1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:28,960 Mae Lywodraeth Gaelesi, 2 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:36,960 If someone is caught in sin, you, who live by the spirit, should restore that person gently. 3 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,960 But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 4 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:46,960 Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. 5 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:52,960 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 6 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:58,960 Each one should test their own actions, then they can take pride in themselves alone, 7 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,960 without comparing themselves to someone else. 8 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,960 For each one should carry their own load. 9 00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:11,960 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the Word should share all good things with their instructor. 10 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:17,960 Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked, and man reads what he says. 11 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,960 Whoever sows to please their flesh from the flesh will reap destruction. 12 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:28,960 Whoever sows to please the spirit from the spirit will reap eternal life. 13 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:38,960 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at that proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 14 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:46,960 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 15 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:48,960 This is a word of God. 16 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:50,960 Thanks Michael. 17 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,960 Morning everyone. 18 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,960 If we have not met before, my name is Michael. 19 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,960 I am one of the ministers here at Grace Christian Church, 20 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:03,960 and it is absolutely wonderful to have you visiting with us. 21 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:09,960 Straight after the service, we do have morning tea, so please don't be a stranger. 22 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:16,960 Feel free to stick around, ask questions and get to know a friendly bunch of people. 23 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,960 Also, your brothers and sisters in the Lord. 24 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:26,960 In saying that, would you please join me in asking our Heavenly Father for help in understanding his word this morning? 25 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:28,960 Would you please pray with me? 26 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,960 Father God, it is such a privilege to be here this morning, 27 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:40,960 gathered in the church that you have made and are making. 28 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:52,960 The church that you have sent your son for, and we look forward to the day when he will return to take us to where he is. 29 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,960 This morning we asked that your Holy Spirit would be at work amongst us, 30 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:03,960 that our hearts would burn to be evermore like our Lord and Saviour. 31 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,960 We know that this is the work you do among us through your Word, and we ask for it this morning. 32 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,960 We ask for it in Jesus' name. Amen. 33 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:21,960 The Christian life isn't an abstract, mystical concept. 34 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:28,960 Now it's a spiritual reality that works itself out in the real world. 35 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:38,960 I say that because throughout the book of Galatians, the apostle Paul has shown us what it is to trust in Christ. 36 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:52,960 It's to turn from a legalist mindset of trying to earn righteousness through the law of God to embrace Jesus as our once for all sacrifice. 37 00:03:52,960 --> 00:04:00,960 But as we've also seen, just because we've been set free from the condemnation of the law, 38 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:07,960 it doesn't mean that we have been set free to do whatsoever we please. 39 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:13,960 Now we've been set free for a plan and a purpose, 40 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:21,960 and that plan and purpose is to love God with all that we are and to love those around us, 41 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,960 just like our Lord and Master showed us. 42 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:32,960 And as we trust and obey, that will have a real impact in this world. 43 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,960 That's a pretty high calling you might be thinking. 44 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:38,960 A pretty high calling. 45 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:44,960 Well, this is the other thing that Paul has shown us in the book of Galatians. 46 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,960 We don't walk this calling out all by our lonesome. 47 00:04:49,960 --> 00:05:00,960 No, the Holy Spirit of God has been given to all God's children to help us in the very real struggle to live like our Lord. 48 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:09,960 He's the one who empowers the Christian and leads us to be more and more and more like Jesus. 49 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:18,960 Which means that a life that is surrendered to God is a life defined by love. 50 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:24,960 Love for God and love for those around us. 51 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:30,960 And that's what our apostle focuses in on here this morning. 52 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:37,960 He gives us a very, very practical map of how spirit filled and spirit led people 53 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:42,960 are to follow our Lord's example in loving those around us. 54 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:48,960 Especially showing love towards those who are in the household of God. 55 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:54,960 And our apostle will show us this wonderful truth in three particular areas. 56 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,960 First, we'll see that the spirit will lead us to help others. 57 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:04,960 Second, that the spirit will lead us to carry one another's burdens. 58 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:14,960 And then finally, third, we'll see that the spirit will cause us to invest in others and into God himself. 59 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:23,960 So if you have your Bibles with you this morning, have a look with me at verse one of chapter six. 60 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:29,960 Paul writes, brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, 61 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:37,960 you who live by the spirit should restore that person gently. 62 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,960 I used to love going to the pool with my mates growing up, 63 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:48,960 but there was one event that happened that totally creeped me out. 64 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,960 And it sticks with me to this very day. 65 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:58,960 You see, we were swimming around having a blast when all of a sudden all these people 66 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,960 started shouting and jumping into the pool along with us. 67 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,960 At first we took the whole thing as a bit of a joke, 68 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:15,960 but then we suddenly realised that the little brother of one of our mates was behind us 69 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:21,960 and he couldn't touch the bottom of the pool and he was starting to drown. 70 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,960 We didn't even see him. 71 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,960 Others did though and they jumped in and they did something about it. 72 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:36,960 And that story sticks with me even to today because we were totally oblivious 73 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,960 to what was happening around us. 74 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:47,960 Totally distracted in regards to this little brother who was starting to drown. 75 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:54,960 And our apostle wants to make sure that the same thing doesn't happen in the church 76 00:07:54,960 --> 00:08:01,960 when it comes to our brothers and sisters who might be caught in sin 77 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,960 and drowning right in front of us. 78 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:13,960 Paul wants to make us aware that sin still is a problem for the flesh 79 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,960 and that we need to be on the lookout for one another 80 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:26,960 and be willing and able to jump in and help our siblings when they're in serious trouble. 81 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:34,960 And so he says those who live by the spirit should restore that person gently. 82 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,960 And church, there's a couple of things that I want you to take note of 83 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:44,960 and just those first few words that I think will be really helpful for you. 84 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:50,960 First, Paul tells us who he wants to be doing the restoring. 85 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:56,960 And he says it's to be those who live by the spirit. 86 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:01,960 As we've seen in the book of Galatians, people who have heard the gospel 87 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,960 and put their faith in Jesus, it is they that have been crucified with Christ 88 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,960 and now stand in the faith that they profess. 89 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:19,960 And so to live by the spirit is to be led by the spirit in every area of your life. 90 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:21,960 We had a look at this last week. 91 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:26,960 The Holy Spirit is setting a new pattern of living, 92 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:32,960 a new way of living in the life of God's children. 93 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,960 And so those who trust and obey and who are putting sin to death 94 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,960 are those who Paul has in mind here. 95 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:49,960 So really Paul is saying anyone who is living faithfully in line of the gospel 96 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:57,960 should be somewhere involved in the restoration of their brothers and sisters around them. 97 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:06,960 So that's first, that's who's meant to be doing the restoring of those who are drowning in sin. 98 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:11,960 Anyone who has the spirit of God leading and guiding them. 99 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:17,960 So not just the elders and the deacons, you might notice. 100 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:23,960 Second, Paul tells us how those who are drowning are to be restored. 101 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:28,960 It's to be done gently, as he says here. 102 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:35,960 It's interesting that Paul uses a Greek word that's associated with mending here. 103 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,960 That's what sits under the word restore. 104 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:46,960 In fact, it's the same word that the evangelist Mark used when talking of the apostles, 105 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:52,960 when they sat on the shores of Galilee and mended their nets. 106 00:10:52,960 --> 00:11:01,960 And so straight away that tells you how spirit-filled Christians are to go about restoring one another. 107 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,960 It's about mending them. 108 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:12,960 And it needs to be done with patience and as Paul says here, with gentleness. 109 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:18,960 It kind of sounds like the fruit of the spirit that we looked at last week. 110 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:27,960 All that to say, Paul's point is this, restoration isn't about punishing people for their sin. 111 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:35,960 But helping to mend them so that they can get back on the straight and narrow 112 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:43,960 and continue living in the way that the spirit of God has called them to live. 113 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,960 Church, what our apostle is directing us in here is such a beautiful picture. 114 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:54,960 He wants the family of God to be looking out for each other. 115 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,960 We see that language clearly there in verse 10. 116 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,960 This is an in-house discussion. 117 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:10,960 And thus, when we see our spiritual siblings drowning in sin, we're meant to do something about it. 118 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:20,960 We're meant to go and get involved with them and help them so that they might return to a life of being faithful and obedient. 119 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:28,960 We're meant to be aware of each other and help mend one another. 120 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:36,960 And so in saying that, I want you to take note of what our apostle isn't saying here. 121 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:44,960 He's not saying that he wants the people of God to be agreeable and passive with those around us. 122 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:51,960 In other words, he doesn't want us to be the kind of church that sees someone drowning and says, 123 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:54,960 I don't want to disturb them. 124 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,960 I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable. 125 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:05,960 I don't want them to feel uneasy about their lifestyle choices or make a fuss. 126 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:14,960 That's to tolerate sin and to allow it to thrive in the life of those that we profess to love. 127 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:20,960 And so we mustn't take Paul's command here to be gentle in restoring, 128 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:33,960 in mending our struggling family members as a command to sit back and be partial as they drown in sin right in front of us. 129 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:40,960 Now a sign of a healthy church is a church that is keeping a close watch on themselves 130 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:51,960 so that they might walk by the spirit and have the life of our Lord and Saviour evident to all those around them. 131 00:13:51,960 --> 00:14:02,960 A sign of a healthy church is a church that doesn't quench the spirit but is led by him in all that they say and do. 132 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,960 And this is the thing. 133 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:20,960 The Holy Spirit of God will always lead us to honour God by holding the Gospel central and to love those around us. 134 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:34,960 And so to have great theology, to have fantastic events and building projects all the while ignoring those around us who might be broken and torn and treaded on, 135 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,960 well that's a church to be distracted. 136 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,960 That's a distracted church. 137 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,960 Distracted with good things, yes, but distracted nonetheless, 138 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:52,960 which can cause us to totally miss what might be going on right in front of us. 139 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,960 So our apostle makes us all aware of something this morning. 140 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,960 Not everyone, not everyone might be doing great. 141 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,960 So don't be distracted. 142 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:13,960 Look around it and where you see the works of the flesh being evident in the life of your brother or sister, go to them. 143 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:18,960 Be loving, be kind, be gentle and patient. 144 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:26,960 And don't be afraid to get involved with faithfully mending and restoring them. 145 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,960 But says our apostle in the rest of verse 1, 146 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:38,960 Watch yourselves, otherwise you also may be tempted. 147 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,960 It's really interesting that our apostle puts that there. 148 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:49,960 But I think he does it to remind us just how subtle the flesh can be 149 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:56,960 and how it can get and find itself into any situation and flare up. 150 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,960 Paul's reminding us that we are sinners who are helping other sinners. 151 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:06,960 We are beggars telling other beggars where to go. 152 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:12,960 And so in the midst of helping someone else, Paul warns that on this side of eternity, 153 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:17,960 you have to be aware of the sinfulness of your own heart. 154 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:25,960 We must be wise to our own fleshly pitfalls when getting involved with someone else. 155 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,960 Angry people can cause anger in us. 156 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,960 So watch it. 157 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:38,960 People who gossip and slander others might cause us to do the same, so be aware. 158 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:46,960 Those with addictions that we may have once struggled with might bring back desires in us. 159 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:48,960 So be wise. 160 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,960 Helping is vital. 161 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:53,960 It's vitally important. 162 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,960 But so is keeping a watch on yourself. 163 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:05,960 And so in light of this apostolic command, we might remember the words of our Lord here. 164 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:16,960 In Matthew 26, 41, where he told us to watch and pray so that we don't fall into temptation ourselves. 165 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:24,960 So much of the time we allow the flesh to get back in the driver's seat because we're simply not praying about the things that we're doing 166 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:29,960 or for the people that we're involved with. 167 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:35,960 And that is so vitally important to remember when helping those who might be in trouble. 168 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:40,960 We must watch ourselves and pray. 169 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:51,960 Pray for them and pray for the wisdom to see when and where we might be operating with the wrong motives. 170 00:17:51,960 --> 00:18:02,960 These are the twin rail guards, we might say, on the bowling alley when it comes to Christian faithfulness. 171 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:14,960 Humble self-scrutiny in light of the word and dependent prayer for the grace of God to help keep you on the straight and narrow. 172 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:24,960 And so that's first, the spirit of God will lead us to help others and that's because restoration is important to God. 173 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:34,960 He's in that business and he uses his children as instruments in his hand to do that work. 174 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:47,960 And that's important to remember here this morning, restoration, mending, it's God's work, which means we're not doing it alone. 175 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:54,960 We have the living God with us in the deep end of the so-called pool. 176 00:18:54,960 --> 00:19:02,960 And so watch and pray as you go about gently and lovingly helping those who might be drowning. 177 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:09,960 Next, the spirit of God will lead us to carry each other's burdens. 178 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:19,960 As we've already seen this morning, the Christian life isn't about being a lawless, self-serving people, 179 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:30,960 but about being set free from the demands of the law so that we can serve God and others in a way that reflects our Lord Jesus Christ. 180 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:39,960 And so straight off the bat, that tells you that we're never meant to do the Christian life alone. 181 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:52,960 Now the life of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is designed to be amongst other things in and around other disciples. 182 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:59,960 And so, we're to have relationships with one another. 183 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:04,960 You know, relationship is a massive theme in the Bible. 184 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:10,960 And you don't have to be in relationships for very long, even with those in your own family, 185 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:18,960 to find out that they can be pretty complex, they can be messy, even painful at times. 186 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:26,960 But none of that is an excuse to withdraw and delete church as an option in your life. 187 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:32,960 No, we're actually called to do the very opposite, and that is to stick it out with one another 188 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:39,960 and carry one another in our various burdens. 189 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:47,960 As it's in this, says our apostle, that we fulfill the law of Christ. 190 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,960 We see that there in verse 2. 191 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:59,960 Now you might remember from the previous verses that we saw that the fruit of the Spirit is really the pattern of Christ, 192 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:02,960 that the Holy Spirit is conforming us all too. 193 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:12,960 And I mentioned that because Jesus showed us more than anyone else in the history of mankind of what it is to really love others 194 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:18,960 because he really and truly carried our burdens. 195 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:25,960 Think about it, think about how Jesus carried the cross that you deserved to Calvary 196 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,960 and was pierced for your transgressions. 197 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:36,960 He loved you enough to come and live a perfect life on your behalf and more than that. 198 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:45,960 He loved you enough to bear on himself your sin and be slaughtered for all your wrongdoing. 199 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:50,960 Bearing on himself the wrath of God. 200 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:55,960 He carried your burden all the way to the cross. 201 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:03,960 And now our apostle says in light of that, in light of the Gospel, seeing that you are so loved, 202 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,960 we love our Lord in return by loving one another. 203 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:19,960 It's for his sake as in his hands we are an instrument that is called to help lighten the burdens of others 204 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:26,960 by laying our lives down for others. 205 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:32,960 That is what the Holy Spirit is leading all Christians in. 206 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:39,960 He leads us to live out a Gospel centric life towards one another. 207 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:50,960 And he leads us to love one another by bearing one another's burdens as our Lord and Master demonstrated to us. 208 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:55,960 Now that obviously doesn't mean we're to be crucified for each other, 209 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:05,960 it does mean that we are to live in a self-sacrificial way when it comes to each other's needs. 210 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,960 This is an incredible truth, Church. 211 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:15,960 This is an amazing picture that our apostle is setting up for us here. 212 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:21,960 If we live out what the Spirit is calling us into, 213 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:27,960 we trust and obey the Word and love others in the way that we're meant to. 214 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:34,960 We somewhat re-enact the Gospel for the world to see. 215 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:45,960 We re-enact what Jesus has done for us as he carried our burdens in such a selfless way. 216 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:53,960 That is the Spirit-led life that each and every single one of us is called to. 217 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,960 We're called to be self-sacrificial. 218 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:02,960 And as we love and carry one another, warts and all, through thick and thin, 219 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:08,960 we'll be imitating and acting like the one that we profess to follow, 220 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:18,960 which is to fulfil the law of Christ, as our apostle says here. 221 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:20,960 I hope you see this, Church. 222 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,960 The Christian life isn't meant to be a solo project. 223 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:32,960 Sometimes we will need to jump in the so-called deep end of the pool 224 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:38,960 and help others, and it will cost us. 225 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,960 Sometimes we're going to need that for ourselves, 226 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:48,960 which means we need to be real with one another. 227 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:53,960 So often we hide our sin and withdraw from others when we're not doing well 228 00:24:53,960 --> 00:25:00,960 because we say to ourselves that we don't want to be a pain or worry others 229 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:05,960 with what we're going through, but let's be clear here this morning. 230 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,960 Let's be honest. 231 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:16,960 A lot of the time we protect ourselves because we don't want others to think that we're weak. 232 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:22,960 I know that's certainly the case for me. 233 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:26,960 That's pride. 234 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:36,960 Pride because what lays at the heart of all of that is a heart that doesn't want people to think badly of us. 235 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,960 But we have to come back to the Gospel. 236 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:47,960 Come back to see what Church has set the whole thing up to be. 237 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:54,960 It's not meant to be a hotel lobby where everybody's meant to be in their best dressed attire. 238 00:25:54,960 --> 00:26:01,960 But as Spurgeon once put it, the Church is more like an army hospital 239 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:07,960 full of people who are healing from their battle wounds. 240 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:16,960 To put that simply, we can't keep in step with the spirit all by our lonesome. 241 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:22,960 God has simply not set the Christian life up to be a solo project. 242 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,960 We need him and we need each other. 243 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:37,960 That's why Paul reminds us in verse 3, if anyone thinks that there's something when they're not, they deceive themselves. 244 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:39,960 Don't be deceived, brothers and sisters. 245 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:45,960 Don't fall for the lie that you're the only one who is dealing with that sin. 246 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:54,960 That you're the only one having a hard time, that you're the only one not having a great walk at the moment. 247 00:26:54,960 --> 00:27:00,960 I think you'll find that as you start to share your life with those around you 248 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:05,960 and be vulnerable with those, God has placed with you and hear this, 249 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:18,960 who God has placed around you for you, that you'll find your burdens that you've been carrying for so long to be lightened. 250 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,960 Don't rob yourself of that experience. 251 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:30,960 And don't rob others of being a blessing to you. 252 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:36,960 There's a tension going on in our text here. It's a fine line, but it's a tension nonetheless. 253 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:45,960 Yes, we need each other absolutely, but that doesn't mean that when we offload our burdens on others, 254 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:51,960 that we offload personal responsibility of our sin on others. 255 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:56,960 Yes, we bear one another's burdens, we help, we mend, 256 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:04,960 but no, we don't offload our personal responsibility for the things that we do. 257 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:11,960 We must all acknowledge that we are personally responsible for the things that we do in this life. 258 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:17,960 And one day, we will give an account to God for it. 259 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:23,960 That's what Paul is speaking about here in verses 4 and 5. 260 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,960 Each one should test their own actions, then they can take pride in themselves alone 261 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,960 without comparing themselves to someone else. 262 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:38,960 For each one should carry their own load. Paul's not contradicting himself here, 263 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:44,960 like saying bear one another's burdens, but in the very same breath saying bear your own. 264 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:56,960 He's using a play on words, word pictures here, to essentially communicate that we are all personally responsible for what we do with our own actions. 265 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:05,960 And so don't compare yourself with what other people are doing, but test your way of life in light of the Gospel. 266 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,960 Test your way of life in light of the Word. 267 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,960 Test your way of life in light of where the Spirit is leading and ask, 268 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:23,960 does this match the example of our Lord or not? 269 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:29,960 One day, every single one of us will have to give an account to God for what we've done, 270 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,960 not for what others have done. 271 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:42,960 And for those who have trusted and obeyed, for those who have humbly and self-sacrificially served their brothers and sisters, 272 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:50,960 they'll be able to somewhat be pleased and take joy in the work that they've done. 273 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:55,960 So that's first, the Spirit of God will lead us to help others. 274 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,960 Second, the Spirit will lead us to carry each other's burdens. 275 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:09,960 Third and finally, the Spirit will cause us to invest in others and in God himself. 276 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:21,960 Just this week, a few of us had the great honour to go and celebrate the wonderful life and career of a godly man in our city, Don West. 277 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:23,960 We talked about him just before. 278 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:30,960 If you haven't heard of Don West before, it's as Tony said, he was the principal of Trinity Bible College, 279 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:35,960 that Tony, Tom, Jen and myself all attended. 280 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:45,960 Now to say that Don had a wonderful grasp on teaching the gospel would be an absolute understatement. 281 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:56,960 But here's the thing, to get the very best of Don, the churches in Perth had to recognise that he had to leave his career, 282 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:04,960 I think he was an accountant, so that he could give his very best to the next generation of gospel workers in this city. 283 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:10,960 To get the very best of Don and then his replacement, 284 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,960 who just so happens to be coming to preach here next week, if you want to put that in the diary, 285 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:24,960 to get the very best of them, we couldn't have them working a day job and then giving what they could at night. 286 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:29,960 No, we want to see their ministry flourish. 287 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:38,960 We want to see their ministries flourish so that we can see the gospel bear fruit in this city. 288 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,960 And I think that's what Paul has in mind here in verse 6. 289 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,960 He says to the one who receives instruction in the Word, 290 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:50,960 they should share all good things with their instructor, 291 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:58,960 which is to say there are those whom God has raised up and set aside to instruct us in the Word. 292 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:04,960 And so we should invest in their ministry in whatever way we can. 293 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:13,960 Paul will say elsewhere that the workmen is worthy of his wages and the teachers are in fact a gift of the Lord to the church. 294 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:21,960 And so we should be supporting gospel work in our city in whatever way we can, 295 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:31,960 so that we might be invested and celebrate the fruit of the gospel with those who are out there doing the work. 296 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:36,960 We might say that their win is our win sort of thing, 297 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:47,960 something we certainly celebrated the other night in regards to what God has done in our city through Don's faithful ministry. 298 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:56,960 And Paul takes this idea of gospel fruition and then applies it to our very Christian walks 299 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:01,960 in the context of investing in the Spirit of God himself. 300 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:07,960 Saying in verses 7 and 8, don't be deceived, God can't be mocked. 301 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:15,960 A man reaps what he sows, whoever sows to please their flesh from the flesh will reap destruction. 302 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:24,960 Whoever sows to please the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 303 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:31,960 You reap what you sow says our apostle. 304 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:35,960 So what are you sowing into? 305 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:41,960 Do you have a deep desire to trust and obey? 306 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:54,960 Well then if you have time to pray but you lose yourself in hours of YouTube or Netflix, could that be the reason why you're feeling spiritually unmotivated? 307 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:59,960 Do you want to love your neighbour as yourself? 308 00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:10,960 Well then if you've got opportunity to meditate on scripture and hear God speaking but you spend your time doing absolutely anything else, 309 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:16,960 might that be the reason why you're feeling like you just can't be bothered anymore? 310 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,960 Do you deeply desire to walk in holiness? 311 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,960 To live a godly life? 312 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:29,960 Well if you've got the chance to meet with other Christians to pray, have fellowship, 313 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:38,960 but you choose time and time and time and time and time again to work or go to the game or go fishing, 314 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:50,960 might that be the reason why sin just seems like a little bit of adult naughtiness and not such a big deal anymore? 315 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:55,960 Do you see the principle at play here brothers and sisters? 316 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,960 We reap what we sow. 317 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:11,960 Church, each and every single one of us who's put our trust and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is called to live a spirit led life. 318 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:21,960 A life that is shaped and moulded by trusting and obeying what God is doing in us and what he is doing for us. 319 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:30,960 That is what you have been called to do. We've been called to not panda to the flesh but to crucify it 320 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:36,960 and to follow our Lord's lead in the power of the Spirit. 321 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:47,960 Therefore might we sow our love, our time, our energy, our devotion, our lives into what the Spirit is leading and guiding 322 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:52,960 and hungering your hearts after? 323 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:58,960 As Paul wonderfully says to us here in verses 9 and 10, 324 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,960 let us not become weary in doing good. 325 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:06,960 For the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up. 326 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:16,960 Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers. 327 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:22,960 As we end our time in this beautiful part of Scripture this morning, each and every single one of us 328 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:29,960 who's called upon the name of the Lord has been set free by the Lord Jesus Christ 329 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:38,960 and filled with the Holy Spirit so that we might practice being like our Lord and Saviour in this world. 330 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:46,960 He showed us what it is to live out the intention of the Lord in all that he did. 331 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:53,960 Our Lord loved our heavenly Father more than we could possibly ever hope to imagine 332 00:36:53,960 --> 00:37:03,960 and this is the thing, he loved you and me more than we could ever hope to know. 333 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:13,960 And he showed us that, he showed us that in that the joy that was set before him, 334 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:20,960 he endured the cross and he found joy in the reward of total obedience 335 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:30,960 because he knew by his sacrificial life that he would carry his brothers and sisters burdens 336 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:36,960 and bury them in the grave for all eternity. 337 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:43,960 You and I have the very spirit of God living in us, conforming us to that pattern of living, 338 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:56,960 leading us to love others by helping them, by carrying them, by investing in the work of the Gospel. 339 00:37:56,960 --> 00:38:06,960 Our spiritual siblings aren't a burden, our sin and our flesh is a burden. 340 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:13,960 So let's not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit of God in his work. 341 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:25,960 Let's trust and obey, let's watch and pray, let's sow our time, our energy, our resources, our lives 342 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:33,960 into what we're being led to do by the Spirit because that's what we were saved to do. 343 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:41,960 Church, would you please join me in praying to carry out what we've heard this morning in God's word to us? 344 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:48,960 Let's pray. 345 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:58,960 Father God, we are so thankful for the Gospel, there's no words to describe our thanks 346 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:04,960 for what Jesus achieved at the cross. 347 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:14,960 Father, we desperately want to be disciples, we desperately want to follow, 348 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:23,960 we desperately want to pick our crosses up and follow our Lord and Master all the days of our life 349 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:29,960 and we are keenly aware that you are the one through the work of the Spirit 350 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:35,960 that gives us the power and the leading and the life to do this. 351 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:43,960 Father, where we have grieved you in this church for not looking out for one another, 352 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:53,960 for letting polite society infiltrate the church where you have been grieved, where you have been quenched. 353 00:39:53,960 --> 00:40:04,960 Lord, we lay this before you and we ask that you would mend us, that you would give us courage in the Gospel, 354 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:21,960 that you would show us where we've tripped and fallen and that we might be a people that are able to wisely, lovingly, gently lead your children to the cross time and time again. 355 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:31,960 Lord, we ask that you would use us as a city on a hill, a lie in this world, a lie at Naamadau, to do your work and not our own. 356 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:38,960 We're so thankful that we get to partner with you in Gospel proclamation, but Lord, we ask that we would be faithful, 357 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:42,960 not just in our words but in our actions as well. 358 00:40:42,960 --> 00:41:02,960 We ask for the sake of Christ in your glory alone. Amen.