Lesson 6: Do Good (6:6-10)
 
**Rhetorical theme**: Do good.
 
**Full theme**: Walking in freedom means doing good in very practical ways.
 
1. Introduction
    
    1. Paul is concluding his letter to the Galatians with encouragement to walk by the Spirit--that is, to have confidence in the freedom of the gospel of justification by faith.
        
        1. Chapter 5 - described that freedom and how walking by the Spirit accomplishes it
        2. Chapter 6 - practical lessons in walking in freedom
        3. 6:1-5 last time - the first practical, to be humble
        4. 6:6-10 this time - second practical lesson, do good
    2. [Read 6:6-10]
      
    
2. Do good…to our teachers (v6)
    
    1. Two questions
        
        1. Why does Paul bring this up specifically here?
            
            1. Transition from previous section -- an example of sharing burdens
            2. Useful in overall context
                
                1. Galatians had believed these teachers
                2. When we pay for something we value it more
                3. Perhaps this mindset is intended to encourage better scrutiny of teaching
        2. Is this really how it's supposed to be, that we trade material things for spiritual things?
            
            1. Lots of support from other Scripture
            2. Matt. 10:9-10, Luke 10:4-7
                
                1. Sending of the 12 (Matt.) and 70 (Luke)
                2. No money, no bag, no shoes
                3. Eat and drink what is given
                4. A worker is worthy of his wages
                5. Not going to offer carpentry services, going out to preach the kingdom, heal the sick
            3. Rom. 15:26-27 - Gentiles indebted to share material things, having received spiritual things
            4. 1 Cor 9:6-14
                
                1. Paul defends his and others' right to reap material benefit from sowing spiritual things
                2. Refers to Jesus' words
                3. Refers to OT
    2. Application
        
        1. For teachers
            
            1. Expect a return?
                
                1. I can't imagine preparing for a message with the expectation of being recompensed
                2. Motivation would be polluted
                3. Risk of skewing a message to please instead of being faithful to the Lord
            2. Adopt Paul's attitude - [Read rest of 1 Cor. 9:14-18]
                
                1. Did not make use of his right
                2. Not expecting it either
                3. Looking to God's reward
                4. Offer teaching without charge
                5. A goal of winning more to the truth
        2. For the one being taught
            
            1. Remember -- all kinds of teachers, not just ones standing up front
            2. Remember that teachers are worthy of a wage
            3. Don't take their work for granted--it's difficult￼_[Whit Merrifield interview about his approach to hitting]_
            4. Proactively think of ways to share good things with them
                
                1. Definitely not always material things
                    
                    1. Not all teachers need or want that kind of return
                    2. We have a different context today
                        
                        1. Seems easier to imagine teachers needing to give up wage earning time back then or in other nations
                        2. We are a rich nation with lots of free time
                2. Is he sacrificing regular wage-earning time to teach you?
                3. Is he traveling to teach you?
                4. Is he financially completely fine but could always use encouragement?￼_[I heard the story of someone here at the chapel who decided to give his former Sunday school teacher a hug every Sunday because he loved her lessons so much. I heard this meant quite a bit to the former teacher.]_￼
3. Do good…to reap eternal life (v7-8)
    
    1. Paul is getting at the motivation behind doing good
    2. Foundational rules of how God made the world to work -- you can't escape the way God created the relationship between actions and consequences.
    3. This has been observed from ancient times: Job 4:7-9
        
        1. Eliphaz was false to assert this of Job
        2. He confused suffering with the consequences of sin
    4. Still true today￼_[Tiger Woods: confession in press statement (2010)__￼_
    
    _I knew my actions were wrong. But I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have far -- didn't have to go far to find them._
    
      
    
    _I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.]_
    
    8. Not just a warning or all negative: what a wonderful that sowing to the Spirit reaps something so good as eternal life!
        
        1. John 17:3 - As we walk in the Spirit, we come to know God more
        2. 1 John 1:2 - eternal life was made manifest to them: Jesus
        3. The fruits of the Spirit manifested in us￼
4. Do good…with perseverance (v9)
    
    1. Paul acknowledges that doing good can become wearisome
    2. The simple encouragement is that God is faithful: we _will_ reap in due time
        
        1. Like real farming, reaping is not immediate
            
            1. We must plant
            2. We must water
            3. We must weed
            4. We must wait
        2. Unlike real farming
            
            1. No single harvest time when we can expect to reap
            2. Only God knows when the harvest is due
    3. Do we trust God in this way?￼
5. Do good…with a sense of urgency and priority (v10)
    
    1. A sense of urgency
        
        1. Eschatological sense
            
            1. Christ is coming
            2. We have a limited time on earth to do His work
        2. Historical/broad sense
            
            1. While we have peace and prosperity
            2. Jews during WWII -- their capacity to do good was severely diminished
            3. Our years are limited!
        3. Specific sense
            
            1. People come and go in and out of our lives, we have a limited time to affect them
            2. Our children grow up and our influence decreases
    2. A priority
        
        1. Our fellow believers take priority
        2. But our focus should not _only_ be on believers
        3. Our resources can be limited - give to believers first￼_[Easy to illustrate with our own families. Most of us seem to intuitively know that if we do good for all sorts of people, but neglect our own wives, husbands and kids, we're doing damage and we're out of balance.]_ 7. Conclusion
    
    1. Paul's points
        
        1. Do good…to our teachers
        2. Do good…to reap eternal life
        3. Do good…with perseverance
        4. Do good…with a sense of urgency and priority
    2. If you want a simple challenge to apply this passage: go home and write down the names of 3 or 4 people who have taught you spiritual truths. Once you've got those names, think of a good thing you can do for them. Send them a card, a check, call them on the phone, give them a hug the next time you see them, go mow their lawn or clean their windows. Tell them you're thankful for their investment in you.
    
Bible Chapel of Shawnee  
July 29th, 2018  
Galatians series