The Bible tells us also about these THREE “BEARS”.
The first BEAR deals with our BEARING the burden of a brother. That is-
I. WE "BEAR" THE BURDENS HE CAN NOT BEAR
Look at Galatians 6:2, we read, “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
The Bible makes it clear that as Christians we all have a responsibility to BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS!
When we do this we are FULFILLING THE LAW OF CHRIST. WHAT IS THE LAW OF CHRIST? The law of Christ is the law of ministering in LOVE.
In Matthew 20:28, we read, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
This was the ministry of Christ and now he has called us to do the same.
And the Word of God tells us in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
We are to carry on the BURDEN BEARING MINISTRY OF THE LORD.
The burden bearing in this scripture verse is in present tense, which denotes continuous action, not simply a one-time act.
How are we to BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS?
A. SOMETIMES IT IS SPIRITUAL
Look at James 5:19-20, we read, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”
Notice, it says, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth…” That is, it is always a possibility.
Illus: A man that attends a church that teaches a false religion said, “Half of our church members are people who at one time attended Baptist churches, Assembly of God churches, Church of God churches, and etc.”
Listen, that should not surprise us. The Word of God teaches that it is possible for a person to ERR FROM THE TRUTH. But it is our job as Christians to go out and CONVERT them back to the truth.
Why should we do this?
(1) First, because our love for them compels us to do so.
(2) Secondly, because if we do not, the Christian who has erred has placed himself at the risk of death.
Look at James 5:20, we read, “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death.”
Illus: Paul wrote to the Corinthians, who had erred in many ways. But one of the ways they had erred was in the Lord’s supper.
Because many had erred in their teachings concerning the Lord’s supper, Paul told the Corinthians, in 1 Cor. 11:30, “FOR THIS CAUSE many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
In other words, they died! It is a dangerous thing for a child of God to err, and Paul said because of that, some had become SICKLY, and some had DIED!
When our brother in Christ ERRS, we are to help him.
BUT, NOTICE WHO IS TO HELP HIM.
Look at Galatians 6:1. We read, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
The Bible says that those who are to assist Christians who have erred, are those in the church who are SPIRITUAL.
And it does not mean if you just think you are spiritual, you are qualified. If you are going to help someone who is weak in the faith, they need to have confidence in you and know that you are spiritual.
There are some folks who, if they tried to assist some that have erred, would not be affective because the person that they are talking to has no confidence in their Christian life.
We are to assist the WEAKER BRETHREN WHEN HE FALLS SPIRITUALLY. We have to become a “Crutch” he can lean on until he gets where he can stand on his own again.
But not only should we BEAR the burdens of our brother SPIRITUALLY-
B. SOMETIMES IT IS FINANCIAL
In this age, when we see panhandlers all over the place begging for money, we reach the conclusion immediately that someone who asks for help is trifling.
But there are people who need financial assistance, and it is not because they are too lazy to work.
• They can’t go to the bank, because with their income the bank would consider them a poor risk.
• They can’t go to their friends, because their friends are as poor as they are.
And the only place they can turn to is God’s family. (God’s Church).
This is one of the evidences by which we can know we are saved; we CARE about our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Illus: Suppose you went to bed one night, and you knew your biological brother had lost his home and was out on the street, and did not have a penny to buy food with. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I know what you would do, you would get out of bed and find him, and make sure he had a place to sleep and food to eat.
We are supposed to have that same kind of love for a brother or sister in Christ.
We are not talking about someone who spends money like it grows on trees, and then when the bill collectors come they want someone to bail them out. People like this need help, but they need help from a financial counselor.
The Bible is saying we are to help people who tough times have fallen on, not due to their own making. We are to be willing to BEAR burdens SPIRITUALLY and FINANCIALLY when a Christian needs some assistance.
Look at James 2:14-16. “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”
We are not to be selective in who we love and are willing to help. Look at 1 Peter 2: 17 “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood…”
WE “BEAR” THE BURDENS HE CAN NOT BEAR.
But let me show you another “BEAR” we want to look at in the scriptures.
II. HE "BEARS" THE BURDENS HE CAN BEAR
Look at Galatians 6:5, we read, “For every man shall bear his own burden.”
Some say this is a contradiction in the Bible.
For example:
• In Galatians 6:2 we are told to BEAR OUR BROTHERS burden
• In Galatians 6:5 we are told that he is to bear his own burden
There is no contradiction here. There are some burdens HE CAN AND SHOULD BEAR, and there are other burdens HE CANNOT BEAR!
WE CAN DESTROY PEOPLE WE LOVE, BY TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BEAR.
Illus: John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
What was he saying when he made this statement? He was recognizing that one of the best ways to destroy a good country is to teach people not to take personal responsibility for themselves.
Illus: When a parent continuously gives to a child every time they ask for something, they will destroy that child.
We have children all over this nation that do not know how to take care of themselves, because Mom and Dad, who grew up under hard times, decided that their children were not going to have to do that. Today, many of their children do not know how to take care of themselves.
Illus: John D. Rockefeller, who was one of, if not the most wealthy man on the face of the earth, feared that his wealth might destroy his children. To keep that from happening:
• He gave them chores to do, to teach them how to work
• He made them wear ordinary clothes like other children
• He gave them an allowance each week and made them keep a book of how they spent their money, and he personally checked their records to make sure they were accurate, and that they were spending their money wisely.
But yet we have other parents that allow their children to receive whatever they want to receive by simply putting out their hands. THEY HAVE DESTROYED THEIR CHILDREN FOR LIFE!
Whatever chance of happiness their children would have had, has been destroyed by these parents, who do not make them assume the responsibility that they should bear.
But not only:
• Can a nation destroy its citizens
• Can parents destroy their children
A church can do the same thing.
I want to say something, and I hope it is not taken the wrong way. All across this country we have people who are called panhandlers. They are people that are too lazy to work, and there are churches that think they are doing the will of God by feeding these lazy, trifling people.
That is not what the scripture declares. Look what Paul said in 2 Thess. 3:10. “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”
Never in the history of this country have we ever had the problem with panhandlers begging for money like we do today.
WHAT CREATED THIS PROBLEM?
Our parents, our government, and our churches have literally destroyed these people who refuse to take responsibility for themselves. We keep feeding, clothing and sheltering them, and we do not make them take responsibility for themselves.
Some of these people would be productive and successful people had they been forced to take responsibility.
This is why people will have to stand before the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ. GOD IS GOING TO HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE CAN DO.
WHY? Because God is not like some of these DO-GOODERS. GOD IS GOING TO HOLD PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE WITH THEIR LIVES.
Look at 2 Cor. 5:10, we read, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
This passage teaches the need for personal responsibility that another cannot carry for us.
For example:
(1) WE HAVE MANY RESPONSIBILITIES IN REGARD TO SIN IN OUR LIFE
The Bible tells us:
• Abstain from the appearance of evil - 1 Thess. 5:22
Many hang out with the wrong people and do the wrong things, and then when they fall into sin they do not want to take responsibility for what has happened.
We have to take the spiritual responsibility for ourselves and ABSTAIN not only from evil, but the very appearance of evil. That is, if it looks like evil we are to abstain.
We have the responsibility of NOT LIVING IN SIN, but also …
(2) WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LIVING A HOLY LIFE
1 Pet. 1:16 “Be ye holy,…”
Now this is something else that God holds us responsible for. No one can do it for you. It is something that you are going to have to give account to God for on the judgment day, because He tells us, “Be ye holy.”
God is going to hold us responsible for our-
(3) CHURCH ATTENDANCE
Some of the Islamic religions attend church 3 to 5 times a day. Yet we who claim to know the Lord, find it difficult to get people to attend church one time a week.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE MEET FOR WORSHIP?
The Bible says AS THE MANNER OF SOME IS.
Now most Bible churches feel that it is essential that we have at least three services a week. THAT IS THE MANNER THAT MOST BIBLE CHURCHES AGREE ON.
Did you know:
• That if you do not attend the mid-week service you miss one-third of the worship services.
• That if you do not attend the mid-week and the Sunday evening worship services, you miss two-thirds of the worship services.
What a terrible record some are going to have, when they give account to God on the judgment day.
III. CHRIST "BEARS" THE BURDENS WE CAN NOT BEAR
Sometimes in our lives we are forced to try to carry burdens that WE OURSELVES CANNOT CARRY, NOR CAN OUR FRIENDS!
It is during these difficult times that we have to look to the Lord to carry those burdens.
It is nice to have a friend we can turn to when we are carrying a heavy burden, but aren’t you glad that we have a Savior that is willing to help us when no one else can help us?
We read in 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Conclusion:
I. WE "BEAR" THE BURDENS HE CAN NOT BEAR
II. HE "BEARS" THE BURDENS HE CAN BEAR
III. CHRIST "BEARS" THE BURDENS WE CAN NOT BEAR
