SERMON: “Bearing Burdens Together, Part 2” (Gal. 6:6–10; Eph. 4:15–16)
“Bearing
Burdens Together, Part 2”
(Gal. 6:6–10; Eph. 4:15–16)
Series: “Together in Discipleship” #2 Text: Gal. 6:6–10; Eph. 4:15–16
By: Shaun Marksbury Date: Aug. 3, 2025
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: AM Service
I.
Introduction
Last week, we saw a beautiful picture of a church that
doesn’t make people walk alone. As we
considered the first five verses of Galatians 6, we saw the call to restore
those who stumble with gentleness, bear one another’s heavy burdens, and
examine ourselves humbly to serve faithfully. This is a call to do good within the church,
and it’s what we should all want as we gather together.
That’s the heart of our new care group ministry. We’re planning on launching this ministry in
September, and we’re hoping to have four or more leaders who will contact every
member weekly to communicate care, check on absences, and meet needs like meals
or visits. We’re also hoping to have
other volunteers who can help facilitate care.
Maybe you’ve been on the receiving end of a simple act from the church —
like a phone call or a prayer; and maybe God’s calling you to be that person
for someone else.
This kind of ministry isn’t just a task or a special
program; it’s a way of life. Today, we
continue in Galatians 6, we’ll see that. God calls us to sow to the Spirit by loving
one another in service, and we’ll see three points which support this. First, support those who teach the word (v.
6). Second, sow to the Spirit by showing
care (vv. 7–8). Third, so, do good as Christ’s
body (vv. 9–10, Eph. 4:15–16)! As we go
though this, we will see how to reap eternal fruit as a church family.
II.
First, Support Those Who Teach the Word (v. 6)
The one who is
taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
This is a direct application of what we’ve been talking
about so far with this series. Yet, it’s
more than that. We will see that this verse
shows us how caring for one another aids pastoral ministry.
Who are the parties in this verse? First, the phrase “the one who is taught”
refers to all believers receiving instruction.
The “one who teaches” likely points to pastors or elders. And note, of course, that the instruction isn’t
psychology or popular movies — it’s the Word, which is what Paul commanded
elsewhere (2 Tim. 4:2). So, we are
talking about a biblical church setting.
What should happen in this setting? The Lord’s command here is to “share all good
things.” The Greek word for “share” (koinōneō),
the verbal form of koinonia. This
term implies fellowship; in 1 Corinthians 1:9, God calls us into “fellowship”
or koinonia “with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” To engage in fellowship in the verbal sense
with the people of God is to “partner” with them, whether materially, financially,
or otherwise.
To apply this to pastors, this means to sustain their
ministry. This echoes Philippians
4:14–16, where Paul commends the church for sharing in his ministry through
support. Elsewhere, Paul states that
those who preach the word should reap his material living from it (1 Cor. 9:11,
14). That’s why the 1689 London Baptist
Confession says that “it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister,
not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all
their good things according to their ability” (26.10.b, “Of the Church”). Thus, this is one of the verses which
justifies the paying of elders or pastors for their work.
Of course, one of the qualifications for a pastor is that
he’s not to be a lover of money (1 Tim. 3:3); a real pastor won’t leverage his
position for more money, though there are sadly some false shepherds who fleece
the flock. Still, when you consider the
hours of preparation and study that teaching requires, and the fact that
pastors have families to support to, it is right to help them bear this
burden. That’s a small example of what
this passage is addressing. In the
Galatian context, where false teachers pushed legalism (Galatians 5:1–12),
supporting true teachers ensured the gospel’s purity; in our context, it keeps
the pastors focused on teaching rather than worrying about needing to engage in
tentmaking to meet the end of the month.
Now, understand that this could go beyond monetary gifts as
well as other material goods, as some might not have money but can give in
other ways. For instance, there was an
old practice of “pound the pastor,” which had nothing to do with physical
violence, but bringing a pound of goods by (flour, eggs, and even ammunition in
some cases). When I first got here, a
dear couple gifted us several pounds of steak and hamburger meat from their
slaughtered cow, and we’re really thankful for that! So, support can come in many forms.
That brings us to a broader application of this text: a
ministerial one. As the MacArthur Study
Bible notes here, “Although this expression could refer to material
compensation, the context suggests that Paul is referring to the spiritually
and morally excellent things learned from the Word, in which they fellowship
together.”[1] We could think of this as you sharing with us
know what God is doing in your lives through the ministry of the Word! That is needed, and beyond that, there is a
partnership in the actual work of the ministry that we learn about in the word,
the “good things” of the text.
Church, ministry isn’t a solo act. Pastors labor to teach God’s Word, but we need
your support to keep this church thriving. Again, financial support matters, but it goes beyond
that. We need ministry partners with us
in prayer, encouragement, and practical help. Care group ministry is simply a practical way
to all share in this mission.
Think of a farmer who needs help planting seeds. You don’t just give him seeds; you join him in
the field. That brings us to the next
point:
III.
Second, Sow to the Spirit by Showing Care (vv. 7–8)
Do not be
deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption, but the one who
sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Paul shifts to a sobering agricultural metaphor. The warning “God is not mocked” means to turn
one’s nose up to God,[2] to sneer
at Him. We might never try to mock God with
our words (though some do), but we can still do so with our actions. This is about mocking God’s unchanging principles
which make agriculture possible.
Sowing and reaping is a universal law God has designed into
His creation. As such, what a farmer plants
is proportional to what he harvests. This is true, though, in all things, including
our lives. And, as one writer notes, it
can even be a “form of God’s wrath.”[3]
Thus, v. 8 clarifies: “For the one who sows to his own flesh
will reap corruption.” We understand the
flesh here not to just refer to the physical body, but any to selfish, sinful
desires, as it does in Galatians 5:19–21.
This includes life choices which are in opposition to the Holy
Spirit. Christians can do this just like
unbelievers, and sowing to the flesh will lead to a harvest of spiritual decay
in their lives.
Paul continues, “but the one who sows to the Spirit will
from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Of
course, this is a reference to living by God’s Spirit, which includes acts of
love and service like restoring a brother (v. 1) or bearing burdens (v. 2). In Galatians 5:22–23, we read about fruit of
the Spirit like love and kindness, but here, Paul emphasizes “eternal life” —
not just salvation, but the abundant life of growing in Christlikeness and impacting
others for eternity. Christian care is a
spiritual investment with lasting rewards, both for the giver and receiver.
Church, we are sowing seeds whether we intend to or
not! When you refuse to extend care (or
refuse to ask for it), you are sowing to the flesh. Sometimes it’s sinful, and sometimes, it’s
not always intentional, arising from negligence or ignorance. Still, this is how problems can grow in
people’s lives and in the church, like a garden choked by weeds.
However, anytime you show love and concern for one another
in Christ, you are intentionally sowing a seed of blessing to the Spirit. This happens when you call a struggling
member, pray for an absentee, or help a family with a meal or childcare. Again, it’s not just about giving care — it’s
about receiving it too, allowing care group leaders know and pray with you. As we sow to the Spirit, we’re building a
harvest of faith in this body.
Our care group ministry is a field for sowing to the Spirit.
Imagine a single mother overwhelmed
during service because her kids are restless. A care group member offers to sit with her,
helping her stay engaged. That’s a seed
of love, reaping unity and growth. This
is how we grow as disciples, giving and receiving care. As we think about discipling our kids next
week, remember: every seed we sow in this church — whether for adults or
children — has eternal impact.
I hope you commit to sow to the Spirit. As we are talking about this, we are hopefully
meeting everyone’s needs within the church, regardless of their age or station
in life. We want this to be ministry to
the whole body, bringing us to the final point.
IV.
Third, So, Do Good as Christ’s Body (vv. 9–10, Eph.
4:15–16)
Let us not lose
heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So
then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to
those who are of the household of the faith.
(Galatians 6:9–10)
But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him
who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held
together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in
love.
(Ephesians 4:15–16)
I don’t want us to be under any illusions. As exciting as ministry is, it’s also hard
work. It’s easy to become discouraged,
especially if you are not seeing immediate fruit. The temptation is to lose heart and give up,
but the Lord encourages us here.
The “doing good” here encompasses everything we’ve talked
about in the past two weeks — the restoration, burden-bearing, and the sowing. These are all acts of love that reflect the
Spirit’s fruit. Yet, we need to see the positive
application of the truth that “whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (v.
7). The Lord says that we will reap “in
due time,” assuring us that our efforts will eventually yield a spiritual harvest.
The harvest will come in God’s timing. Some of it we may not know about in this life,
just how some people won’t know about their full harvest until the judgement
seat of Christ.[4] However, we can expect that what we sow will
reap a harvest, and we will often see the benefits today.
That’s why it’s important not
to lose heart. Hebrews 12:3 gives us a
cure for weariness — “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by
sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” We can draw our strength both in considering our
Lord and from His Spirit. As Paul said
in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is
not in vain in the Lord.” With His help,
we can persevere in doing good!
Verse 10 specifies the scope, that we should “do good to
everyone,” but “especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” This prioritizes the church family, echoing
“brethren” in verse 1. While this
doesn’t exclude outsiders, it emphasizes our responsibility to care for one
another first, ensuring no member is overlooked. We don’t give to people outside our community
until we know we’ve met the needs inside the community, and we must do so “while
we have opportunity.”
To deepen this, Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:15–16 provide a
vivid cross-reference. In Ephesians (and
other places), Paul describes the church as Christ’s body, growing when we
“speak the truth in love” (v. 15). No
one should lie to one another about having needs, and just as no one should lie
about whether a situation honors God. We
should live out truth lovingly, fostering maturity in Christ, the head.
Verse 16 gives us something to think about in light of what
we’ve been learning. We read there that
“the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies…
causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Think about that! Every member (not just some) contributes
to growth and to unity, like joints in a body, through love-driven service. This includes you — you have some role in doing
good within the household of faith, showing how love and truth knit the church
together.
The Lord calls us to keep doing good, even when it’s hard. Care groups are our commitment to this — leaders
won’t grow weary because you’ll join them, checking on absentees, praying, or
meeting needs. You need not grow weary,
either, because we are all sharing the load of the burden. We’re Christ’s body, growing together in
love. When a care group leader calls a
struggling member, they’re speaking truth of God’s Word in love, pointing them
to Christ, and those helping a family with a practical need like a car repair are
joints supplying strength, building the body.
We want the body working together, doing good to the
household of faith. Imagine a fidgety child
in the worship service — will that family receive glares, or will we patiently
include the child in worship and sow to the Spirit? That’s what we’ll explore next week — discipling
our kids as a church family. Every part of
the body matters — adults, kids, parents, singles, and everyone should be knitted
together in love.
V.
Conclusion
The passages we’ve studied show us that sowing to the Spirit
means supporting our leaders, giving and receiving care, and persevering as
Christ’s body in love. All of this is
important for us to consider as we get ready for this new stage of ministry in
the life of our church. Our care groups,
Lord willing, will help make this real in our church. We hope to see every member regularly contacted,
every absence noticed, every need met. This
isn’t just for adults; next week, we’ll see how this includes our children,
discipling them as a church family to worship with us.
Again, I would like you to:
- Pray
for our care group leaders as they step forward and then receive training.
- Volunteer
to help with needs — meals, visits, or supporting families in worship. We could still use a few more leaders,
as well!
- Reach
out this week to someone with a word of encouragement or prayer.
Let’s be a church that sows to the Spirit, builds in love,
and grows together as Christ’s body.
[1] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1799.
[2] Donald K. Campbell, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,
1985, 2, 610.
[3] MacArthur, 1799.
[4] Campbell, 610.