July 19, 2009
Morning Service

Galatians 6:1-2

 

Review:

1.      In chapter five the Apostle taught us concerning;

• To stand fast in the liberty of the gospel.
• Not to use our liberty for actions of the flesh, but to serve one another in love.
• Then he mentioned the ongoing battle between the flesh, and the spirit.
• Then he teaches us what the “works of the flesh” are.  These things we want to put out of our lives.
• Then he mentions what the “works of the Spirit” are.  These are the things we want to bring into our lives.

 

Today we are ready for chapter six, let’s begin.

 

Gal 6:1-2  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

• Paul has just told us of the battle of the flesh that each of us have.  Now he tells us that it is possible that we  may be overcome by temptation some time.
• Not all our battles are the same, what may be easy for one, may be very difficult for another.
• When we choose to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and we choose to be His disciples, we choose to stop practicing sin.  And this is the issue.  Anyone can be caught up in a temptation, and yield to it, but what we don’t want to allow is the practice of this sin.
• This is why the Apostle has given us to understand what are the works of the flesh, and the works of the Spirit.  To put on, and to put off.  We know what pleases God, and these are the things we are taught to cultivate in our lives.
• NOW I WANT US TO LISTEN TO JUDE, THE BROTHER OF JAMES:  THE SEVERE WARNINGS GIVEN TO THE CHURCH, AND CONCERNING FALLING TO TEMPTATION.

Jud 1:1-25  Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.  (2)  Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.  (3)  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  (4)  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, ( PRACTICING SIN ) and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  (5)  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.  (6)  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.  (7)  Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.  (8)  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.  (9)  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.  (10)  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.  (11)  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.  (12)  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  (13)  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.  (14)  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  (15)  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.  (16)  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.  (17)  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;  (18)  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.  (19)  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.  (20)  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,  (21)  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  (22)  And of some have compassion, making a difference:  (23)  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.  (24)  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,  (25)  To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

• Jude describes some people that are fitted for destruction.  Those who are practicing sin. 
• Others worth saving.  Those who have yielded to temptation in a time of weakness.
• He describes the terrible punishment to those who are practicing sin.  And he mentions “hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” 
• We cannot take lightly the way the church today is mingling with the world.  Our white robe garments are spotted from the way we have associated with the world.
• Paul said, “we are in the world, but not of the world.”  There has got to be that desire, and drive to be different than the world. 
• THE THING THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS THE DESIRE TO PUT ON THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.  TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND NOT FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH.

 

BUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT THIS MORNING IS TO RESTORE SOMEONE WHO IS OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT.   DOES GOD CARE?

 

• Jesus said; Mat 18:12  How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

• And who can forget the story of the Prodigal son?

 

(2)  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

• To be in bondage to sin is a terrible thing.  Has severe end results.  This is why God encourages us to RESTORE, AND HELP BEAR THE BURDEN.
• Restore such a one how?  WITH MEEKNESS, considering ourselves lest we be overtaken in a fault.

 

We all have our battles, and temptations.  But again listen to Jude.

 

(24)  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

 

GOD IS ABLE, ARE WE WILLING?

 

LET’S WORK AT MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONES LIFE THAT IS CARRYING HEAVY BURDENS, OR CAUGHT UP IN A FAULT.

 

MAY GOD ADD HIS BLESSINGS TO HIS WORD THIS MORNING.