Please turn with me, if you would, to Galatians chapter six. We finally moved on from chapter five. One of the things we might be pursuing after our study of Galatians, as you know, my habit over the years has been I would preach an Old Testament book and then do a topical series, then do a New Testament book, and then do a topical series, then go back to an Old Testament book. And we're finishing up our New Testament book in Galatians in a few weeks. And what I want to do, and I'm not certain yet, but I've been working out some details on this, is dealing with the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. his view of what it means about marriage and what it means about scripture, what it means about heaven and hell and his own teaching and spending time in the various parts of the gospels. And so we have a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding the very matters our Lord addressed. But that, God willing, is what I hope to pursue. Before we read this passage, we'll be just reading first five verses of chapter six. Let us go before God in prayer. Our Father, we thank you for your holy word. And as we give attention to this part of chapter six, Lord, may you use it to instruct us. It's a very practical passage, deeming with very concrete and yet difficult matters. Be pleased to use it to search out our hearts and to move our souls. We might obey what your word teaches, and we beg of you in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Chapter 6, verses 1 to 5, I remind you, this is God's holy, inerrant word. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgressions, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watching yourself, lest you, too, be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. May the Lord bless the reading and preaching of his word for his glory and our spiritual benefit. As you know, my wife and I were able to visit our daughter in Las Vegas. to see our grandson. It was a wonderful time to see him. And we arrived there Friday, and so a couple days later, we went to the church that our daughter and her husband attend. And apparently, it was a celebration week in which, I think it was, I don't know, 20, 30, 40 years. However long their church has been there, they were simply celebrating and thanking the Lord for the decades they have existed. And one of the interesting things about that service was the pastor was recounting, he's relatively new, the pastor was recounting some of the history behind the church. And I don't know all the particulars, but he was saying that a couple pastors and several leaders or however many over the years have committed scandalous sins. Things that you would find in Las Vegas. He didn't go into particulars. And they're at a point right now, they're well aware of what can happen to a church, and they're very diligent and vigilant about this matter. They have a history in their congregation, in their leadership. It's sobering to hear those things. But they're thankful to the Lord they've been sustained at that moment. And my wife and I really enjoyed worshiping there. We're very encouraged by the ministry there and the preaching of the word. Things like that happen in churches. Believers fall into sin. And one of the most frightening things we as elders often wonder, but perhaps in different words, but the same idea, when someone enters into this, is this the beginning and the end for that person? Is this just a prelude to an ultimate apostasy? And we fear it could be, and we pray against it. Or will the Lord grant repentance to the individual? Will they come to their senses and own their sins and repent? Those are things that happen in the life of the church, not just out there. And you know, I don't keep up with it, but I heard about what's going on at Liberty University. That's supposed to be a Christian university with a Christian leadership. And what a scandal. But that happens. When King David sinned, God sent his prophet to restore him. When there was an incestuous sin in the church in Corinth, Paul challenged them, and from what we can gather, he was brought to repentance. We are daily reminded that none of us are perfect, Our own lives bear witness to that. Our Lord has provided specific ways in addressing these matters, bringing someone to repentance, like Matthew 18, 15. And that passage serves as a clear directive for the church and how they ought to pursue these things. And one of the first things he says is says, the offended party must tell him his fault. between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. That is the goal, to gain your brother back, to restore him. That is the objective. And we must remember that, and Paul, as he's encouraging the church to understand the liberty they have in Christ, the spirit that has come into their life, and how that spirit is manifesting himself in their life by bearing fruit of the spirit, he also is not naive, understanding that the remnants of the old man is still there, and it can wreak havoc in the life of the church, in an individual's life. And so when he comes to this chapter six, the problem with chapter divisions is, you know, it's artificial. Sometimes it's done well, and other times, you see, if you end at chapter five and you start in chapter six, you forget what's going on. Paul has talked about living, walking by the spirit, being led by the spirit, to keep in step with the spirit. And this passage is, in chapter six, a concrete expression of how that is lived out, in particular when it comes to someone who has fallen into sin. This is a concrete way of dealing with those things. It happens in the life of a church. You know, when someone says, well, I can't stand the church. I recently got a text and said, you know, I believe in God, but I don't believe in Christianity anymore. I don't go to church. The person didn't go into why, but I've heard that many times. They're hypocrites. You bet there are. And I found some at McDonald's also and Walmart. Yes, there are hypocrites. But there's sinners saved by grace, none of them should be pretending that they are impeccable. None of us should ever convey that idea. But there is a way that God has given in his word how we are to address those things. So I want to just kind of go through this passage in verses one to five. I want to first of all notice the problem that's in view here. He's addressing brothers. This is to the church. So this is happening in the life of the church. If anyone is caught in any transgression, that's the problem. It is a transgression. It is a breaking of God's law. Perhaps a person is overrun by some temptation or foolish made decisions, but he's caught. And we're not told the specifics, it doesn't matter. We understand the idea that there are some people over time, they get into a situation, they're caught in sin or they can't get out of sin. Whatever it might be, but the person is brought to attention regarding this. Notice it's a transgression. It's not something you don't like. Well, you know, I don't like the political party he's in. We should address him. No, that's not the issue. You know, he has a cat. We should confront him. No, that's not the issue. It's not a personal issue. It's a transgression of God's law of known sin. That's very important. It is interesting, isn't it? It's not calling for us to be meddlers in other people's affairs. There are many who love to meddle in various things they ought not to meddle in, but when it comes to a true transgression, that same group of people are like, whoa, I don't want to touch that. They meddle in everything else, but the place they need to meddle, as it were, is a place they run from. But it's an important thing. We are our brother's keepers. We hold each other responsible, not to be self-righteous, and the passage addresses all of that. But there is a specific transgression a brother or sister is caught in. And that's the problem. That's the first thing to notice here. Secondly, notice the kind of person that is supposed to pursue the brother caught in a transgression. you who are spiritual. Now that simply means that one who is spirit led, walking by the spirit, bearing fruit of the spirit. It's addressed to brothers, and in some sense, everyone qualifies as a believer, because all of us have the spirit. But as most commentators, and in the context, it seems to make sense, the spiritual are the more mature, who are definitely trying to obey and live a life pleasing to the Lord. There's nothing spectacular, per se, about them. God has been working in their life. There to go. You know, I am not the kind of person that can go up to Hugh Sung and ask him, this is how you play the piano. I got nothing to say to him about that. Because I don't know one thing about it. Because that's just beyond me. And the reason Paul's pointing this out in spiritual is they understand the human heart. They've gone through it themselves. They understand the seriousness of the offense. They understand the weightiness of the matter. They've been through it perhaps. They've seen it, perhaps they've definitely seen it in their own hearts. It's that kind of person that must go to the individual. Thirdly, notice the manner in which he is to do this work. You who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. The word gentleness is the same thing that's one of the fruit of the spirit. We talked about humility or meekness in chapter five, verse 23. The person manifests that same spirit and he manifested in the way he approaches the one who is caught in sin. I have lost numerous arguments against my wife right at the beginning. I lost it immediately because of the manner in which I approached the matter. I lost. Hothead Herzer. I lost it right there. Because we recognize the manner in which you approach a certain situation, it affects everything. The cause may be right, but if the manner is wrong, you can't see anything else. Right or wrong, that's often the way it works out. but the person is to approach it in a spirit of gentleness, of meekness, of humility. And one of the things we'll see is that this passage, in many ways, just points to who Christ is. This is the way he is. A bruised reed he will not break. You know, have you ever, I'm not very good at this, you know, the house of cards, you build a card house, And it's very delicate. You gotta be very careful. Someone slams the door, the wind can just knock it over. Our Lord is a master with a house of cards. But guess what? The house he builds becomes firm. But he is so delicate in the way he builds it. He is gentle. And to a broken sinner he comes in a way he could restore it like no one else. And that's the way he approaches you and me. We should be summarily condemned for some of our offenses and yet he doesn't. That is the kind of gentleness we're to have. That's the manner in which we approach the person. And for us sinners doing this, there's no haughtiness, we can't possess it because we're capable of anything. But how that can help and encourage a dear brother or sister to know there's concern, genuine concern. Notice fourthly the objective here, to restore him. Restore him in a spirit of gentleness. The word is used in the context of like resetting broken bones or mending a net. It's actually putting the person back to where he was. Restoring him into the condition he once had in the church, growing and being part of the life and fellowship of the church, being a godly man or a godly woman. Setting things in order. The purpose is not to condemn, not to belittle, not to harangue the individual, not to say, I told you so, but to restore. And that is the objective. It is not just simply say, I am better than you. That has no place at all. It is in the spirit of gentleness, hoping by God's grace as you prayerfully approach that individual, with other brothers praying for you, that that individual would turn and come and repent. Now, of course, if the person rejects and repudiates the confrontation like Matthew 18 talks about, then you have to pray for him. If they say, I don't care if this is wrong, I've heard people actually say that, I'm still not changing. Or they pile on various excuses, you know, Davidson, David King Davidson, or other Christians do it, you don't understand, or I'm special. I don't know if I've heard those exact words, but I've heard that implied left and right many times. We're assuming if it's a child of God they are broken, they don't know how to respond, they don't know what to do. Will God condemn me? That's why I was talking about Deuteronomy 30. God delights to restore. He pursues Israel in all their apostasy and idolatry. And the longing of the prodigal father, it says he was looking out and when he saw him he ran to him. That's the way God pursues sinners. Christ came to seek and to save those who were lost, were to restore, and that's our great goal, for their own soul's benefit, for the glory of Christ, they might be restored to fellowship, that's our goal. There's a strange thing happens in the nexus of sin, caught in sin, you think weirdly and corruptly, you don't see things correctly. But if God is working in an individual, and then Nathan comes, and he says, thou art a man, they're brought low. And their eyes open up and their hearts are receptive. And the gentleness, the attempt to restore is well received. That's the objective. Fifthly, notice the warning. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. It is difficult to play with fire and not get burned. Sometimes in counseling, you have to hear details, but you don't want to hear too much because you see, some of that can corrupt their minds. I need to know enough to deal with it. I don't need to know everything. because our hearts are all susceptible to all manner of sins. Watch, keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. I've heard stories in NA, Narcotics Anonymous, several stories over my lifetime where they went there for help only to find someone who led them even further into addiction. that that guy knows how to get better stuff easier. And this guy is only looking for new customers. We have to be careful. There is no haughtiness because you see, they're there, I can be there, but by the grace of God, I'm not there, I have nothing to boast about. Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall. We need to be very careful. It's a responsibility. Now, there are some that will say, well, I'm not spiritual, so I'm never gonna touch this. No, it's for all of us, brothers. But we need to be very careful how easily There are some people who are in the nexus of sin, who are in the very heart of sin, and they can't get out of it. And the way they reason, it can infect your mind. Well, you know, I'm in a similar situation. You've got a point there. We do not know what our hearts will do. We need to be very careful. And that's why Paul warns us. We have to keep watch of ourselves. Sixthly, seeking to restore someone is to bear their burdens. And so you fulfill the law of Christ in verse 2. Notice after what he says in verse one, bear one another's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ. If you remember chapter five, verse 14, for the whole law is fulfilled in one word. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. And our Lord in John says, love one another as I have loved you. This is an expression of Christ's law of love that we're to do that for one another and to bear with one another, to bear one another's burden. That's an expression of loving our neighbor. And even seeking to restore someone, that's bearing their burdens and bringing them back. If at all possible, that God would grant them repentance. Martin Luther said, for this very task you need, it requires broad, strong shoulders. It sure does. But you see, when Christ says this fulfills Christ's law or the law of Christ. It's a picture of Christ. This is what he does. He bears our burdens. And that might require that you listen, that you comfort, that you pray, or that you call or just check up, to inquire, to remind you, to encourage you to show sympathy. It will require some time and effort. Terry and I got some news in our presbytery of some brother, certain situations arose. And Terry wrote me. I didn't ask him if I can share this. Terry wrote me that this brother looks like he needs encouragement. We should get together with him. So we made arrangements tomorrow. We're going to go meet with him to encourage him. No agenda only to encourage him. because he's got a burden. See, Christ calls us to love one another, or to be a burden-bearing brotherhood in Christ. We'll fulfill the law of Christ, and one of the ways is to restore someone if they're caught in transgression. It could be messy, it could be mundane. It could take a lot of time, it could take a lot of energy, or it could be quite simple. It might affect your entire schedule. It might just be one evening. It might be small, it might be great. It might be more than you can handle, which would cause you to enlist other people. We're called to bear one another's burden. It's not a choice we have. You know, you can walk in and we can leave. How do you bear someone's burden if you don't talk? I'm stepping on toes, maybe, I don't know. How do I bear someone's burden if I don't know anything about what's going on? It requires interaction. It requires that through the week you're praying for them in this situation or that situation. That is part of the burden bearing. And what is amazing, in God in his wisdom and goodness, in the way he orchestrates these things, he often comforts one person so that he might be able to comfort someone else. Now that's exactly what 2 Corinthians says. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort. who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. See, God doesn't want, if someone's in need, he comforts them, he gives them an open shoulder so that individual can comfort someone else. And it requires interaction. Who is it I was talking to about this? But I remember someone mentioned something recently and I think it's a poignant point. In our cultural setting, with telephones and with the ease with which we can get on the internet and with text messaging and television and all the video conferencing and everything, we actually don't have to interact with each other. I just got a notice, my wife, through her, we just got a health notice that we can do this tele thing with the doctor. I'm like, wow, I don't have to leave my house. I like that. But we can do that, and what happens is we don't interact, and it actually affects us. We're created to one another, each other. Whether we like it or not, he created a body of Christ, not individuals. We come here to hear God's word, and in turn, we build each other up. That's what we're called to do. That's one of the reasons even having a broadcasting, the sermon and everything, it's not the same as worship. Because you know what, if I'm listening to myself, I can turn it off for a second, I'll go get something in the refrigerator. Is this still going on? I'm gonna get some coffee. It's easy to control. The idea of coming together, that's what God has created. And it is in that corporate life we bear one another's burdens. We care for one another. And seventhly and lastly, let us not be conceited about our standing or abilities. That's covered in verses three to five. In this context, in some sense, when you read verses three to five, like what's that got to do with everything that's going on here? And I think many commentators have noted this. What is the thing that can happen if someone has fallen, caught in a transgression? I can't believe he's there. I'm not like that. The conceit with which we can act This sort of indifference that can come from our pride and cause us to think we're really something, I'm not like him or her. Remember the Pharisee? He prays, thank you God, I'm not like him. For by the grace of God given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Paul is saying here, look, you have no business comparing yourself with that person or that person. You test yourself, and how do you test yourself? It's before God and his word. You test your own word, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone. The idea is, if I got anything to boast about, a true believer, when he sizes it up, when he looks at it, what does he say? Lord, it is you, if anything good has happened, because I know what I'm capable of. It shuts his mouth. and not in his neighbor. You're not boasting over him. If anything happens, not I, but the grace of God within me, Paul would say. Then there's this verse in verse five, for each will have to bear his own load. The word load here is something like a backpack, your individual pack, whereas the burden here, unload, it's another word for burden. There's another word up here about bearing one another's burden. The burden there is something heavy, way beyond one person's ability. So Paul's not contradicting himself. He's saying, for each will have to bear his own load. Each person has a responsibility. Each one of us are given things in our life that we're responsible for before the Lord. We don't boast about that. But God is not gonna say to me, Mark, how did you compare to Billy Graham? I'm done then. I have a load, a burden, a responsibility given to me. I will be held accountable before God. It is with that, not in comparison to something else, what God has given me. And God has given each one of you a load, a burden, a responsibility for which you will be held accountable. Not in comparison to someone else, but before the Lord. So we can't be conceited looking down on someone else. Why is this so important? Because it puts us in the right place and in the right way. We realize comparing ourselves doesn't get us anywhere, since we ourselves have to give an account. You know, if there's a tornado coming, And I look out across the street at my neighbor. I mean, he's not ready. I see things kind of falling apart already. Those shingles are just going to fly off, and all those things not tied down, they're just going to blow away. And I'm just sitting on the porch laughing. I can't believe it. And he's got that over there and that over there. What good does that to me? The tornado's coming for both of us. Oh, oops. I have a responsibility. If I'm done, I help him. That's the idea here. And I will be held responsible before God. This passage assumes a Christian has been converted. He has a heart that wants to please God. He has a heart that loves God's people. In our culture, I have nothing to do with you. In the Bible, yes, you do. You have a responsibility. This is a concrete way of walking by the spirit, by bearing the fruit of the spirit in our interactions with one another. The whole passage looks like Christ. He bears our burdens. He seeks to restore those who are caught in sin. Remember the woman at the well and then the adulterers in chapter eight of John. He is gentle and meek about all these things, not conceited. And then he tells these parables in chapter 15 of Luke about the lost being found. And then this wonderful verse in chapter 15, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Many commentators say, you know who's rejoicing? It's before the angels, it's God. He rejoices. when sinners are restored. That's Christ, that's God the Father. And so our responsibility is to bear with one another, to bear one another's burdens, to restore one another. But I want to end with this. This assumes that the believer has his burdens cared for in Christ. He has cast his burdens upon the Lord because he knows the Lord cares for him. But there may be some in this room who have their own burdens, and you don't know how to stand before a holy God. Christ is willing to bear it. He is the one who said, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. You come, and you'll find rest. Turn from your sins, look to Christ, and you can have your burdens placed upon him, and the light load he will give you will give you rest. that comes through faith. May you all come to him, those who haven't. Let's pray. Our gracious God, I thank you for your word, giving us practical, concrete instruction on how we ought to respond. Lord, we are in a world full of temptations and our hearts betray us. Help us to build up one another, to restore one another, to love one another in the face of all the assaults and temptations. Lord, you're the only one that can keep our soul. And you use each other, one person after another, to sustain us. So be pleased to move among us. Help us to build each other up. But we look to you in faith. You're the only keeper. You're the only savior. And Lord Jesus, exalted on high, we know you know your sheep. May you have mercy upon your sheep, we pray. In Christ's name, amen. Please turn in your hymn notes to 195195, Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed.