Galatians 6 (2)
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Today we are finishing up our journey through the book of Galatians. Our prayer is that this series has been a blessing to you and challenging you in your walk with Christ.
The main point of Paul’s letter to the churches in the region of Galatia is that Jesus plus nothing equals freedom. The moment we begin to add to the Gospel is no longer the same Gospel that Jesus died for. It becomes a different Gospel.
In fact Paul said,
8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.
Paul is using strong language when he says those that add to the Gospel are accursed. The Greek word used here is reveals Paul’s protectiveness of the true Gospel. Adding to grace is an insult to the redemptive work of the cross of Christ. If Jesus died to save us, then there is no works that we can do that can contribute to that salvation.
21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
When we add works to the Gospel, we are declaring that Christ died for nothing. This is exactly why Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia. This is why he was so passionate about making sure the true Gospel of Jesus Christ is not diluted with works. It is by grace we have been saved. Through our faith in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, and not by works that any man shall boast.
On the flip side, this is actually profound comfort for the believer who worries they haven't "done enough." If adding works to the gospel brings a curse, then
Our salvation truly rests on Christ's finished work alone.
That is true freedom church.
When those add to the Gospel, they are deviating away from God’s original plan of Salvation. Whenever we deviate away from God’s original design, it is called sin.
Restore Those Who Fall
Restore Those Who Fall
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
To trespass is another word for sin and sin is simply missing the mark. To put it another way:
Sin is deviating from truth
When we deviate from the truth of God’s Word, and if we are connected to those who love us, we can expect some correction.
In our culture today we don’t like correction. We don’t like to be told that we are in the wrong. I see this all the time. I see videos all the time where a police officer pulls someone over for speeding (breaking the law) and that person refuses to roll down their window, refuses to show ID, refuses to even acknowledge they were speeding.
This type of mentality cannot exist in the life of a Christ follower. It is a dangerous mindset. When one has this mindset, they are quick to throw out the scripture “only God can judge”.
True. God can judge. But as Christ followers we are supposed to judge others, but not in a way that is a hypocritical, self-righteous judgment—where you act as the secret-motive police over someone else while ignoring your own blatant sin.
We are called to judge righteously and we judge righteously by what truth says. That truth being what the Word of God says.
24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
I like how the NLT says it:
24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
Jesus wasn't saying "stop evaluating." He was saying "stop evaluating based on superficial, biased, or hypocritical standards." Righteous judgment requires using God's standard (Scripture), not our own subjective preferences or prejudices.
This is why Paul says “those who are godly”, those who are governed by the Holy Spirit, should be the ones who course correct those who have fallen. Otherwise you are judging with an unrighteous judgement.
When you truly love someone, you will carry a burden for them when they fall. You will want to course correct them, not to just point out their wrong doings, but because you know if they continue down that path, death will be the only destination. For the wages of sin is death.
In doing this, Paul says:
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Self Reflection
Self Reflection
Church, we must be careful and make sure that God is in the middle of the restoration process. If He is not, we are acting in the flesh.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
5 For each one will bear his own load.
To be “something” in this context carries the weight of status, importance, someone who thinks they are above everyone else because of their own moral standards and practices.
This is what we see in the Judaizers who came in after Paul boasting about how they are more spiritual because they followed a strict diet, were circumcised, and strict Torah observance to the Law. They thought they were something.
To "think you are something" in this context means evaluating your spiritual identity based on your own moral performance or religious resume.
The reality church, we are deceived if we believe we are something based on our moral high ground and religious practices.
When you fall into the trap of legalism, not only will you be harsh towards others instead of helping carry their burdens, you will be blinded to your own shortcomings.
You cannot even judge your own heart and motives correctly. In my 25 plus years of serving Christ and being in ministry, I have found those who think they are something are never open to biblical correction.
If you are not open to biblical correction, then you are not ready to counsel, restore, and help carry the burden of those who have fallen until you are broken by your own need for the grace of God.
Gentleness and being humble (v. 1) is the fruit of self-awareness. Harshness is the fruit of self-deception.
If I think I am "something" (spiritually advanced, morally superior, self-made), I will look at the brother caught in transgression (v. 1) with contempt rather than gentleness.
I’m Something = I will view their failure as proof of my superiority.
You cannot carry their burden because it may cause a stain on your spirituality. When you think you are something you don’t want your spiritual reputation to be dragged down. This is called pride.
Write this down.
Pride demands isolation; grace demands incarnation.
When you operate out of pride, you will view people out of the lens unrighteous judgement and how they may affect your reputation.
Pride builds walls. It keeps the fallen at arm’s length where it is easy to criticize, pity, or judge from a safe distance.
You can feel morally superior to someone when you are standing safely on your own side of the fence, but you can’t do that if you climb down into the ditch with them.
The Pharisees and Sadducees ridiculed Jesus for eating and speaking with “sinners”. Jesus carried the burden of people because He humbled himself. He understood the importance of the grace of God and people’s need for it.
So much so He left the safe boundaries of heaven and became flesh and dwelt among us. He didn’t lobby moral commands from a distance. He climb down into the muck and mire in order to help carry the burden that we could not carry on our own.
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
He crossed the boundary, entered our mess, took on our brokenness, and got His hands dirty to pull us out.
That is what incarnation means: entering into the reality of someone else's pain, struggle, or sin at great cost to yourself.
Someone once said,
“When Paul says to restore someone in a spirit of gentleness and bear their heavy burdens, he is calling us to incarnate grace the way Christ did for us. You cannot carry someone's burden from a distance. You have to cross the boundary.
You have to sit in the uncomfortable chair, listen to the ugly story, weep with the broken, and absorb the messiness of their failure without pulling away in disgust.”
This is why the self deception Paul is speaking of is so dangerous. When you think you are “something”, you stop acting like Jesus.
This world doesn’t need more of you…it needs more of the grace of God only found in and through Jesus Christ!
The Cure
The Cure
The cure for this self deception is not not to stop evaluating, but to
Change the standard of evaluation
Go back to verse 4.
4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
Stop measuring yourself against your brother or sister in Christ (comparative righteousness) and start measuring yourself against the Word of God and your own conscience before Christ.
This is what Jesus meant in:
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
When you test your own work in the light of God's holiness, your pride shatters. You realize you are entirely dependent on grace, which instantly qualifies you to help someone else who is struggling.
We are only "something" because Christ has made us something. Our identity is not achieved by our moral exertion; it is received by faith. When we rest in the fact that Christ is our only boast like Paul said,
14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
We are finally free to get in the mud and help carry our brother's burdens.
Call for praise team
Closing
Closing
Throughout the book of Galatians, the main point of Paul’s message to the churches of Galatia and to us today is simply this:
Jesus + Nothing = Freedom
I want us to transition into a time of response. We aren't just going to sing a final song and walk out to our cars. We are going to respond to the grace of God.
1. For those stepping off the treadmill of performance: If you are exhausted. If you are tired of trying to earn God’s love, tired of feeling like you’re never quite doing enough, I want you to physically respond. If you are sitting up here in the main floor, I want you to just stand to your feet right now. Standing up is your way of saying, "Pastor, I am done trying to earn my salvation. I am stepping off the treadmill. I am resting in Jesus plus nothing."
(Pause and let them stand. Speak gently but firmly.)
Look around. You are not alone in this. The Holy Spirit is breaking the yoke of legalism right now. Let go of the need to perform. Receive the grace that has been freely offered to you.
2. For those carrying the heavy burden of hidden sin: Maybe you aren't here because of performance; you're here because of failure. Galatians 6:1 told us what to do when someone is caught in a transgression. But before you can let the church restore you, you have to stop hiding. The enemy wants you to think that if you bring your sin into the light, you’ll be destroyed. The gospel says that if you keep it in the dark, it will eat you alive.
If you are carrying a secret burden today—a habitual sin, a hidden addiction, a quiet compromise that you haven't told anyone about—and you want to lay it down and ask for help, I want you to join those who are standing, or if you are already standing, I want you to step out into the aisle. Let this be the end of the hiding. We are not here to condemn you; we are here to restore you in the spirit of gentleness.
(Allow time for movement. Play soft worship music.)
3. For those coming to Christ for the first time: Finally, there may be someone here today who has never actually trusted in Jesus. You’ve grown up in church, but you’ve treated Jesus like an insurance policy rather than a Savior. Today, the Spirit is drawing you. You don't need to clean yourself up first. You don't need to promise to do better next week. You just need to bring your empty hands.
