Galatians: True Compassion

Text: Galatians 6:1-10

Theme: Practical Christianity means that believers should help others bear their burdens – especially brothers and sisters in Christ.

Date: 07/09/21 File name: Galatians07.wpd ID Number: 66

The Roman Empire in the second century after Christ looked like a golden age. Roman roads, public baths and gymnasiums, Hellenistic high culture, aqueducts that brought abundant clean water to metropolitan cities, and the military muscle to ensure peace around the Mediterranean world made living in the Roman empire a privilege. For the healthy, and the gainfully employed it was a golden age. But woe if you got sick, or had an economic setback. It was then that that Roman empire revealed its dark underbelly. Mercy was discouraged as it only helped those too weak to contribute to society. If you were fortunate, a family member might care for you if you were sick, or take you in if you were down-on-your-luck, but even then close relatives would frequently leave their own to die, or be ‘at the mercy of the gods.’

Then along came Christianity. During the first century, a new culture began penetrating the classical Roman world: that of the Christians. The faith, much through the efforts of missionaries like Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Mark and others, broke free from the province of Judea, and began spreading rapidly across the empire even though it was often targeted by persecution. It’s teachings were revolutionary, and its adherents where characterized by compassion for the needy.

Christian philanthropy found its basis in the biblical concept of the imago Dei, the belief that human beings are created in God’s image, and thus human life is precious. This belief had its foundation in Jewish theology, and was reinforced and deepened by the Incarnation. If God had come to this world in human flesh, then it was obvious He cared for His creation. Christians responded by demonstrating Christ’s love to their brothers and sisters, who bore God’s image. The weaker and more helpless the neighbor, the greater the need to show him the compassion of Christ.

This practical Christian morality departed radically from the social ethics of classical paganism. So when the Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6 “bare one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” this was a radical—even subversive—counter-cultural behavior.

It still is. Let’s take a few minutes to see what the Apostle Paul means when he says, bear one-another’s burdens.

I. CHRISTIANS ARE COMPASSIONATE WHEN WE BEAR EACH OTHERS BURDENS

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22, NIV)

1. the Apostle James was big on "practical" Christianity

2. it's not enough to "know the right answers" in Sunday School and have "the right theology"

a. true Christianity takes those truths we discover in the Scriptures and puts them into practice in daily life

3. some of those practical truths are discovered here in the sixth chapter of Galatians

A. CHRISTIANS NEED COMPASSION WHEN THEY FAIL

“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.” (Galatians 6:1–2, ESV)

1. the Apostle begins by reminding the Galatian Christians that they are brethren

a. in all matters except the surrender of core Christian doctrine, or the thoroughly unrepentant believer, the Apostle Paul encouraged a conciliatory attitude toward the brother or sister caught in a transgression

b. there will be times in every believer’s Christian walk when he or she does not walk a straight path

2. what is to be done when a brother or sister in Christ is overtaken in a transgression?

a. the word caught or overtaken in this verse literally means to side-slip

b. the word carries with it the idea of being surprised by one’s own behavior and that the act was not a deliberate act of disobedience

ILLUS. It’s been a fair number of years ago, so I can tell this story. I was working here in my office when I heard the kitchen door open. Into my office came two ladies. A 30-something year-old-woman with her mother. They were needing gas money for a “trip to Jefferson City for a doctor’s visit.” The young lady was a “regular.” The ministerial alliance here in town has a policy that we will help local residents four times a year. We’re here to help people with emergency needs, and we’re glad to do so because we know that some of our residents really do struggle financially. But she was a “regular” ... one who came around like clock-work every three months to get her tank of gas. I heard the proverbial sob story of what was going on in her life, and she had mom there to verify that it was all true. (And it certainly all could have been true). I had them fill out a voucher, and sent them to BreakTime.

About fifteen minutes later I got a phone call from the attendant at BreakTime. She said, “Pastor Krueger, you just sent two ladies here for gas, didn’t you?” I told her that, indeed, I had. She said, “Well, I don’t want to be a tattle-tale, but I know your money comes from the donations of good Christian people, and this lady and her mom, came in and got their gas, and now they’re buying cigarettes and beer and snacks, and it’s just not right!” I asked if she could somehow stall them and I would be right there.

I hot-footed it up to BreakTime, and caught them just as they were coming out of the store, and I lit into them like I’ve never lit into anyone before or since. I told them that “The local churches did not exist to serve as their personal piggy-bank so that they could satiate their personal vices. Good people in this town give generously so we can meet emergency needs, and it’s obvious you don’t have an emergency need. If you had $50 for beer and cigarettes and snacks you certainly didn’t need money for gas from the community churches.” I said a few other things. Unkind things. I threatened to call the police and have them arrested for committing fraud. I had them both in tears. I told them to never, ever approach any church in this community again for help. Then I left.

c. I tell you that story to say that when it was all over, and I was driving back to the office I was overtaken by my transgression ... I was surprised by my own behavior

1) I felt very smug, in my righteous indignation form about five minutes ... which is about how long it took the Holy Spirit to smite my conscience

2) the anger, resentment, and acerbity of my language were certainly un-Christian

3. believers will often fail in their Christian walk

ILLUS. Like the hymn reminds us, we are all prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.

a. we will, as the Apostle Paul says, ‘side-slip’ from the way or righteousness and be overtaken by a sin

b. when that happens, the one who has slipped needs love and forgiveness and encouragement to live for Christ

c. does this mean that we take sin lightly?

1) never!

2) when Jesus confronted a woman caught in adultery, he forgave her, but also commanded go and sin no more

3) the one who has slipped needs love and forgiveness and encouragement— and yes, perhaps correction—to live for Christ

4. those who have achieved a measure of spiritual maturity have the responsibility to help restore a brother or sister who has been overtaken by temptation

a. the word restore means to repair or mend something

1) in Matthew 4:21 the same word is used of mending nets

a) it's the process of taking something that has become useless because of some kind of incident and making it useful again by repairing the problem

b) I like that idea

2) in 2 Corinthians 13:11 the same word is used of bringing someone back to his or her former position of wholeness or soundness

ILLUS. Jesus was in the “repair and mending” business. He always sought to fix people rather than condemn people. Look at the difference between the Pharisees and Jesus in how they treated the woman caught in adultery in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel.

5. this process of repairing brothers or sisters who have side-slipped is something that should be done in a spirit of meekness and gentleness, and sympathy

a. few things are more harmful to the new or immature believer than to be carped at by some self-righteous saint who believes that he or she has achieved a plain of spiritual maturity few others in the church have achieved

b. we are to approach the other person while considering our self Paul says

1) the word "considering" comes from a word that means to watch as a scout or sentry would watch over a city

2) in other words, if we are not careful in how we approach a brother or sister in Christ who has erred in some way, we may find ourselves rather embarrassed when we are overtaken by the same sin

6. practical Christianity means encouraging each other when we fail to be totally Christ-like

B. CHRISTIANS NEED COMPASSION WHEN THEY ARE BURDENED

1. burdens come in all shapes and sizes

a. burdens can be a physical dilemma or affliction

1) the Apostle Paul himself had a physical adversity which plagued him most of his adult life

2) in 2 Cor. 12:7 Paul refers to his "thorn in the flesh"

3) in Gal. 4:13 he writes, "Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first."

b. sometimes our burdens are emotional distress or anxiety

1) a wayward son or daughter can be an emotional burden

2) a relationship which has gone sour can cause emotional distress

3) loneliness, stress, apprehension or fear can all bring about emotional burdens

ILLUS. C.H. Spurgeon, the ‘Prince of Preachers’ was bi-polar. Sometimes his depression was so severe that he could not even get out of bed. An yet, even in those times he never missed a Sunday preaching ... often having to be carried onto the podium on a couch from which he would preach while reclined.

c. burdens can even be spiritual in nature

1) it may be concern over a lost loved one

2) it may be anguish over a back-slidden spouse or friend

3) it may be trepidation about God's call to ministry or service in your life

d. bottom line ... a burden is anything that threatens to crush the joy of our faith

2. bearing one another's burdens requires more than mere sympathy, it requires compassion

a. it means assisting another regardless of the oppressing affliction that has come their way

3. sharing the burdens that come to fellow believers is fulfilling the law of Christ

a. what is the "law of Christ" the Apostle Paul speaks of?

1) it is the principle that Christ both preached and practiced

2) the principle was espoused by Jesus to his disciple when he said, ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” (John 13:34–35, NIV)

b. our Lord constantly put this principle into concrete action in the way he dealt with individuals

ILLUS. On the night before his death by crucifixion what do we fing Jesus doing? Washing the feet of his disciples!

4. one commentator I read translated Gal. 6:1-2 this way: "Lift up and help endure the loads carried by one another which weight us down, in order to bring to completion the principles espoused by the anointed one – the Messiah."

5. practical Christianity means bearing each others burdens when we find our ourselves weighted down by adversity

II. CHRISTIANS ARE COMPASSIONATE WHEN WE PUT OTHERS ABOVE SELF

“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.” (Galatians 6:3–5, ESV)

1. what makes it possible for believers to bear each other's burdens?

2. the answer—a proper attitude about one's self

A. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SELF-SUFFICIENT

1. no believer is so self-important or so self-sufficient that they can make it without the prayers and support of those with whom they have a common bond in Jesus Christ

a. in other words, we need each other

ILLUS. One spring morning Jr. Bohon was plowing some of his bottom land along Flat Creek, and got his tractor stuck. The spring thaw had made the fields a muddy mess camouflaged by the brown crust of the warming days. In one particularly wet place Jr’s tractor broke through the surface layer, and became stuck in the mud. The harder he tried to get it out, the deeper he mired his tractor. Finally, he walked down the road to Ralph Thomas’ farm to ask for help. Ralph and Jr. piled into Ralph’s pickup, and they drove over to the field where the tractor was stuck. Ralph looked at the situation and just shook his head, and said, "Jr., it doesn't look good, but I tell you what. I'll go get my tractor and try pulling you out. But if we don't get it out, I'll come sit in the mud with you!"

2. all of us sometimes get "stuck in the mud" when the rains of affliction come and what seems to be a firm foundation gives way underneath us

a. when that happens we need someone to help pull us out

b. when they can't it's nice to know they'll come sit in the mud with us

3. being compassionate will almost always cost us

ILLUS. Jonathan Edwards, the Colonial Puritan Pastor, wrote, “In many cases, we may, by the rules of the gospel, be obliged to give to others, when we cannot do it without suffering ourselves ... else how is that rule of bearing one another’s burdens fulfilled? If we be never obliged to relieve other’s burdens, but when we can do it without burdening ourselves, then how do we bear our neighbour’s burdens, when we bear no burdens at all?”

a. do you hear what he is saying?

1) when you say, “I would love to help, but I can’t afford, it,” or “I’d like to, but I don’t have the time to,” what you mean is, “I can’t help without burdening myself. I can’t afford to help without really hurting myself.”

2) Edwards said that’ exactly what you’re being called to do in Galatians 6:2

b. when you say, “I can’t afford to help,” what you mean is, “I can’t afford to help without suffering myself,” but that’s the whole point!

4. Christians fulfill the law of Christ when we put the interests of others ahead of our own

III. CHRISTIANS ARE COMPASSIONATE WHEN WE WE LOOK FOR UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD

“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.” (Galatians 6:7–10, ESV)

1. in the context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, it is obvious that if we sow brotherly love and compassion that is what we will in turn reap

a. you cannot mock God

1) the word literally means "to make mouth at"

ILLUS. Have you ever seen a child contort and mock with their mouth someone with whom they have just had an argument or disagreement?

b. we consider such actions childish and juvenile

2. our actions are childish and juvenile when we assume we can sow hatred and dissension and disinterest in the Body of Christ and not reap hatred and dissension and disinterest

A. CHRISTIANS NEED TO SEARCH OUT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10, NIV)

1. every day that you live, you have the opportunity to express your Christianity in a positive, and practical way

2. often it is the seemingly little things in life that we think are insignificant that are the true tests of how well our life is associated with the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ

a. doing good means finding opportunities to praise rather than to criticize

b. doing good means looking for opportunities to encourage rather than discourage

c. doing good means counting your blessings rather than your misfortunes

d. doing good means looking on a difficult situation as an opportunity rather than as a disaster

ILLUS. When I was growing up, one of the more popular cartoon shows was the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. One of the characters on that show was a Canadian Mounty named Duddly Do-Wright. His arch enemy was Snidly Whiplash. Duddly was a bumbling Mounty, but he was pure as the driven snow. He always went about doing right. Snidly Whip-lash's chief complaint was that Duddly was a "do-gooder."

3. Christians need to be like Duddly Do-Wright ... we need to be "do-gooders" – especially toward those who are part of the family of God

a. how can we be do-gooders toward our fellow saints?

1) by Forgiving one-another

2) by Encouraging one-another

3) by Comforting one-another

4) by Praying for one-another

5) by—as we have learned from Galatians 6:1-2—by bearing one-another's burdens

4. we must never grow tired in searching for opportunities to do good

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NIV)

a. Paul puts his finger on a well-known problem in our natures

b. the temptation is to get discouraged and burned-out when we are constantly trying to do good and never see any real results or reap any personal rewards from doing so

ILLUS. Psychologists have diagnosed a condition known as Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) syndrom. It is more commonly known as "Compassion Fatigue” and is a condition characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time. Psychologists say it's suffered by those who repeatedly feel called upon to do good.

c. well-doing requires continued effort, and constant toil

1) therefore we are not to "grow weary"

2) the word "weary" means to "fail of heart"

d. if we continue to "do good" we shall reap a harvest if we do not relax our efforts

ILLUS. Charles Dickens once said; “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.”

5. Christians do good when they continually look for opportunities to do good – especially for fellow believers

Most of you have heard this story before, but it bears repeating:

A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.

An empathetic person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."

A Christian fundamentalist said, "Only bad people fall into pits."

A mathematician came along and calculated how deep the pit was.

A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.

An IRS agent asked if the man was paying taxes on the pit.

A self-pitying person said, "You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit."

A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, "You deserve your pit."

A Christian Scientist observed, "The pit is just in your mind."

A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."

A name it and claim it preacher came along and said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."

An optimist said, "Things could be worse."

A pessimist claimed, "Things couldn’t be worse."

"Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit."