Sermon Tone Analysis

So, we are almost at the end of this wonderful epistle.

I trust that you have been challenged by this book and have enjoyed our study of it.

As Paul is wrapping up his teaching and instructions to the churches in Galatia,

He leaves them with some last words of encouragement and also some warning.

So common for Paul.

He has such an intense passion for those to whom he ministers.

He encourages and warns and instructs all in the same breath

Here is the overall message:

Don’t Give Up!

This is a much-needed encouragement now more than ever.

DON’T GIVE UP!

It’s not unusual to open up new articles and read of yet another person who has abandoned the faith

You look around us, you hear the news..

yet another ministry leader has abandoned the faith that he spent many years upholding and professing

I recently came across the name C. Pearson

Pearson was an extremely high-profile preacher in Tulsa, OK.

Preaching to thousands of people weekly in his church and hundreds of thousands of people in a TV audience

He counseled and had the ear of presidents.

But he gave up one day.

He stopped preaching the Gospel as we find it in Scripture.

And today he preaches at a Unitarian church.

Whether people are falling away from the faith or falling into sin, the message is the same:

DON’T GIVE UP!

The proclamation and the living out of the Gospel of Freedom is something that takes faith, stedfastness, perseverance, courage.

Being careful and intentional about how we live

Walking according to the Spirit

Setting our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith

Share with those who teach you

Galatians 6:6 “6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.”

It’s kind of interesting reading commentaries on this.

They all talk about supporting your pastors…those who teach.

I think that we at Fairview know that it’s a good thing to support those who serve as pastors of the church

I know that there is probably some disagreement as to whether a pastor should be “paid” as full-time or not

But even if when we gave our pastors “love offerings”, it was still because of this passage and other passages that speak to supporting your pastors

So, I think it’s OK to talk about the financial support of our pastors

But as I studied this passage, it occurred to me that Paul doesn’t specifically mention pastors or elders as he does in other passages

It seems kind of broad.

“those who teach the word”

So the question came to mind: as we think about our context today, is this passage only talking about pastors, or are there others who teach the word?

What about moms and dads who are trying to teach their children about Jesus

What about Sunday School teachers who faithfully prepare their lessons every week?

What about mentors who meet one on one with young people whom they are discipling?

And is this passage only talking about supporting pastors and teachers financially, or are there other ways?

There are other passages that speak more directly to supporting pastors with money

But this passage doesn’t say that.

Instead, we are told, “Share all good things”.

That’s pretty broad.

Might I make a suggestion that when we read this verse in Galatians that we think a little farther than just making sure our pastors have enough on the table to eat and that they can buy clothes for their kids

I think that we should consider that it’s not just pastors who teach the word

I believe that we should consider that actively teaching the Word is an extremely difficult job

And I don’t say that in order to get anyone’s sympathy.

It’s just the way it is.

Those of you who have been pastors or who need to prepare weekly for Sunday School know this to be absolutely true

Those dad’s and mom’s who have struggled to find time to teach their children and find time to pray with them also know this to be true

Even if you enjoy teaching (and I do), it is still hard work

Not only is there the preparation of studying the Word and trying to understand it to an extent that you are ready to teach it to someone else,

The weight and burden of making sure that you communicate clearly and correctly what the Word is saying

There is a reason that the apostle James admonishes us not to jump into a teaching position lightly

James 3:1 “1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

It’s a great responsibility and can be a heavy burden

don’t forget, there is also the spiritual warfare that goes with it

Do you think that our enemy is excited and happy about folks being taught about things like having abundant life, living in freedom, or walking in the Spirit, or loving each other, or about the futility and danger of walking according to the flesh?

I don’t think so

So there is spiritual warfare when it comes to teaching the word

Teaching the word can also be very risky when it comes to the social life of the teacher.

If the teacher is to be faithful to the Word, he/she has to teach things that are difficult to hear and many times difficult to accept

And it can cause people to hold them at arms length

Maybe be friendly to their face on Sunday morning, or at the supermarket, but not really want to associate with them

I mean, who knows, a guy who teaches the Bible for a living, how could he be any fun to be around?

I can’t be myself around a guy like that.

I might get preached at.

I say all this, again, not to garner sympathy, but to make the point that I think that there is a reason that Paul states it like he does: “If you are taught the Word, share all good things with those who teach.”

Don’t just give them money, but share ALL good things

Things like

Share Encouragement:

This is something that quite honestly I could do a lot better on.

A teacher can put a lot of time and effort into preparing a lesson or a sermon and then come away wondering if it was worth it

Did anyone actually hear what I said?

did it make sense?

Teachers need encouragement sometimes.

And some of you are really good at doing that.

From my heart, I thank you for that.

It means so much

Sunday School teachers, thank you for all that you do.

Thank you for taking the time to study and lead the classes on Sunday morning

It’s a big and serious committment to teach Sunday School.

But some of you do it faithfully and I thank you for it

Hang in there!

Share friendship

Share your time and your heart with your teachers

They are real people and need that deep connection with people

They need relationships that are safe…Where they can just be people.

Times when they can take off the teacher hat and just be ordinary people

Share prayer

If you are being taught the Word by someone, don’t be scared to go to them and say, “Hey, how can I pray for you?” or “Hey, let’s meet regularly to pray together”

Or just let them know “I’ve been praying for you!”

Sow good seed

I know that we’ve talked about this a lot and that living in an agricultural society, we know this to be absolutely true

In order to reap good crops, you have to sow good seed.

In order to reap corn, you have to sow corn seed.