Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRO: A couple weeks ago, James and I went to the Baptist State Convention.

(We share(d) about this during SS hour today) The theme for this year’s Convention was “On Mission Together”.

Throughout the pastors’ conference and meetings, we heard sermons, missions reports, goals, and strategies that all pointed us the fact that in order for us to be obedient to the Great Commission, we would have to work together.

Considering that there are nearly 8 billion people on earth, and 6500+ different languages, just communicating the Gospel is a BIG task.

But we are called to not just communicate, but to “make disciples” of all nations.

This is considerably more involved and is overwhelming to even comprehend.

Even with the cooperative efforts of the SBC with over 3500 international missionaries in countries all across the globe, stats say that 2 people die without a relationship with Christ every second.

(ASR report 2021)

If we zoom in a bit to our local context, it’s easy to overlook that number.

In fact, oftentimes we can overlook any sense of responsibility as Christians simply by burying ourselves in the busyness of life and increasingly shelter ourselves from the lost souls around us.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been studying Paul’s letter to the Galatian church.

These folks had been deceived by false teachers, which Paul condemns.

The focal point of this letter is the Gospel- We are sinners who cannot save ourselves, but God, being rich in mercy and love gave His Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins.

Through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, we put off our life of sin and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus, our King.

Last week, we explored what it looks like to live in lordship.

Today, we will take the concept of Lordship and apply it within the context of the local church.

If you look at Gal 6:1, Paul softens his tone a bit as he calls the Galatians “brethren”.

We have shifted to a pastoral plea.

You and I can read it this way: Brethren (and Sistren), we were meant to do this together.

In a world where we tend to individualize everything, you and I were called into a Kingdom to be a body TOGETHER.

Christ established His church as ‘living stones’ that would together demonstrate and proclaim the goodness of Yahweh through the Gospel of Jesus.

Consider a brick… alone it is unimpressive.

Now, we could paint it, write on it, make it as unique as possible, but it’s still just a single brick.

But when we have a whole bunch of bricks- even though they may all look a little different, together we can construct a beautiful temple.

That’s the point.

What God has called us to is greater than any individual can accomplish.

We were meant to do all this together- All that has been covered in this letter-

Resisting false teaching

Defending the Gospel

Grasping and living in grace

Correcting our errors

Preserving freedom

Living in lordship

All of this is to be done in the context of the local church- TOGETHER!

There is no directive for us to be heroes or lone-rangers Christians.

Rather, we are called as part of the body of Christ to live under the supreme rule and reign of Jesus and to proclaim His kingdom.

So today, as we explore this final chapter of Galatians, I want to urge you to consider your place in this body.

I am so grateful for this local church- I can see God working in and through so many lives!

Even so, I am confident that there are some of you who have not yet connected in the ways that Jesus has called us to.

I pray that you will be challenged to do so today.

If you picked up a bulletin, I encourage you to follow along in the provided sermon guide.

Let’s learn together how we are Better Together; 3 directives to living in Lordship in the Local Church.

Let’s dive in.

The first directive we see here in verses 1-5 is:

Let Us Be Compassionate Together (1-5)

Let’s read these again (READ)

We will break this down in 3 areas:

1: Accountability:

Look here at.

v. 1- If anyone is caught in any trespass… let me just say that this is going to happen to all of us!

The Christian life is not a life that is free from temptation or burden.

That is one of the big lies that people sometimes believe.

We have been saved from the rule of sin, but the effects are still present.

I’m going to mess up.

You are going to mess up.

(Some of you are messing up right now!)

And because of this, we need one another in order to continue in our growth.

“You who are spiritual...” That is, you who are more mature in your faith.

This is discipleship.

You who have been walking with Jesus longer need to come alongside those who are newer believers!

Every one of us needs to have people who will come alongside us and hold us accountable.

“Restore… in a spirit of gentleness...”

He didn’t say, badger them.

He didn’t say beat them with a book or verbally abuse them.

No, he said restore him gently.

To restore means to make like new… maybe even improve a bit.

ILL: Charles Gant recently had an old Ford pickup restored.

This was a process- it took time, money, and patience.

But today, it is even nicer than it was when it rolled off the factory line.

Accountability is about restoring a brother or sister in Christ to the life that Christ has called them to.

2. Assistance:

Verse 2 says “Bear one another’s burdens...” This is practical.

Physically, if you see someone struggling to carry a load, would you not assist them?

Paul is likely referring to spiritual or emotional burdens here.

Now, this is a broad category, but let me give some examples of a burden:

Anxiety - fear of sickness, financial distress, uncertainty, stress in the workplace

Grief- Loss of loved one, medical diagnoses, persistent sin, a child who has rebelled

Depression - dysfunctional family, trauma, genetic disposition, etc.

As believers, we need one another walk these paths.

You don’t have to walk them alone, and we should be ready and willing to take our neighbor’s hand and walk with them.

ILL: In Psalm 23, we see the valley of the shadow of death… I read somewhere that the very presence of a shadow lets us know there is light!

You and I are encouraged to walk with one another and point to the Light of our Lord through love.

We assist each other in love by joyfully bearing one another’s burdens.

3. Humility:

Verse 3 - “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself...”

This is simply the proper perspective in which to offer accountability and assistance.

The greatest picture here is that which Jesus gave as he knelt to wash the feet of the disciples.

It was given as a model for us to follow.

Jesus told his disciples that they were to serve one another this way.

If Jesus, who is King over ALL humbled himself, even to the point of death on a cross, then you and I as believers ought to adopt a spirit of humility and demonstrate compassion together in the Lordship of Jesus.

Discuss: Describe a time when you experienced the compassion of another Christian in the church.

What ways could you demonstrate compassion this week?

Next, we see that Paul urge:

Let Us Be Generous Together (6-8)

Let’s read these together (READ)

Paul’s directive here is not simply about giving to the church or even paying the pastor.

I am thankful that you do both!

And this is partly about that, but the greater context is an urge for us to invest in the Kingdom of God.

God called me here.

I am confident of this.