If you will, be turning to Galatians
chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6. I'm going to be a little repetitive
this morning. There's a couple of words that will stand out.
I may say a lot and that's good. I need to remember them and you
need to remember them. But Paul spent the first five chapters
of this epistle being very clear. He's been very plain and he's
laid forth the means of our salvation. We are not saved by our doing. We're saved by what Christ has
already done, what he's already accomplished. We're saved by
grace alone, not by works. Now the children of God are given
a new heart. We are born again. We have a
new life put in us. And that new birth is a lot like
our physical birth. We didn't contribute anything.
It was given to us. They're both completely and totally
out of our hands. We received that physical life
and we received spiritual life. Those are gifts that are given.
And all the work of it is the Lord's. He performed my physical
birth. He performed my spiritual birth.
And if all the work is His, who gets the glory? He does. He is the only one worthy of
the glory. I had no part in it. Now Paul has declared these things
that we are saved through grace alone. It's made it clear. And
then he gives some instruction to those that's been saved through
this spirit. Those that's been given a new
heart. He gives us some practical applications. And we're going
to see some practical applications here today. And those are good. But if we don't see the spiritual
application, if we don't get some more meaning out of this
other than something that does in this world, like we looked
at, I spoke Wednesday about the finances. If we stay out of debt
and we pay our bills and we live within our means, we'll have
an earthly benefit in that. That's not a bad thing. Earthly,
that's fine, but if we don't see the spiritual benefit of
that, if we don't learn something of Christ through those verses,
through what that means in our souls, we won't have any benefit
at all. Does it benefit a man if he gains
the whole world but loses his soul? We'll see some practical
applications here today, but we'll get in there in verse 1,
Galatians 6 verse 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, if a man's overtaken in a fault, if one of our brothers
or sisters is overtaken in a fault, but the word there, if, means
although in the present tense, and it means when in the future
tense. These faults, they have happened,
they're happening now, and they're going to happen again. My brothers
and sisters are going to fall. They're going to have faults.
They're going to have sins. I'm going to have that. But although
they're overtaken in a fault, or when they're overtaken in
a fault, we've all been at fault. I'm at fault right now. And we'll
see later on more than I realize that I'm going to be in fault,
as my brothers and sisters are. But we know this. Paul wrote
to the Romans, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God. We've all sinned. Who is that? Is that you? Is
that me? All. Yes, that's me. Yes, that's
you. It's everybody. Sin's mixed in
everything that we do. And if we know that, why are
we surprised when our brother or sister falls? When they're
overtaken in a fault? When they do something that's
out of character from what we think is good? Why are we surprised
about that? Are we surprised when we see
a deer eating clover? Why doesn't that shock us? That's
its nature. That's what it does. That sin
nature is with us always. We carry that. And we'll carry
it to the grave until we leave this world. So it shouldn't surprise
us. But more importantly, why don't
we understand that we ourselves are nothing but sin. We ourselves are in fault at
all times. How can I look down my nose at
a brother or sister in Christ If I understand what I am, if
I understand who I am, how can I look down on them? Christ warns
us to this in Matthew. He says, Judge not that you be
not judged. For with what judgment you judge,
you shall be judged. And for what measure you measure,
it shall be measured to you again. We should be careful how we do
that. But before we judge the family
of Christ, let's always remember what we are first. what compassion's
been put on us, how the Lord's treated us, and what we're capable
of, what my old flesh is capable of. But it says there in Galatians
6, 1, Brethren, when a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, now he's speaking here to the Lord's people. Who
are these people that are spiritual? They know that they're in sin
too. These people that's been given a new heart and a new life,
they have eyes to see what they are. We saw that law, and it
revealed to us our sin. We were already sinful, but now
we see it. We understand these things, and Paul's instructing
the children of God here. It's who he's speaking to. And
as we go on, it'll be more clear that only cross-sheep can enter
into this. Anyone can practically enter
into being nasty brethren, but only the Spirit of God entering
into someone and teaching them can show them these things spiritually.
It says, Brethren, if a man be taken in our fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such a one. When a sister or brother falls,
we restore them. That means we mend them. We lift
them back up and restore them. Have you ever seen a classic
car be restored? What condition is it in once
it's restored? It's the way it was when it was
new. When it was first made. That's what we're to restore
our brethren. The way when they first received life. When they
first looked to Christ. That's what we bring them back
to. We remind them of Him. Point them towards Christ. Remind
them of the Scriptures. They're so sweet to them. That
joy that was in their first love, as Christ tells us. That's what
we're pointing them back to. But what if someone that's not
spiritual, if they haven't received spiritual life, how do they act?
How do they respond to someone who's in a fault? They turn away
from their brethren. They don't turn towards them
when they're in a fault and mend them and lift them up. They turn
away from them. They say, I'm done with you. They'll cut them
off. And they don't restore that brother,
but they tear him down. They don't mend that person.
They pull apart. They do the opposite. But now
the ones doing this pulling and this tearing that says, I'm done
with you, they too can be a true child of God. that's currently
in fault. That could be the fault that
they're in. So if we approach our attitude towards everyone,
it should be the same. Because we don't know. I don't
know if that's someone going to rebel against the Lord for
eternity? Or if this is just a season? Is this just temporary,
a fault that the Lord is going to correct? He's going to bring
them back to Him. I don't know, so my attitude
and my demeanor towards them, my response to them, should be
the same. Point them towards Christ. Mend them. Restore them. Build them back up. But that
should be our attitude. Meekness. Meekness should be our attitude.
Our brother might be the one that's in fault today, but give
it a day. I'll be the one that's in fault.
Whenever I fall, I'm mended, I'm lifted back up by my brethren,
and when they stumble, I mend them. I restore them. But it
says there, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness. When
we see what we truly are, how sinful and how helpless this
flesh is, we don't have a haughty air about us. We don't have an
arrogance about us whenever we see our brethren fall. We know
that that's just as easily me as them. There's no difference.
We're all meek. We're made to be meek. But what's
our example in these things? How would I know I should be
meek? What makes us that way? How do
I know when to restore my brother? How do I know how to restore
them? Christ is our example. Christ is our example. We're
overtaken in an eternal fault. We fell on Adam. And every day
since then, we've sinned. We fell on him and I fall daily.
An eternal fault. Eternal condemnation. And that's
what Christ has restored us from. I was in a fault. He restored
me. He redeemed His people with His blood. He regenerated us.
In newness of life, He draws us to Him and He'll resurrect
us at that last day. He'll bring us to Him. How did
He do all that? What was His attitude when He
restored us from that eternal fault? He was meek. He was in total meekness. He
lowered Himself from His majesty in the heavens. And He came down
to be made a man, to live in a sinful world. He lowered Himself,
lower than the angels. That's meek. You know, a good
leader said, you don't ever ask anyone under you to do something
you wouldn't do yourself. But our Master's yoke hits light.
That burden's easy, isn't it? We see He completely restored
us in the epitome of meekness. how much easier it is for us
to restore our brother that's fallen. We should have a good
attitude to it, and it's easier. He did a great job. In 6.1 it says, in the spirit
of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Does
this mean treating others as I want to be treated? Of course
it does. Our Lord told us there in Matthew
7, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to
you, do ye even so to them. For this is the law and the prophets.
We should treat others the way we want to be treated. Whenever
I'm fallen, I don't want them looking down at me or shaming
me or scolding me. I want them to comfort me, be
kind to me, point me back to Christ. But when we consider
ourselves through the eyes of this new man that's been put
in us, That's when we're made to be weak. Meek, I'm sorry. Made to be meek. We consider
ourselves, we consider our fault, and we consider our restoration.
Consider what Christ has done for us. And that sets the attitude
for all things. When a brother sins against me
in a slight way, I'm turned to realize I sinned against God. Whenever I need to lift my brother
up a little bit, Christ lifted me up out of that miry pit. I
need to be meek while I'm mending my brother. Christ mended me
while being made a man and living on this earth. Come from His
throne." Remember that woman found in adultery? The Pharisees
brought her to Christ and said, well, Moses' law demands that
she be stoned. What do you say? Christ told
them, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast
a stone at her. You remember what happened? One
by one, those accusers started leaving. It's just her and her
and our Lord. That's what Paul's warning us
here in verse 1, considering ourselves unless we also be tempted. We can't forget what we are.
Verse 2 says, bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law
of Christ. We bear one another's burdens.
Why would we do that? How is that an easy yoke? How
is it easy for me to bear my brother's and sister's burdens?
Christ bore my burdens. That's my example. That's what
he did for us. That's what we're brought in remembrance to when
we do these things. Peter wrote, who his own self
bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we being dead
to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.
Christ bore my sin. We have a meekness from bearing
a slight burden in our brothers and sisters. He bore me completely. Makes it a little easier, doesn't
it? But by doing this, by bearing one another's burdens, by mending
one another, by pointing one another to Christ, that fulfills
the law of Christ. That's what he's saying there
in verse 2. It fulfills the law of Christ.
But turn over to Galatians 5 over page, Galatians 5.14. It says, for all the laws fulfilled
in one word, even this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Bob brought that out wonderfully
this morning. Christ is the one that's loved his neighbor. He's
the one that loved us. Paul wrote to the Corinthians,
love beareth all things. That's what love does, it bears.
Bears all things. And it says we bear one another's
burdens. We bear their joy. We bear their rejoicing. That's
not a burden, is it? To bear is to hold a burden,
to help put your shoulder under it, lift it up. That's easy to do in fun times,
but this is whenever it's not convenient. Thanks be to God,
that's when those trials come and our hearts tore open. It
overflows. We have some brethren here in
this congregation and in other congregations that are in heavy,
heavy burdens. They're in the middle of heavy
trials, heavy burdens. And I pray we're made meek and
we're given a loving heart to help them to bear those burdens
with one another. I pray we can cry with one another,
listen to one another, pray for one another, comfort one another.
We bear the burdens in any way, whatever way the Lord provides,
puts in our hand for us to do. It don't always look the same
in every case, but whatever Whatever opportunity we have, I hope we're
willing to do that. Trials come. They will come. Burden's going to be laid on
us. When that happens, we need to be reminded to love one another,
bear one another's burdens, and be reminded through that what
Christ has loved us and bore for us. We'll need to be reminded
of this text. I'll need to be reminded of this
text. Let's turn over to John 13. John chapter 13 verse 34. There will be comfort to the
one with the burden and the one helping with the burden when
the trials come. Both parties will be comforted.
Look here in John 13, 34. A new commandment I give you
that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love
one another. By this shall all men know. All men. By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one for another.
We're commanded to love one another. How? As Christ loved us. Can
we muster up love? Can we choose To love someone. Is that a conscious act we can
make? You either love them or you don't. Can you stop loving
someone you already love? Can a parent stop loving a child?
Can a husband stop loving a wife? If we have love in us, it's something
that's in us. It's not something we go pick
up at the store. This is not something that originates
in the flesh. This doesn't come from us. It's
in that new spirit that's given us. And this is the proof of
it. This is a proof to us that Christ has done a work and it
says there in verse 35, this is how men will know you chose
to be my disciples? No. So this is how they will
know you are my disciples and all men. My brethren will know
it and I'll know it. We'll have comfort in those things.
Comfort that Christ put that love in us. Alright, we'll go
back to our text now. This source of love that we have
in us is Christ. He's the originator of it. The
glory for loving and being a disciple goes to Christ. And because it's
so freely given to us, it's a privilege for us to freely give that love
and compassion to someone else, to bear their burdens. Paul wrote
in Galatians 6.1 there, ye which are spiritual. A spirit must
be given to us to have this love. Christ has to put that in us.
They're in Galatians 6.3, for if a man think himself to be
something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. And one
of the commentators brought out a good point here. It says he
deceiveth himself. It doesn't say he deceives someone
else. He deceived himself. We think higher of ourselves
than we truly are. And others can see right through
that. They see us as we are, more than we do. And others have
a clearer picture of what we are and what we're doing And
we're not aware of those things. We don't see the bulk of our
own sin, just the tip of the iceberg. I don't know the magnitude
of my sin. I'm pretty confident if the Lord
fully showed me what I am, how truly sinful I am, I'd probably
explode, probably kill me right then. But conversely, we also
don't see our own fruit. When we're a blessing to our
brethren, we're not aware of those things. We don't recognize
we're being a blessing to them, but I pray the Lord would keep
us humble. I pray he would humble me often that I'm not aware of
my own failures. I'm not aware of my own faults
fully, but I hope he would humble me to get a glimpse of them that
way I can deal compassionately with my brethren. And with that knowledge, if He
gives us that humbleness, that new meek spirit, I pray He gives
us an attitude not to look down on others. To remember they're
the same lump of clay that we're made out of. We're no different. We're equally weak before the
Almighty God. Let's turn over to 1 Corinthians
chapter 4. 1 Corinthians 4 verse 6, And these
things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to
Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think
of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed
up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
And if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou
had not received it, as if you earned it? Everything that I
have physically and spiritually is from the Lord. He's given
me everything. He's restored me from death to
life. He has a meekness borne my burden. He's carried it completely. He's given us all things on this
earth and in heaven. Galatians 6.3 says, For if a
man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth
himself. But let every man prove his own
work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and
not another. If you are deceiving yourself
into thinking you can rejoice in yourself and no one else,
you're going to bear your own burden. He said, tell me how
it's going to work out for you. There in verse 5, For every man
shall bear his own burden. If a sinner thinks they can bear
their own burden, they think that they can carry their own
law, they can carry their own salvation, they can make their
own choices, they can carry their own love, they can pick themselves
up by the bootstraps. Proud of this accomplishment,
Paul's saying, you shall bear your own burden. Go ahead and
try it, but it ain't gonna work out well for you. That's what
he's saying. That's a horrible thought for
me. What a weight that sin that I have is. That punishment for
it. If it's laid on my shoulders
alone, I have to bear it. I can't bear it. I can't carry
that. What are we to do? As we say
in those songs, take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
God must cause a man or woman to lay their burden on Christ.
He must cause us to do that. It's a work that must be performed
in us. Like that pilgrim had that burden
on his back, and he went to the cross, and when he looked up
to the cross, that's when the burden fell off. It has to be
given to us to look to Christ, and then that burden is going
to fall. We don't forget it, but we don't care it anymore.
In our natural state, we want to get back to zero. That old
man, he wants to address his own burden. I'm in debt, but
I can get back in the black. It's like a gambling addict.
We're in a hole and we want to win our way out of it. We keep
having hope that we can get back to where we were. It's not going
to happen. Galatians 6 verse 6. Let him that is taught in
the word communicate. The word means share and give. Let him that is taught in the
word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
To the children of God that's been taught in the Word of God,
taught in Christ, they communicate, they share, they give from their
heart to those that teach them. Paul wrote to Timothy, for the
Scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out
the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. And does
that mean that we provide to those that teach Christ to us?
Yes, but not only material things. We pray for those that labor
in the Word. We share their burdens as well. We meekly restore them. We meekly build them up. Look
after them. They're no different than any
other brother. Paul's saying here, if we treat our brothers and
sisters this way, our brothers and sisters in Christ, we treat
the ones that haven't heard the gospel yet this way. Those people
that surround us in our families and stuff, don't forget to restore
and bear the burdens of those that teach you. We communicate
to them. I'm no different than any other
believer. No pastor or preacher is any
different. I'm just a sinful man. It just
happens to be what the Lord put in my hand to do. But I'm not
a special group that's void of trials and troubles and burdens.
Paul is reminding us of that. There in verse 7 it says, What
are these things we're going to reap? We saw this the other time in
Galatians 5, those fruits of the Spirit. The fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.
So if we sow love with one another, what are we going to reap? We'll
reap love. We sow joy, we'll reap joy. Sow peace, we'll reap peace.
And so on. All through those. And there's
no law, there's no limit against these things. When we restore,
restore abundantly. When we bear, bear as much as
you can. We want to do those things. It says in verse 9, And
let us not be weary in well-doing. Don't get wore out in it. For in due season we shall reap
if we faint not. What is he talking about? Well,
I've loved my brother and he hasn't loved me back. I've lifted
up my sister and she hasn't lifted me up back. She hasn't thanked
me for it. I've restored them, tried to
make them whole again, reminded them of Christ. They have been
receptive. They're still pulling, they're still fighting. In due
season, you'll reap. Don't faint. That's what He's
telling us. Wait on the Lord to bless and profit. He's the
one that blesses the harvest. If He blesses our harvest physically,
wouldn't He bless our spiritual harvest? When we plant love,
we plant joy, we sow those things, that's what we'll reap. He gave
us the seed, He gave us the water, and He's the one that grows it.
He'll bring it. Wait on Him. There in verse 10
says, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Now
the new heart in us rejoices in the fruits of the Spirit.
That'll dictate how we deal with people. That'll dictate how we
deal with people at our jobs, how we deal with people at the
grocery store, and our family, our friends. It'll dictate all
those things. and deal peaceably with them,
but more especially how we're to deal with our church family,
our brothers and sisters in Christ, these that we're fitly framed
together with, those that love the same Lord we do, especially
to them. But as Christ has been kind to
us, that's how we should be kind to them. That's how we restore.
As he has restored me from death and corruption, that's how we
should restore them. Let us treat our brethren the
same way as we want to be treated, as we want Christ to forgive
us. Let us show mercy. It's easier to show mercy when
you know what mercy is, when you've been shown mercy. It's
easier to love when you've been loved, isn't it? That's an easy burden. I pray the Lord will bear us
together in it. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, forget so often
in this world what you've done for us. Lord, we forget in our
dealings with people, with our brethren, with our family, the
mercies you've showed towards us, the love you've showed towards
us, how gracious you've been to us. Lord, we're thankful for
these earthly blessings you've given us, for this physical life
you've given us. Keep us always thankful for those
spiritual gifts, Lord, for salvation that You've given us, for life
in Christ. Keep us looking to Him. Lord,
when we have a brother or sister that's fallen in a fault or in
hard times through a trial, make us remind them of our first love. Make us remind them of that grace
and mercy and peace we have through Your Son. Be with us always,
Lord. We're so sinful, needy, and so
prone to wonder. Keep our hearts, Lord, as only
You can. It's in Christ's name that we ask it. Amen.