Galatians 6 v1-11

I do sit down and turn to Galatians chapter 5, or Galatians chapter 6.

Galatians 5 · chapter mention Galatians 6 · chapter mention

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The crowd grew until it was packed on the platform, and when the train arrived, the doors opened, and it was one of those moments where you feel the whole train breathe.

There was a wall of people. No one could get in, or at least no one thought no one could get in.

And no one could off. People stood staring at each other. I needed to go to a meeting, and I thought, in for a penny, in for a pound, and so I stepped in.

Someone said, there's no room. I replied saying, there is. And I stood there, squeezed myself in, moved my head like that, and the doors just about shut.

And I travelled like that for half an hour. No one looking at each other. No one saying a word.

You know what it's like, don't you? The beauty of London Transport, and no one making eye contact, and no one speaking to anyone, everyone pretending, the inner monologue that goes on, this is totally fine, this is normal, I'm not uncomfortable at all, there's nothing disturbing about this episode.

And that's how we live, isn't it? How we live in London.

Even when the tube is empty, and we get onto the carriage, no one says, when they sit down, welcome to the Elizabeth Lang, it's great to see you.

That's how we live, isn't it? Some of us know our neighbours, most of us don't know our neighbours. None of us know all our neighbours.

And there are people in London out there, and they walk past us, and we kind of sort of nod.

We don't know their name, they don't know our name.

And we live coexisting together, without knowing one another.

And my fear is, that is how many London churches exist.

It's not as uncomfortable as the tube and rush hour.

But the relationships are very much surface-like.

There's a nodding at one another, there's a knowing each other, without really knowing each other.

And I want to say to you, that isn't really church.

Church life is difficult.

Church life in Galatia was difficult.

Look at chapter 5 and verse 15.

Chapter 5 and verse 15.

Paul says to the IPC in Galatia,

If you bite and devour one another, can you imagine a church meeting like that?

Watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Look at chapter 5 and verse 26.

Let us not become conceited.

Provoking one another.

Envying one another.

That is obviously the problem, isn't it?

Obviously, one of the issues in Galatia, of course there were false teachers, there were huge doctrinal problems.

But one of the things was that the church in Galatia just weren't getting on.

And so, this theme of one another dominates the rest of Galatians.

Look at chapter 6 and verse 2.

Bear one another's burdens.

What's the first word?

The first word of chapter 6.

And the last word of chapter 6.

Brothers.

Brothers.

And so, what Paul is saying to the Galatians is,

We are family.

And so, the command of chapter 5 verse 25.

Just look at that command.

Christians make a lot of that command.

Keep in step with the Spirit.

Let me tell you this.

You cannot do that outside of the family.

And Paul is saying,

If you want to keep in step with the Spirit,

You do that by living that out in the family of God.

Three things this morning.

I want us to see the stewardship of our relationships.

The stewardship of our relationships.

That's the first thing.

In Galatians chapter 6 and verses 1 to 5.

Galatians 6 · chapter mention

Paul is writing to make us understand that in the fellowship,

In the partnership of the local church,

We are intimately joined to one another by the blood of Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of God.

And he is wanting you and I to understand that we cannot,

We must not, we should not act like a bunch of emotionally repressed Londoners on the underground.

Everybody focused only on themselves and their destination.

Ignoring those who they've been placed into intimate contact with.

And so he's calling each of us to rethink the stewardship of our relationships within the membership of the local church.

How do we relate to one another?

And it's not very comfortable, is it?

So look what he says in verse 1.

Brothers, brothers and sisters,

If anyone is caught in any transgression, any rebellion,

You who are spiritual should restore them.

In a spirit of gentleness.

Now that is not our usual kind of mode of operation, is it?

Let's be honest.

Our preferred response when we see someone else's sin,

What do we do?

Well, we talk about it with someone else.

Did you see what they said?

I don't know whether you noticed what they did.

Can you believe it?

That's often our instinct.

But Paul calls us, doesn't he, to a very different pattern here.

That if we see somebody ensnared, trapped by a transgression,

What should we do?

Should we shun them?

Perhaps.

Should we denounce them to other people?

Should we gossip about them behind their back?

Should we go and tell the minister and get him to do something about it?

What should we do?

Paul says,

The spiritual people in the congregation know exactly what to do.

They will not pass the back.

They will not grumble.

They will not complain.

And they will not gossip.

What do they do?

They work with the fallen Christian.

And they make every effort to restore him or her.

And the word that Paul uses here,

It's translated in the ESV as restore.

And it's used in Mark's gospel and Matthew's gospel to describe fishermen mending their nets.

That's what they're doing.

They're restoring their nets.

And so the duty of a faithful Christian to a brother or sister within the membership of the church

is to do everything we can to mend, to restore.

To take the sin broken nets of their Christian life and help them tie it back together again.

So that they would be useful in the service of Jesus Christ.

And then he tells us how we are to do it.

Do you remember what we're to do?

We are to do it in a spirit of gentleness.

And of course that makes total sense, isn't it?

Because how did Jesus deal with your sin?

And how does Jesus deal with my sin?

And we're going to see it tonight.

Come tonight and hear Reuben preach on the woman at the well.

How does Jesus deal with her?

She's had five husbands.

The man she's with is now not her husband.

And what does he say?

Well, he treats her, doesn't he, with so much respect and so much gentleness.

How is he with you?

How has Jesus been with you this week?

Is he denunciatory?

Is he harsh with you?

Is he dismissive of you?

No, and what is he like?

He says, come to me, all you are weary and heavy laden.

For I am gentle and lowly.

And the Lord Jesus, what is he like?

He's quick to forgive.

He abounds in steadfast love and mercy.

He's ready to restore you and to renew you when you turn to him.

He never quits on you, does he?

The Lord Jesus never says, enough of you, get away from me.

He works to restore his people and to bring us back.

And so why then are we often like the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18?

Do you remember him?

Do you remember in Matthew 18, the unforgiving servant, he'd had his debts cancelled.

He'd had this great sum cancelled.

And yet there was another servant, wasn't there, who owed him just a little bit of money.

And he demands from that person in anger and violence, you pay everything, you owe me.

And we've been taught by our Saviour to pray, Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who've sinned against us.

And so remember the gospel on which you daily depend for mercy.

And in a spirit of gospel gentleness, show mercy.

That's Paul's point in Galatians 6.

Don't excuse the sin.

Don't ignore it.

Seek to restore them in a spirit of gentleness.

And Paul is so wise, isn't he?

There's a wise warning that follows right on the heels of that exhortation.

Do you see his warning?

Not only are we to gently restore those who are caught in transgressions,

but we are to take special care

that while we do it,

as we lead some to repentance,

that we ourselves don't fall into that same sin.

And that is a master class in pastoral wisdom.

Paul knows my heart, and he knows your heart very well,

and he knows how easily we can focus on the sin of other people

with legitimate love and concern,

and yet we can let our own guard down.

Care for them, Paul says.

Yes, of course, but keep a close watch on yourself while you do it.

Misdirection in the military.

It's a common tactic, isn't it?

It's basic.

You keep them expecting a full frontal assault

so they're completely unprepared

and for a surprise attack from behind.

And that's what Paul is warning us against.

Sin is a terrible and subtle foe.

And so, yes, be concerned for your brother or sister

when they fall into sin,

but as you do that, as you're focused over here,

beware of a sneak attack from the rear

and that you yourself don't fall into that sin.

Don't let your guard down,

lest you yourself are ensnared by the same temptation.

And then he tells us in verse 2

that all of that is really just a part of fulfilling the law of Christ.

That we are to bear one another's burdens.

That's what this is about.

That is our basic commitment

as church family, as members of this church.

You are not just called to show up and receive the ministry,

to be a consumer.

You are called to show up and engage in ministry,

to bear one another's burdens,

fulfills the law of Christ.

And Christ taught us that love fulfills the law.

If you love me, he says, keep my commandments.

And this is my commandment, that you love one another.

Verses 3 to 5, Paul turns back

to the way that we think about ourselves.

And do you see how wisely he alternates

between a call to care for one another

and pay attention to your own walk with the Lord.

And so he comes back now and he exhorts our own hearts.

There's a fundamental link.

There is a fundamental link

between our ability to serve one another

and to restore one another

and to care for one another

and to bear one another's burdens

and our ability to rightly assess ourselves.

Paul is saying humility and ministry go together.

Humility and serving one another go hand in hand.

Pride and spiritual indifference

towards the needs of others also go together.

Don't they like cause and effect?

We will never steward our relationships with one another

until we're able to steward ourselves.

So verse 3,

if anyone thinks he's something,

when he's nothing,

he deceives himself.

But let each one test his own work

and let his reason to boast

will be in himself alone and not in his neighbour.

Paul is not suggesting here

that you are now free

to make a habit of boasting about yourself.

He's just said,

chapter 5, verse 26,

just look there again,

and let us not become conceited.

Let's not become full of ourselves,

provoking one another and envying one another.

He's not talking about being proud of yourself.

Verse 3 is not a permission

for you to big yourself up for self-aggrandizement.

What he's saying is

you need a sober, honest assessment of yourself.

And instead of taking credit for things

which really have got nothing to do with you,

because verse 5,

each will have to bear his own load.

There's a future tense there.

So Paul is saying,

each will, won't he, in the future,

have to bear his own load.

And that future tense is really important.

It clues us into what Paul is talking about here.

He isn't taking back what he just said in verse 2,

or bearing one another's burdens.

And then now two verses later,

he suddenly changes his mind and says,

no, I want you to bear your own burden.

That's not what he's saying.

Rather, he is saying,

there is a day coming

when each of us will be held responsible

for what we've done.

And he's talking about judgment day.

And when that day dawns,

he says, you will have to bear your own load.

And you will have to answer for your own deeds.

And so as you steward yourself

and your relationships

within the local church,

remember that you do that

under the gaze of God.

A God before whom one day

you will have to give an account.

The stewardship of our relationships.

Secondly, the stewardship of our resources.

The stewardship of our resources.

So when we talk about stewardship here,

you need to hear more than just a call

to dig deep and give big.

We need to hear the reminder,

that reminder to mutual care

and that faithful stewarding

of ourselves and our relationships

for the good of others

all within the membership of the church.

So look at the second place

at verses 6 to 8.

And here he addresses our resources

and our money.

It gets very, very practical.

And so he's talking about broadly,

mutual care and one another ministry in general.

And Paul now highlights one thing in particular.

Verse 6,

Let the one who is taught the word

share all good things

with the one who teaches.

And so he's saying, isn't he,

provide for the maintenance

and the growth

of the ministry of the word

through generous support.

Through those who devote their lives

to its proclamation.

It's really straightforward, isn't it?

I don't think there's another

understanding of that verse.

I think it's really clear.

But then do you notice

how he reinforces the point

and he appeals to a spiritual principle.

Here's where I want to major.

Look at verse 7 and 8.

Do not be deceived.

God is not mocked.

For whatever one sows,

that will he also reap.

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.

Now remember,

Paul is still talking about finances

at this point.

And you will remember

the church in Galatia

to whom he's writing.

And they've got a whole group

of false teachers have come.

And they've led them

into legalism and bondage.

And they've led them away

from the gospel of grace.

And so Paul is anxious here, isn't he?

He is saying,

you Galatians,

do what you practically may

to fix that.

Secure for yourselves

orthodox teachers

and instructors and ministers

who will guide you back

into safe paths.

Do not

give money

to false teachers.

Do not

give money

to those

who will bring you

into bondage.

And so he tells them

to think carefully

how you give

and who you give to

and not just

how much you give.

He says,

if you sow to the flesh,

you will from the flesh

reap corruption.

That is to say this,

if you invest

in poor leaders

and bad theology

and weak instruction

because it's easy

on the year

and it's comfortable

and it doesn't

unsettle your priorities

or challenge your lifestyle,

if you sow to that,

if you give to that,

your investment

will go the way

of all flesh

and it will reap corruption.

And the word corruption

means decay,

deterioration,

disillusion.

So can you see

what is Paul doing here?

He is saying,

invest

in what is going to last.

You are sowing

in your giving

for eternity.

And that is what

you're doing

when you

prioritize

radical

sacrificial

generosity

in your giving.

When you give

to the faithful

ministry

of the local church,

you are sowing

for eternity.

That's what you just did.

As the bag

went round,

as your standing

order dropped

in the bank account,

what were you doing?

You were doing

something absolutely

remarkable.

You are sowing

for eternity.

And so Paul

wants you today

to step back

and to ask yourself

a few questions

about the way

we use our money.

And so he asks you

the question,

like he asks me,

how much of my

expenditure

is sowing

to the flesh?

How much

of what I invest

my money in

and spend my money on

will survive

into the new creation?

how much of what

I give

in a thousand years

in eternity

will I look back

and say,

do you know what?

I am so,

so pleased

that I gave

to the work

of the gospel

so that these people

could be in glory.

I am so,

so pleased

that I did that.

How much

of what I've

invested

will last forever?

Am I investing

in eternity?

So in the spirit.

Paul says,

so depending

upon him

to sustain you

and to keep you

and to bless

what you give

and what you give

for the extension

of the kingdom

of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The stewardship

of our resources.

And thirdly,

the stewardship

of our reach.

So there's a call,

isn't there,

for us to steward

our relationships

as church members.

That we are to invest

in relationships

for the good

of the body.

And we are to steward

our resources

so that we will use

the money

that God has given us

that we would sow

to the spirit

that our giving

would go on

to bless people

in eternity.

And then in verses 9 and 10

there is the steward

of the reach.

If I can put it like that.

Of our reach.

Look at verses 9 and 10.

And let us not

grow weary

of doing good.

For in due season

we will reap

if we do not give up.

So then,

as we have opportunity,

let us do good

to everyone

and especially

to those

who are of the

household of faith.

And so can you see

what our duty is?

Our duty is,

start with verse 9,

unwearyed

doing good.

That's our duty.

And where does Paul

point you to?

Paul points you to,

doesn't he,

the last day

of judgment

to help motivate us

so that we will not

give in to the temptation

of being weary.

It's actually

the third illusion,

isn't it,

in these verses

to that last day.

And look with me,

you look at verse 5,

each will have to

bear his own load.

Each will have to

stand under the weight

of how he's lived

on the final day.

And then he hints

again about it

in verse 8

when he talks about

sowing to the flesh

and reaping corruption

or sowing to the spirit

and reaping eternal life.

And now he does it

a third time

and he reminds us

we will reap

if we do not give up.

Now some of us

are really

uncomfortable with this.

And we're really

uncomfortable with it.

But the New Testament

consistently

holds out

the promise

of rewards

in heaven

as a motivation

for unwearied

hard work

on earth.

Keep going,

the New Testament

says again and again,

because you will

receive your reward.

The rewards

far surpassed,

don't they,

the work,

the value of any work

that we are to perform.

This is not

meritorious

works righteousness.

This is not

earning our salvation.

The whole of the

book of Galatians

has taught you

that is impossible.

It's not

quid bro quo.

It is not

one good turn

deserves another.

Far from it.

But Paul,

the apostle,

sees no tension

at all

between a gospel

of radical free grace,

that is the heartbeat

of the letter of Galatians,

radical free grace

and the promise

of eternal rewards

for unwearied works

of obedience

and service.

So remember

that our best work,

if God was to judge it

on merits alone,

even our best work

would damn us forever.

Because

my best work

is riddled

with self and sin.

And yet

God,

in his amazing,

wonderful grace,

works in us

to do good works.

And then he promises

to reward us

for his good works.

He promises

to reward us

for his own grace,

what his own grace

has produced in us.

So when we cross

the finish line

on the last day,

when we stand

before the risen

Jesus Christ

and the final judgment

and we see clearly

in that moment

how empty

all our vain boasting

in our own accomplishments

really is,

we will then be

utterly overcome

with wonder,

love and praise

when the Lord Jesus

rewards us

for our imperfect

best efforts

in his service.

we'll see them

as they are.

They're weak things,

slight things,

broken things,

riddled with self

and sin,

how much more

we could have done,

how unworthy

of anything

but God's disdain.

And yet Jesus

will say to us,

well done,

good and faithful

servant,

enter into the joy

of your Lord.

And so,

weary Christian

this morning,

weary believer,

Jesus asks us,

have you grown tired

of your service

in my cause?

And remember,

remember the harvest

of glory

that is to come

that will reward

all your efforts,

all of them,

however small,

however slight,

however weak

they may be.

A cup of cold water

given in my name.

A cup of cold water

given in my name.

Will be rewarded,

Jesus says.

None of them

will be ignored.

None of them

will be overlooked.

None of them

will go unrewarded.

And so,

therefore,

press on.

Keep going

in your service

to the Saviour.

And so,

how wide

is the scope

of this?

how wide

is the scope?

Well,

should we be good

just to the people

we like?

Should we show

kindness and goodness

just to the people

who are like us?

What does Paul say?

It's the same question

in many ways

that the rich young ruler

asked Jesus

in Luke 10, 29,

who's my neighbour?

Who should we be committed

to this ministry

and service?

Look how Paul answers,

verse 10,

it's a magnificent verse.

As we have opportunity,

we are to do good

to everyone.

I love that phrase,

as opportunity allows.

You cannot

take the burdens

of the problems

of this area

on your shoulders.

You cannot do it

and I can't.

It's just too much,

isn't it?

We're overwhelmed,

aren't we?

Utterly overwhelmed.

But Paul says,

as you have opportunity,

so you will have opportunity,

do good.

He's saying to you and I,

go looking for opportunities

to serve as many

as you may.

Do good to everyone,

but especially,

there's the priority,

to the household of faith.

And so our mission

is as wide as the world,

we're to be good neighbours,

we're to be good friends

to people,

to all people.

And we have to do good

to all,

especially to the household

of faith.

And the especially

is important,

isn't it?

And so the first claim

on your time

and on your resources

and on your labours

beyond your immediate family

is the household

of faith,

the church.

The language

is here

to remind you,

isn't it?

We are family.

And family comes first.

And so does the family

of faith

come first for you

or is it an afterthought?

To be fitted

into the margins

of your time

when you've got

nothing else to do

and you've done

your pleasures

and your entertainments,

they've taken

the lion's share.

And is that reflected

in your relationships

and in the way

that you use

your resources?

Do good to all,

especially to the

household of faith.

And so can you see it?

It's a magnificent passage,

isn't it?

We are called

to steward

our relationships

as church members.

We are to be engaged

with one another,

bearing with one another,

putting up with one another,

restoring one another

as we stumble

and all the while

keeping a watchful,

careful watch

on our own hearts.

And we are to steward

our resources

to give generously

to the support

and advance

of the ministry

of the gospel.

And so it's not numbers

that are our focus

but people gripped

by the truth of God

and brought to trust

in the Lord Jesus Christ.

But to accomplish that,

to advance in that,

Paul calls us

to sow to eternity,

to invest generously

in ministry

that will endure.

And finally,

we're called to the steward,

the reach of the church,

not to keep it close,

not to keep it to ourselves,

not to keep it to people

we like

or to people who are like us

but to do good

to everyone,

especially to those

of the household of faith.

And so Paul says,

don't grow weary.

Why does he say that?

Why does he say

don't grow weary?

Well, because

the temptation

in the Christian life

is what?

To grow weary.

When you're doing good,

it's tiring work.

And so he says to us

as a church family,

keep sowing.

Be generous.

Keep being generous.

As a word to those of us

who are in leadership

in this church,

isn't it?

We here in Ealing,

the building that you sit in,

we have been the recipients

of astonishing generosity,

of incredible kindness.

And we have an opportunity

as a church family

as we've grown under God

to sow.

We have an opportunity

under God

to be generous,

to train,

to give,

to resource others.

And as we do that,

both as a church family

and as individuals,

hear this,

God is not mocked.

Isn't it your testimony?

Isn't it my testimony

that as you have given yourself

to the Lord's work,

as you have given resources

to the Lord's work,

God is not mocked.

What you have sown,

you reap more abundantly.

And so may God help us.

May God help us

to be good stewards

to the praise

and the glory of his grace.

Let's pray together.