Carrying Each Other's Burdens

One Another-ing  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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One of the greatest privileges we have is carrying one another's burdens, and one of the greatest challenges we have is carrying one another's burdens. How do we carry one another's burdens well? How do we do so in a way that glorifies Jesus? How do we do this without becoming burned out? When we carry one another's burdens well, we are loving one another, and everyone will know that we are Jesus' disciples.

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Growing up, my dad had a set of weights that we would lift in our basement in our house. Free weights, and a bench.
And it always seems like the true test of manliness—the true test of strength was how much can you bench press.
The bench press is the exercise where you are lying down on the bench and bring it down all the way to your chest and then put it back on the rack.
that’s one rep
Guess how much I could bench press—yes—you guess it—a LOT as you can tell by my physique. (I can mentally bench press a ton)
so my friends and I would have some competition who could bench the most. for me to win, I would always try to make my friends laugh, make faces at them while bench pressing, and would try to win that way, which is so safe to do.
I looked up the world records by the way--
For men—the world record is without the use of any bench press shirts (which I didn’t even know really was a thing)—this is called raw was 782lb. and if they wore a bench press shirt—it was 1,120lb.
for women—raw bench press was 457 lbs and with support was 605lbs.
Usually, your goal is to do a rep without any assistance, without anyone spotting you—b/c that is a sign of true strength.
Did you realize that God’s vision for our community life, for our family life, for your life—is not to be the bench presser who does it all alone? No—God’s vision for us is not to be solitary bench pressers—but to be burden bearers. To help spot others who are carrying burdens, and also to be people who ask others to spot us and bench press life.
we are to be burden bearers, bench pressing spotters...
We are in our one another-ing series.
Based on Jesus’ command Himself—let’s read the verses:
John 13:34–35 NIV
34 “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.”
and the one another that we are looking at today is from Galatians 6.
Galatians 6:1–10 NIV
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
So the vision is verse 2.
Galatians 6:2 NIV
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
burdens—implies something heavy.
carry — implies coming alongside
fulfilling the law of Christ—is most likely referring back to Jesus’ command to love one another.
Do it—ok? You are dismissed...
Let’s unpack that.
Look at some principles in this call.
principle #1: All of us are called to do this. (vs. 1-2)
Galatians 6:1 NIV
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
The vision for this is not just pastors, or church board members or small group leaders or SS teachers doing this—but all. why?
b/c verse 1 says you who live by the Spirit (your translation may say “you who are spiritual”) all that means if this—if you have the Holy Spirit of God living inside you—you are called, you are equipped, you are responsible for doing this. Burden bearing is not for super-saints.
it is for the everyday Christian who considers themselves average—but you aren’t average—you are supernatural b/c you have the Holy Spirit.
b/c the moment that you confess your sin to a holy God, and trust in Jesus Christ to save you, and surrender to Him—BOOM! The Spirit of the living God takes residence. You can do this—not by yourself.
don’t always outsource your burden bearing (yes sometimes you need to get others involved—but if you noticed a burden—if the HS put it on your heart, He can equip you to help)
which leads me to my 2nd principle:
principle #2: Be on the look out for burdens. (vs. 1)
it says in verse 1—(look at it) if someone is caught in a sin.
If they are caught, what are you to do?
what do we normally do?
tell someone else about it
gossip about it--or at least mention as a prayer request. “We need to pray for so and so—they are really struggling...”
make sure someone else knows so they can do something about it.
no—you are called to go. Now, this isn’t over very little thing. They are caught in it—it is major. They can’t get through it by themselves—they need a weight lifter spotter or assister.
woh—time out...part of our burden bearing is not just physical, financial, social or material—it is spiritual.
so part of our burden bearing—is to help fellow believers in our church family struggling in sin.
they are caught and entangled.
this is hard to do—b/c we don’t necessarily want to. WE don’t want to come across as judgmental.
this means when you and I gather as a church, when we see people in our community at Berne Community markets—we cannot be completely consumed with our own lives. We have to be looking outward, beyond our immediate needs to see how can we bless someone else.
are you looking out? even as you came this morning—what was your attitude?
did you even think how can I help lift someone else’s burdens?
principle # 3: Bear Burdens in a spirit of gentleness..
look at verse 1
Galatians 6:1 NIV
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Tim Keller in his commentary on Galatians says: the original word in Greek meant to set a dislocated bone back into place. If you have a dislocated bone--you will be in pain. And it will also cause a lot of pain to put it back in place--but the ultimate goal is restoration and healing--everything set right--though there will be pain--it will be for that person’s healing.
yes—there will be pain—but when you and I bear burdens—we are to do so without putting a burden on someone else.
one of the ways we often do this—is we start lecturing them or judging them— “I can’t believe you got yourself in this mess.” “If you would have just...”
principle #4: Watch yourself/Have the right view of yourself.
Galatians 6:1 NIV
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
see that last part?
what does that mean?
it might mean that…we have to be careful lest we fall into the same pattern; lest we give to peer pressure and fall into the same sin as well.
but if you look at verse 3
Galatians 6:3 NIV
3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
and then verse 4
Galatians 6:4 NIV
4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
I think the sin that Paul is talking about here is pride. first of all if we are filled with pride—we are self-absorbed and wont’ notice other needs.
but secondly, when we help a brother or sister in sin—it’s tempting to help them from a position of pride—as if “I am up here and you are down here.” “I am up here and I can’t believe you are struggling down here so much. I would never give into that.”
you see when we go into help someone—sometimes we can do it from a position of up here—that they are somehow beneathe us.
no—instead, we are to come along side them.
we are no better than them.
all of us are equally sinners before a holy God
and all of us are saved in the same way—by the amazing grace of God through Jesus and His blood.
all of us should know that when we see someone struggling in sin—we should know that could easily be us.
so when we carry their burden—we come alongside. We listen, we love, we lovingly confront in gentleness. we set the bone in place—which may cause some pain—but out of love as Christ loved us.
some of us have that temptation to pride when we see someone in sin.
the other temptation is not to confront at all. to not do anything about it.
‘NOT MY PROBLEM.’ ‘NONE OF MY BUSINESS.’
sometimes we do this because of selfishness but the other reason is b/c we are afraid what other people think. “If I confront, they may not like me. They may think I am judging them. I may offend them. there is definitely that risk—but if you do so with the right motivation, out of love, in a spirit of gentleness—the burden is on them.” It’s easy to care too much struggling with what people think of us.
instead we confront with an accurate view of ourselves—the Gospel gives us this:
it humbles us—b/c of sin
and it lifts us up b/c God loves me so much—Jesus died for me.
when the Gospel is the center of my view—I am not comparing myself with others. I am looking at myself the way God wants.
Principle #5 — We are to carry burdens without having them become dependent on us. (vs. 4-5)
Galatians 6:4–5 NIV
4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load.
vs. 2 described us carrying burdens
and then vs. 5 says he person should carry his own load
are these verses going against each other?
Paul uses the word burdens in vs. 2 as something oppressively heavy—something you and I are called to help others and allow others to help us.
load is a different word in vs. 5. a smaller word—one translator says it’s like a backpack.
one biblical scholar (Tim Keller—Galatians page 170) says our load is our responsibilities and opportunities that God has given each one of us. All of us have a certain personality, certain gifts, talents—that have been given us uniquely by God, which we alone before God are responsible for.
what this means—practically—is that instead of comparing ourselves with other when we help them or ask for help—which we are called not to do. we will compare ourselves with…ourselves! we will judge each day with who we are today vs. who we were yesterday or last year or 5 year ago. and when you see progress—you can take legitimate pride—you can take pride in yourself alone without comparing yourself to someone else. b/c God has given them a different load to carry---a different lot in life. we don’t know the ins and outs of people. we must be careful not to assume what people are going through at church. Don’t assume—you can only measure your spiritual progress vs. yourself. we don’t know the pressures people are under. some people here today are smiling, but inside they are screaming for help, on the verge of tears, depression, anxiety, and even suicide.
the other thing this means—is that while you and I are called to help others—we can’t be everything for everyone. each person also has their own responsibility—their own load before God in life—that they themselves will have to answer to God for.
in other words—we are called to help but we can’t carry everything for them.
look at verse 7-8 which gets at some of the individual responsibility -
Galatians 6:7–8 NIV
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
I can’t blame someone else for what I reap in life.
so we are not to be:
independent of each other
nor fully dependent on each other all the time (may be seasons)
but inter-dependent within each
we bear burdens with people—but we can’t bear burdens for them.
i. If you are great burden bearer in our church--that is awesome--but you are not God--you are not anyone’s Savior. Each person will have to answer to God and how they have carried their own load and how they have responded to God.
I have noticed that many great burden bearers often are not great at allowing others to bear their burdens--humble yourself and allow others to minister to you.
ii. If you are great at relying on others in our church--our goal for you is that you will be able to carry your own load. And eventually that you will bear other people’s burdens, too.
Challenges of Carrying Burdens
It’s burdensome (to bear burdens!) You have to literally come alongside some one and bear it.
look at this of wood—which is worth a lot right now.
I can carry this—but if a buddy comes and help me—it’s much easier.
but to do it, they have to come alongside me, near me, and weigh themselves down. I feel relief, but they don’t.
there is a cost
often it is not always time or money
it is spiritual, relational, it is soul—ful.
it’s messy — (it takes discernment) to help someone financially, physically, materially, spiritually.
it can burn you out. You can grow weary!
look at vs. 9
Galatians 6:9 NIV
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
some of us feel weary...
The needs are endless
A Helpful tool — who I am responsible to help?
your physical family first (1 Timothy 5:8)
1 Timothy 5:8 NIV
8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
that’s alarming! Paul gave these instructions when talking about helping widows. He was challenging the church not to take care of every widow—but if a family has a widow in their family—they need to step up their game and take care of them. Don’t burden the church.
if you are struggling to take care of your immediate family —start there. start with your kids, your spouse, your aging parents. a brother or sister. don’t be consumed with meeting all the needs of the world if your own family neglected.
your church family next (Gal. 6:10)
Galatians 6:10 NIV
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
all people!
this means your local church family
this also means our wider church family—sometimes we see Paul collecting an offering one region and giving it to another region.
all people (as you have opportunity)
Galatians 6:10 NIV
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Good News
God gives the true change.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
harvest—we are nearing harvest season.
and here’s the thing as a farmer—they work so hard. they plant at the right time, use the right chemicals, fertilizer, but at the end of the day—they are dependent on God for the harvest.
we do all we can to help people with their burdens—but God is the true burden bearer…we give him all our burdens, and we give him other’s burdens.
I constantly come back to this as a pastor. In a week’s time, I hear of so many burdens that it can be overwhelming—but I am reminded that I am not God nor I am the Savior—I do what I can under the power of the Spirit—and God is the one who impacts people.
this verse is a reminder not to give up helping b/c God can truly impact and make a difference.
2. Jesus is the ultimate burden bearer--while we bear burdens with people—we can’t bear them for them...
there is one who did bear our burdens for us.
look at Isaiah 53:4-5
Isaiah 53:4–5 NIV
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Jesus bore our ultimate burden of sin and death on the cross. He didn’t just come alongside us—He took the whole thing—the burden of sin. He took the guilt and punishment of sin completely for us—He lifted it off our shoulders so that when you and I trust in Jesus—he takes the burden of sin, and give us true peace and blessing and favor with God.
If he can handle my burden of sin and death, and not just handle it—conquer it—He can handle anything we are facing.
call Mike forward...
I want you to grab 2 pieces of paper in the row—2 and a pencil.
On paper #1:
1.  First, write down who is God calling you to reach out to and help carry their burden. Give people a minute or so to do this and reflect, reminding them that it is God who helps carry the burden as we help others.
on the same piece of paper
2.  Second, if you are struggling with a burden right now, who can you reach out to help you carry that burden.  Remember God has appointed us as his agents of burden carriers. This takes a lot of humility.  Who can you reach out to?
on your 2nd piece of paper:
3.  Finally, what is the biggest burden you are carrying right now?  Maybe for you or someone else?  Write it down.  Surrender it to the Lord.
Then, we close with a song--"Let me tell you about my Jesus?" or something like that. During the song, I would invite people to stand up, take that burden, and rip it up in front of the trash can as a symbol of surrendering it to the Lord.
Call Deb forward to pray.
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