Please turn with me to Galatians chapter 6.  Today is our last Sunday looking at Galatians.  Paul’s letter to believers in what was the Roman province of Galatia.  What is now central Turkey.

The theme of Paul’s letter is found in Galatians 5:1.  Which is?  “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.”

Put simply:  Set Free.  Live Free.

Coming to chapter 6 - let’s think about that - set free - live free - and how chapter 6 fits into what Paul has been writing about.

God - in Jesus - God has set us free.  Not because we’re such holy and righteous people or because of anything we’ve done or ever could do.  God sets us free because God is grace.  Grace is getting what we don’t deserve.

We sin.  Every one of us has thought, said, or done at least one thing - and probably more than one thing - that’s disobedient to the will of God.  We sin and the penalty for sin is death - living death now and eternal punishment later. 

Because God is grace Jesus goes to the cross.  Dies in our place.  Takes the penalty for our sin - our disobedience to God - takes our punishment on Himself.

God puts on the table His gracious offer of salvation.  When we individually accept that Jesus is our Savior - personally trust God with our lives - God forgives our sin - applies that salvation to our lives - sets us free from the penalty for our sin - restores our relationship with Him - releases us - sets us free to live life the way He created life to be lived.

That’s huge:  As believers in Jesus - trusting Him as our Savior - God sets us free from bondage to sin and the penalty for our sin.  Sets us free to live life the way deep down we long to live life.

The struggle we all have is that we know about grace but we still get ourselves into things that really mess up our lives.  Yes?  Which is the struggle that’s behind what Paul has been writing about to the Galatians.

For the Galatians that struggle came in the form of teachers that had come up from Jerusalem.  Teachers that were saying that trusting Jesus was crucial.  But, it wasn’t enough.  To really be one of God’s people you had to do more.  For the Gentile believers they said that doing more meant circumcision.  And then there was more - dietary laws - Sabbath laws - feasts and festivals - keeping the law of the Old Testament.

The bottom line of that struggle was all about what Paul calls “the flesh” - living focused on ourselves and not God.  About living life by our own wits, wisdom, and work rather than trusting that God really has been gracious to us and that we can totally trust Him with our lives.  Living - trusting - that we don’t need to do more than God has already graciously done for us in Jesus.

Paul - for the first four chapters of Galatians - Paul pleads with the Galatians not to go there.  Paul writes that having been set free by Jesus and then going back to living by our own wits, wisdom, and work is foolishness.  Paul writes that trying to do life on our own apart from God  is just putting ourselves back in bondage - making ourselves slaves of what God - in Jesus - has set us free from.

In chapter 5 Paul writes that we need to live free.  Bondage - slavery is easy.  In the day to day stuff that we go through in life sin is easy.  Yes?    Living free requires constant vigilance - a constant commitment to stand firm - to not compromise - to resist going backwards to thinking that life is about us - a constant choosing to rely on God and not our own wit, wisdom, and work.

Paul - in chapter 5 - in what we looked at last Sunday - Paul writes about how we do that.  How do we stand firm?  How do we get past ourselves and live free the way God has created us to live?

In chapter 5 Paul gave us loving service as the antidote for self.  Loving service is the antidote for self.

Living free in Jesus isn’t about living to please ourselves - living life the way that makes sense to us - focused on our version of religion verses God’s grace - seeking to fulfill our selfish desires.  Desires that ultimately mess us up.  That lead us backwards into bondage.  True freedom is what we begin to experience as we die to ourselves and lovingly serve others. 

Death and Love and Freedom are intimately intertwined.  If you were with us last Sunday that should sound familiar.

Learning to love is huge.  Choosing to serve is huge.  Loving and serving may not cure our addiction to the flesh - the conflict rages on  - but it does alter our perspective from selfishness to selflessness.  All that dying to self and crucifying the flesh becomes real and concrete and begins to solidify itself in the pattern of our lives - reordering the way we live our lives.

Loving service is the antidote for the selfishness of our flesh.  Chapter six is Paul’s practical application of that truth. 

Look with me at chapter six - starting at verse 1.  Verses 1 to 5 focus on The Attitude of Service.  Let’s say that together.  “The attitude of service.”

Verse 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.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  For each will have to bear his own load.

Let’s pause there.  In verse 1 Paul writes, “If anyone is caught in a transgression”  “If anyone is caught in sin.”

Being caught in a transgression means being discovered.  How do we respond when we find out that our sibling in Jesus has been overtaken by sin?

Notice - not someone who’s life is characterized by sin.  That we need to deal with differently.  But a sibling in Jesus who’s heart has been transformed by God - who finds himself or herself - to the surprise of everyone - who finds himself or herself caught up in a sin.  How do we respond?

Paul tells us that we need to do good to our siblings even when they do bad. 

To “restore” is like setting a bone that’s been broken.  Putting in back where it’s suppose to be.  Strengthening it so it can heal properly.

That’s done with gentleness - meekness - recognizing the hurt and emotion and complexity involved.  That’s done while we’re keeping watch on our own lives realizing that each of us is just as susceptible to sin.

Then Paul writes, “Bear one another’s burdens.”  When our sibling in Jesus is carrying a crushing weight.  When they’re burdened down with the circumstances of life.  How do we respond?

Paul writes that we need to do good to our sibling when they need lifting up.  Coming alongside and helping them lift.  That means helping them with what they need.  Sometimes that’s physical.  Sometimes that’s emotional.  Always that’s spiritual.

Some of you will remember Paul and Sharon Schliep who spoke at the Fall Retreat a few years back.  Back when it was called Family Camp.

Paul posted a quote by Henri Nouwen on  Facebook.  Henri Nouwen writes this:  “Nothing is sweet or easy about community.  Community is a fellowship of people who do not hide their joys and sorrows but make them visible to each other in a gesture of hope.  In community we say:  ‘Life is full of gains and losses, joys and sorrows, ups and downs—but we do not have to live alone.  We want to drink our cup together and thus celebrate that the wounds of our individual lives, which seem intolerable when lived alone, become sources of healing when we live them as part of a fellowship of mutual care.” (1)

It would be awesome to be a part of a community like that.  Wouldn’t it?  Grab this:  Set free in Jesus we have the possibility of that kind of community - those kinds of marriages and families.

To go there together takes an attitude of service.

Paul writes that the attitude of service - that does good to our sibling - comes from those who are spiritual - those who are walking in step with the Spirit - not the flesh.  Those who are learning to die to themselves and follow God through life.

In Philippians chapter 2 Paul holds up Jesus as our example to follow.  Paul writes that we should have the same attitude of a servant that Jesus had - when Jesus, not looking out for His own interests but the interests of each one of us - when Jesus set aside His prerogative to act as God - took on what it means to be human - God with skin on - became a servant - bearing our burdens - humbled Himself to the point of death - even dying on the cross - taking our penalty - doing good for each one of us while we’re caught up in sin and facing eternal punishment.

Never in all that do we hear Jesus saying, “Look at how greatly I’m sacrificing for you messed up people.  Did everyone notice my great humility?”

Paul writes in Philippians 2:9:  “Therefore - because of what Jesus did in humble loving service - God - not Jesus - therefore God highly exalted Him.”     

Paul writes - don’t deceive yourself - don’t lie to yourself thinking you’re something - that you’re all that - when you’re not.  “Look at how my bro needs me.  Look at how humbly I’m serving my bro - loving the sinner - lifting him up.”  Paul writes - test your own work.  Take a good look at your own life and what you’re really working at  

In Romans 12, Paul writes:  “For by God’s grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think - I’m saying this so you won’t get all puffed up in pride and self-importance - but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”  (Romans 12:3)

Paul writes, “For by God’s grace given to me.”

Saul, the great persecutor of the church.  A man zealous in his faith dragging Christians from their homes to their martyrdom.  Things he’s doing for God by the flesh - his own wits, wisdom, and work.

Saul is on his way to Damascus.  What happens?  Jesus - God - graciously stops Saul - a man destined for the judgment and wrath of God - Jesus stops Saul dead in his tracks.   On the road to Damascus Saul comes to believe and trust in Jesus as his Savior.  Saul becomes Paul - by God’s grace - one of the greatest evangelists and theologians the church has ever had.

Hang on to this.  Our being here is not because of us.  Our being here is because of God.  We wouldn’t know what to believe or in Whom or for what - if God - by His grace - hadn’t shown us.  None of us would be enabled to serve God - to do good to anyone - if it wasn’t for God’s undeserved grace.

The attitude of service comes as we humbly see ourselves as recipients of faith that God by His grace has awakened in us.  When we begin to see ourselves as God sees us - when we choose to dye to self - focusing our lives on God and not us - then we begin to experience together the kind of freedom in Christ where siblings are restored and burdens are carried.

Let’s go on.  Verses 6 to 10 focus on The Opportunity of Service.  Let’s say that together.  “The opportunity of service.”

Verse 6:  One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.  Do not be deceived:  God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  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.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

It seems like the assumption today is that its impossible to get elected to  public office by telling the truth.  It seems like politicians - not all - but it seems like politicians poll their constituents to find out what they want to hear and then tailor their campaign to give the impression that they’re in sync with their constituents.  Never say anything that’s clear and to the point.  Just appeal to the hopes and interests of the public. 

Someone said, “Be sincere whether you mean it or not.”

We get what we elect.

What Paul writes here is pretty black and white absolute.  The problem isn’t whether we understand it or not.  The problem is that we have the tendency to deceive ourselves.

People in this country spend tons of money trying to cover up the reality of aging.  But, if we’re breathing we’re still getting older.  Or people spend mega bucks to have surgeries or to take medications to loose weight rather than face the unpleasant reality of changing their lifestyle.  People endure brutally painful relationships deceiving themselves that somehow all that’s going to get better without having to deal with the hard truths and working through what’s really going on.

We have an inclination to choose deception over truth.

Paul writes, “Don’t be deceived.”   Don’t choose deception over reality.  “God is not mocked.”  God is not going to be made a fool of.  We can’t ignore God.  We can’t go through life laughing at what God says about how life is to be lived - ignoring God and thinking that there isn’t going to be a reality check coming for all that.

“Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

Sowing and reaping is a law - like gravity.  It’s a fixed principle that God has placed in His creation.

Every action has a predictable reaction.  If we sow corn we reap corn.  If we sow potatoes we reap potatoes - not alfalfa.  We’re delusional if we think different.  We cannot sow in the flesh and expect to reap in the Spirit.  It just doesn’t work that way.

And yet, there are tons of people who are sowing seeds of sin and death and then because they don’t see immediate consequences they think that maybe they’re getting away with something or that God really isn’t all that interested or that God may not even be up there.  All that is self-deception and mocking God - ignoring God’s law of sowing and reaping. 

Eventually there will be a harvest - a reality check..  Maybe soon.  For sure when we die.  We’re not get before God on the day of judgment and sort of laugh off our sins and think we’re going to get away with stuff. 

Paul says  if we’re sowing from the flesh - from our own selfish desires - from our own wits, wisdom, and work - we’re going to reap what Paul lists in 5:19:  Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and a whole lot of other really nasty stuff.

A lot of what we see going on in our society today.  Not a surprise.

Violent people will reap violence.  Unfaithful people will reap unfaithfulness.  Bitter people will reap bitterness.  Selfish people will reap selfishness.

In verse 8 Paul sums it up - corruption - decay and death - horrible stuff now - eternal punishment later.

Sow in the Spirit and we reap what Paul lists in 5:22:  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Paul’s summary comes in  verse 8:  eternal life.  Life with God lived freely now and forever life with God that’s coming.

Then Paul writes “Don’t grow weary of doing good.”

A farmer plants in the spring.  Prepares the soil.  Tills it.  Makes rows.    Fertilizes.  Preps for irrigation.  Plants his crop.  Sprays stuff on it to kill whatever can harm his crop.  Waters it.  Cares for it.  Point being he’s doing all that - what is a huge investment in time and resources - waiting with patience and trusting that a harvest really is coming. 

It would be easy a month or so into that process to say, “Well, I don’t see no harvest.  Maybe some little green things poking up out of the soil.  So I’m just going to give up.  Stop watering.”

Deception cuts both ways.  We sow restoration and bearing burdens and righteousness and goodness and generosity and a whole lot of other things - with the right attitude of service - following in step with the Spirit - and then because we don’t see immediate results we get to thinking - we can deceive ourselves that - just maybe this principle of sowing and reaping doesn’t always work.  Maybe God is off someplace in His universe taking a sabbatical and He’s forgotten about us. 

That may be one reason why Paul in verse 6 writes about those who teach and those who receive instruction.  Paul is a teacher and he’s been a student.  So he’s coming at this first hand.

We just finished a whole semester and vacation lies before us.  Can I hear an Amen?  Teachers - after pouring their lives into students would love to see or hear that someplace in all that something is being harvested.  Yes?  If you’re a student - you want to bring a smile to the heart of a teacher - tell them what you’re learning.  Let them see the harvest.

Otherwise - coming from the perspective of a teacher - its easy to grow weary.  Yes?

Parents long to see fruit produced in their children.  Disciplers long to see fruit produced in their disciples.

Paul writes, let’s do a reality check and use this law of sowing and reaping to our advantage.  Don’t be deceived.  The law is reality.  There will be a harvest.  Don’t grow weary.  Hang on for the harvest.

Then in verse 10 he writes that we have an opportunity to do good to everyone and especially our siblings in Jesus.

“Opportunity” translates a Greek word that has the idea of a fixed amount of time.  Spring only comes once per year.  It is a fixed number of days.  If we miss it we miss out.

Now is the time to sow good because the harvest will come.  Now is the time to restore.  Now is the time to bear up.  Now is the time to serve and not grow weary of serving because the harvest will come and we will reap what we sow.

Let’s go on.  Verses 11 to 17 focus on The Marks of Service.  Let’s say that together.  “The marks of service.”

Verse 11:  See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Let’s pause. “See with what large letters I’m writing.”  Some scholars think Paul may have had poor eyesight so he’s writing the large print version of Scripture.  It may be that Paul is using large letters to emphasize his points.

We need to grab how personal this is.  The apostles normally dictated their letters to professional scribes called an amanuensis - someone who had legible and precise handwriting.  But at this point in his dictation Paul takes the pen from the hand of his secretary and - in a sense - boldfaces everything he’s been saying. 

This is personal.  Paul is taking the pen and writing down what’s going through his head and he’s also laboring over the very process of writing.  That’s something we don’t get with Facebook or by text.  Receiving a letter that’s actually been in physical contact with the person writing it.  That’s a personal connection.  The heart of the apostle reaching through the written words to the hearts of his readers.

Going on - verse 12:  It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.  For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.  But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.  And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Let’s pause and make sure we’re together on the comparison that Paul is making here.

One of the central themes that we’ve been looking at here in Galatians has been the comparison of religion that’s focused on what we do for God verses a relationship that we have with God that God has graciously given us through Jesus.  Here in verses 12 to 16 Paul is comparing himself to those who are pushing the religion of what we do for God - the “keep the law” “get circumcised” “Jesus plus what we do” “its all about me” teachers - making a comparison of them with himself.

In verse 12 Paul writes that those who are pushing religion based on what we do for God - their motivation in making a good showing in the flesh - in using their own wits, wisdom, and work - their motivation is to avoid the persecution that comes with the cross of Christ.

To claim Christ as our Savior means choosing to remain on the side that’s not popular.  It means standing with those who are misunderstood.  It means isolation and rejection even by those claiming to be Christians.  Way too often in this world it means a choice that leads to death - to martyrdom. 

Paul writes that they want to have you circumcised so they can boast in your flesh.  Their motivation is to win more converts to their side.  More notches on their belt.  To produce more glowing reports for headquarters back in Jerusalem. 

Point being:  They’re all about gaining popularity and respect and reputation and trying to feel better about themselves and their relationship with God based on all the wonderful things that they’re doing for God.  Which is all about them - serving themselves.

In contrast, Paul writes - verse 14 - the only thing I’m boasting in is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Verse 14 is huge:  By the cross “the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

The cross stands at the center of my life - not the world.  I’m cut off from the world.  I’m no longer playing that game.  No longer a part of the world system of me, myself, and I.  My identity isn’t there.   All that died in me on that road to Damascus - when I came to trust in Jesus - God’s grace given in Christ.

Verse 15 - Paul goes on:  circumcision verses uncircumcision - you all are arguing over the wrong thing.  That’s all about the flesh - the self - hopelessly trying to live life apart from God.  What is important is God’s new creation. 

Paul wrote earlier in Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”  (Galatians 2:20)

When we come to Christ everything changes.  If we’ve surrendered everything to God - the flesh has been crucified.  Its dead.  And God then gives us new life.  When we die to ourselves life becomes about God. 

That life - Paul writes in verse 16 - that life - rather than being filled with all the struggles and anxieties and hopelessness of doing life the way the world does life - that new life is full of God’s peace and mercy.  It means really being what it is to be one of God’s people.  It really is living free because Christ has set us free.

Are we together on what Paul is writing here?

Paul’s personal testimony.  Paul sharing from his heart what God has done in him as he’s given his life to God.  Paul’s personal God story.  The core heart motivation behind Paul’s serving God and the Galatians.

That brings us to verse 17:  From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

The word “marks” is the Greek word “stigmata.”  It was a piercing or a tattoo that a slave or soldier had cut into their bodies to identify them with their master or commander.  Like a cow being branded to identify them with a ranch.  In a spiritual sense it was a mark of devotion to one’s god. 

As he writes to the church at Corinth, Paul gives a description of what he means by “bearing the marks of Jesus.”

“Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.  Three times I was beaten with rods.  Once I was stoned.  Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure - and we could add imprisonments, countless beatings - many times to the point of death.  (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

There were probably many who told Paul to give up.  But, Paul - no matter how weary he got of doing good - of serving - Paul never threw in the towel.  At each point, where we would see only failure, Paul turned to Jesus, committed himself and his situation to God.  Paul kept on serving.

The same temptations face each one of us today.  To quit - to give up on the crop.  The cost is too great.  But the true life of serving God - the way of service goes through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Trophies and outward appearance is not the issue - what is the bottom line is becoming a “New Creation” in Jesus Christ.  Coming to the cross of Christ and surrendering everything to Jesus.  That’s where the true heart of the servant is formed.

In the movie Amadeus - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is portrayed as a gifted - obscene - crude - jerk.  He uses his brilliance to invent perverse games.  He chases girls around rooms.  He drinks to excess and parties.  He continually humiliates other people’s compositions while praising the brilliance of his own.  God has chosen to give greatness to the obscene brat Mozart.  The very name Amadeus means “beloved of God.”

Day after day Mozart creates music of such incredible beauty that Antonio Salieri - the other principle composer in the story - Salieri when confronted with Mozart can’t come to grips with his envy.  Salieri who had passionately pleaded with God to allow him to be God’s voice is just gifted enough to recognize Mozart’s brilliance.  He’s gifted enough to realize that he will always be second to Mozart.  He can never be what Mozart is.  Salieri can’t decide if he wants to adore Mozart or kill him.

The world thinks in terms of self - of competition and envy and success based on climbing over others of using others for our benefit.  All that is bondage and death.

What would happen - in the church - in our homes and relationships - what would happen if - instead of following the selfish pattern of the world - what would happen if we focused on God’s grace towards us - His freedom from having to compete with each other - freedom from focusing on ourselves - and instead - driven by selfless love - abject humility - we took advantage of the opportunities He gives to us - and served each other selflessly.

The answer comes verse 18:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers.  Amen.

May we choose to live and serve by the grace given to us by God.

_________________________
1. Henri Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup  Quoted by Paul Schliep

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.