22. The Book Of Galatians – Chapter 6:2 - Message 22 – A Burden Bearer Bears The Burdens Of Others – Be One Of Them! Series

22. THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 6:2 - Message 22 – A BURDEN BEARER BEARS THE BURDENS OF OTHERS – BE ONE OF THEM!

[1]. BE A BURDEN BEARER

{{Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”}}

In the closing verses of this letter Paul issues some important commands. These are for the health of the church fellowship and need to be heeded so that the assembly of God’s saints does not become dysfunctional. The command now is just so important.

The Australian Aboriginal society was degraded in many ways. One aspect was to put the old people out to die when living was a bit harder and food was scarcer. What they did was to discard the burden. So many other evils were done as well. Discarding the burden is definitely not the Christian way. Christians are not to discard, but to share.

Do you recall the functioning of the early church recorded here – {{Acts 2:43-45 “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe, and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. All those who had believed were together, and had all things in common, and they began selling their property and possessions, AND WERE SHARING THEM WITH ALL, AS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE NEED”}}. There we have a caring church group working together and sharing.

Being a burden bearer is a burden sharer. As one has a need, so the bearer of that need steps in to assist.

[2]. THE HONOUR OF BEING A BURDEN BEARER

[A]. The Galatians were keen enough to bear the burden of the Law and we know the testimony of scripture that Peter said to the first Christian Council that “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10) but the Galatians thought they could. They were very wrong and Paul told them that it was the law of Christ they should be fulfilling and this was totally a different matter. They were to bear one another’s burdens. “Bear” is in the plural. It means they all were to make this their habit.

There are so many heavy burdens around us, sin, sorrow, family, poverty, health among others. Burdens can be because of SIN. The worst burdens are those that are caused by yielding to our desires and sinning. Of course this relates to verse 1, for one overtaken in a fault or sin, in other words, a fall.

These burdens can be EMOTIONAL. This is not when we are a perpetrator of sin, but rather when we are the victim of sin, or the recipient of some bad happening. Maybe we have been mistreated or neglected. Maybe it's the result of fear or a grief. Emotional burdens overwhelm us at times.

They can be PHYSICAL. These may be caused by illness or accident, impairment, or sometimes just by advancing age. They can be FINANCIAL - A financial calamity brought on by a layoff, a medical emergency, a poor investment strategy, or many other factors. We don't have time to investigate all the ways and shapes that burdens can take, but their forms are a multitude. We can say a burden is anything that oppresses the spiritual development of a brother or a sister.

[B]. What are the burdens that we need to bear for one another? The Greek word rendered burden is “bareos” meaning something that makes an overwhelming demand, that which brings sorrow or grief. Let us say again: “A burden is anything that oppresses the spiritual development of a brother or a sister.” Now mark that well. A burden is anything that oppresses the spiritual development of a brother or a sister. Let us care about that and not give it mental assent.

[C]. The Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest and ministers on our behalf. He said “Come unto Me you who are weary AND HEAVY BURDENED.” He is the One who carries the wounded sheep on His shoulders. He is the One who will take our fears and anxieties.

[D]. How does the exterior stack up? It may look fine, like a structure standing looking solid, but eaten away inside by termites. You can look so good on the outside, but one day the whole life, the whole house just collapses because all that decay was on the inside and nobody knew it. The spiritual man or woman must look out for even a breach indicating termites in another’s life, but of extreme importance firstly, is checking for termites in one’s OWN life.

Our fellowship here is very small but it does not isolate us from hurt and burdens. Some churches are large and my experience is that in large churches hurting people are lost and overlooked. [[“Years ago there was German soldier who was slightly wounded in a battle, and he went home to his mother. His mother said, "You need to go to the hospital. They have set one up down the street," so, he went to the hospital.