The Manifestation of God’s Grace
Galatians 6:1-18
Restore Brothers Gently
Galatians 6:1
Carry Burdens Gladly
Galatians 6:2-5
Share Blessings Generously
Galatians 6:6-10
Let Boasting Give God Glory
Galatians 6:11-18
Slide 1
School ended this week and I know there is a lot of rejoicing in my house.
Slide 1 I remember when I was in school. The things I learned in school
did not seem to give opportunity right away to be put to good use. Math, vocabulary, etc are all things you need and help you, but they did not seem to always help you right away at least not when summer first began.
Well, We are finishing up the book of Galatians today. Throughout the book, Paul has talked about the essentiality of grace.
And it is my hope that the grace that has been spoken of will not just sit there in your life through the summer but will manifest itself in your life.
Paul has taught the Galatians and us that
It is only by God’s grace that we are saved and
it is only by God’s grace that we can live fruitful, fulfilled lives.
Trying to do things in our power and strength will only lead us back into bondage and slavery that we have been set free from in Jesus Christ.
And that is why Jesus came to set us free.
Galatians 5:1
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Free from the bondage of sin
Free from spiritual death
Free to live life to the full
We also talked last week about not using our freedom to indulge in the sinful nature. And we discussed what those were.
And we talked about the fruit of the Spirit.
Love, Joy Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
We learned that we should live to love, that that is what true freedom enables us to do by the power of the Spirit in our life.
But how should that love be lived out?
How should God’s grace in which he helps us to love be manifested?
That is what we are going to be looking at today as Paul closes his letter to the Galatians:
How should God’s grace manifest itself in our lives?
Slide 2
And we will see as Paul writes here that
It is through how we deal with others that we will see the manifestation of God’s Grace in our lives.
Specifically, how we love others in various circumstances.
Slide 2
Illustration – William Booth – Salvation Army
The story has been told of how William Booth, the founder of the salvation army could not attend their international convention because of ill health so he sent a message that contained one word.
OTHERS!
That is Paul’s message too. God’s grace will manifest itself as you deal with others
We will be reading chapter 6 of Galatians. (p. 826)
Slide 3
Paul gives a variety of ways that God’s grace should manifest itself in our life so that love is being shared no matter what the circumstances.
Slide 3
Galatians 6
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
The first situation that Paul speaks of in how God’s grace can be manifested in our lives is in how we should deal with another person who is in sin.
He tells us to
Restore Brothers Gently
Slide 4
Galatians 6:1
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
The outworking of God’s grace will be seen most often during difficult times.
When it talks here of someone being caught in a sin it can mean 2 things.
Either the person was caught, found out by someone else
Or they are overtaken by sin and they have been captive to it and it has hold of them.
Whatever the case, this person is in a sinful state.
How will we respond to it?
Will you condemn that person?
Will you compare yourself to them and think how good that you look?
Or will you seek to help that person be restored?
And to do it in such a way that shows gentleness and love, which if you remember are 2 of the fruits of the Spirit.
We need to remember the reason that God sent His Son, Jesus.
John 3:17
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The verse right before this one speaks of how much God loved us and desired to save us.
He sacrificed greatly so we could be saved and he wants more than anything that when sin has us bound, for us to be freed and restored to Him.
He has given us the privilege of using us to do that.
So how do we restore gently?
First, gentle does not mean to condone their sin.
“Hey , that’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it.”
“We’re all sinners, so what is a little sin between brothers”
No…That is not how gentle restoration gets accomplished.
We need to recognize that confronting a person in sin is a loving act.
Their sin is hindering their relationship with God and
thus their ability to have a joy filled life.
Love for the person has to be the driving motivation for us to gently restore another person.
So we confront them in love.
We help them to see their need to confess it.
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
And finally we help them see how they can conquer it by the power of the Spirit.
Study and remind them of God’s word and his promises
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
James 4:7
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
By the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can overcome the slavery that sin keeps us in. Help your brother or sister to see that and help them to be accountable and be strengthened to overcome it.
But, you also, need to be careful and stay grounded, or you to could be tempted.
The second situation that Paul speaks of in how God’s grace can be manifested in our lives is in how we should deal with another person who has burdens in life.
We need to
Carry Burdens Gladly
Slide 5
Galatians 6:2-5
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
Paul writes 2 things here that seem to contradict themselves.
First he says we should carry each other’s burdens and
Second he says we should carry our own loads.
Shouldn’t that person we are helping be carrying their own load then?
Well there is a difference between the two words.
The word translated burden is “baros” which always suggests something that is heavy or oppressive.
The word translated “load” is “Phortion” which is simply something that each of us must bear without regard to its weight. It is our own personal load that each one of us has.
While each one of us is going to have our own load to bear, we have been equipped by the strength and power of the Spirit to bear it.
However, there will be times in our lives when we have a heavy burden that we are not equipped to carry on our own. This is one of the reasons that God wants us in community together, so we can help each other in our times of need.
This is also one of the ways He keeps us in community together, by not giving us the strength or power to accomplish all he has for us on our own.
God’s grace is being manifested in our lives as we gladly seek to help others carry their burdens.
This is a difference between the grace of God working in a persons life and a person being a legalist.
The legalist is not trying to help a person carry their burden, but is adding more to their load.
Jesus criticized the Pharisees for this. In
Matthew 23:4 he says of the Pharisees
4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
They do this to make themselves look better.
As God’s grace manifests itself in our lives though, we should be willing to help those who are burdened to carry the load.
Sometimes someone is just overwhelmed and just needs someone to be with them as a support.
This is helping to carry someone’s burden
Other times it is helping someone accomplish something or doing something for someone that helps alleviate some of the burden for them.
Be willing to help carry another persons burden.
So as God’s grace manifests itself, we will
Restore a brother gently
Carry a burden gladly
And the third thing Paul shares that we should be doing as God’s grace manifests itself is we should
Share Blessings Generously
Slide 6
Galatians 6:6-10
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
This teaching here has less to do with how you as a person meet the needs of those who teach you, than it does with helping you to assess how much you value spiritual things versus material things.
Paul equates our material possessions as seed here.
How are you going to sow your seed?
Are you going to put your material resources into pleasing your sinful nature or are you going to sow your material possessions so as to please the Spirit?
Now this doesn’t mean that you
can’t spend your money on things.
can’t go on a vacation or
buy a new car.
What it does mean is to gain a proper perspective or our physical and material needs.
If vacation is all you ever do
Or
Buying material things
and you do not support the work of the ministry through the local church then you are only sowing seeds of destruction for your life.
When you spend your resources only on those things, they do not produce anything for the future.
However, money sown to the Spirit, such as sharing with those who teach you, or with the church, will produce life, in that your sharing with them will help them to be able to share more spiritual blessings through their teaching with others and more people will enter into the Kingdom of the Lord and more will be raised up to teach others.
The way you sow your resources can have eternal effects on the futures of you, your family and countless others in the world.
Don’t sow to reap destruction. Sow in such a way that you will reap a harvest of blessings. I know sometimes we get tired but don’t quit.
Keep in focus the promise that God gives us.
Galatians 6:9
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
We need to rest sometimes, but don’t give up.
Finally, the last way Paul speaks of that Grace will be manifested in our lives is that we will
Let Boasting Give God Glory
Slide 7
Galatians 6:11-16
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
In all that we do, don’t boast about it for yourself.
That is what the legalists do.
Look at me. Look how well I follow the rules.
Look at how I help other people
Look how I give my money.
As we continue on in the grace of God and his grace grows in us, we will continually realize that we can’t do anything on our own.
Jesus tells us in
John 15:5
apart from me you can do nothing.
We have nothing to boast about.
We need to boast about Christ and give Him the glory and honor for the things that are accomplished through our lives.
It is not because Scott is such a good person or a worthy person that I can stand here today and preach the word and be used.
If it were determined what I should be, by my worthiness, I would be nothing because on my own merit, in my own strength, I have done nothing and can do nothing.
And it is the same for each of you.
That is why when we boast, we should be boasting in what Jesus did on the cross for us.
He gave us eternal life and
poured out His grace
so that we could be used by Him to do great things.
Give Him the glory
And as you give Him the glory, you continue on in the grace of God and into the place where you continue to find all the spiritual blessing that can be.
These are some of the ways that God’s grace will be manifested in your life.
Look at your own life.
Are these things evident?
If not, then do what I have been saying all along through this series.
Begin meeting with God each morning,
not to check it off your list
Not to go over list of wants,
but just to grow in deeper relationship with Him and grow in His grace.
I can promise you that as you grow in His grace, you will grow deeper in love with the Savior and His grace will manifest itself in your life in these ways and more.
You will be able to
be gentle in restoring your fellow Christians when they are in sin.
be able to gladly carry others burdens.
share with others generously out of the harvest that you are reaping
be able to see and boast that it is all to God’s glory that these things are occurring in your life and that it is by His grace.
Praise Him for it.
