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This morning we are concluding the book of Galatians. The the emphasis of Galatians is live free. Here’s a pop quiz. I didn’t plan this, but anybody know what verse the theme for our Galatians book of Galatians comes from? What is it? Five one. There we go. We. We have a prize somewhere. I’ll give to you later. Oh, it’s on the. It’s on our bulletin. That’s good. She cheated. Just kidding. It is. It’s it’s the theme of our church. Christ. Christ has set us free. And the idea of the book of Galatians is this. God didn’t come to make bad men good. He came to bring dead men to life. Jesus has set us free. And the reason Paul writes this book. This is the first letter Paul wrote the second book of the New Testament to ever exist. And one of the things that he finds out very quickly after the gospel is preached in the region of Galatia, is that people are taking what Jesus has done on the cross, and they’re adding religion to it, and they’re robbing the beauty of what Jesus has done on their behalf by dying on the cross for their sins. Thinking they need to do more. The beauty of the message of the cross for us as people is that we aren’t working for God’s acceptance. But we work from his acceptance. Jesus has set you free in a way that no religion can ever do. And that freedom in Christ brings us joy in that relationship.
You know, as you journey through the book of Galatians, you find in the first four chapters, Paul just sets the idea of what it means to be free in Jesus, the justification of what Jesus has done on the cross, that you might be reconciled to God for all eternity. As you put your faith in what Christ has done for you. And the tone of the book elevates from justification to sanctification. Meaning it’s not just about Jesus saving you, but also you growing and maturing in Christ. God’s not finished with you. Thank God, right? God desires to do great things through you and in you and to walk with you. Not just in eternity, but today. That’s what salvation brings. Galatians tells us in chapter three, Paul asks the question as they’re living religiously, how did you receive the spirit? Was it was it by law or by faith? If it’s by faith and continue to walk in faith and he recognizes us for something for us as believers, when you trust in Jesus, God indwells you with His Spirit. The Bible says he seals you with the spirit. That’s God’s guarantee that when you enter in eternity, you will see him face to face. And that spirit is with you. To grow you, to mature you. That you reflect the beauty of who Christ is in this world. So when God created you, he made you in his image. And you, being in his image are image bearers of Christ.
And through the power of His Spirit, Christ is made known in this world. God created you to reflect his glory. Bible says in in Galatians chapter five, we saw last week at the very end of the book or very end of the chapter, he talks about the fruit of the spirit. In verse 22 he says, When the Spirit of God comes into your life, this is what it looks like. When he has control. He says, walk in the spirit, and you will not gratify the the lust of your flesh, but instead the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness. It tells us against such things there is no law. It’s the freedom that Christ has brought to you. If God is moving in your life, the result should be that fruit. His Spirit reflecting his glory in this world. You know, when I look at ideas like that within scripture, I’m always the so what guy? I mean, what does that mean? Love, joy, peace, patience. I mean, I can I guess I can run out of this building and saying, I’m a fruit. You know, I’m a fruit. Maybe that’s the problem with Christianity. Sometimes more people act like fruits than live like the fruit. You know what I mean? Hmm’hmm. Paul’s desire for us is that we display that glory in our lives. And he even told us in chapter five and verse 26, the very last verse in this portion of Scripture, he says, let us not become conceited.
And we talked about the purpose of of Paul’s usage in the word conceited last week. And it literally means empty of glory. God desires to display his glory through you. And Paul is begging the believers, don’t be empty of that glory. You are God’s method to reach this world. You think in this world, where would you perceive that God would work? And my answer would be where his spirit exists. And the response then to that would be, well, if you’re a believer in Christ, His spirit dwells within you, in the place that God’s glory would be most seen as the transformation he makes upon our hearts. And so, Paul, and this section of Scripture in chapter six begins to allow. The rubber to meet the road. You know, he’s a tangible idea of, you know, the fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. And all of us can say we love until there’s someone hard to love and all of us can say we’re patient until you have kids, right? And. But the fruit of the spirit is intended to be manifested in every situation. And Paul says this in chapter six. And if you want to know what that looks like in tangible lifestyle ways, I’m going to share it with you. Chapter six is the mark of the way a believer should manifest the Spirit of God moving in his life. And Paul does it in two ways.
In the first first ten verses he talks about this and practical living and the last section of the Bible beginning in verse 11. He starts talking about it in theological concepts again. But when Paul talks about how we should live for the spirit, the the emphasis that he places is not on accomplishing tasks, but living for Christ in in relationships for him. In the primary focus of good works isn’t about accomplishing a task, but rather reaching hearts. We didn’t build a building to build a building. We we built a building that people could gather together, and God’s heart could communicate to us what he desires for us and people and seeking his face. God is after you and me. God is after my heart and yours. And so when Paul opens up in this passage of Scripture, he explains a responsibility that exists for the church. If the Spirit of God is alive in your midst, this is what it should look like. And so he says to us in verse one, brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted. If I were just to say a summation of verse one. The idea of the Spirit of God moving within the believers of God happens in the context of relationships. In verse one is telling us this believers restore others gently. We tend to be good at telling people when they’re wrong.
And sometimes we’re bad at doing that gently. The purpose is this. You don’t have someone’s heart, but you have someone’s ear. The Holy Spirit is in charge of their heart, and you have the opportunity to speak into their ear. The gentleness of that speech allows the Lord just to move within our hearts, rather than you become their Holy Spirit for them. You have access to people’s ears, but the Holy Spirit has access to people’s hearts. Do this gently. He sends in this emphasis of this passage of Scripture. He says that the people that are to do that are you who are spiritual, you who are seeking after God. There is no plan B God. God established his church, and the church is the method to mature believers in Christ. It’s not up to someone else. It’s up to me and up to you. And so we do this gently. You know, sometimes people think about what they desire for churches. Some people want, you know, big, giant churches. And I would say this regardless. If you take care of the depth. God takes care of the breath. And some churches go a mile deep and an inch wide. Other churches go a mile wide and an inch deep. But if you focus on your relationship with Christ and encouraging the body, the results are up to him. Whatever God wills, that’s what we’ll have. Believers restore each other gently when the Spirit of God is at work.
You know, the interesting thing about this passage of Scripture is that the possibility of this verse existing doesn’t happen unless the body of Christ lives in unity and in close relationship with each other. If I’m a stranger to you. Chances are I’m not going to have a platform to come and communicate this way. And so the encouragement to you is invite your pastor over when you’re having steak, and then invite the rest of the church over when you’re having hot dogs. Okay. But be in unity. Live in relationship with each other for the encouragement of the Spirit of God moving within us. The second thing he says is this in verse two, believers bear heavy loads. He says, bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. If you want to know what the law of Christ is, Jesus gave it very simply in Mark chapter 12, verse 29 to 31. This is the law. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love others exist in the context of relationship. When you help bear one another’s burdens, this is a burden that’s suppressing an individual that that when you do that, you’re displaying the mark and the beauty of who Christ is through the Spirit of God that’s working within you. This is what I believe about burdens. I believe God gives us burdens that we that are too big for us to bear. But I believe God gives us burdens that aren’t too big for him to bear.
You know, when God gives us burdens in our lives, if God’s going to help us bear those burdens and live through it. The way that God shows up. It’s through his church. We’ve already said God’s Spirit, the presence of His Spirit is within his people. And when we help bear one another’s burdens, we’re being the mark of the Lord, helping one another lift these weights up off our shoulders. The third is this believer’s take spiritual inventory. Paul kind of lists these as proverbs for us, so we can just see what it looks like for the spirit as it works in our lives. He says in verse four. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. The idea is, if you want to compare yourself and your spiritual growth to anything, look to Jesus. Paul lists the fruit of the spirit. Not that we look to another believer and think, you know, I’m better than them, so I’m doing okay. But so we simply ask internal questions within ourselves. Is, is that fruit of the spirit being made known in my life? And if I’m weak, it’s time for a fruit check. Where do I need to grow? And we said this last week, but when the fruit of the spirit comes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness.
When those things are being made known in our life, when the spirit is present within our lives, he doesn’t just do one fruit at a time. When the spirit is present, all of those fruits are present at once. And believers have the tendency to to take a spiritual inventory to see where they’re growing and maturing in the Lord and challenging themselves in the relationship with God. And can I tell you, whenever you take this inventory of your life and you examine yourself and how you’re growing in Christ, the the answer should never be try harder. The answer should be submit and surrender to Jesus even greater. It’s his spirit moving in you. It’s not by your power. It’s by his. And God calls us to walk in the spirit, or to surrender to the spirit, to allow him to have control of your heart. Fourth is this he tells believers in verse five, for each one will bear his own load, and the thought is this believers carry a backpack. You look at the the concept of what Paul says in this opening passage in verse two. He tells us to bear one another’s burdens, and then he tells us not to bear one another’s burdens, to do it on your own. What? What is Paul talking about? He’s crazy. No he’s not. The thought that Paul carries is better evidenced in the Greek. When Paul is communicating this, he’s saying to the believers, when someone is under a suppressive weight that they can’t lift off in their life, you as believers gather around that individual and help them with that suppression.
But in verse five he’s saying this. The burden that we carry as believers also can be compared to a backpack. Matter of fact, the text renders more of a soldier’s backpack that he cares in the battle. Every one of us in this room has a backpack to carry. Every one of us has responsibility. Every one of us has particular ministries and giftedness that God has given us. We all have a backpack. God’s desire for you in this world is not that you become a taker, but that you live as a giver. He tells us in Genesis 128, be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth. God created you for a purpose. That purpose is made known as his. This glory is displayed through you in this world, being created in his image. As a father, you can think of your responsibility as, as a, as a husband and and as a parent to raise up your children and train them in the way that they’re to go in the in the workplace or in your community. What God would desire. We all have a backpack. In in one of us in this room that wants to raise a child to in his 30s, living in your basement on a couch, playing video games all day. You know that’s not that’s not what God calls us to do.
He wants us to be effective in this world and serving him and living for him. Understand. There’s always struggles that we go through, and there’s a need for the body of Christ to encourage each other and to lift one another up in the times that we go through those burdens. But God gives us responsibility in this world to live for him. To be fruitful and multiply. I think even as a child, what God has placed his responsibility on to you. It tells us in the book of, of Ephesians that that God calls children to honor their parents. And the question you can ask young people to your parents. Mom, dad, what I’m doing in this world, do you feel honored by my life? Am I honoring to you? We all. Have a backpack that we carry. Paul goes on and says this in verse 6 to 8, When the Spirit of God is at work, not only are we concerned with each other and encouraging one another and lifting one another up, but it says in verse six, those who are taught the Word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don’t be misled. You cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. In verse eight, those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the spirit will harvest everlasting life from the spirit.
Paul saying this in verse six, the context of the Greek is dealing with money. Paul is saying, as you’re blessed, give. He mentions in a few contexts. He says, first, take care of the pastors or the elders, the ones who serve the church as their blessings. Spiritually, they need to eat. I appreciate that in church it’s always, well, it’s not always. But I’ll tell you, the tendency of pastors when you talk about money is to feel like you’re about to enter into something taboo. I don’t care. And honesty. People that get mad about money aren’t giving anyway. It’s the truth. Nothing’s going to change unless the spirit of God’s work. Bible saying in this passage, When God’s Spirit is working, people give. Because they understand what they’re giving for. Their eyes are on a greater prize than just the retirement. You know, we work so hard within our lives to earn a retirement for, what, 15 years? But greater than that, you’re working for an eternity. That’s going to last forever. I’m Paul saying, when God’s doing something good and there’s people who are serving in the capacity to meet the needs of, of the of the people within the church. Make sure their needs are met. You don’t ever want a pastor wearing rags for clothes while everyone else drives in their fancy cars to their home. It’s it’s an indication of where our spiritual condition is in Christ.
Um, I don’t know. Take that for whatever it’s worth. Wherever you end up, even in a future church. The reason that the Bible talks about money. It’s an indicator of where we are in Christ. Jesus talked about money more than anything. It’s an outward display of what’s happening within our hearts. And Paul, the emphasis of this is, is that Paul is educating the believers in this passage of Scripture. If you understand the background of where these people are coming from, those who came out of a Jewish religion were used to being taxed for their faith, and so they had this place that they would give, and those that came from a gentile religion were paying fees. And now they’re walking into this church and they’re thinking, what? Where is this? Where is the tax and the fees? Man, we don’t do that. Bible says this that God desires a cheerful heart when he gives. Bible calls those who understand what Christ has called us to in this world, to think of ourselves as stewards of his money rather than owning anything. We are accountable for it. And to be quite honest, when you look at the standard of the New Testament, when the church existed, there’s there’s their standard of giving was beyond sacrificial, in my opinion. I’m the 10% was a small shadow of what the New Testament church was doing. And Paul recognizes there is a need for that, but he goes beyond that. The purpose of giving isn’t just so the church leaders can get their their bills paid, but so that the people of God don’t miss out on what God desires to do.
I mean, he says it in verse seven and eight, you’re going to reap what you sow. Give so that you can can be a blessing and give so that you can be blessed. You’re you’re working not just for a retirement for 15 years, but a retirement for your entire life. Give. On Wednesday. Had the opportunity to go up to a meeting with biblical ministers worldwide. They’re going to gather all of their missionaries together throughout the state that are planning churches in the state of Utah. And and before I go, I always dive through the statistics on the state of Utah. I want to see Christ in Utah, and I want to see churches in every city in Utah. But listen to this. In the state of Utah right now, there are still at least 26 cities that have never had a Christian, mainstream Christian church. If you look at Utah County population statistics. 5% of the Christian population in our county is in this room. If anyone should see the need and what God can do with that, it has to be this room. Can I give you some stats just on churches? Because of where we’re growing as a church, we’re we’re getting to the place where where we need to become independent on ourselves and not depend on mission support to help us out.
In the average church in America, once you get to between 80 to 90 people can support a pastor. I recognize there’s different stats for for Utah’s as to why it’s different. Once. Once a church hits an average of 100 people, the average giving across America for a church of 100 people in attendance on Sunday, which we’ve been beyond since we’ve been in this building, is about $8,000. State of Utah is a little bit over $6,000. State of Utah tends to be a little lower because we’re a younger age people group, and we’ve got kids at a at a younger age, and so families don’t quite have or kind of pinching the pennies sometimes. I don’t want to make excuses for anybody, but I’m just saying average for Utah. That’s what it tends to be. And if you look at our church average or below that. And the only reason I’m bringing that up is, is I’m at a we’re at a place now where we have depended on churches across the country to help us out, to get this work going. Right. And now I just made a trip back east and and when I’m explaining to people how big we are, they’re looking at their church thinking, you guys are bigger. Like, why are you here? And I give them there’s some explanations for it I’m not going to dive into. But but it’s a responsibility to us to say, hey guys, we’re in Utah and we see the need better than anybody.
If anyone should understand how much should sacrifice it should take, it should be us more than anyone. We shouldn’t expect someone else to meet the need when we ourselves are living in it, and should set the example for it. It’s the truth. If a church doesn’t sustain here, it’s on us. It’s not on anybody else. Well. It’s been wonderful that God has blessed us with so many people who’ve wanted to give to this ministry and see the need. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even beyond our our desire to meet the need. Paul says that. When the Spirit of God is at work, the people just see the need. They know what Jesus has done in their heart and what Jesus can do in the hearts of people. And they just want that proclaimed. And whatever it takes, we’re we’re looking to to be a blessing and and to be blessed. And so we give. Last is this, he says, and in verse nine and ten, I don’t have it on here, do I? Oh y’all do. Verse nine and ten. So let’s, let’s not get tired of doing what is good at just the right time. We will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to those in the family of faith. Paul saying this we all have hardships. We all go through difficult circumstances.
God knows your weaknesses. And he uses this adversity to draw us closer to him. And in that adversity we find life is blessed through him. Believers live for Christ in this passage in all circumstances. When it’s easy to love you. Love when it’s difficult to love you love. And the Christian faith, love and compassion are the finest apologetic we have. The most astounding characteristic of Christianity is the ability to love and forgive the enemy. You think about Jesus on the cross next to the thief as he’s being mocked and he says, you will be with me in Paradise? Jesus, as he’s hanging on the cross, begs and says, father, forgive them. They know not what they’re doing. Jesus tells us, and it tells us in Romans five eight that God demonstrates his love for you. And while you’re still a sinner, Jesus loves you over and above your sin. Jesus loves. In life. There are people who do evil. There are people who return good for good and evil for evil. And there are people who turn evil for good. And those are God’s people. And that’s the message of our cross. The emblem to us, to mark to us as people that when God is moving, he can take some of the most grotesque things, such as a cross in human history, and turn it to the most glorious things for for his good name. Love, compassion, and forgiveness in the midst of adversity. Paul marks those things as evidence of the life of the believer and the spirit moving within them.
But he goes on in verse 11, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. Paul’s training or concluding this passage of Scripture. He’s moving to the the theological, the practice of the fruit of the spirit, to the theological thinking of what he’s communicated throughout the book of Galatians. He says in verse 11, listen, this is so important that I’m writing this myself. Some people believe that Paul had this problem with his eyes, that he that he couldn’t see. But he gets this end of this passage. This book starts with Paul just pounding it. He’s like, ah, take this. And he comes to the end. He’s like, hey, take it again. You know, he’s writing this down. Big letters. You can imagine a kid with a crayon I can’t see, you know. So they’re looking at him. Paul, we’ve got so much parchment, I don’t know, but Paul’s Paul’s writing this huge. He’s like, look at this. This is so big. I can see it with my bad eyes. I want you to read this. Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ, for those who are circumcised. And I even keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, so that they may boast in your flesh.
Poles recognizing something for us and saying, I want you to remember the interest of what religion is about. Interests of religion. Isn’t interested in the cross of Christ. Religion doesn’t need the cross of Christ. Religion will underplay the cross of Christ. Matter of fact, every religion in the world has something to say about Jesus. Islam says Jesus never even died on the cross, but he was a person. The cross of Christ is unnecessary to them because they don’t see the need for their lives as Jesus died for their sins on that cross. That’s where everything happens for the Christian life. People who don’t get it don’t understand their need for the cross, and rather than suffer for it, they’ll forsake it for the for the community of religion that they’re creating. And their interest then, rather than boasting in what Jesus has done on the cross, is boasting in their own accomplishments of what they’ve done. Look how good I am. God has to love me, everyone. I’m better than them. I’m the most lovable thing he’s ever created. And I got to say, if if we’re living life to please God by what we do, you and God are going to be sorely disappointed. It’s the cross. And so he says in verse 14, this should be the interest of believers. But may it never be that I would boast. Except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. A believer’s interest is to boast in Christ, to the point. Paul even says in verse 17 that he sacrifices everything for. You think about the way that Paul is communicating to us? Through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. The life that he’s lived by the mark of what Jesus has done in him. Can I tell you as Christians this morning to those who put their faith in Christ? The most important step you take for Jesus isn’t the first step. It’s the last step. To get to the end of your life. It’s finished well by faith, trusting and surrendering to His spirit that he moves within your heart. Paul’s recognizing in his life, even in this passage of Scripture, that whatever circumstance it takes, whatever sacrifice is there in verse 17 he says, my body bears those marks for the sake of Christ. Verse 16, it says this, and this is the mark of what happens in the life of a believer, in those who will walk by this rule. Peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. Paul saying this for the life of the believer. Paul is going to mention grace as well. Well, we said in the very beginning, as Paul started the book of Galatians, he says, Grace and peace marks your life. And the idea is this if you know God, you know peace.
And if you don’t know God, you don’t know peace. Christ rules the heart. Christ sets you free. And in your relationship with the Lord you are free indeed. And there is peace. And in that piece we’ve discovered mercy. Whatever happens in the Christian life, good or bad. The the good news for you is you win. If tomorrow is a struggle, in the end, you win. And if tomorrow you see Jesus, you win. It’s all about the peace of knowing. Regardless of what happens to me in my life, I have won. And there is peace, and there is mercy in that relationship with Christ. And so Paul says this to conclude the passage, he says, from now on, let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with your spirit, brethren. Amen. And it’s as if he’s saying to the believers, listen, you think circumcision is so important rather than let your body get cut up for that purpose in religion, let it be abused for the sake of Christ, that by far more is worth greater glory than anything you’re going to accomplish in religion. Amen. It’s about what Jesus has done to set you free. There is peace, there is mercy, and Christ has set you free. Indeed. This morning as I go over this passage and I’ll just say this in conclusion. I’m not saying read chapter six and figure out how to be good.
I’m saying, read chapter six and figure out how to surrender your life to Christ. Bible says this in Ephesians chapter two and verse ten. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. God cares too much about you to leave you alone. He desires to do great things through you and in you. You usually get to the end of a passage like this, and I give you some little step that you can go out and do within your life. And I got to the end and I thought, there’s no need. That’s what Paul did already. For us as believers. This is the the call to you. You’ve read this passage, you’ve seen the fruit of the spirit. You’ve seen what Paul says in Galatians chapter six. But this is what we walk away knowing with, is that God desires to do great things in us and through us. And as we see the need for the Lord, we stand for the Lord, even if we bare it within our bodies. Because knowing Christ brings such grace and mercy and peace and freedom, that if there’s anything in this world worth proclaiming, it’s got to start with Jesus. You are a church family. You cannot even begin to live what Paul talks about in these passages of Scripture, unless you’re serious about your walk with him and desire to see that made known in the life of one another. Seek his face and encourage each other.