Well, let's take our Bibles and look together in Galatians chapter six. As we come to the end of this epistle, last chapter, Galatians chapter six. My text is gonna be from verse one down to verse 10. And I've entitled this message, Doing Good. I know that sounds a little bit strange to some that are accustomed to hearing as the scripture says, there's none righteous, no, not one. And in this flesh, there is no good thing is what Paul said in Romans seven. And yet here in this particular portion of scripture that we're going to look at, especially verse 10, it says, as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good. Unto all men is an italic. So the idea is there that is without distinction and not judging whether this one or that one is worthy of whatever we may be able to do to help them. Certainly when you think about God and that's what the word good comes from, it's a derivative of the name of the word God. that when God does good unto sinners, it's not based on anything that he sees in the sinner, but it's according to his purpose and will and grace that he does what he does. And you would imagine then that those that are objects of his grace would reflect his goodness. When it says, let us do good unto all, all kinds of people, but especially unto them who are of the household of faith. And remember, this is one of the themes of Paul writing the Galatians, that as the Lord brought in those from different backgrounds and joined them together in one body, that they were not to hive off or make cliques or reject anybody based upon their race or background culture, but as it says here, particularly if they're the household of faith to do good unto them. So that's the title doing good. Now there's a difference between being a do gooder. We've heard that term before and doing good. Typically. A do-gooder often refers to someone who's seen as perhaps overly righteous. Oh, they're just a do-gooder, which is nothing but self-righteousness and that in their attempts to help others. But on the other hand here, doing good simply means taking those actions that genuinely benefit others. or contribute to their wellbeing. And again, I bring it back to who God is and what he's done for sinners in the Lord Jesus Christ. That all of his goodness was first of all, in choosing out sinners that he would save and then sending his son, the Lord Jesus Christ to pay their sin debt. And you can't have any greater goodness then that if we're one of those for whom Christ has paid the debt and that the father has chosen. So that's what we're going to consider together here. And it begins here in verse one. When you think about doing good, it's not just buying groceries for somebody, although that might be something that somebody needs or fill in their tank or whatever else you may consider as a, like people say, good deed. I did my good deed for the day. When they say that, I say, well, then does that mean the rest of the day you're going to be mean, spirited? That's not the concept here of looking for an opportunity to do good, just to check it off the list. But particularly doing good to those that some may not think deserve it. And here again, I come back to God's goodness toward his people in Christ. It's not that they deserved it. I certainly didn't. There's nothing in me that could ever have attracted God's attention whereby he would then do me good or show me grace. In fact, the word mercy is to show to those that don't deserve that mercy, that kindness of the Lord, to be merciful. And so here Paul in verse one is discussing what it is to do good. He says, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, And I always like to capitalize that S because you see the word spirit, spiritual, is that which the spirit of God enables, ye that are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, doing what? Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Here's an example. You say, well, you know, what is it to do good? Well, if you find somebody that's overtaken in a fall and here, Paul recognized that there were certainly among the congregations in Galatia, certain ones that had fallen in sin. And when I think about that, I think, well, that might be myself. That's why Paul says, consider thyself. Thankfully, what we are sinners is not exposed to the world as some of the examples we find in scripture, where Lot slept with his daughters. And it's in recorded history, or where Peter denied our Lord. That's how I know that the scriptures were not written by men, else they probably wouldn't put those examples in there. Or David with Bathsheba. A lot of examples, you look at these and you wonder, well, some do, how could they be the Lords and do such things? Well, they're sinners. We sin because we're sinners by nature. And so when it says, if a man be overtaken in a fault, that is a person, don't be looking around the room or across the street or thinking of somebody else because we fall daily. And if it were that any should know about my falls, how would I want those that are the Lords to deal with me? What I want it to be with a, a 10 prong whip, 10 commandments coming at me and already in a fallen state, you know, burying my flesh and beating it with a, the law. No here, Paul is. saying that those that are overtaken in a fall from among the brethren yet, how are they to be dealt with? I know how congregations that I grew up with dealt with it. They summoned the discipline committee. And I've had people that have come by here looking at possibly joining this congregation. And it's interesting that one of the first questions that they will ask is, well, how do you deal with discipline? And I'm thinking, I'm not sure I even want them here. That's the first thought. Because the idea isn't lording yourself over somebody else in a self-righteous attitude and thinking I would never do that. Be careful what you say. I've heard people say that. And the next thing you know, they've fallen in that very thing that they have said they would never do here. Paul's wording is written for the body. It's written for those that know themselves to be sinners. Cause that's what he said here. Restore such a one. It doesn't say discipline such a one. but restore such a one in what? The spirit of meekness, considering thyself. In other words, if I'm there to help one who has fallen, then I consider myself knowing myself to be no better. And that's one thing over the years as the Lord's taught me by his grace, I've had certain ones come sit down in my office and they're bearing a heavy burden, a load of guilt. And they've never shared it with anybody else. And they feel like they can share it with me. And when they finish, I look at them and say, I understand because I have the same temptations and I've fallen many times in the same way, but for the grace of God, I am what I am. And so that's that spirit of meekness. Considering yourself, we're not making excuses for our sin, but We know that when we sin, not if we sin, but when we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, as John writes about there in 1 John 2. Now, some try to reason here where they say, well, it says if a man be overtaken in a fault, as if they were surprised by it, but I will tell you that sin is conceived in the heart. And unless the spirit of God turns us away from any thought, evil thought, just the thought itself is sin. So when a person is overtaken in a fault, it's that sin nature that raises its ugly head. And typically, unless the Lord is pleased to cut it out or to stop it at any particular moment, Then what is conceived in the heart is what is actually produced in the action. But it doesn't matter whether a person actually acts it out or not. The very thought of our flesh and in our heart is sinfulness. And therefore, when people who do act out their sin, it didn't just happen, it was conceived in the hearts. And then when that sin is produced, in fact, the scriptures describe it in James as being almost like a birth that outcomes the sin, the evidence of it, but it was conceived already in the heart. You can see that in James chapter one, So the idea of being overtaken, isn't that all, I don't know where that came from. We know where it came from because we're sinners by nature. And yet that doesn't exclude us from the grace of God because we're centers, just the opposite. That's where we grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ to grow in grace means to grow in your need of it. It doesn't mean we're getting better and better. God forbid. It's just that when the light is exposed on this flesh, that sin is manifest all the more. You can see here in James chapter one in verse 13, where it says, let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. Here's in the sense of blaming God for my sin. And there are some that have such a view of God's sovereignty that even the sin, they say, well, God did it. No, he's created us, yes, in his sovereignty, and we're born as fallen creatures, and he directs all things for his glory. But let no man say when he's tempted, James 1, 13, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil. Neither tempted he any man. See, this is the connection now between God's absolute sovereignty and how he directs in the hearts and lives of sinners. There's some that he has stopped from doing what they would do. Just like Abimelech with Abraham's wife. When he said it was, but his sister, he would not let Abimelech touch her and yet When it came to David and he saw Bathsheba, that she was beautiful and to be desired, the Lord didn't stop him. In fact, so you can say, well, that was David's sin. Yes, he owned it. When you read in the Psalms, he said that against thee and in thee only have I sinned. And yet God and his sovereignty used even that union with Bathsheba because he went and took her to wife and afterward had a son named Solomon. And through that lineage came the Lord Jesus Christ. That's God's sovereignty. And yet each of us is accountable for our own sin before God, knowing that these are given as examples, not to encourage us to sin, but rather to be more aware that we sleep with the enemy every day. We go to bed with the enemy, we wake up with the enemy. It's here in this flesh, not out there. People like to say, well, the devil made me do it. No, here in scripture, verse 14 of James 1, it says, every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, remember I said that the idea view here is of giving birth, it bring a fourth sin and sin when it is finished, bring a fourth death. And that would be our case, were it not for the grace of God keeping us. Even Paul wrote about that in Romans seven, the things I would do, I do not, and the things I would not do, those I do. Oh, wretched man that I am. That's the one thing we can say because we carry about in this body, that sinful flesh. And you might ask, well, why does God not just remove it? Well, if he did, he'd have to kill you because that's the only way this flesh is going to die is when it's laid in the grave. But the point that I want us to see here and notice Paul doesn't belabor what the fault might be. He just knows that. When we sin, we've been overtaken by that sin. It's called a fault. Whatever you may consider to be the second cause, whether it's Satan or some temptation or whatever, the first cause is this flesh and God using it to teach us. But he says, restore such a one. This verb is instructive. Because it means literally to put in order or to restore something to its former condition. You fall, you break a bone. That's the idea here of being overtaken in a fall. You didn't intend to fall perhaps, but you fell. Now you've got a dislocated bone. What you go to the doctor to do is reset it. And that's what this word restore is. It's used in secular Greek as a medical term for setting a fractured or dislocated bone. It's also used over in Mark one in verse 19, when the apostles were mending their nets, they went out fishing, they brought them back in, they were mending their nets. So to restore is showing how it is we deal with others, whether sin is known or not. How is it that we want God to deal with us? Well, in mercy and grace. And so this is what it is to do good. It is when we hear of somebody or hear of something, notice it says that you that are spiritual, that doesn't mean high and mighty, doesn't mean those that have never sinned, you won't find any, but ones in whom the spirit of grace is evident. You that are spiritual, restore such a one, but do it in a spirit of gentleness. I picture again, a doctor. restoring a bone. If you went in there and he's taking that bone and trying to jerk it around and put it in place again, you're like, whoa, that's not how you would expect a doctor to reset a bone. And the same thing here, the spirit of gentleness. It's with a full understanding of our own weakness and corruption. So those that are doing the restoring. I don't think this is a volunteer thing, I don't think you have a committee that says okay these are the restorers, but as we learn from one another and many times it's just an everyday conversation, our relationships with one another as you share with one another, different ones might share with you certain temptations that they struggle with and fall daily You're not there to aggravate their grief. You're not there to scold them or condemn them, but lift them up. And how do you do that? Pointing them to Christ. That's what I want because I am tempted just like any other person out there, but I would want any that would be concerned for me simply to point me to the Lord Jesus Christ and It's a gentleness that is born out of a sense of our own weakness and our own proneness to sin. That's why we're gentle. That's why I can tell people I understand. I think some people, when I tell them that they think, oh no, you can't have been tempted as badly as I have because they think somehow a preacher lives in a little bubble. No, I'm a man just like any other. I'm a sinner. My only hope is that when Christ paid my sin debt, I was justified before God. And that's how I have that righteous standing before him. But Paul is really addressing here like he has been back in chapter five, the legalists among the Galatians. You're always gonna find these, even in any congregation. Oh, they love this. In fact, they look for people that have fallen so that they can address them. And there's nothing that reveals the wickedness of legalism more than legalist threats against those that may have sinned or in their view are prone to sin. Boy, they can be tough. on these, not seeing their own sinfulness. So that's number one way I believe of doing good. It's restoring the weak, restoring those that have fallen and recognizing that we may be the one needing that restoring next as we help one up. I tell them you might have to be the one helping me up next time. But secondly, here in verses two through five, doing good in bearing one another's burdens. You have burdens that you bear. Isn't it wonderful when the Lord brings somebody alongside and as you share your burden with them, they express to you their kindness and understanding and let you know they're praying for you. That's what we see here in verse two, bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, so here it goes back to verse one again. You've seen some of that's fallen. Don't think yourself something. When he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another." In other words, you don't do what you do to be seen or be applauded, no. Then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone. Thankfulness that the Lord caused your path to cross with somebody that you could help. your rejoicings within yourself and not in another. And it says for every man shall bear his own burden. So this is a second way of doing good. And that is bearing others burdens as if it were our own. Now, when he says bearing one another's burdens, here Paul is bringing up the idea of what we saw in verse one, one overtaken in a trespass. He painted the picture of a person sagging under a heavy load. You've seen some people sometimes that just overloaded and what's the first thing you want to do? Can I help carry some of that for you? I've done that here, not to be seen, but There are a number of people that live in some apartments not far from here that don't have vehicles. And I'll go to pull into the church parking lot, and they're cutting across the parking lot. And I'll stop and ask them, how far away do you live? Can I help get you to your apartment? And some have said, no, I'm used to doing this. And they'll refuse, which I don't try to push it. But others have said, oh, thank you. I appreciate your offering. That's what it is to help somebody with a sagging load. And that's what Paul uses here, that imagery again, of those in the body of Christ to bear one another's burdens. Now, the focus here isn't on expecting others to bear your burden. I've had some Like that they're self-focused and boy, if they have a burden and you don't say something or acknowledge what you see, they're all over you as if somehow you don't care enough about them and they're wanting you to help take that, that burden off of them. You know, that's not the sense here where Paul is saying, bear one another's burdens. I don't expect other people to bear my burden. I recognize that any burden I bear, it's the Lord that has given it to me and that he is the one who will sustain me through it. There are certain trials and burdens that I bear that I don't share with anybody because I'm looking to the Lord. But here, when he says, bear ye one another's burdens, it's not in the sense of trying to offload your burden onto somebody else. In fact, when it gets down here toward the end, verse five, for every man shall bear his own burden, I believe that that's what it's saying there, that each of us has our own burden to bear, that none other can bear. So no matter how you share it with them, they're not going to be able to understand it because it's not tailor made for them. I've often said that it's like going into a suit shop and trying to get a suit fitted for you, that it is tailor made for you to fit you. I believe every trial that we bear, every burden we bear is tailor made by the Lord himself. So in essence, we bear that burden ourself. Let every man bear his own burden. But at the same time, when we're made aware of others' burdens, and I know there's certain people I can help just simply because I've been through what they've been through. You know, if I had cancer, I would want somebody that has already been through a cancer diagnosis to talk to me about what to expect. I don't wanna hear somebody that just gives me the encyclopedia answer to how to deal with cancer. They're not gonna help me, they've never been through it. But find somebody that has and oh, how that does help lift the burden. And that's true of any sort of temptation. that one might face or go through, that those that have been so equipped by God, I believe that's why the Lord brings us through the trials that he does, that we in those trials and learning might be able to then be of a comfort for others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves have been comforted. and that's what paul wrote to the corinthians in second corinthians chapter one verse three bless be god even the father of our lord jesus christ the father of mercies and the god of all comfort that's what he's speaking of here of bearing one another's burdens the lord's brought you through one And now you can approach that individual and let them know, I understand what you're going through. That's how the Lord brought me through. And perhaps a word in season can be of help to you. Here it says who comforted us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. How many times can you say the word comfort? And so as we deal with one another in a body, I don't think we're to go around looking at somebody and say, well, it looks like you've got some heavy burden. You want to share that with me? That's not how we approach it. But if that person approaches us and seeks some help, this isn't complicated. It doesn't take a huge program. or infrastructure in a congregation to do it. Just look for that burden to bear and help bear it. I've had people come to me as a pastor and say, you know, so-and-so is having a difficult time. And I'll ask him, well, have you called him? Have you talked to him? What have you tried to do? Because the idea is, well, this is the pastor's job, no? Here he says, bear ye one another's burdens. He's talking to the members of the congregation. If you know something about it, then do it and do it without having to be noticed. To where when you do, then they come and see as a pastor, you know, this week, this is what I did for so-and-so and so-and-so. Why are you telling me? Because if you were there to help them, then that's between the two of you. And Here's the point, verse two, he says, so fulfill the law of Christ. As we bear one another's burdens, it says we're fulfilling the simple law of Christ. You say, well, what's that? Well, there you have to go back to John 13. This is what our Lord told his disciples. He was gonna go to the cross and bear their sin and that of those that the father gave him. And so there would be a new order. No longer would those for whom he paid the debt be accountable to that old law that can only condemn. But here in John 13 and verse 34, this is the law of Christ. What does it say? A new commandment, didn't say new commandments, but a new commandment, I give unto you that ye love one another. I have loved you that ye also love one another this by this shall all men know that you're my disciples if ye have loved one to another it doesn't require a committee it doesn't require an organization or organizing no the simple law of Christ is love that other for whom Christ paid the debt because we're looking at this in the context of the household of faith and so through this whole letter. That's what Paul is doing. He's battling the legalists. And here he hits them again, because Paul is essentially saying, do you really want to fulfill the law? I like to do this with people when they come at you with, well, you know, we ought to be obeying the 10 commandments. Well, how's that working for you? Do you realize the whole law was given for one reason? To love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. Here is that law. Again, it comes back to loving, even as Christ said, as you have been loved unconditionally and doing so without distinction doesn't mean without exception. There are some that not even Christ loved. He didn't love everybody. There were some that he didn't ever ask forgiveness of because they weren't given to him of the father, but those that were given to him, he loved them without distinction. See, that's what says God in this manner loved the world. It wasn't without exception because clearly there are those that God ordained to condemnation, but it is without distinction. In other words, without looking at who they are first with regard to their race or background or culture, language, all of these things, no. But that's the law of Christ, to love without distinction as we have been loved, bearing one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ. And that's why Paul says there, if anyone thinks himself to be something, coming back here to my text in Galatians 6, when he's, look it, when he is nothing, but thinking yourself something. And even if you do help somebody or able to bear their burden, don't go around polishing your shoulder and patting yourself on the back, thinking you've done something. No, it says when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. If somehow by bearing one another's burdens, doing good in this sense, as God would direct, That for that reason, you're puffed up. Then, you know, nothing of the law of Christ. He humbled himself and was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That's how he loved those that the father gave him. And that's how we love, you know, pride is self-focused. It doesn't necessarily say I'm better than you are, but pride will say I'm more important than you are. So I deserve more of my own attention and love than you do. That's when you get thinking that way, if you think yourself something, then you don't know yourself as you ought. And here's an example again, that even when put in a situation of helping somebody else, we're not puffed up. when we know ourselves to be nothing. That's who God has saved. That's who he sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ to save. Over in 1 Corinthians again, chapter one, Paul's reminding of this, of the Corinthians who were puffed up because of their standing, what they thought they had by the grace of God. But he reminds them in first Corinthians 1 and verse 26, for you see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen what the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty It goes down, it keeps going down, doesn't it? It starts with foolish, goes to weak and now the base things of the world and things which are despised have God chosen. Yea, the things which are not to bring to naught things that are, that what? No flesh should glory in his presence. So when Paul says this in verse four, he says, let every man prove his own work. Don't be focused on the other or on what you think of that other person. It's like some people say, well, I'll help you this one time, I'm going to help you again. Well, that's not really the law of Christ. Think about how Christ has borne our sin away and yet continues to uphold us and carry us like the good shepherd with his sheep. And instead of deceiving ourselves, we examine ourselves, examine every motive, whether it gives Christ the glory or not, because if it doesn't, then it's not good. It's not a good deed. Here it says so that our rejoicing might be in really Christ alone and not in having necessarily helped somebody else rejoicing in himself, being joyous. without anybody even having to know about it or not. That's what happens whenever you do bear the burden of another. It's as God directs. But as I said in verse five, each one shall bear his own burden. That is that there are certain burdens that the Lord does not intend others to be able to help you with, they can't. because this is one that the Lord himself has given you and therefore he is going to be your help in that time of need, whether anybody else helps you or not. And you're not going around criticizing, well, no one came over to help me. Now, when the opportunity is given and we can help another, we do so, but just know that there are those burdens that may be the Lord purposes that we bear alone and never even speak of to anybody else, but the Lord knows and thankfully he does. So that's the second way, restoring one who's overtaken in a fault to helping bear the burdens of others and what they're going through. But here in verses six through 10, we see where this matter of doing good is addressed particularly to those of the household of faith. There's a bunch of people out there, even with Christ, you know, when they talk to him about the poor, he said, well, you have the poor always with you. But his attention was on those disciples. Just like when he went to the cross, his focus was on those that the father had given him. When he prayed from the cross, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. He was praying for, those that the father had given him. And so here in this context, this is what it is to do good. We have in view the household of faith. It says, let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches and all good things. And here specifically, it's doing good for that minister that the Lord has given you that ministers Christ to you. So you've got one that's overtaken the fall. You've got these over here that are burdened, but don't forget the minister. That's what Paul is saying. Be not deceived. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. Oh, how people like to jump on that. You better be careful what you sow because you're going to reap. That's not the context here. Notice in verse six, the context is let him that is taught That is those of the congregation in the word, you're benefiting just like now I'm preaching for you. You're benefiting from this word. It says, communicate unto him that teacheth in what? All good things. I'll tell you that always melts my heart as I preach for different ones and they respond and let me know how the Lord's blessing that word. I'm not glorying in myself. But I realized that that's the Lord causing them to be gracious toward me. Even whether it's in material support or a word in season, that's the context here. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth that, shall he also reap. How does a man sow? By helping out those that are ministering and laboring in the gospel. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. If all you do with what the Lord gives you is to sow to your flesh, well, guess what? In the end, that's all it is. It's gonna be buried. But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap what? Life everlasting. What he's talking about there is giving to and contributing to where the Spirit of God is at work in the world. communicating the message of Christ through these that are preachers, not just any preacher. Don't buy that lie of when you get it in the mail, I need your help. No, if they're not preaching the gospel, see this has to do with the household of faith. Don't waste your money. Don't spend a dime on them. But at the same time, if the Lord by his spirit directs you to help a gospel preacher, then what you're doing is actually sowing for what is eternal. And that's what it says there shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. This is the means by which God has ordained that his elect should hear the gospel in the world is through those as verse six says, who communicate unto you and teach you and all good things. Those that teach the law aren't teaching good things. Those that preach Christ and him crucified, those are the ones you want to get behind and support and lift their hands and knees when they get heavy laden. And that's why it says, let us not be weary in well doing for in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. Those that give to those who are preaching the gospel, they're not requiring reports back to them as to how successful your work is, we don't know. There's many times when I know I preach, I never see the result until, I may never see it in my lifetime, but there are some that will come back to me years later and they'll say, do you remember that message you preached? And I don't. And they'll say, well, the Lord used it and brought that word home to my heart and I just want to let you know. That's what it's talking about there in verse 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good. Take what God has done for us, revealed in us for Christ's sake. And it says, let us do good unto all as the Lord gives opportunity. You never know. You can't sit there and say, well, I don't know if they're elect or not. It doesn't matter. If they're not, you will have done good unto somebody, and that may be the only good they'll ever know. But if they are one of the Lord's sheep, it may be the Lord would use that to continue to draw them to Christ in his time. But that's what it means there, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. This is like a farmer. He reaps the same as he sows. What are we sowing? It's actually, we're not even the sower. Christ is the sower. I often tell people I'm just the bag holding the seed. But it says the sower takes that seed and causes it to be broadcasted. It brings forth fruit in its time and its season. And whatever we sow, we're gonna reap. You can't take a false message and expect good to come of it. No, God doesn't bless air. But as a farmer sowing that seed and weighing upon the early and latter rains, as Christ is set forth and his death and what he accomplished, he's going to cause it to bear fruit in his time. And that's why it says, as we have opportunity, let us do good. Well, the opportunity is always there. And, uh, the danger is. with these legalists coming in and trying to put people back under bondage. No, we want those that are the Lords to rejoice in the freedom that Christ has bought for them and to live for his glory and honor. I pray the Lord bless that to our hearing and to our hearts.