July 8 Sermon – Galatians chapter 6
Last Sunday I spoke about living under the rule of God, and I asked you
to try a little experiment. Practice two
aspects of Christ’s radical way of discipleship:
First, no uncharitable thought about anyone - when those unkind words
pop into your mind, push them right back out again. Don’t let such negative thoughts nest in your
head – make them fly away. Talk to Jesus about it.
Replace them with something positive.
Second, love every one you meet.
Love in words and acts of random kindness. Do small things with great love – for those
you like, but especially for those you don’t care for. Think of Jesus and how he would want you to
respond to them.
If you tried the experiment,
maybe you found it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Christ’s way for us does not come naturally -
and often we’re tempted to do the opposite.
Another point about last
week’s exercise is that Jesus’ teaching applies directly to our daily
life. How we speak to others and how we
act toward them demonstrates our commitment to Christ. Jesus shows us the better way to get along
with others.
+
His way is also the better way when we’re having trouble getting along
with someone. Maybe there was a
disagreement - an argument that strained our relationship with a friend – or
our spouse. Or perhaps it was something
that disrupted family life - or church life.
Two points about a an argument that strains a
relationship: first, my attitude may be “I’m right and they’re wrong,”
and second, the disagreement was emotional.
When angry, the brain switches back to a more primal level: the
automatic, emotional response is “flight” or “fight”. It’s emotional, not thought out or
deliberate. By instinct, either I’ll
fight to prove I’m right, or I’ll walk away from the situation.
Neither is the Christ-like response.
Because Jesus would draw us together. His goal for his disciples – for us - is
reconciliation.
So in our second lesson, Paul lays out some steps for restoring
a relationship. His premise is that the
relationship itself is more important than what ever was the source of the
disagreement. While that issue should be
dealt with, the goal of reconciling must be paramount. The goal is unity and that’s true for
families, friendships and congregations.
Maintain the bond. Be a
peacemaker.
As one successfully meets the challenge, it can be an opportunity for
growth that can lead to a stronger bond.
*
A little girl had just seen Cinderella and was testing her
grandmother’s knowledge of the story.
Wanting to impress her grand daughter, grandma said “I know how the
story ends.”
“How?” the little girl challenged.
“Cinderella and the Prince live happily ever after”
”Oh no they didn’t. They got married.”
*
That’s why our M. V. P. Tony Parker married his desperate
house-wife yesterday - the 7th day of the 7th month of the 7th year of the
new millennium.
It supposed to be an extraordinary lucky day, and they figured that’s
what they needed.
But it takes more than luck
+
Life in community is never easy.
Within any relationship, you must cope with the ordinary and the ugly,
the pleasant and the ill-tempered. But the promise is that Christ’s Spirit can
bring forth the specific qualities of love which make for well-being and peace. As followers of Christ, we’ll handle that
situation differently It is an
opportunity to put what we say we believe into practice.
All of Paul’s instructions can be summed up: be directed by Christ’s
law of love. “Love” is not just one
characteristic of the Christian life on a list of virtues – rather, love is the
essence of what it means to follow Jesus.
If ‘love’ sounds to vague, then look back at
the fruit of the Spirit - for they are descriptions of love in action: patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
1. Gentleness: You who have received the Spirit
should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Galatians 6:1
Paul’s first instruction is to approach someone with whom
were disagreeing with “gentleness”, one of the fruit of the Spirit.
Gentleness is the avoidance of unnecessary anger - or sudden
brusqueness. It is tenderness and care for the feelings of others. Gentleness
is closely linked to another fruit of the spirit - “self-control”, disciplining
your impulses.
Paul speaks of that other person as being “overtaken”, implying
that the mistake - the wrong - was done “on a sudden impulse”. What they said or did may not have been
intentional - thought out - but instead involved only momentarily giving in to
an impulse. Maybe that’s why the wrong
that bothers you so much doesn’t seem nearly so significant to them. You see it as a deliberate act,
they see it as a slip.
Paul uses the word ‘restore’. It evokes the image of
dislocation. If we’re speaking of the
body of Christ, one of His limbs needs to be reset. In other relationships, something is out of
joint. That implies pain, and the need
for healing. The pain is great, so
extreme gentleness is required. When the
restoration takes place in a “Spirit of gentleness”, we are not acting on our
own, but allowing God’s Spirit to work through us for healing.
2. Patience: Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a good harvest if
we do not give up. 6:9
Patience is the quality of long suffering toward those whose conduct
makes us angry.
God is still working on me, and my
transformation into the person God would have me be, is a long, detailed, and
sometimes tedious process. I know that I am still a sinner, far from perfect -
but then I become impatient and annoyed at the faults of another. Why can’t he see that he’s wrong?
God is not done with them yet - they are a work in progress. So I should be as patient with them as God is
with me. So don’t get tired of doing
what is right.
3. Humility. Watch yourself, or you also may be
tempted. Each one should test his
own actions. Then he can take pride in
himself without comparing himself to others. 6:1,4
In talking about restoring or correcting another, Paul warns us to be
cautious, not bold: “Watch” – be careful and first evaluate yourself. It’s easy to be critical and that, John
Wesley said, is a temptation to pride “if one endeavors to cure another
without preserving his own humility.”
So look at yourself - and remember that in God’s eyes you are also a sinner
- so be humble.
Jesus said: Why do you look at the speck in your
brother’s eye and not see the log in yours?
How can you say ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is a
log in yours’. Matthew
7:3-4
4. Compassion - Clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility and patience... forgive each other. Colossians 3:12
It’s easy to be more focused on being right than on being
compassionate. But if we’re aware of
ourselves, our needs and short comings, our weaknesses and our accountability
to God, then we will be more understanding. Restoration of a relationship
involves seeing things from the other’s point of view - and even coming to feel
what they feel, which is compassion.
5. Mutuality - Carry one another’s burdens and thus
fulfill the law of Christ - the law of love. 6:2
Paul sees restoration of a relationship in terms of mutuality - not I’m
right and you’re wrong - but rather a sharing of the burden - sharing the pain of failure, sharing
the hurt, and even assuming a portion of the guilt. Then, as you bear their
burdens, you really will fulfill Christ’s law of love.
In 1965, Bob Butler was a soldier - a grunt - in
As she struggled to drag me to her village, she
whispered in broken English ‘It okay.
You can live.I will be your legs. Together we can make it.’
“Her words brought hope to my soul - ‘Together we can make it.’
There are those times when we need someone to be our
legs, our arms, our voice, our friend - someone
to remind us - Together we can make it.”
Carry one another’s burdens
and together we
can make it.
+
When Jesus calls us to follow Him, he brings us into community with
other disciples, so that we may practice living under the rule of God.
He gives us a different set of
rules to live under –
- the law of Christ – the law of love.
He would teach us a better way to get along with one another –
His way - the way of
gentleness and patience,
humility and compassion,
bearing one another’s burdens.
It’s a path to follow in good times and bad, in
our families, with our friends and in our church.
If we’ll
trust the Lord – listen to the guidance of His word and Spirit – then he
can turn any situation around –- heal the hurt in our heart
– restore fractured relationships.
Therefore, as we have the opportunity
,let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the persons closest
to us.
for together we can make it.