Sunday, September 4, 2011

"What to do with the Family?" 「家族に対してどのように行動するのか」

Last week, we talked about when people fall into sin. What do we do with them (what do they do with us?)  Paul teaches us to restore that person GENTLY…to spiritual wholeness.            Question is: HOW to do this?            Is there a system in place?             
Yes. Fellowship is there. But, we are to be careful to watch your own walk.-as you may also be tempted.
Today, please turn in your own Bibles and read this passage.
ガラテヤ人への手紙 62-5 Galatians 6:2-5

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 2. 互いに重荷を担いなさい。そのようにしてこそ、キリストの律法を全うすることになるのです。3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 3. 実際には何者でもないのに、自分をひとかどの者だと思う人がいるなら、その人は自分自身を欺いています。4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 4. 各自で、自分の行いを吟味してみなさい。そうすれば、自分に対してだけは誇れるとしても、他人に対しては誇ることができないでしょう。5 for each one should carry his own load.  5. めいめいが、自分の重荷を担うべきです。

What to do with the Family of God?
2~5. Dealing with Them 家族に対してand Dealing with Ourselves. 自分自身に対して
Once again, as we saw last week, the teachings of Paul move from the group to the individual.  Here, in this case, is the group, the fellowship, once again.  

Carry each other’s burdens. 互いに重荷を担う 
The Spirit-led-Believer is to CARRY OTHER’S BURDENS.  We are called upon to be a servant/leader.  To wait on people.  Look for ways to make their life better and to take care of any burdens they might have. “Burdens” here means the multitude of things: physical, emotional, mental, moral or spiritual burdens. (Things like financial woes, learning of cancer or the result of a divorce.)  If problems are around, then that is the burden Paul is addressing.  We all go though them but Paul wants the Believer to help carry these burdens for others.  We are called to be sensitive enough to understand even the unseen burdens one might be carrying.  Some hide the pain but we need to be sensitive with them to understand their heaviness.  

How do you know them?  As you are open and transparent, you will, as Paul puts it: “fulfill the law of Christ.” This is in contrast with keeping the Law of Moses.  That would have a preoccupation to the rules and systems that were set up to cloister or seclude (the Hebrew) People from outside influences.  Remember, we are to be IN the world but not OF the world.  The world System and all that it generates is one that rejects God’s Plan of Godly Love.  It, in effect, rejects the Eternal God of Love altogether.

Test your own actions. 自分の行いを検討してみるがよい
3-5. Paul moves us to consider our own walk.  Self-evaluation 自己評価is necessary because we could fall into the danger of self-deception 自己欺瞞.  We are not to look at how we are doing in comparison with other people but how we are doing with our own God-given mission in life.  As we live and move in our relationships, we are to be careful: to test our actions, to be sure we are walking in the Light of the Gospel.  If we are not-then we need to repent. 

Sin always has a kind of domino effect in people’s lives.  One downfall will bring on another.  One moral failure can reproduce itself very quickly, and once left un-checked, can destroy the person.  See in verse 4-5, 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.

Watch out for Pride 高ぶりに気を付けなさい Pride is crafty and shrewd as it will be the downfall of many.  

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a conceited spirit before a fall. 箴言 / 16 18 痛手に先立つのは驕り。つまずきに先立つのは高慢な霊 

This character fault of pride hangs around arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.  This four-some can bring down a nation—never mind a person!  If there is strife in relationships: well, 

Proverbs 13:10 states: Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. 箴言1310 高慢にふるまえば争いになるばかりだ。勧めを受け入れる人は知恵を得る。 

Please—as homework-read 2 Chronicles 32 for an excellent case study on how pride and success are dealt with in a Biblical manner…

So, don’t compare 比べてはならない yourself with others… if one thinks of himself so highly, they will not be able to be the servant the Lord is calling each of us to be.  That person will be unwilling or even unable to care for others.  Those in the Galatian churches who were so puffed up in following The Law of Moses, they could not lift a finger to help the Gentile sinners who were coming to Christ. 
 
Their life style did not follow Paul’s instruction that is found in 

1 Cor 13:2  “If I have … not love, I am nothing." 

If you don’t love…you need a change in heart—fast!

This type of self-testing is somewhat like the way a jeweler looks at a stone.  He puts it under a magnifying glass in very bright light to determine the stone’s value and grade.  The same goes with Christian character.  It is very good practice to—from time to time—scrutinize your actions and intent to determine their true worth before your Father.  The measurement used is the Word of God. Does it go along side the teachings of Jesus? Again—Paul asks us not to deceive ourselves.  Is it is our actions in line with the Love of Christ that was expressed in His life and death?  Is the life we now lead being actively lead by the Spirit of Christ?  See verse 5:6 "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love"  Is your life expressing itself out in a Christ-like manner?

Carry your own load. それぞれ自分自身の重荷を負いなさいThis would deal with the things that are ours to carry.  Our Cross we need to bear.  Not being a burden on others, we move along—without complaining.  The Pharisees had a problem with pride and comparisons and you will find it lived out in  

Luke 18:11-12. "God, I thank You that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get"  

His boasting was centered on comparing himself with others. 

“I’m better than that man because…”.  Paul forbids that in 6:4.  The life that is not self-seeking but self-sacrificing, ah, there is the difference!  The Christ-life is centered on Him and not on self.  Jesus sits on the throne of our lives and directs us to do what God had ordained us to do since before the world began.  Get back to the core of Faith! That is His plan for us.

In two places Paul talks about carrying your own load and burdens.  In verse 2, this word is associated with carrying the burdens of others who are unable to carry them as the result of the consequences of sin in their lives. Verse 5 is referencing the work given to us by our Master to use those talents and gifts He had already given to us. 

Do not be deceived! Be on top of your heart issues. What you give out will come back on you.  Sow garbage, get garbage back. Sow good actions, good comes back on you. 

As the door of opportunity is open, do good to those in the Faith and to all people but especially to those who belong to the family of Believers.  WHY?  A Biblical mandate! God’s people take care of God’s people and then they take care of those who are outside. When there was a famine in Jerusalem, what did the local churches do who were outside that region? They sent aid to the Believers in Jerusalem. Even when the Church was starting out, the local believers took care of the needs from within the Body…they did not get aid from outside the Family. The Family of God takes care of the Family of God. That is what He does!

Next week: we will be ending this section with three points:
Supporting the teachers:
Reaping what you sow:
Doing Good

And don't forget, please read 2 Chronicles 32 for a better understanding.