July 3 2022

 

July 3^rd 2022

Old Testament: Isaiah 66:10-14

Psalm: Psalm 70

Epistle: Galatians 6:1-10, 14-18

Gospel: Luke 10:1-20

Sermon Text: Galatians 6:1-10, 14-18

Sermon Title: “The Cross”

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen”. (Galatians 6:18)

In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul is writing to a church that had drifted from the Gospel, partly through the teaching of “false apostles”; turning to a “different gospel … distorting the Gospel of Christ”. (Galatians 1:6b-7) They had begun to believe they were saved (in part) by works of the law; so Paul had to remind them sternly;

“all who rely on works of the law are under a curse” and “a person is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ”. (Galatians 3:10a, 1:16a) “You who would be justified by the law have fallen from grace”. (Galatians 5:4b) Paul reminds them the Gospel he preached was not his own idea, but rather “I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ”. (Galatians 1:12)

After having made his case for being justified by grace, through faith, apart from works of the law; that we are now heirs of eternal life because of what Christ has done for us in the first ¾ of his letter, Paul begins to speak of what the Christian life looks like. At the end of chapter 5, he contrasts the “works of the flesh” with the “fruit of the Holy Spirit” (Galatians 5:19a, 22a) which only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are able to do.

Paul first speaks of several varieties of sexual sin; then of “idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies … warning … those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”. (Galatians 5:19b-21a) But the fruit (singular) of the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. (Galatians 5:22b-23a)

Paul continues his discussion of sanctification; Christian living, in our Epistle for this morning; chapter 6 of Galatians. “Brothers, (and sisters) if anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness; keeping watch on yourselves, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. (Galatians 6:1-2) How can we do this for our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Paul first speaks of humility toward our neighbor. Not humility regarding Christian teaching, doctrine, or the meaning of Holy Scripture, for we should never be humble or apologize for what the Scriptures teach and what we believe; and there are times when we are to speak hard words and to call others to repentance.

On the other hand, we should be humble about ourselves and “restore (others) in a spirit of gentleness … because we too are tempted”. (Galatians 6:1b) We should also be humble, knowing that it is God the Holy Spirit, working through the Word, not we ourselves, that brings people to repentance. “I cannot by my own reason or strength, believe in my Lord Jesus Christ or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel”.

When dealing with others, keep in mind Paul’s words from Romans 7; “I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want, rather I do the very thing I hate”. (Romans 7:15) Luther wrote on this verse, “we stand on slippery ground, therefore, if we wax proud and overconfident, then nothing is so easy as for us to fall”. (Galatians commentary, 6:1)

To “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2a) is to serve our neighbor with patience and loving them, by being willing to do what is best for them, (whether financial or material things or by correcting them and calling them to repentance of sins and false belief) no matter the personal cost. It means to put up with (and forgive) the weaknesses and faults of those whom we encounter in our daily lives.

Paul continues to warn against such pride in ourselves; our works and abilities; etc. “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”; (Galatians 6:3-5) meaning acknowledging our own ongoing need for mercy and grace; confessing our sins and accepting responsibility for one’s own actions. Paul is not here speaking of forgiveness of sins or justification by what we do, but rather of true good works verses hypocritical ones.

If we compare ourselves to others thinking, have fewer faults than others, then we tend not to be sympathetic to them in their weaknesses. “When we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think” (Romans 12:3), we are forgetting that “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall”. (Proverbs 16:18) In comparing ourselves, we become like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable who says “I thank you God that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11a). He did not return to his house justified; therefore, Jesus said; “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted”. (Luke 18:14b) Pride all to easily enters into our thoughts, even when trying to help others.

The Apostle continues urging generosity, “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”. (Galatians 6:6-8)

Paul is urging his hearers to support the work of the church with their gifts and not to neglect it; since what goes on in the Divine Service is a gift of Almighty God; working forgiveness of sins and faith when and where He pleases through the preaching of the Gospel. The Small Catechism asks the question “What do the Scriptures teach about our life in the church”?

1. We should seek always to be and remain members of the invisible church … by sincere faith in Christ our Savior

2. We should be faithful to the visible church or denomination which professes and teaches all of the Bible’s doctrines purely and administers the sacraments rightly

3. We should avoid false teachers and false churches … that promote a religion contrary to God’s Word

4. We should maintain and extend God’s church by … personal service and prayer and financial support

In his commentary on Galatians, Luther lamented that “the perverseness and ingratitude of man should be so great” (Commentary verse 8) that this type of exhortation is required. Such is the attitude of those who are not rich towards God; He calls them fools who “lay up treasure for themselves, but are not rich towards God”. (Luke 12:21)

Paul continues, “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”. (Galatians 6:9-10) Through the hearing of the Word of God, continue to let Christ work good in you and through you; towards all, but first to our brothers and sisters in Christ; keeping in mind that even our best good works are tainted by sin.

Therefore, any and all boasting about ourselves and our abilities, our wisdom or good works is the sin of pride. “Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom; let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches; but rather let the one who boasts, boast in this, that he understands and knows Me”. (Jeremiah 9:23-24a)

This is all the Lord’s work and the Lord’s doing. In the Gospel, “Jesus said to them, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest … I am sending you out as lambs among wolves”. (Luke 10:2a-3a), to proclaim His message that “the Kingdom of God has come near”. (Luke 10:9b)

Jesus makes it clear that some will listen to the preaching of his kingdom, (any time this happens it is a miracle) while others will reject it. Jesus has pronounced His woe upon those who reject His Word saying, “go into their streets and say, even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you … the one who hears you hears Me and the one who rejects you, rejects Me”. (Luke 10:10b-11a, 16)

In closing his letter to the Galatians, Paul returns to the Gospel of forgiveness of sins and the saving work of Jesus Christ, “far be it from me (or God forbid) 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”. (Galatians 6:14-15) For we have been “cleansed by the washing of water with the Word”. (Ephesians 5:26b)

This “word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. (1^st Corinthians 1:18) “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord”. (1^st Corinthians 1:31b) “And for all who walk by this rule (the message of the cross and the new creation), peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16); meaning the household of faith; all who trust in Christ as their Savior from sin.

Paul; who has suffered much for the sake of the Gospel; closes with a brief prayer and benediction. “From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear in my body the marks of Jesus”. (Galatians 6:17) As a true Apostle, Paul participates in the suffering of Christ. Paul has spoken the law, a word of judgment against all self-righteous pride in our own accomplishments; but he has also spoken the Gospel; that for those who believe, the cross of Christ is God’s power to make all things new.

And “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit … Amen”. (Galatians 6:18)