaning may be that encouragement over our progress in sanctification is to be derived not by comparing ourselves to others but by reviewing our growth from earlier immaturity, which the Spirit has granted.

5 For each will have to bear his own load.

bear (bastazo [fut, act, ind] - to carry) his own load (phortion [noun] - individual sized load) - we must bear what is normal and not depend on others to do it for us.

III. Sowing Spiritual Seeds (6:6-8)

Maybe consider how sowing and reaping reflect spiritual investments, contrasting fleshly versus spiritual pursuits. This passage teaches us to discern wisely where we allocate our resources and efforts in life. By imitating Christ, who perfectly sowed righteousness, believers are empowered to invest in eternal, life-giving practices that enrich both personal faith and community life.

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

share all good things with the one who teaches. Although Paul did not always enforce his right to receive financial support from those whom he taught, he nonetheless contended that it was appropriate that “those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:3–14).

Paul, in encouraging us to bear one another’s burdens and examine ourself so that we understand our vulnerability, is teaching that this is a part of a life-long investment in spiritual things, which he shows next as sowing and reaping

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

whatever one sows, that will he also reap. In this context, Paul’s reference to “reaping” is a reference to the blessings of eternal life (rather than to temporal blessings) that the believer will “reap” as the result of “sowing” his life to the Spirit. As Paul argues elsewhere (2 Cor. 4:17), the believer’s expectation and experience in this life will be persecution and affliction, but “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (Cf. Jesus’ words in John 15:18–21; 16:33.)

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. - this is the expectation that we should have when we sow according to the flesh or the spirit. This is a practical understand of what Paul says in Romans 6:12-14, as we talked about last time.

Romans 6:12–14 ESV

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

IV. Persevere in Purposeful Practice (6:9-10)

You could conclude by stressing perseverance in doing good, as believers are encouraged to not grow weary in this pursuit. The promise of reaping a harvest in due time should inspire believers to seize every opportunity to practice love, especially within the faith community. Through Christ's endurance, believers find hope and strength to foster a supportive and fruitful environment.

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

[let us] not [grow weary] (enkakeo [pre, act, sub] - discouraged, disheartened, lose heart or momentum) of doing good - this idea of perseverance show that results are not always forthcoming but will come about…

in due season (kairos [noun] - emphasis on a season of time not an exact time) [we will reap] (therizo [fut, act, ind] - harvest will happen in the future),

if we do not give up - perseverance is a requirement for us to see this harvest take place.

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone - Christians are called to help relieve the suffering of those outside its fellowship (Luke 10:25–37; cf. Lev. 19:10, 34; Deut. 14:29), but they have a special responsibility to help brothers and sisters in Christ who are in need of the household of faith (1 Thess. 3:12).