“Part of the Harvest”

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

This is our last week in the book of Galatians, and while Paul has been leading the people through a very interesting process of discipline, and encouragement, and offering hope, today he gets to the bottom line – he is telling them just why “faith over works” is so important. He is telling them why they can’t get along without faith. He is telling them why faith is their only true option for both this life and the next.

Paul has left no stone unturned in this letter. He doesn’t just tell them that they were wrong, and here is what you have to do. He doesn’t just offer some gentle and encouraging words, and then some tender suggestions for living in a better way. Paul starts off with letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that they are embarked on a completely inappropriate way, and that they need to get back to the truth. And then, once he has their attention, and they finally understand exactly what they are doing wrong, he begins to put them back on the right track.

He beings his final instructions with thoughts on their obligations as Christians.

Read Galatians 6:1-6

First, he offers 5 words of advice on how they need to relate to each other. In 1 Corinthians 12, he describes what the Body of Christ is all about, and how we all need to work together. He lists the spiritual gifts that we all have received, and he compares the Spiritual Body that we become part of to the human body, as a means of showing how we need to interact with others, and compliment their efforts on behalf of Christ. But now it appears that he feels the need to be more specific with Galatia, as though they have missed the point of being one in the Body of Christ!

The first is a reminder that we all have an obligation to help others in the Body when they have committed a sin. But he is very specific as to who and as to how this is to be done. First, he says that those who are spiritual should be involved in the restoring. I take this to mean that those who are still considering coming into the church, and even those who are brand new to the faith, should seek the help and guidance of more experienced Christians before they attempt to approach someone. Restoration and correction should never be taken lightly, and must never be offered in anger. Paul says that it should be done “gently”, and that is not a natural reaction for most of us!
But he also offers another caveat – be careful as you approach the person, because in the discussion that you have with them, you might be tempted to join in their activity. The other person could be very persuasive in their defense of their actions, and you could fall for it! This another reason that seasoned Christians should be involved when it comes to confronting sinful acts.

The second point is that we should help others to deal with their burdens. When a brother of sister is struggling with illness, or a loss, or relationships, or financial hardship, or temptations, or some other issue of life, don’t just tell them that you’re sorry! Walk with them through their fears and struggles and pains. Give them solid Christian companionship! Give them a sense that someone truly cares about them! It’s amazing how comforting your simple presence can be for a friend. You don’t need to have all the answers, or the right piece of advice, or the ability to make everything sunny again. Just be with them.

The third is that no one who is in Christ is special, and no one is worthless, but everyone is worthwhile in the Body. Each of us has been given different gifts to use, each of us is given different tasks to carry out, each of us has a unique place in the Body – NO ONE is told to just sit quietly and let others do all the work of the church, and NO ONE is told that they are indispensable and that they are to do it all! From time to time we will be told to wait patiently until the right time comes, and from time to time we will be given a task of urgency, but there is always something that we are to do for the Lord, and it will always be at his direction!

The fourth is a call for us to consider the reasons, as well as the quality, of our own actions. Are we doing it for the glory of God and for the benefit of others, or are we looking for the glory and benefit to be our own? It’s interesting that this one has a connection of sorts to the second issue – that of helping others carry their burdens. But this one is, I believe, intended to steer us clear of creating burdens of our own. Wrong attitudes, self-serving agendas, self-gratification, and other un-Christ like acts
will always try to sneak into our lives, and we have to be constantly on guard against them. Don’t even let them get started, but if they do, we can’t let them get a toehold on our life.

The fifth is about our relationship with the church’s leadership. I know that scripture says “instructor”, but it includes more than just the person who leads your Bible study. 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 talks about carrying for those who proclaim the gospel for the church. If they are faithful to their call in the church, then the church is to be faithful in caring for their needs. Now as a personal reflection, I will say that this church is very faithful for caring for my needs – my compensation, my benefits, time off, and so on – you ensure that all is in place and that all is enjoyed. And I thank you for that. But I believe that all churches aren’t that faithful, even though they should be. Could Paul be speaking to them, too?

But to move on, Paul continues to give the church advice on how they are to live.

Read Galatians 6:7-10

Paul is closing in on the main point of his entire letter. Remember that at the beginning, he was calling the church to task for listening to, and accepting, false teaching. “Do not be deceived!” he says, and he relates this admonition to the fact that when we are taken in by a lie, it is the same as mocking God. It heaps scorn all that God has done for us, it is disrespectful and insulting, not only of the relationship that the Lord has offered us, but for all that he has done to secure and ensure that relationship.
And Paul tells us that when our intent is focused on satisfying our own desires, that it is sin and can only lead us away from Christ’s Salvation. But when we live and walk in the Spirit, it is then that all good things will come to be, and that we should never tire of serving God in his truth and in his call.
Paul refers to this as a “harvest”. Have you noticed the corn and grain and hay fields in our area recently? Have you noticed the produce at the road side vegetable stands? The harvest is coming in, and there is still much more to come! And what did the farmers have to do to gain all of this? Did they have to figure out how to make the seed germinate? Did they have to make the rains come? Did they have to show the plants how to grow? Did they have to make the grain and vegetables appear on the plants where only buds or blossoms may have been? NO! Not any of it! They simply planted the seed, and trusted that God would see to the rest.

The entire point of Paul’s letter to the Galatians was to prove to them that there was nothing that they could ever do that would please God more than their love and faithfulness would! Not ritual, not the law, not the things that they did – the Lord has already done it all! He left the perfection of heaven to come and live in this imperfect place with us; he was born and grew and lived in a human way; he taught us God’s truths by his words and his own example; he came to know our fears and temptations and losses and pain; he suffered as we suffer; he was hated as we are hated; he died as we must also die; and he rose into new life, not as we do, but as we can.

And what must we do? We only have to accept his gift – his “Seed”, if you will – and respond to his call on our lives and hearts. We have so little to do because Christ has done all the rest. We are to be part of his harvest – not because we have done so much, but because he has.
Have you accepted the gift of Jesus Christ? Have you welcomed him into your life? If not, do so this very day.

Love the things that Jesus has done for you, and forget about trying to fix them
and making them better. Because you can’t!