My Brother's Keeper
Galatians • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
In Genesis 4 there is the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was a gardener and Abel tended the flock. Cain was jealous of Abel because Abel’s sacrifice to God was looked with favor and Cain’s was not. Because of this, Cain was very angry and God called him out.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
Cain’s response to this was to take his brother Abel to the field where he attacked and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
That question and story are the back drop for our study today. There is within each of us the sin of selfishness where we will look out for number one first and never anyone else. Some may even see it as being an obstacle to our lives if we have to be our brother’s keeper. Our study in Galatians remind is that we are to be our brother’s keeper.
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Comforting the Broken (vs. 1)
Comforting the Broken (vs. 1)
Verse 1 tells us that we are comfort those who are broken. Sin has a way or breaking us down. Just like what read earlier in Genesis 4, sin crouches at our doors and it desires to have us. When it does, there is no worse place or worse feeling. We have all been there. You know the time you did something that you knew you shouldn’t have done, but you did it anyway. Perhaps you had someone ridicule you and shame you for your sin. Or perhaps you had the example of Christ portrayed to you. The example of Christ is that through His redemptive love, He will reach out to lift up the fallen and restore them to fellowship.
The Example of Christ
The Example of Christ
How often do we see this portrayed in the Gospels? A sinner is brought to Jesus and Jesus makes them feel ashamed and He beats them down. Actually, that does not happen. Jesus always comes across in love. I love the way this is shown in the series THE CHOSEN. One particular scene is the invalid man at the pool called Bethesda. You know the story, the man had been at that pool as an invalid of 38 years hoping he could experience the supposedly healing waters. It was not his sin that made him an invalid but the man was sinful in his self-pity.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
It was not shame or disgrace. But it was in love and gentleness. We are also called to share the love of Christ by gently restoring the one caught in sin.
Fruit of the Spirit in Action
Fruit of the Spirit in Action
This is the fruit of the Spirit in action. We see the mandate of gently restoring. Theologian F. F. Bruce wrote, “Gentleness, not arrogance, is the way to Christ.”
As we learned last week, gentleness is one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. It comes from being diligent in the other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
If we are to help the sinner be restored, we must do so gently and in love lead him back to the right path.
Staying Out of the Snare
Staying Out of the Snare
However, there is a warning for us as we do this. We must be careful to stay out of the snare that the devil has for us. John 8:44 calls the devil the “father of all lies.” He will make the sin look appetizing to catch us in his snare. Another warning is in 1 Corinthians 10:12
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
We must practice Psalm 119:110
110 The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.
We dare not stray from the precepts of God as we help those who have. As we stand on the Word of God, we are called to carry each other’s burdens.
Carrying the Burdened (vs. 2-6)
Carrying the Burdened (vs. 2-6)
The Greek word that translates into carry is bastazo. The emphasis is to take up that which is burdensome and physically carry the load. It is hands on. There are several places in scripture that tell us to take our load to the Lord.
22 Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
God has designed us to take our burdens to Him. One of the best ways to do that, is through Christian friends. That is why we must share one another’s load.
Sharing Another’s Load
Sharing Another’s Load
As we share the load of others, we are implementing the Law of Christ.
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
As we do this, we must stay true to one’s self.
Staying True To One’s Self
Staying True To One’s Self
It would be easy to think we have it all together. As verse 3 says, we must make sure we are not thinking of ourselves more than we ought. This is a strong warning to be careful of spiritual pride.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Paul tells us in Galatians 6:4 that we should constantly test our actions and make sure of our personal responsibility. Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, said that above his door of his home office is a framed cross-stitch piece with the words, “What is your motive?” He says that he sees that every time he leaves his office and it helps him stay in check against spiritual pride. It is a great spiritual check. We all need to look at our motives and make sure we are not doing anything to puff up our spiritual pride.
Sizing Up Your Load
Sizing Up Your Load
In verse 5, Paul makes a statement that seems contradictory to that which he has already made. In verse 2 he says, “Carry each other’s burdens.” In verse 5 he says, “for each should carry his own load.”
5 for each one should carry his own load.
There is no contradiction between vs. 2 and vs. 5. While we are to bear the burdens of others that are too heavy to bear alone, we must also carry the load of responsibility to God on the Day of Judgement. On that day I cannot carry your pack and you cannot carry mine. We are all responsible to carry our own. There are certain religions that teach they can help cleanse another’s sin. For example, one religion teaches that for a certain fee, the dead can be baptized to wash away any lingering sin. They actually have places that are build just for the baptizing of the dead. No matter how much you care for someone, you cannot take away the responsibility of their sins. You can’t light a candle or pray a prayer to resolve them, each person must make the personal decision to repent to Christ. Jesus said:
36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
It is important for us to understand we will need to be responsible on that day.
Something for the Teacher
Something for the Teacher
Paul shifts the thought next and says that we can learn much from each other.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
There are a couple of implications that we need to observe here. One, we all can study the Word of God on our own. We can all learn by doing so. There are basic things a teacher of the Word to show you to help in that process and hopefully you get that from me and others that faithfully teach God’s Word. There are a couple of key words here that help us understand this more. The word for instructions means to “charm with resounding sound” or “to fascinate.” It is delightful when the people of God share insights from His word to each other. Another word is the word “share.” It is the root for the word koinonea. It means “to come in communion together, to enter into fellowship together or to partner.” When we do this, what are we sharing? We are sharing good things. Things that make us well; things from which we can benefit; things that are useful and agreeable; and things that are joyful and pleasant. What a tribute to Christianity and ultimately to Christ when we practice such things!
Conforming to the Blueprints (vs. 7-8)
Conforming to the Blueprints (vs. 7-8)
As we comfort the broken and carry the burdened, we will be conforming to the blueprints of God’s design. If you have ever been involved in building something, you have been around blueprints. Blueprints are the master plan of how to make the project happen. God’s blueprint for us is the Word of God. We are so fortunate that we can see how to access God Almighty.
The Way, The Truth and The Life
The Way, The Truth and The Life
Jesus said,
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
We are not to get caught in deception but to trust the way, the truth and the life of Jesus.
The Law of Sowing and Reaping
The Law of Sowing and Reaping
We are also reminded of the law of sowing and reaping. If we sow the acts of the sinful nature we will reap the acts of the sinful nature.
If we sow the fruit of the Spirit, we will be in step with the Spirit.
The old adage is true, “Sow a thought, reap an act; so an act, reap a habit; so a habit reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny!”
The Pursuit of Holiness
The Pursuit of Holiness
We will be in pursuit of holiness. 2 Thessalonians 3:13
13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
We must persevere in holy living. To persevere in doing what is good is to sow in the Spirit. Those who do so without growing faint or weary will reap the appropriate harvest in due time.
Calculating the Benefits (vs. 9-10)
Calculating the Benefits (vs. 9-10)
What will that harvest look like? Let’s calculate the benefits.
Be Encouraged
Be Encouraged
First, we will be encouraged because we are being obedient to God’s word.
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Seizing the Opportunity
Seizing the Opportunity
When we study God’s Word together and become like-minded, carrying each other’s burdens, and gently restoring those that have fallen, we will be given opportunity after opportunity given to us to do more. As we do, we will see the good harvest.
The Good Harvest
The Good Harvest
It might bring comfort to your soul and another.
It may bring assistance to those in need.
It may lead a sinner to repent.
It may lead one to salvation.
It may help slow the moral deterioration of our country.
It will help us to be better the salt of the earth.
It may make a sweeter place to live.
It may help us to be the church in a way we have never seen before.
It may help us see what is good, beautiful and true.
It may help us sing with gusto, Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee!
Am I my brother’s keeper? I sure hope so!