Weary Workers
Galatians 6:1-2, 9-10
October 1, 2023
Do you have some people in your lives whom you admire? Take a moment and think about those people. Consider why you admire them. The standard they’ve set for you and how you can attain that.
There are some people you know can call at 2 AM and they’d pop out of bed, no questions asked and be there for you. You could ask for a ride, a meal, work to be done around the house, or seek advice about life. And you have complete trust in them. They don’t complain about helping in whatever they do. In fact, they seem to have a smile while they’re helping. They never seem to grow weary in doing good.
One of the things I notice in our world is that we’re always busy. We seem to make work for ourselves. Even when we can have time to rest, we find something else to do. Instead of reading scripture, or praying, or quieting ourselves to hear God, we find something to do . . . . . and then we find ourselves worn down.
Today is the last Sunday of looking at what it means to serve God and yet to be refreshed and to find rest. In the last chapter of Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote -
1 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.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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. - Galatians 6:1-2, 9-10
As Paul works his way towards the end of this letter, he reminds the leaders in the church, those who are spiritually mature, that if someone in the church is caught in some type of transgression, if they’re involved in a sin issue, then we should do our best to restore them, doing it in a spirit of gentleness.
In other words, don’t be a like a linebacker tackling the QB. Take him down gently. You see, when most of us are threatened, our desire for survival kicks in. We say and do things that may not be us, but we do them because we’re feeling threatened. I’m not saying that’s right, but it’s our natural instincts.
So, Paul says, come to that person in a spirit of gentleness. What I hear from Paul, is that we are to love that other person, extend grace and mercy to them. Incidently, don’t dabble in what they’re doing. Don’t get swept away by their sin as well.
We are to seek to restore that person, but we do it with a spirit of gentleness because we’re filled with the Holy Spirit and we use the spirit of gentleness to restore the person.
It often seems like we live in a war zone. We’re surrounded by exploding lives and personalities and relationships. We hear the cries of those who are suffering, we see those who have made wrong choices and are crying out in desperation.
And we have the opportunity to walk alongside them . . . not to berate them, but to help them, to restore them to wholeness.
God is saying, When you see people who are caught in sin ---- like the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, Zacchaeus, and like so many others ...
God tells us . . . in fact, I believe He commands us . . . “When you see people in those desperate situations, in their deepest nightmares and crises . . . dear Church . . . be gentle! Be careful! Their lives are so fragile. They could be easily broken. So, handle with care!”
Treat them as you wish someone would treat you. Pick them up and hold them gently. Show them the way back. Help them see they’re loved. Help them come to Christ. Again, Jesus said, I am gentle and I will give them true rest. Remember, they are mine. I created them.
I’m going to skip verse 2 for a moment, because I believe that’s the glue which is to tie all of this together.
Verses 9-10 bookend Paul’s thoughts. Don’t grow weary in doing good. It can be tiring to do good. I mean, let’s be honest, it can get overwhelming trying to do what’s right and good for others. Sometimes you may wonder, what’s in it for me? Who’s going to help me on that day when I need help? Or maybe you needed help and nobody was there for you. Or maybe you’ve been taken advantage of at some point.
Jump back to verse 1, don’t get caught in temptation. What type of temptation? Temptation to gripe and complain and to become bitter in your spirit and soul. Paul says, there’s a reward coming. It’s a reward which comes from God. It’s not man made, it’s not a certificate, it’s not a plaque or a pat on the back - - - -
- - - - it’s a reward which is going to come from God. So, don’t worry about it. Don’t get all freaked out that you got bypassed. I know it’s human to feel left out or overlooked.
But don’t be weary in doing good. We need to show it to the outside world, but especially to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Not growing weary is crucial, because that means we’ve set up boundaries so we don’t become overwhelmed. It’s easy for that to happen. And when we’re overwhelmed it becomes difficult to find peace and rest in Christ.
And the glue to this passage comes in verse 2. Paul wrote - - - -
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Paul tells us - - - - bear one another’s burdens. WHY?
Because that is the supreme imitation of Jesus.
Jesus is the ultimate burden - bearer, it’s because of what He did for us. Jesus has became sin for us. He took away the punishment we were supposed to receive. In Galatians 1 and 3, Paul wrote - - - -
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father
AND
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - Galatians 3:13
Jesus was the ultimate burden bearer. He took your sins and mine upon Himself. Isaiah told us, “BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED.” That’s true! Whether it’s in this life or the life to come, He took it upon Himself to be a curse for us, to shed His blood, so we wouldn’t have to.
With that in mind, we are to seek to imitate Jesus as best as we can, and be there so that our brothers and sisters in Christ can cast their burdens upon us.
That’s why Paul wrote to the church in 2 Corinthians 1, these words - - - -
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Do you see that? The God who comforts us in our afflictions, empowers us to now use those experiences to help comfort others. How many times have we heard of people who have suffered and out of the suffering comes a new ministry or mission or movement to help others? It’s the good that can come from the difficult times.
And finally, Paul told the people to fulfill the law of Christ. Paul is calling us to follow the royal law, which is found in the book of James - - - -
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. - James 2:8
That’s it! Don’t be weary of loving one another. It’s all in how we look at what we do. Am I doing this for my glory, or for the glory of Christ? When I look at it as an opportunity to serve another person as a way to bring glory to God, then God is going to reward me.
We don’t do it for a tangible reward. It’s a heavenly reward. Yet, it’s living life with a sense of satisfaction that I’m doing what’s right and proper. I’m doing everything I can to bring glory and honor to God
So, my friends, don’t be weary in doing good. It’s easy to get fed up with people. But you’re not serving people, you’re serving God. Whatever you do, whoever you serve, wherever you do it, do it for the glory of God.
And as you do it, take time to pause, reflect, pray, praise and let God be the One who refreshes you. That all comes because you know yourself. When you know what energizes you, what drains you, it will help you connect with God in a way which will bring you rest, so that you will hear Jesus invite you . . . .
Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.
For my burden yoke is easy and my burden is light.
I really believe when we seek to do good, when we don't grow weary in doing good in the name of Jesus, we will experience the rest that Jesus offers. Our connection to Jesus will be strong and we will have trust and believe that His yoke is easy and burden is light!
