Reaping What We Sow
Galatians • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Sir, what are you doing?
Minority 1st Sgt and holding the door, a clash of world views.
Who holds the door open? who is right?
This illustrates what I believe has led to some of the apathy in the American Church today.
We have allowed others to do our “good works.”
As I try to live “by the Spirit” doing good works, and have this clash with 1st Sgt, what do you think happens when we come back from lunch?
I again, allow her to open the door for me. She has won.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Live by the Spirit - live life with the qualities
revisit these qualities and ensure we are living by them
They directly affect how we deal with our neighbor
When we live by the Spirit it effects how we relate to others, ourself, and God.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
(6:1-2) How we relate to others
Approaching our neighbor with gentleness
Love our neighbor as ourself
Spirit of gentleness - something many of us do not have
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
This helps us understand how Jesus expects us to deal with others, especially in sin.
Gentleness, is not a harsh debate.
It has as its goal: RESTORATION
Considering our own hearts
We should live in the Spirit when we deal with ourselves
introspection, self awareness, evaluation
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Help one another out
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Prayer, fellowship, community - important aspects of the church
App: When we walk in the Spirit we deal with others differently. Ultimately we are obedient to the commandment of Christ:
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
(6:3-5) How we relate to ourselves
3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.
Humble view of self
Not Eeyore
A biblical view of ourselves in light of God’s truth
Personal Responsibility
How do we test our own works?
What is our motive? Am I obedient to Jesus? Am I walking in the spirit?
Illus: Gossip? Why am I telling you this?
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
App: Walking in the Spirit means that we have a humble view of self and know that we alone have the responsibility for our actions, and they will be judged on the last day.
(6:6-10) Our relationship to God
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
We are expected by God to be sowers
Parable of the Sower
Matt 13
23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
We hear the Word of God and out of it is produce, fruit
God speaks to us in his word, and we then respond by living in the Spirit: fruit of the Spirit
We either sow out of the flesh or out of the Spirit
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We are expected to do good works
As obedient Children to our loving Father, who has saved us
to everyone
to our brothers in Christ
Conclusion
Conclusion
Walking in the Spirit transforms how we interact with others, ourselves, and God.
App: The Church today has allowed others to do the “good works” we have been called to do. As a matter of fact the younger generations are supporting causes all over, its a priority to them, yet much of them have nothing to do with the church. Why?
YMCA - their work in the community. Why?
Churches have not taken care of this need.
God has called us to a life of Good Works. Yet, many of us have either forgotten what this looks like, or have simply allowed others to do these things.
It’s like the lawn mowing back in the day. I grew up when kids used to mow yards. Now, it is a business by grown men. The need was supplanted by these young boys who grew up and continued the business.
As a Church, how are we going to be faithful to doing good works? What have we allowed others to do in our stead?
As an individual, how are you going to be faithful to doing good works? What have you allowed others to do in your stead?
If we want to be a church used by God, then we must be in the habit of doing good works. If we understand this passage, we see that the fruit of the Spirit is given to us that we may impact the world with these good works. So, why has the church taken a back seat to these good things. Why have we given our responsibilities over to the US Government? to non-profits? etc . . .
I believe the church is now sowing what we heave reaped. The only way this will change, is if we start reaping good works.