1 00:00:06,490 --> 00:00:10,490 By the gratefully we draw near to you in the precious name of 2 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:16,570 the Lord Jesus, we thank you for the words that we have sung and 3 00:00:16,580 --> 00:00:21,530 worship today. No other name, no other 4 00:00:22,390 --> 00:00:27,620 treasure, no other satisfaction, but all found in new our Lord 5 00:00:27,630 --> 00:00:33,760 Jesus and in you our God. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 6 00:00:34,190 --> 00:00:39,350 We thank you that today we have been able to consider the 7 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,930 finished work on the cross and the salvation that you have 8 00:00:43,940 --> 00:00:47,660 provided. We thank you that today you have 9 00:00:47,670 --> 00:00:52,020 lifted our eyes to consider your greatness, your kingship, the 10 00:00:52,030 --> 00:00:57,470 fact that you are sovereign. And so today we subject 11 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,640 ourselves to that. We bow before you. 12 00:01:00,860 --> 00:01:05,360 We rest in your wisdom, in your power, in your might, in your 13 00:01:05,370 --> 00:01:11,940 sovereignty, and today, as weak and fallible people, we turn to 14 00:01:11,950 --> 00:01:18,240 you as we see your grace and your gentleness with us, as we 15 00:01:18,250 --> 00:01:23,120 see your hand of mercy upon us. We come to you as families. 16 00:01:23,130 --> 00:01:27,200 We come to you as a church family and as individuals, and 17 00:01:27,210 --> 00:01:30,600 we look to you for your mercy and for your comfort and your 18 00:01:30,610 --> 00:01:34,750 strength and healing. Today we pray for our families 19 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,810 amongst us. We pray for our mothers, and we 20 00:01:36,820 --> 00:01:39,810 thank you for them. We thank you for the children 21 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:44,130 and pray that you'll bless and encourage as they grow up to 22 00:01:44,180 --> 00:01:48,640 know about you and to trust you. And as they go to Sunday school 23 00:01:48,650 --> 00:01:51,060 now, Lord, we pray that you'll encourage and please the 24 00:01:51,070 --> 00:01:53,650 teachers. We pray that you'll give them 25 00:01:53,660 --> 00:01:59,050 wisdom that you give help as you're weird is open to these 26 00:01:59,060 --> 00:02:04,240 young people that you're bless and encourage as the senior 27 00:02:04,250 --> 00:02:07,160 school and the teen Bible class goes ahead further. 28 00:02:07,170 --> 00:02:09,400 We thank you for your word to us today. 29 00:02:09,410 --> 00:02:13,680 And as we open your word, as we welcome Murray, we thank you for 30 00:02:13,690 --> 00:02:16,760 the privilege of being in your word. 31 00:02:16,830 --> 00:02:20,780 We pray that you'll help us to be hearers and do us, and we 32 00:02:20,790 --> 00:02:23,880 pray your blessing in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen. 33 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,110 Very good, Thank you. It's good to come back here 34 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,650 again. And you've changed your Chapel 35 00:02:28,660 --> 00:02:31,330 around a little bit since last time I was here. 36 00:02:31,660 --> 00:02:35,830 So anyway, it's good to see such a good crowd of people here 37 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,970 today. And part of the work I do is 38 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,810 does take me around the country visiting churches and 39 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,620 individuals. So it's a it's one reason why 40 00:02:44,630 --> 00:02:47,190 I'm up this way for a period of time. 41 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:53,240 Before I start looking at if if Galatians we were messages 42 00:02:53,250 --> 00:02:54,570 today. I just want to say a few things 43 00:02:54,580 --> 00:02:59,310 about Ms. Bible School, which is something I'm involved in. 44 00:02:59,660 --> 00:03:04,680 So we've got May Correspondence School, it's a something's been 45 00:03:04,690 --> 00:03:08,450 going for a long time, since 1942 in North America, but it's 46 00:03:08,460 --> 00:03:10,400 been in New Zealand since the late 1950s. 47 00:03:10,410 --> 00:03:15,400 But it aims to help people just to get to know the scriptures. 48 00:03:15,910 --> 00:03:21,270 And so there's courses that have been developed and spread around 49 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,520 the world, is being used printed copies in 110 different 50 00:03:25,590 --> 00:03:30,240 countries and it's been translated into 86 different 51 00:03:30,290 --> 00:03:35,360 languages. And so there's a wide range of 52 00:03:35,410 --> 00:03:37,760 subjects and books that are covered in the courses. 53 00:03:37,770 --> 00:03:40,850 We've got about 100 of them available now from my office in 54 00:03:40,860 --> 00:03:43,730 Wellington. There's a brochure which sets 55 00:03:43,740 --> 00:03:45,720 out a lot of courses. The brochure is free. 56 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,310 If you want a newsletter, seems a bit of news about what's 57 00:03:48,380 --> 00:03:51,630 happening, that's free as well. If you'd like, of course, please 58 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,390 pay for it sort of between 4:00 and $12.00. 59 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:59,590 Basically for the courses, effectively most of them or all 60 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,590 of them have got questions and answer questions to be answered 61 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,370 in them and they can be seen in for marking to our office in 62 00:04:05,380 --> 00:04:08,590 Wellington if you want to get in the marked. 63 00:04:09,300 --> 00:04:12,450 So just to give an idea of what's involved in the last 64 00:04:12,460 --> 00:04:17,959 financial year, there's 1646 courses that we sent out, OK, or 65 00:04:18,329 --> 00:04:20,380 distributed to different people around New Zealand. 66 00:04:21,170 --> 00:04:25,880 And we marked 601 courses. Many of those who do the courses 67 00:04:25,890 --> 00:04:29,390 are prisoners. Maybe 8080% of those who are 68 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,160 doing the courses would be in gaol, but we're thankful that 69 00:04:32,210 --> 00:04:34,010 many of them are. Well, I would say we're 70 00:04:34,020 --> 00:04:37,800 benefiting spiritually from studying the Bible this way. 71 00:04:38,070 --> 00:04:41,800 And so don't need to be a prisoner to study the Bible. 72 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:44,640 I hope you want to study the Bible. 73 00:04:44,650 --> 00:04:47,430 And there's something which may have helped me and when I was a 74 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,390 teenager to get into the word of God. 75 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:50,630 And then I developed my own method. 76 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,130 But it's something which if you've never studied the Bible, 77 00:04:53,140 --> 00:04:56,870 will you get one of these courses and just let it help you 78 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,110 to, to get the discipline of study there. 79 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:03,590 If for some reason you don't like paper courses, well, you 80 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,910 can do it online. There's the Ms. app, which has 81 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:11,390 been developed recently and the app has been accessed and all 82 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,780 but seven countries of the world and it's available in 31 83 00:05:15,790 --> 00:05:19,050 languages and 8 / 80,000 active installations. 84 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:22,820 And so if you prefer to study the scriptures using that sort 85 00:05:22,830 --> 00:05:27,640 of method, then you can do that. It's administered through people 86 00:05:27,650 --> 00:05:29,700 overseas. It's not not something I have 87 00:05:29,710 --> 00:05:32,280 anything directly to do with, but it's something which is 88 00:05:32,290 --> 00:05:35,750 there if you prefer that way. OK. 89 00:05:35,860 --> 00:05:38,830 The other thing I mentioned, one of the other things I do is I 90 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:40,650 eat at the magazine run with the good news. 91 00:05:40,700 --> 00:05:43,250 If you haven't seen a copy or want one, there are some in the 92 00:05:43,260 --> 00:05:44,860 four. You're the free and so you're 93 00:05:44,870 --> 00:05:47,730 welcome to take a copy. It's got some news of New 94 00:05:47,740 --> 00:05:51,690 Zealand work and also some Bible based articles. 95 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,890 I'm currently working on the June edition. 96 00:05:54,650 --> 00:05:58,880 OK, we're going to look at Galatians chapter 6, verses 1 to 97 00:05:58,890 --> 00:06:00,740 10. So I want to start by reading 98 00:06:00,750 --> 00:06:05,820 that passage and then I'll talk a bit about this section of the 99 00:06:05,830 --> 00:06:10,560 Bible. So Galatians chapter 6, verses 1 100 00:06:10,630 --> 00:06:14,530 to 10. So we'll read the passage and 101 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:17,910 then I'll talk a bit about what's in it. 102 00:06:19,750 --> 00:06:24,340 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are 103 00:06:24,350 --> 00:06:28,090 spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. 104 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:34,250 Keep watching, watch on yourself, lest you 2 be tempted. 105 00:06:35,070 --> 00:06:40,270 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 106 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,330 For if anyone thinks he has something when he is nothing, he 107 00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:48,530 deceives himself. But let each one test his own 108 00:06:48,540 --> 00:06:54,290 work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone 109 00:06:54,380 --> 00:06:58,450 and not in his neighbor, for each will have to bear his own 110 00:06:58,460 --> 00:07:01,390 load. That's the one who was taught 111 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,850 the word. Share all good things with the 112 00:07:03,860 --> 00:07:07,170 one who teaches. Do not be deceived. 113 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:12,050 God is not mocked for whatever one shows that will he also 114 00:07:12,060 --> 00:07:14,590 reap. For the one who shows to his own 115 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,240 flesh will from the the flesh reap corruption, but the one who 116 00:07:18,250 --> 00:07:21,310 shows to the Spirit, will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 117 00:07:22,190 --> 00:07:27,080 And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we 118 00:07:27,090 --> 00:07:32,790 will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, 119 00:07:33,110 --> 00:07:37,560 let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of 120 00:07:37,570 --> 00:07:43,980 the household of faith. God will bless His word to us. 121 00:07:46,900 --> 00:07:52,520 So the letter to the Galatians, it's a book which is about 122 00:07:52,530 --> 00:07:57,560 freedom. It was especially about freedom 123 00:07:57,670 --> 00:08:01,950 from slavery to the law of Moses. 124 00:08:02,170 --> 00:08:05,790 And much of the letter concerns the true good news, the true 125 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,710 gospel and its relationship to the law. 126 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,130 Now there's only one good news message from God, one true 127 00:08:13,140 --> 00:08:16,810 gospel. Any other gospel is not a true 128 00:08:16,820 --> 00:08:19,870 gospel. And Paul says that people who 129 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,120 teach a different gospel should be condemned. 130 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,630 That's harsh words, but it's truth is important. 131 00:08:27,020 --> 00:08:31,290 In any other kind of message, claiming to be from God is 132 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:34,610 leading people astray. And Paul says those who involved 133 00:08:34,620 --> 00:08:37,270 in spreading that should be condemned. 134 00:08:37,980 --> 00:08:41,530 Now the good news is that God declares righteous all those who 135 00:08:41,539 --> 00:08:45,750 believe in his Son Jesus Christ and their acceptance by God does 136 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,590 not depend on the keeping of God's Lord. 137 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,890 It depends on Jesus Christ, especially on his death on the 138 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:56,530 cross and salvation is a gift from God-given by innis grace to 139 00:08:56,540 --> 00:08:58,910 those who believe. Now, the problem with the 140 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,480 Galatians was basically they had people going around saying, you 141 00:09:01,490 --> 00:09:04,120 know, to be a really good Christian or maybe even to be 142 00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:08,680 accepted by God, you have to keep the law of Moses and those 143 00:09:08,690 --> 00:09:12,990 big emphasis on circumcision. But it really stood for all the 144 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,630 ceremonial stuff in in the law of Moses, maybe except the 145 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,070 sacrifices. And so Paul is writing against 146 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,780 that sort of teaching, say, well, God accepts us because of 147 00:09:21,790 --> 00:09:24,050 what Jesus has done. It's not. 148 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,930 We don't have to sort of keep keeping the law thinking that 149 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,110 God will not accept us unless we keep all these other commands. 150 00:09:32,050 --> 00:09:34,900 And so we're not under the Old Testament law today. 151 00:09:34,910 --> 00:09:36,760 It had a purpose. It was there to lead people to 152 00:09:36,770 --> 00:09:41,890 the Messiah, to Christ, but that was only temporary now. 153 00:09:42,940 --> 00:09:48,150 So looking at some of the teachings in this letter, he 154 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,180 talked about the Christian life. What's it about? 155 00:09:50,190 --> 00:09:56,220 Well, he says to us that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that 156 00:09:56,230 --> 00:10:00,090 he could deliver us out of this present evil age. 157 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,330 And that suggests that when you receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, 158 00:10:04,340 --> 00:10:07,790 if he, if you're a believer, then your life should be 159 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:12,550 different from unbelievers. We are delivered from this 160 00:10:12,620 --> 00:10:15,580 present evil age, not in the sense that God removes us out of 161 00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:19,270 this world, but rather we are. Now we have a different life. 162 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,690 Paul has said that he no longer lives. 163 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:26,370 Christ lives on him. I'd be crucified with Christ and 164 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:31,500 I no longer live, but Christ lives in me and so he lives the 165 00:10:31,510 --> 00:10:33,360 life he lives. He lives by faith in Jesus 166 00:10:33,370 --> 00:10:38,760 Christ, and so Jesus Christ is now the master of his people. 167 00:10:38,810 --> 00:10:40,690 I am not my own as we were singing. 168 00:10:41,050 --> 00:10:45,800 And so we're, we're no longer our own masters, but we live by 169 00:10:45,810 --> 00:10:47,430 faith in Christ, obedient to him. 170 00:10:48,500 --> 00:10:52,140 He says that all have been baptised into Christ, have 171 00:10:52,150 --> 00:10:57,900 clothed themselves with Christ. So it maybe means that we're 172 00:10:57,910 --> 00:11:00,010 becoming like Christ. That's the aim, that we should 173 00:11:00,020 --> 00:11:03,690 become like Christ as a transformation that is going on. 174 00:11:03,860 --> 00:11:07,670 And what is important in the Christian life is faith working 175 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,490 through love. So faith must express itself. 176 00:11:11,500 --> 00:11:14,830 You can't just sort of say I've got faith in Jesus in my life. 177 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,720 There's no different from what what it used to be that it needs 178 00:11:18,730 --> 00:11:22,830 to work out in people's lives. True faith isn't just in the 179 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,110 mind. It must show itself in actions. 180 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:31,120 And so we've got really three ways you could live, and only 181 00:11:31,130 --> 00:11:37,090 one of them is right. And so some people say, well, 182 00:11:37,380 --> 00:11:39,130 we're not under law, but under grace. 183 00:11:40,330 --> 00:11:45,630 So then we can just send anyway. You want to heard recently the 184 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,870 some group of people in Auckland, I think they go into 185 00:11:47,990 --> 00:11:51,990 the name Free Grace where they kind of have the idea that you, 186 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,090 you trust in Christ, but then you can just go and live in 187 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:56,110 summer anyway you like, live anyhow. 188 00:11:56,870 --> 00:11:59,540 Well that's a false teaching. There's three ways you could 189 00:11:59,550 --> 00:12:02,310 possibly do it and 1 is on the left side. 190 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,200 As you say, well we are under law. 191 00:12:04,210 --> 00:12:06,070 And this is the problem that Paul was particularly 192 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,850 confronting, and he wrote to the churches in Galatia, because 193 00:12:09,860 --> 00:12:12,040 there are people who are saying, well, we should really obey the 194 00:12:12,050 --> 00:12:15,960 law of Moses, and that will make you a good Christian, that will 195 00:12:16,010 --> 00:12:18,260 do what God wants. And Paul says no. 196 00:12:18,390 --> 00:12:20,080 And there are some people who say, well, if you wanna be 197 00:12:20,090 --> 00:12:22,860 really good, they have extra laws, extra rules that you have 198 00:12:22,870 --> 00:12:25,920 to obey. And they may sound good, but yet 199 00:12:26,010 --> 00:12:28,350 they really are not what God is requiring. 200 00:12:29,270 --> 00:12:32,340 Now as long as you get a an opposite reaction from a 201 00:12:32,390 --> 00:12:35,080 somewhat wrong idea and some go to the other extreme and say 202 00:12:35,090 --> 00:12:38,500 well you can be lawless. You don't need to have any laws. 203 00:12:38,750 --> 00:12:41,620 You're even free to sin because God will forgive you, you're or 204 00:12:41,630 --> 00:12:45,120 under grace. And Paul is very clear in this 205 00:12:45,130 --> 00:12:49,120 later that this is not what the way the Christians should live, 206 00:12:49,290 --> 00:12:52,020 but we live under grace. We live by faith, we live by the 207 00:12:52,030 --> 00:12:54,580 Spirit. We are to obey Christ. 208 00:12:54,590 --> 00:12:59,980 And so in the section of the letter from chapter 513 through 209 00:12:59,990 --> 00:13:04,570 to six verse 10, he talks about the nature of Christian freedom. 210 00:13:05,530 --> 00:13:10,980 And and so he says that in the chapter 5 verse 13, he says, for 211 00:13:10,990 --> 00:13:12,940 you were called to freedom, brothers only. 212 00:13:12,950 --> 00:13:16,920 Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but 213 00:13:16,930 --> 00:13:23,170 through love serve one another. And so he's got a bit about true 214 00:13:23,180 --> 00:13:25,090 freedom. Then he talks about how there is 215 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:28,930 this conflict between the flesh or the sinful nature and the 216 00:13:28,940 --> 00:13:31,310 Spirit, the Holy Spirit in the believer. 217 00:13:31,420 --> 00:13:34,020 And while we're in this world, we do have this conflict within 218 00:13:34,030 --> 00:13:36,120 us. None of us reach a stage where 219 00:13:36,130 --> 00:13:39,440 we're sort of kind of totally free from temptation. 220 00:13:39,450 --> 00:13:43,930 We don't have any in ourselves, but there's all this conflict 221 00:13:43,940 --> 00:13:46,730 and how do we live for God? He talks about that. 222 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,890 And then we're coming to chapter 6, first ten, one to 10, where 223 00:13:49,940 --> 00:13:53,510 he talks about fulfilling the law of Christ. 224 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,140 And so today if we look at this passage, there's five headings I 225 00:13:57,150 --> 00:14:00,040 want to look at this under. We're gonna start about with 226 00:14:00,050 --> 00:14:04,870 talking about the law of Christ and then we'll look at the four 227 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,610 things we see is here to help one another, to have a proper 228 00:14:07,620 --> 00:14:11,190 opinion of yourself, to appreciate your leaders and to 229 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:16,000 do good. And so we have the law of 230 00:14:16,050 --> 00:14:19,800 Christ. And so there's a statement in 231 00:14:19,890 --> 00:14:23,580 chapter 6, verse 2 where he says at the end of the verse, so 232 00:14:23,590 --> 00:14:30,520 fulfil the law of Christ. Now in chapter 5, there's a 233 00:14:30,530 --> 00:14:33,860 number of general statements about Christian living. 234 00:14:33,870 --> 00:14:37,560 It talks about walking by the Spirit, faith, working through 235 00:14:37,570 --> 00:14:39,340 love, through love, serve one another. 236 00:14:39,990 --> 00:14:42,240 And sometimes we don't necessarily put those things 237 00:14:42,250 --> 00:14:45,410 into practise because they sound a bit general, that kind of 238 00:14:45,420 --> 00:14:47,510 sound nice, but what do they actually mean? 239 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:52,080 And we don't perhaps think they apply to situations where in and 240 00:14:52,190 --> 00:14:55,460 people can talk about love. There have been at times a lot 241 00:14:55,470 --> 00:14:58,010 of songs about popular songs about love, All you need is love 242 00:14:58,020 --> 00:15:01,140 and things like this and the community sound very nice. 243 00:15:01,510 --> 00:15:04,960 But it can be harder when you get down to the concrete details 244 00:15:05,170 --> 00:15:08,070 of people's lives in particular situations. 245 00:15:08,830 --> 00:15:13,280 And for some of these, Paul is now unfolding and he tells us 246 00:15:13,290 --> 00:15:16,730 how if we're walking by the Spirit that we should or should 247 00:15:16,740 --> 00:15:21,470 not behave towards one another. And so Paul is ready. 248 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,000 I'll sort of four things that he's wanting to tell or tells 249 00:15:24,010 --> 00:15:27,760 Christians to do in these verses we're going to look at and some 250 00:15:27,770 --> 00:15:30,080 of these these teachers, some of the things that God expects us 251 00:15:30,090 --> 00:15:32,910 to do now. So there are commands that in 252 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,780 the Bible that we should obey. Now, we're not under the Old 253 00:15:36,790 --> 00:15:38,180 Testament law. That's very clear. 254 00:15:38,190 --> 00:15:40,700 If you read right through Galatians, it's very clear that 255 00:15:40,710 --> 00:15:43,460 we're not under the Old Testament law today. 256 00:15:43,470 --> 00:15:47,180 So you don't have to be bothered about clean and unclean food and 257 00:15:47,730 --> 00:15:51,860 male circumcision and that that's sort of those sort of 258 00:15:51,870 --> 00:15:54,800 details or keeping the Jewish feast and that kind of thing. 259 00:15:55,660 --> 00:16:01,630 But Paul makes it quite clear that we are under the law of 260 00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:08,020 Christ and 1st contains 9. Paul says that even though he 261 00:16:08,030 --> 00:16:13,020 himself was not under the law, he was not being outside the law 262 00:16:13,030 --> 00:16:15,420 of God. That was under the law of 263 00:16:15,430 --> 00:16:20,040 Christ. The Lord Jesus said if you love 264 00:16:20,050 --> 00:16:25,400 me, keep my commandments. He has my commandments and keeps 265 00:16:25,410 --> 00:16:27,040 them. He is the one who loves me, and 266 00:16:27,050 --> 00:16:30,220 he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him 267 00:16:30,230 --> 00:16:34,420 and manifest myself to him. And Christ has given commands to 268 00:16:34,430 --> 00:16:39,200 his followers and Paul speaks of some things that fulfil the law 269 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:42,980 of Christ. Now this doesn't mean that we 270 00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:45,750 we're going, we make progress in the Christian life by just 271 00:16:45,820 --> 00:16:47,920 setting it before ourselves. A whole lot of rules and 272 00:16:47,930 --> 00:16:51,240 regulations. There's nothing in the last half 273 00:16:51,250 --> 00:16:54,150 of Galatians or the New Testament suggests that is the 274 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,550 way the Christians to live. But still it means that the 275 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:01,820 essential ends of of God's law will be met in those who are 276 00:17:01,830 --> 00:17:04,310 being called by God and filled with the Spirit of our God to 277 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:06,160 produce the spirits fruit in their lives. 278 00:17:06,819 --> 00:17:09,300 And being under the law of Christ is different from being 279 00:17:09,310 --> 00:17:13,630 under the law of Moses. Moses law promised life for 280 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:17,099 obedience, but didn't give any power to obey it and could only 281 00:17:17,109 --> 00:17:19,780 encourage people to obey it by fear of punishment. 282 00:17:20,530 --> 00:17:24,200 But the law of Christ is loving instruction for those who 283 00:17:24,210 --> 00:17:26,480 already have life. If you have life, if you've been 284 00:17:26,490 --> 00:17:29,880 forgiven your sins, you have eternal life, then we have 285 00:17:29,890 --> 00:17:31,780 instructions as to how we should live. 286 00:17:32,070 --> 00:17:35,240 And believers are enabled to keep its precepts by the power 287 00:17:35,250 --> 00:17:38,020 of the Holy Spirit. And motivation is love for 288 00:17:38,030 --> 00:17:40,440 Christ. Do you love Jesus Christ? 289 00:17:40,450 --> 00:17:44,080 Well, I hope you do. Most of us here have taken the 290 00:17:44,090 --> 00:17:48,040 bread and the cup this morning. And among other things, that 291 00:17:48,050 --> 00:17:50,920 should be an expression of our allegiance to Jesus Christ, that 292 00:17:50,930 --> 00:17:53,360 we appreciate what he's done, we're thankful for what he's 293 00:17:53,370 --> 00:17:57,220 done, and that we want to serve him and to do what is right in 294 00:17:57,230 --> 00:17:59,980 this world. And so there is the law of 295 00:17:59,990 --> 00:18:02,880 Christ that he has given us things we should obey. 296 00:18:03,070 --> 00:18:05,200 And if we love him, we should keep his commands. 297 00:18:05,950 --> 00:18:11,530 So this will behind what Paul is saying here 0 we'll come to help 298 00:18:11,580 --> 00:18:14,290 one another. The really is the first thing 299 00:18:14,380 --> 00:18:18,290 that he sees in this particular passage here and he starts by 300 00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:20,770 dealing with a particular type of situation. 301 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,690 Help a brother who has since brothers. 302 00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:26,050 If anyone has caught in any transgression, you who are 303 00:18:26,060 --> 00:18:29,670 spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. 304 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,920 But keep watch on yourself. This you 2 be tempted. 305 00:18:34,690 --> 00:18:37,460 And there are times when we can we discover that a fellow 306 00:18:37,470 --> 00:18:42,510 Christian has committed a son. He's done something that is 307 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,300 wrong and this place is speaking about a person who particularly 308 00:18:46,310 --> 00:18:50,400 has has been tempted. He's he's committed some one act 309 00:18:50,410 --> 00:18:53,370 of sin. It's not really so much a person 310 00:18:53,380 --> 00:18:56,340 who claims to be a Christian who's continually singing in 311 00:18:56,350 --> 00:18:58,800 some way. It's we're all subject to 312 00:18:58,810 --> 00:19:01,140 temptation. And even though we should not 313 00:19:01,150 --> 00:19:05,780 give in to temptation and sin, it is possible that all of us do 314 00:19:05,790 --> 00:19:08,930 you sin from time to time. But what are you to do? 315 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,710 If your brother or your sister's sons what? 316 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,340 What are you gonna do about it? Do you just overlook it? 317 00:19:14,060 --> 00:19:17,030 You tell everybody else about it because you're more holy than 318 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:21,300 your brother or sister. Well, all tells us that a person 319 00:19:21,310 --> 00:19:23,460 who's led by the Spirit is not going to do either of those 320 00:19:23,470 --> 00:19:27,600 things, that there are lawyers who should help this person who 321 00:19:27,610 --> 00:19:33,530 has fallen into sin. You who are spiritual, I wonder 322 00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:37,460 if you're a spiritual person. Now, of course at these days 323 00:19:37,470 --> 00:19:39,540 there are a lot of people who say, well, I'm not religious, 324 00:19:39,550 --> 00:19:41,780 I'm just spiritual. Now, this is not what Paul's 325 00:19:41,790 --> 00:19:45,290 talking about here. He's a he's talking about 326 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,890 Christians who are, who are led by the Spirit, who are filled 327 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:53,510 with the Spirit. And so the people who are able 328 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:59,800 to help someone who has fallen into sin, it's really only those 329 00:19:59,810 --> 00:20:04,070 who have are really walking with God, who are, who are led by the 330 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,920 Spirit of God, who are really able to give spiritual help to 331 00:20:06,930 --> 00:20:11,280 those who have fallen into temptation and, and fallen into 332 00:20:11,490 --> 00:20:14,880 sin. And what's the aim of helping 333 00:20:14,890 --> 00:20:17,740 this person? Well, the aim is restoration. 334 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:23,690 You should restore him to bring the person back to a an obedient 335 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,400 way of living. Now, sometimes a lot of these 336 00:20:27,410 --> 00:20:29,670 things can be dealt with privately. 337 00:20:30,380 --> 00:20:33,550 I can think of a situation and a church I was in some years ago 338 00:20:33,860 --> 00:20:39,030 when I lived in Zambia and 11 brother there was he was tempted 339 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,270 in a certain way, wasn't it didn't fall into gross sin, but 340 00:20:42,500 --> 00:20:48,320 it was something that was wrong. And I felt I, the other person 341 00:20:48,330 --> 00:20:51,230 involved told me about it. And I thought, well, I've got to 342 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,990 go and talk to this man and just confront him with it and just 343 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,950 try to to help him in this situation. 344 00:20:59,010 --> 00:21:04,340 Anyway, he he admitted he had done wrong and, and he was sorry 345 00:21:04,350 --> 00:21:06,740 but for the situation. And it was a sort of one off 346 00:21:06,750 --> 00:21:10,960 situation and I so I wasn't necessarily take any greater 347 00:21:10,970 --> 00:21:13,990 steps. But the aim is to bring a person 348 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:18,580 back to an obedient way of living when we're not if a 349 00:21:18,590 --> 00:21:20,580 person, if a brother sense of sister. 350 00:21:20,590 --> 00:21:23,800 Since it's not that you don't just just reject the person, but 351 00:21:23,810 --> 00:21:27,410 you try to restore him. And of course, the one whose sin 352 00:21:27,420 --> 00:21:31,580 must accept that he has sinned and shows signs of repentance. 353 00:21:32,580 --> 00:21:35,280 And it's a spiritual Christian who will try to lead the one who 354 00:21:35,290 --> 00:21:38,850 is seen to do this and then help him to avoid sin in the future, 355 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:42,570 the same sin or maybe other types of sin, and to do it with 356 00:21:42,580 --> 00:21:46,650 gentleness. Restoring A sinning Christian is 357 00:21:46,660 --> 00:21:49,250 not to be done with pride or with harshness. 358 00:21:50,020 --> 00:21:52,390 It's to be done with gentleness, which is one of the fruit of the 359 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,670 Spirit. Now all of us can fall into sin 360 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:57,920 as long as we're living on earth. 361 00:21:57,930 --> 00:22:00,840 I can do that. I can fall into sin if I'm not 362 00:22:00,850 --> 00:22:04,090 careful. Maybe I'm not gonna be bothered 363 00:22:04,100 --> 00:22:06,740 with the same temptation this particular brother has fallen 364 00:22:06,750 --> 00:22:10,230 into. Well, maybe I will be, but there 365 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,230 might be some other temptations that could trip me up and I need 366 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,510 to realise that there but for the grace of God go I, I, I 367 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,750 could fall into that. And if I had the OHH falls in 368 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,050 this other person's circumstances, maybe I would 369 00:22:23,060 --> 00:22:25,630 fall into sin. And so it needs to be that, the 370 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,250 gentleness there, that humility, we need to be watch full over 371 00:22:29,260 --> 00:22:32,510 ourselves lest we be tempted. One of the problems sometimes 372 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,870 with dealing with people who have fallen into sin is if we're 373 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,910 not careful, we can be corrupted by the particular evil they've 374 00:22:39,980 --> 00:22:43,540 got into, and we need to be careful about that ourselves. 375 00:22:45,260 --> 00:22:48,730 And so somebody said, if we walk by the Spirit, we would love one 376 00:22:48,740 --> 00:22:51,970 another more, and if we love one another more, we would bear one 377 00:22:51,980 --> 00:22:54,080 another's burdens. And if we bore each other's 378 00:22:54,090 --> 00:22:56,430 burdens, we would not shrink from seeking to restore a 379 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,970 brother who has fallen into sin. And further, if we obeyed this 380 00:22:59,980 --> 00:23:02,910 Apostolic instruction, we should as we should. 381 00:23:02,970 --> 00:23:05,970 Much unkind gossip would be avoided, more serious 382 00:23:05,980 --> 00:23:09,230 backsliding prevented, the good of the Church advanced, and the 383 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:14,630 name of Christ glorified. But we should know that God is 384 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:21,150 not commanding us to restore a brother into fellowship at all 385 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,870 costs. If the person refuses to return 386 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:30,750 to God's ways, and if he persists in his Son, then the 387 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:35,350 Scriptures say, then it may mean he has to be separated from the 388 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,890 congregation. So restore a brother, help a 389 00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:43,190 brother who has sinned, and then bear each other's burdens, bear 390 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:47,080 one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. 391 00:23:47,830 --> 00:23:53,470 Now believers in Jesus Christ have various faults and problems 392 00:23:53,610 --> 00:23:57,680 and we need to be patient, be to endure patiently the weaknesses 393 00:23:57,890 --> 00:24:00,920 and failings of others and not just please ourselves. 394 00:24:00,930 --> 00:24:04,300 We need to help people with their problems. 395 00:24:05,010 --> 00:24:07,300 And so this is something which continues on really from the 396 00:24:07,370 --> 00:24:10,460 beginning command about restoring the fallen brother. 397 00:24:11,050 --> 00:24:13,100 The scriptures are very clear. We need to help one another, 398 00:24:13,110 --> 00:24:15,370 support those without strengthening, encourage the 399 00:24:15,380 --> 00:24:19,000 oppressed, that the strong of a hand to the weak and the rich 400 00:24:19,010 --> 00:24:21,520 support poor. I like the illustration and the 401 00:24:21,530 --> 00:24:24,120 Good News Bible which I've put on there about bearing 1 402 00:24:24,130 --> 00:24:27,670 another's evidence how we can all help one another with 403 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:32,680 various burdens. The law of Christ calls us to 404 00:24:32,690 --> 00:24:34,980 love one another. And this love will show that 405 00:24:34,990 --> 00:24:38,760 everybody that we are disciples of Jesus Christ. 406 00:24:38,950 --> 00:24:40,940 And there is a certain assumption behind this, that all 407 00:24:40,950 --> 00:24:45,060 of us have burdens of one sort or another and that God does not 408 00:24:45,070 --> 00:24:48,020 mean us to carry the heavy burdens alone. 409 00:24:48,030 --> 00:24:51,730 And if, if we've got heavy burdens, then we do need it's 410 00:24:51,740 --> 00:24:55,830 it's good if other brothers or sisters can come and help us in 411 00:24:55,840 --> 00:25:00,360 that situation. An illustration of that is in 412 00:25:00,370 --> 00:25:04,250 the given in the case of the apostle Paul, there was one 413 00:25:04,260 --> 00:25:07,390 stage in his life he was terribly burdened. 414 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:12,650 He was really worried over the state of the church in Corinth 415 00:25:12,660 --> 00:25:15,410 and particularly about their reaction to a rather severe 416 00:25:15,420 --> 00:25:17,010 letter that he had written to them. 417 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,930 And his mind couldn't rest because he was thinking 418 00:25:20,940 --> 00:25:24,670 continually about this problem, so great was his suspense. 419 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,390 Paul could say we were afflicted at every turn, fighting without 420 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,470 and fear within. Well, he had this big burden 421 00:25:32,540 --> 00:25:36,780 about his concern about other Christians, but how did God 422 00:25:36,790 --> 00:25:39,890 comfort him and help him? Well, God sent a long man called 423 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:43,530 Titus. Titus had been to Corinth and 424 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:49,130 we're told that he came back to Paul and he reported back to 425 00:25:49,140 --> 00:25:50,410 Paul. There was good news. 426 00:25:50,420 --> 00:25:53,090 He'd been there. So that sorted out the problems 427 00:25:53,180 --> 00:25:55,920 and so he was able to come back with good news. 428 00:25:55,980 --> 00:26:00,870 And so Paul says that it was through the coming of Titus that 429 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,870 God gave him comfort. It wasn't just through his own 430 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,410 private prayer, but this man, this human companion came and 431 00:26:07,420 --> 00:26:10,370 helped and encouraged Paul. So long as you can help somebody 432 00:26:10,380 --> 00:26:13,300 else just through being there with him or her, you can help 433 00:26:13,310 --> 00:26:17,370 them carry the burden of some be heavy burden they've got. 434 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,670 This is one reason why Christian fellowship is so important. 435 00:26:21,860 --> 00:26:26,030 I've always said by people who are Christians, but for various 436 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,030 reasons they don't go to church anymore. 437 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,100 But we do need each other in Christ. 438 00:26:31,110 --> 00:26:36,310 Christians belong to one another, and our task is that we 439 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,810 can make our burdens lighter when we share our burdens with 440 00:26:40,900 --> 00:26:43,480 others. And so we do need to help one 441 00:26:43,490 --> 00:26:46,950 another, seek to restore a brother who has sinned, and seek 442 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,210 and bear each other's burdens. And they're doing this will 443 00:26:49,220 --> 00:26:54,510 fulfil the law of Christ. Well, we can't tell you at this 444 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:59,690 next section hitting three have a proper opinion of yourself. 445 00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:02,190 This is the second thing that Paul is saying to these people. 446 00:27:02,250 --> 00:27:04,140 Have a proper opinion of yourself. 447 00:27:04,250 --> 00:27:06,520 For if anyone thinks he is something when he has nothing, 448 00:27:06,530 --> 00:27:09,480 he deceives himself. But let each one test his own 449 00:27:09,490 --> 00:27:12,050 work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone, 450 00:27:12,060 --> 00:27:15,270 and not in his neighbor. For each of us will have to bear 451 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,760 his own load. It's important to think about 452 00:27:18,770 --> 00:27:22,710 ourselves in a proper way. Pause this something similar and 453 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,700 his letter to the Romans, chapter 12, verse 3. 454 00:27:25,770 --> 00:27:28,360 For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you, not 455 00:27:28,370 --> 00:27:31,540 to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to 456 00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:34,480 think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of 457 00:27:34,490 --> 00:27:38,480 faith God has fined. Now we do not choose our own 458 00:27:38,490 --> 00:27:41,730 identities. We need to consider how God has 459 00:27:41,740 --> 00:27:44,720 made us, how He's gifted us, and how He is using us. 460 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,330 And God has given each of us responsibilities. 461 00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:51,790 He's all He's given each of us something to do, some work to 462 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:53,320 do. He's given us different 463 00:27:53,330 --> 00:27:56,990 abilities and one Christian cannot do the work will take on 464 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,160 responsibility that God has given to another. 465 00:28:00,110 --> 00:28:04,240 And it's important not to compare yourself with others. 466 00:28:04,670 --> 00:28:08,360 If you compare what we're doing for God or ourselves with other 467 00:28:08,370 --> 00:28:12,800 people, then you could it may lead to either you become proud 468 00:28:12,810 --> 00:28:14,850 because you think you're better than others. 469 00:28:15,650 --> 00:28:17,420 We maybe we're even indispensable. 470 00:28:17,430 --> 00:28:19,400 Or else you can become discouraged because you think, 471 00:28:19,410 --> 00:28:22,460 well, I'm not as good as other people, I'm worse, or maybe I'm 472 00:28:22,470 --> 00:28:25,600 even totally useless. And we do need to be careful. 473 00:28:25,670 --> 00:28:29,290 We don't comparing ourselves with others, but rather we're to 474 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:32,400 do the task that God has given us to do. 475 00:28:32,410 --> 00:28:35,800 Our responsibility is to serve God and what He has given us to 476 00:28:35,810 --> 00:28:39,250 do. Now you can find something on 477 00:28:39,260 --> 00:28:41,210 hand where you can do something for God. 478 00:28:41,260 --> 00:28:43,230 God. God's plan is that each of us 479 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,410 have something to do, and if you don't know what to do, we'll 480 00:28:46,420 --> 00:28:49,170 look around and see if there's somebody you can help that you 481 00:28:49,180 --> 00:28:50,890 can. At least you can pray for 482 00:28:50,900 --> 00:28:54,480 people, but there's usually something you is available. 483 00:28:54,490 --> 00:28:58,030 Maybe humble, humble task, but if you do it well, maybe God 484 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,190 will show you something more you can do and do the task that God 485 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,870 has given you. So then each of us will have to 486 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,640 give an account of ourselves to God, and each will be rewarded 487 00:29:07,650 --> 00:29:10,230 according to his own labour. And so we've got 488 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:14,140 responsibilities allowed that that God has given us. 489 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,420 And so if we look at the Lord rather than at other Christians, 490 00:29:18,460 --> 00:29:21,240 rather than comparing ourselves with others, what what Lord, 491 00:29:21,250 --> 00:29:23,600 what do you want me to do? That's a good question. 492 00:29:23,650 --> 00:29:25,920 What should I do, Lord? I've had a number of times in my 493 00:29:25,930 --> 00:29:30,180 life where I've come into a, perhaps a crisis situation in 494 00:29:30,190 --> 00:29:32,260 life. Often it's occurred in relation 495 00:29:32,270 --> 00:29:34,760 to work. And I've said, Lord, what do you 496 00:29:34,770 --> 00:29:37,060 want me to do? What should I do, Lord? 497 00:29:37,190 --> 00:29:40,980 And the Lord does provide and guide as to what we should do. 498 00:29:41,090 --> 00:29:45,760 We need to do the task on hand, but carry your own load. 499 00:29:46,110 --> 00:29:48,640 Each one shall bear his own load. 500 00:29:48,650 --> 00:29:50,840 That's not a contradiction with verse 2. 501 00:29:50,850 --> 00:29:53,400 It talks about carrying one another's burdens. 502 00:29:53,890 --> 00:29:56,490 There's different words that are used for their loads there. 503 00:29:56,850 --> 00:29:59,980 In inverse 2, the word for carrying one another's burdens, 504 00:29:59,990 --> 00:30:04,910 it's a heavy load there that's mentioned, but in this five it 505 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:07,930 literally is a expression about a soldier's pack. 506 00:30:07,940 --> 00:30:10,930 The idea really that each soldier must bear his own pack. 507 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:16,780 And so I do quite a bit of tramping and I have a pack that 508 00:30:16,790 --> 00:30:20,140 I have to carry. And it's, it's important that I, 509 00:30:20,150 --> 00:30:23,600 I carry my essential things. Now for some reason I was 510 00:30:23,610 --> 00:30:25,780 carrying something very heavy then maybe somebody else could 511 00:30:25,790 --> 00:30:28,090 help. But just basically, I've got to 512 00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:31,240 look after my own stuff when I'm I'm tramping. 513 00:30:32,980 --> 00:30:36,730 We certainly do need to help one another if we've got very heavy 514 00:30:36,740 --> 00:30:40,350 burdens of life, but there are responsibilities that we cannot 515 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,490 pass on to others or are things that we need to do. 516 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:44,790 We need to take our own responsibility. 517 00:30:45,540 --> 00:30:48,590 One man who was a father, he's, he said, well, if my car breaks 518 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,550 down, my neighbor can help drive my children to school, but he 519 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:54,730 cannot assume the responsibilities that only 520 00:30:54,740 --> 00:30:57,350 belong to me as their father. That's the difference. 521 00:30:57,980 --> 00:31:00,450 It would be wrong to says it would be wrong for me to expect 522 00:31:00,460 --> 00:31:02,440 someone else to be the father and our family. 523 00:31:02,490 --> 00:31:04,820 That's a burden and a privilege that I alone can bear. 524 00:31:05,530 --> 00:31:08,400 But sometimes there are Special Situations where the extra 525 00:31:08,410 --> 00:31:11,720 burdens where you need help. So have a proper opinion of 526 00:31:11,730 --> 00:31:13,800 yourself. Don't compare yourself with 527 00:31:13,810 --> 00:31:17,440 others, but bear the load of responsibility that God has 528 00:31:17,450 --> 00:31:21,260 given you, right. Appreciate your teachers. 529 00:31:22,630 --> 00:31:25,130 So appreciate your teachers. What they, the one who was 530 00:31:25,140 --> 00:31:28,060 taught in the word, share all good things with the one who 531 00:31:28,070 --> 00:31:29,740 teaches. And that has to do with the use 532 00:31:29,750 --> 00:31:32,450 of positions. It tells us that we should 533 00:31:32,460 --> 00:31:36,880 appreciate people who faithfully teach us God's word. 534 00:31:37,170 --> 00:31:40,320 We do need to be taught or instructed in the word of God 535 00:31:40,330 --> 00:31:42,060 and the teacher is a spiritual gift. 536 00:31:42,070 --> 00:31:44,860 And you read about the the teacher and three of the lists 537 00:31:44,870 --> 00:31:49,200 of the spiritual gifts that are there and the one who has taught 538 00:31:49,210 --> 00:31:52,700 well, it does indicate we do have a need to be talked, taught 539 00:31:52,710 --> 00:31:56,800 and helped by those who have an ability to teach God's word. 540 00:31:56,930 --> 00:31:59,390 And so the instructions to share an all good things. 541 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,740 And basically it's saying support those who particularly 542 00:32:02,750 --> 00:32:06,580 are devoting themselves full time to the teaching of God's 543 00:32:06,590 --> 00:32:12,570 Word so that they can do their task now finally do good. 544 00:32:13,690 --> 00:32:19,100 And so we come to this last part here that do not be deceived. 545 00:32:19,110 --> 00:32:24,210 God is not mocked for whoever, whatever one shows that he will 546 00:32:24,220 --> 00:32:27,890 also reap inverse Tncs. So then as we have opportunity, 547 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:31,120 let us do good to everyone and especially those who of the 548 00:32:31,130 --> 00:32:34,640 household of faith. And so there's a point there 549 00:32:34,650 --> 00:32:36,910 that we reap what we sow. It's a picture taken from 550 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,490 agriculture. You put in a, you know, potato 551 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:42,710 seeds, you're going to get potatoes out of the ground. 552 00:32:42,900 --> 00:32:46,350 You're not going to get roses or carrots or something different. 553 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,230 It's and it's a warning that our lives or an encouragement in our 554 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,070 lives that we can get reap what we sow. 555 00:32:53,380 --> 00:32:54,950 And so there's two types of sewing. 556 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,310 You can sow according to the sinful nature, the flesh, or you 557 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,740 can sew according to the Spirit of God. 558 00:33:01,810 --> 00:33:07,460 And So what we do to be sung in either of these directions, and 559 00:33:07,470 --> 00:33:11,260 there are consequences of that. But he goes on to say, don't 560 00:33:11,270 --> 00:33:15,300 grow weary in doing what is good. 561 00:33:15,750 --> 00:33:18,040 Don't get discouraged. So nice. 562 00:33:18,050 --> 00:33:20,400 We don't see things happen immediately. 563 00:33:20,530 --> 00:33:22,880 But if you are involved in agriculture and you're sewing 564 00:33:22,890 --> 00:33:26,430 something, you've put in your your potato seeds, let's say, 565 00:33:28,370 --> 00:33:33,200 are you gonna go along tomorrow and see if the the potato were 566 00:33:33,210 --> 00:33:36,110 there? Studies don't grow that fast, so 567 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,670 they don't grow in one day. You've gotta wait a period of 568 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:40,250 time and sometimes there is a wait. 569 00:33:40,260 --> 00:33:43,350 We need to wait for the long term consequences of what we do, 570 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:45,330 but don't get weary and doing good. 571 00:33:45,340 --> 00:33:48,980 There will be a harvest, but rather use the opportunities 572 00:33:48,990 --> 00:33:53,740 that we have while we have them. Sometimes the opportunities will 573 00:33:53,750 --> 00:33:55,890 pass away. We can no longer help somebody, 574 00:33:56,220 --> 00:34:00,000 but we have to do what is good. And there's a summary chart that 575 00:34:00,010 --> 00:34:03,680 I put there which covers a number of things there the the 576 00:34:03,690 --> 00:34:05,440 solar. Firstly, you got the teacher who 577 00:34:05,450 --> 00:34:10,520 shows God's Word and so he shows it into the mind and hearts of 578 00:34:10,530 --> 00:34:12,760 the church. And his harvest he will reap it 579 00:34:12,770 --> 00:34:16,170 as his living. But any Christian who his own 580 00:34:16,179 --> 00:34:19,940 thoughts and deeds, he saying we saw this to the flesh, the 581 00:34:19,949 --> 00:34:21,909 sinful nature, he will reap corruption. 582 00:34:22,630 --> 00:34:25,080 And so don't think because you're a Christian, if you go 583 00:34:25,090 --> 00:34:27,480 indulging in sinful things, you're gonna reap corruption out 584 00:34:27,489 --> 00:34:31,710 of that. But if you say to the Spirit, 585 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:35,570 then there's eternal life. It says here the idea not only 586 00:34:35,580 --> 00:34:39,120 of the everlasting life, but an ever deepening communion with 587 00:34:39,130 --> 00:34:41,929 God. But a Christian who can do good, 588 00:34:41,940 --> 00:34:46,310 he can sow good works, commit to people in the community and 589 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,130 especially the believers, and there can be a good crop in the 590 00:34:49,139 --> 00:34:54,179 lives of those he serves and a reward from God himself and 591 00:34:54,190 --> 00:34:56,810 eternity. So there's a number of things 592 00:34:56,820 --> 00:34:59,820 that we've been looking at. Fulfil the law of Christ. 593 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:03,860 There are commands that we should, we should be obey 594 00:35:03,870 --> 00:35:05,830 because we belong to Jesus Christ. 595 00:35:05,890 --> 00:35:08,660 Here's our master and so just a summary here. 596 00:35:08,710 --> 00:35:11,270 Fulfil the law of Christ by doing good and helping others, 597 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,680 especially other believers who are burdened or in need. 598 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:19,020 Actions have consequences and we will receive consequences from 599 00:35:19,030 --> 00:35:22,650 the things we do and say. And this warns us against sin 600 00:35:22,660 --> 00:35:25,920 and encourage us to faithfully live for God. 601 00:35:26,660 --> 00:35:30,030 So just finally, just applications there. 602 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:33,900 The Christian freedom means serving our Lord Jesus Christ 603 00:35:34,510 --> 00:35:38,110 and Chris Christian free. He set us free from sin. 604 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:41,170 We're not slaves to wrong beliefs about the world or the 605 00:35:41,180 --> 00:35:43,420 law of Moses. He's given us the Spirit so we 606 00:35:43,430 --> 00:35:46,180 can live for God. And Christian freedom is shown 607 00:35:46,190 --> 00:35:47,840 by faith expressing itself and love. 608 00:35:47,850 --> 00:35:51,220 And love is practical. So help one another, have a 609 00:35:51,230 --> 00:35:54,800 proper opinion of yourself, appreciate your teachers and do 610 00:35:54,810 --> 00:35:57,410 good. May the Lord help us all to 611 00:35:57,660 --> 00:36:00,850 fulfil the law of Christ. Thank you.