Restore, Bear, and Carry

Restore, Bear, and Carry

Galatians 6:1-5

  1. Sensationalism 

  2. Mysticism 

  3. Idealism 

  4. Individualism 

  5. Self-reliance

Main Idea:  Jesus calls us to love one another by restoring the broken, bearing one another’s burdens, and carrying our load.

I. Gently Restore the Broken (6:1)

Galatians 6:1: 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.

James 5:19–20: My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Fleshly means of restoration will only lead to further degradation. 

Spiritual means of restoration will lead to clarity and worship. 

Matthew 23:25–26: [They would] clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Galatians 6:1: Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 

We need help to see the back of our heads.

II. Humbly Bear One Another’s Burdens (6:2-3)

Galatians 6:2: Bear one another’s burdens. And so fulfill the law of Christ.

Matthew 23:3–4: For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

As you have been so bewitched and fascinated that you want burdens to rest upon you, here are burdens for you: ‘Carry the burdens of one another.’ And, as you want law, here is a law for you: ‘So fulfill the law of Christ.’

– Charles Spurgeon

Galatians 6:3: For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Be alert to the burdens of others and devote yourself to making them lighter. 

John 15:12–13: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 

We need help carrying pianos.

III. Contently Carry Your Own Load (6:4-5)

Galatians 6:4–5: 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.

We carry our backpacks by God’s grace.

Isaiah 53:4–6: Surely he has borne our griefs 

and carried our sorrows; 

yet we esteemed him stricken, 

smitten by God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced for our transgressions; 

he was crushed for our iniquities; 

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, 

and with his wounds we are healed. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; 

we have turned—every one—to his own way; 

and the Lord has laid on him 

the iniquity of us all. 

At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there, by faith, I received my sight and now I am happy all the days.

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