Last week, we walked through last half of chapter 5, life in the Spirit, maybe the most important part of book of Galatians – Paul practically laid out the idea that there are two roads, two ways of thinking and living, one that leads to life in the Spirit and one that leads to life in the flesh – And remember, he is mirroring the thoughts that Jesus laid out in SOM in Matthew 7:13-14 – The narrow path is life in the Spirit, and this life is practically lived out in the church in the way we, as Galatians 5:13 said, “serving one another humbly in love” – so important to remember that Paul said in Galatians 5:14 that the ENTIRE LAW is fulfilled in keeping ONE COMMAND: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” – Principle? YOU LOVE YOU SOME YOU, and Paul is saying that a true, complete living out of the Gospel is an OTHERS-CENTERED LIFE – IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU

As we move into chapter 6 today, this theme of practicality is carried over – remember, this was not written chapter and verse, but stream of conciousness, dealing with challenges that Paul was hearing about in early church – talked about it last week, but church was fractured, being cannibalized because of Jewish believers called Judaizers who were coming in behind Paul and adding to the Gospel – this letter was Paul’s rebuke, and practical ways to restore the culture of the church back to its original intention – two thoughts in the passage today: COMMUNAL ACCOUNTABILITY and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY – What does this mean? We have a responsibility as followers of Jesus to lovingly step into situations where we see fellow believers stuck in the name of restoration, but also to make sure that we are living daily in a place of repentance and confession, which keeps us in a place of humility, and keeping good spiritual eyesight to be able to see the struggle of others. – Galatians 6:1-5

V1 – “If someone is caught in a sin…” – so important here – must start with the second clause, “You who live by the Spirit”, ESV says, “You who are spiritual” – here is what it is NOT saying: “All the really spiritual people should slap down all the sinners and get them in line” – remember, chapter 5 he has already says we are to “serve one another HUMBLY in LOVE” – what he is doing here is PRACTICALLY APPLYING what it means to live in the SPIRIT – When you are living in INTIMACY WITH THE SPIRIT (Secret Place living), developing the holistic characteristics of the HOLY SPIRIT (FOS), you are developing spiritual eyesight to see others in their struggles – It’s not YOU, but Jesus IN YOU.

Now back to first clause: “Someone caught in a sin” – You are not the Spirit Police looking for opportunity to BUST others – this a picture of someone caught in a pattern of sin, and like quicksand, they are being taken under – this is not just opportunity, but RESPONSIBILITY to ENGAGE! Why do we not engage? Two reasons: First, not living in Spirit, you ‘ve got your own sin struggle, so to move toward someone else would be two drowning people floundering and end up drowning each other – Second, misunderstanding the gospel – again, NOT ABOUT YOU – you may be naturally conflict averse, but that does not absolve you of responsibility to get involved – not a one-to-one, but Martin Luther King, in talking about the parable of Good Samaritan said this: “The first question the priest and Levite asked was ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’” Again, the essence of the gospel is Jesus transforming you and me for the PURPOSE of joining him to redeem the world – HIS agenda not mine – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – Made NEW for purpose of RECONCILIATION – we are AMBASSADORS, bringing RECONCILIATION to the WORLD.

Restore that person GENTLY – purpose is ALWAYS RESTORATION – 1 Peter 4:8 – The way you love others covers sin – Ephesians 4:15 – Speak truth in LOVE – speaks to motivation behind correction – GENTLENESS is FOS, so if you tend to be bull in China shop when it comes to conflict, could be you have work to do in Secret Place to allow Spirit to grow you in that area.

“Watch yourselves, or you may also be tempted…” – this is not being concerned that you will fall into their sin, although you should keep an eye on that – this speaks directly to MOTIVATION – Compassion vs. Justice – again, “HUMBLY in LOVE” – What is your heart position where person is concerned? If you are too eager to have conversation with someone over their entanglement with sin, there is something wrong inn your heart – No arrogance or self-righteousness in Kingdom of God – Matthew 7:1-5 – Carpentry humor, but true nonetheless – Put on your oxygen mask FIRST – check yourself, check your motive before you go – Gospel says GO, but GO with the right heart and motivation.

V2 – “Carry each other’s burdens…” – what does this mean? LIFE is HARD – And some burdens are short-term, situational, while others are long-term and require patience, perseverance and GRACE – What is a burden? A BURDEN – and NO TIME LIMIT to carrying burden – he says here “Fulfill the LAW of CHRIST – interesting that the whole letter is debunking the LAW, but now he uses the term LAW to define how to engage – He’s saying, “Hey, if you’re going to be litigious, be litigious with the LAW of CHRIST” – What is Jesus’ view of carrying burdens? Matthew 5:40-42, Give the shirt off your back, go the extra mile, give sacrificially to anyone in need – Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, give your heavy burden, I’ll gladly take it on – again, the cross is a picture of burden carrying – He who knew NO SIN took on YOUR BURDEN of SIN – Jesus played the LONG GAME, and as Jesus followers, we are called to do the same.

Illus – Crisis management – I am short-term fixer – Want to play long game, but sometimes get caught up in being fire-fighter – having to learn that bearing burdens is long-game mentality.

V3 – Speaking directly to pride – Self-deception is worst deception – YOU HAVE NOT ARRIVED – We all have struggles, and very clear call here is for communal accountability – Pride will keep you from engaging, keep you from being a NOTICER – Pride says, “What about me? Who is going to bear my burden?” OR “I don’t have the bandwidth to walk through this with them” – Again, life in the SPIRIT is a life of engagement with the body of Christ – WE NEED EACH OTHER.

REGEN – Is not just a place for people struggling with alcohol or porn addiction, but it is a recovery ministry for the self-addicted, which is ALL OF US – and this ministry specifically helps you learn how to lay down your PRIDE and live in transparency.  AND, when you are healed, you can be an agent of HEALING to the world around you.  Come any Monday night at 6:30.

V4 – Peculiar verse – whole letter has been about self-denial, move away from being self-focused, but now says, “Have a look under your own hood, and TAKE PRIDE in YOURSELF ALONE” – What could he possibly be talking about? He is speaking here about the sin of comparison – You can always find someone better off than you spiritually, which often leads to self-loathing – AND, you can always find someone worse off than you, which can lead to self-righteousness – What Paul is talking about here is Psalm 139:23-24, self-introspection – God, what offensive way is there in me? What sin do I need to confess? Where am I harvesting bad fruit in my life? This is viewing yourself through lens of SPIRIT, not through LENS of OTHERS – Keeps you in place of HUMILITY – No place for self-righteousness or self-loathing in KINGDOM of GOD – 2 Corinthians 12:5-10 – Paul says if I am going to BOAST, it will be in my weakness, because it is in that weakness that Christ’s strength is made perfect in me.

V5 – “But each one should carry their own load…” – Is this confusing? He starts the passage by saying “carry one another’s burdens” and now says, “carry your own load” – is he contradicting himself? NO – Communal Accountability and Personal Responsibility are BOTH needed – What is the difference between a LOAD and a BURDEN – Here is how a LOAD is defined: this is your assignment, your role, you E210 calling, you identity, being and doing in KOG – I would make a horrible accountant, architect, carpenter, pilot but you might make a horrible pastor – My LOAD is my unique role in the Kingdom, the thing I was meant to do, and I need to take FULL OWNERSHIP and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTIY to BE and DO all that I’ve been called to BE and DO – However, in the middle of living in my calling, sometimes situations arise, BURDENS, where I need people to come alongside me to help navigate.

The Building challenges in some areas are above my pay-grade and two of our elders, Matt Bulpitt and Shane Chesser, have stepped in and spent hundreds of hours helping diagnose problems and plans of how to solve them.  I am tip of the spear, chief visionary and mouthpiece, and I have to own that, BUT, I also need to ask for help when I’m drowning.

Questions to ponder and ask God to help you with in your time with him:

1. Who do I see that is living entangled in sin?

2. How is God calling me to be a GENTLE RESTORER?

3. Who has God called me to engage with, and BEAR THEIR BURDENS? Play the long game

4. When have I allowed PRIDE to keep me from engaging in someone else’s life? Self-righteousness or self-loathing

5. Where have I failed to take personal responsibility for my own actions? Psalm 139:23-24 Load vs burden