Humbly and Gently Bear Each Other (2)

Sermons based on the Letter to the Galatians (VII)

Galatians 6:1-11

Let me start with an illustration:

“A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.

-A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."
-An objective person walked by and said, "It’s logical that someone would fall down there."
-A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits."
-A mathematician calculated how deep the pit was.
-A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.
-An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.
-A self-pitying person said, "You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit."
-A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, "You deserve your pit."
-A Christian Scientist observed, "The pit is just in your mind."
-A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."
-A self-esteem therapist said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."
-An optimist said, "Things could be worse."
-A pessimist claimed, "Things couldn’t be worse."
"Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit."” (SermonCentral illustrations.)

In the Armenian sermon I was mentioning about Senator Sarah Palin’s daughter’s problem. Everyone is talking about it. I feel bad that such an issue became public talk, gossip, and political maneuver. Meanwhile we are hurting this 17-year-old girl. Like in my illustration, everyone is saying something. Only Jesus is the one who gives his hand to this young lady to pull her out. I heard from some journalist that the family gives their unconditional love to their daughter. When I heard unconditional love I said to myself, “I wonder who is the teacher for unconditional love? Where did the media hear about unconditional love? Who is the author of unconditional love?”

In the Armenian sermon I mentioned that we need to face the sin. Do not ignore sin. Only in confessing out sins to Jesus we can have new life. Every fallen person needs restoration. Who can do that if not Jesus with his blood on the cross?

How should we restore this person? “Gently and humbly” “Spirit of meekness” (KJV)

“-…restore him gently (spirit of meekness). But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”(1,2) (NIV)

The Greek word that is used here for gentle and meek is the same word we discussed last Sunday. (“The fruit of the Spirit is … paraotes meekness). Let me remind you the definition of this word: it is power under control, obedience to God, desires and emotions controlled by God, a wild horse which is tamed.

-I don’t know about you, but whenever in my life I helped restore someone, I felt with that person. I cried with that person. I walked the steps that that person was walking. When I was a school principal, part of my job was to restore the students. I suffered with the students who were academically weak. I tried to walk with them. Find solutions for their weakness. Give them extra chances.

-Restore him. (katarizo) What does it mean? According to the Greek lexicon

1) to render, to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair (like mending nets)

2) to complete, to fit out, equip, put in order, arrange, adjust (like setting a dislocated bone). (Blue Letter Bible)

Do you see the picture? It will hurt when dislocated bones come together, but it is necessary for healing. Always remember the intention is to RESTORE.

Restoration is delicate work. We should approach it in prayer. It takes time, and confidentiality is extremely required.

20-30 young people came together from four different church groups, early Sunday mornings to share and pray together. Unfortunately a few months later the group stopped having their prayer time, because some of the members gossiped outside about the confidential prayer topics that were presented.

Restoration should not be done in superior feelings. We should always remember that only God can restore someone, we are just instruments for that process.

- “…But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Even the person who is walking in the Spirit, the godly person, the spiritual person, can fall in the temptations. What are those temptations?

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.

Here is the temptation: When you are helping someone to restore himself/herself, automatically pride greets your ego. You start thinking you are someone. You start comparing yourself with others.

The word of God says you are deceiving yourself. Test your actions. Examine the motivation of your actions.

-Therefore “carry each other’s burdens”

Jesus said “my yoke is easy”. A yoke is yoke and cannot be easy. What is the image? If you look at farmers in Palestine in the past and until today, they used two oxen to pull the plow. Their oxen were joined two by two under a double yoke. Two oxen need a yoke which brings the cows next to each other. When Jesus says his yoke is easy, it is because he is carrying our burdens with us. We are not alone. Likewise, Christians need to learn to become a community of believers. We need to learn to carry each other’s burden. Our small Bible Study groups are small communities of believers. I encourage you as the pastor of the church to develop further communities, and learn to carry each other’s burden.

This is our collective responsibility. Yet, in the end Paul is reminding that no one should be lazy, and each need to be responsible for their life as well. “5for each one should carry his own load.” (5). The NIV commentary expresses it the best. The author Scot McKnight says there is mutual accountability and personal responsibility. Paul mentions both. Both are essential in our spiritual growth.

Now the conclusion of all 6 chapters:

Paul ends his letter by repeating the most important thing:

New Living translation:

“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.” (14-16)

Amen.