Galatians 6:1-10,14-16 (14) May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

The words before us are a part of the concluding words of Paul to the Christian congregations gathered in the Roman Province of Galatia. These Christians had undergone some trial and tribulation as false teachers had come in among them and were leading them away from the marvel of the Savior. Paul writes, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all."
The problem is that the false teachers have come in proclaiming Jesus as the Savior and yet at the same time they have been demanding the works of the law as the means and proof of salvation. In other words, believe in Jesus as the first step and then from there live and act right, be obedient and follow the demands of the law and you will be saved. Of course, as Paul says, this is really no gospel at all.
This whole letter then is addressing the true Christian faith. It speaks of the wonder of Jesus and what he has done for us and it also speaks of our living like children of God. The difference is that our right living is motivated by Christ's love filling us rather than our being motivated to fulfill the love Christ has for us. We strive to do what is good and right in the eyes of God because we have been made his children, given forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus. We must never speak or think in terms of "I do this to be saved."
This is the wonderful value of the book of Galatians. Chapters 5 and 6 are especially valuable in taking and applying the gospel message and what it means to our lives. They are especially precious because Paul makes so many applications in these closing chapters. He shows how our lives are affected by sin and how we as God's children deal with it. It is something you learned in Catechism as "sanctification." Sanctification in the narrow sense, that is, "the Holy Spirit leads me to hate sin and desire to live a life pleasing to God." God gives some great direction and advice through his servant Paul.
Let's then look at these words of wisdom. Our theme is Life by the Spirit.
If you would, recall how Chapter 5 started. Paul spoke of our freedom in Christ, freedom to be God's children and heirs of eternal life. Freedom from the terrors and guilt of sin through Jesus our Savior. As we are taught clearly about this freedom in Jesus the practical application is made: "Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature but rather serve one another in love." There's the key. To serve one another in love! To live directed by the Spirit of God and bring glory and honor to the Lord. Why? Because of our what our Lord has done for us.
In our verses today we have some more practical applications of how we apply the love of Jesus to our fellow humans. Listen to verse 1. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."
Those are great words to consider. These words tell us that our fellow Christians are to be our concern, that helping them in the truth of God is a gracious duty of love each of us has. So when we find a fellow Christ indulging in sin, living or acting contrary to the Word of God then in love we are to chastise and work at gently restoring them to what is God pleasing. The Bible doesn't say, "tolerate it, accept it, approve it or support it." We are to point out our fellow Christian's sins in love and gentleness. That's what we do as God's children. Verse 2 highlights all the more our attitude when it says, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way your will fulfill the law of Christ." These words tell us to give aid and guidance to the erring and in connection with verse 1 it is clear that it is to be the spiritual aid and guidance of God.
However notice the warning given here. You need to be careful that you aren't tempted to sin. There are two things that can be considered here. First, you may be tempted to join the person in their sin. If a person has an alcohol problem you are not going to help them by going to the bar with them and demonstrating responsible drinking. You are not going to help the thief by taking some of the loot off his hands while he works at reforming. In other words, don't get sucked into the sin yourself or thinking the sin is okay or in some way or other giving approval of the sin.
The second thing referred to here is covered in greater detail in verses 3-5. It is a warning against exalting yourself above other sinners. Those verses say, "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." Do you see the warning given? Just because someone has a sin going on doesn't make you better or you a greater Christian than they are. Just because you don't do that or indulge in this doesn't make you better, such thinking is self-deceptive. In the eyes of God "All fall short of the glory of God," all are sinners and all need the Savior. Trust me, you may not have those particular sins but you have sins nonetheless. Carefully weigh all your actions and thoughts by the Word of God. Let the Word of Christ fill your heart and mind and let your reliance upon Jesus be your strength and pride. It is the only right way.
Then come the directions of verse 6, "Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor." We won't spend much time here because by and large St. Paul's has over the years done a great job of this. This verse is talking about caring for your Pastor or caring for those who are in the public ministry of the Word. If you would, look on the bulletin board and you will find a copy of a bulletin from the recent installation of a Pastor at Good Shepherd in Midland. I posted it because it has both what the Pastor's promises and what the congregation promises on that day. A good reminder for all. Take the time and read through it and you will all the more understand these words of verse 6.
Then to verses 7-10. "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Now I think these words are real clear and plain. They say simply that you cannot fool God. A Christian lives like a Christian (we can't help ourselves because of the Holy Spirit working in us!). If you insist on gratifying the sinful nature then expect on harvesting what that sinful nature brings. Live with jealousy, fits of rage, envy, hatred, discord, adultery selfishness and the like and you can expect that's what your life will be filled with. But live like a child of God and you will find life more bearable and God more pertinent in your life. I remember a book that was speaking of those who don't come to church and it gave this simple but practical observations based on this passage. It said, "People don't come to church for basically two reasons. Either they don't believe in the message of Jesus and salvation by grace through faith or they are living lives that they know are contrary to God's Word and will." We will reap what we sow.
But now notice how Paul stresses the positive here. He encourages us to doing good. For that matter he encourages that at every opportunity we do good to all people. We let our light shine in the world. We are imitators of Jesus our Savior. We are exactly what the word Christian implies: we are "little Christs." And in one more strong phrase he reminds, "especially those who belong to the family of believers." We especially practice our faith in and with each other.
Then our final words. So you aren't thinking something great was left out please note that the missing verses (11-13) are speaking of Paul's signature on the letter and a summary statement of the whole letter. Then comes what we could call the motivation of Paul for his life and what is to be our motivation too. He says, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
Here's our motivation for everything, the cross of Jesus. He's not speaking of how he admires crucifixion, but rather how in the crucifixion of Jesus the whole world was served and saved by the greatest act of love ever known. The perfect Son of God offered his life to hell for our lives. He made atonement for us, that means he paid our debt to God that we might be the very children of God. It is the cross of Jesus that serves as the heart of everything we are.
But more is found in that cross of the Savior. Paul realizes that the message of the cross is the message of our freedom. The world is not our master. The world is not our end all and be all, Jesus is. He has given us all things. He has taken away the sting of death, the guilt of sin, our slavery to Satan. He has made the world and its master Satan of no account for us. Jesus won the victory and the victory is ours by grace through faith. If you are a fireman who has fought a blazing fire to protect people and lives how would you feel if just as you got the fire out some guy says, "hey, that was fun, let's burn the next house too!" You would think that the most foolish and godless statement. Well how do you think Jesus feels should you make the world and its ways more important than Him? He put out the biggest fire of all, our sins, and you and I are going to go out there and deliberately start some more! I think you understand my application. The world is crucified to me and I to the world.
What a joy to learn of our faith. What a marvel to contemplate the salvation of our Savior and what it means for us. May you live by the Spirit, filled with the marvel of Jesus the Savior and motivated in his love. Amen.