Galatians 6
Readings for this week March 11th - March 16th
Click here for a pdf of this week’s readings.
Day 1 – Balancing the Burdens
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Galatians 6:1-5
As we have seen, there were divisions in Galatia. Some Jewish Christians (incited by the agitators from Jerusalem) insisted that (for example) circumcision still needed to be upheld as a community marker, or the food laws still needed to be adhered to and so Jews and Gentiles eating together was to be avoided. The body of Christ, supposed to be a unified body, a team working and living together in the power of the Spirit, was splitting into factions who looked disapprovingly at each other, calling out those on the other ‘side’ for their perceived flaws, sins and failings. But Paul was having none of it. A body united by the Spirit, living in the power of faith in the risen Jesus, should not be acting like this. The church is like a team, meant to be working together towards a common goal.
To do this, there are two types of loads or burdens that Paul is expecting the Galatians – and us – to carry in unity, together. Yes, we are called to carry each other’s burdens, and to do so in love, with gentleness and humility, not lording it over those who are struggling, but getting alongside them in support as good team players would do. But at the same time, we are reminded that each of us must carry our own load too. We cannot neglect our own responsibilities; we cannot coast on the coattails of others, we cannot hide in the corner and let others carry the burden of community; we cannot grumble from the sidelines. Divisions form when we fail to balance the two loads that must be carried.
Question to Consider
How do we bear our own load? How do others help us do this? What is the relationship between the two?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me bear my responsibilities well, but also show me how best to walk with others and shoulder their burdens too, for the sake of your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 2 – Reaping What is Sown
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Galatians 6:6-10
As Paul nears the end of his letter, it might seem to us as if he is just randomly threading together some minor topics, just to make sure he gets everything out that he wants to cover before signing off. But a closer look shows that there is a single thread holding these seemingly differing topics together: we reap what we sow. Paul applies this to three areas of life: (1) God’s word as the seed sown in the minds and hearts of the congregation; (2) the seed of our own thoughts and deeds, which we can sow to the flesh or the Spirit; and (3) the seed of good works which we can sow into the lives of others in the community.
When it comes to the result of the harvest, it is not the reapers who determine the outcome, but the sowers. Only what is sown can be reaped. If we will not sow some of our resources into the work of the church and its mission in the world, then we cannot expect to reap much in the way of ‘kingdom’ return. But if we sow to the Spirit, giving practical support to the ministries and work of the church, then the teaching, preaching and practical work of the church will bring in the harvest. We must use what we are given responsibly from a kingdom standpoint – which more and more these days actually means using it irresponsibly from a modern economic standpoint. There is so much that God longs to do in the church, and through the church in the world, that cannot happen if we are not trusting God with the final say in the use of our finances and resources.
Question to Consider
How does this passage fit in with the overall themes of the letter? Why is it important to remember this principle?
Prayer
Lord God, in all I do may I sow well for the future harvest that you are bringing. Help me play my part in bringing your kingdom to this hurting world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 3 – A Personal Emphasis
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Galatians 6:11-13
As he would sometimes do in his letters, Paul now takes the pen from his scribe (the person taking down his dictation) and writes himself. There are a couple of main ways we could interpret his reference to the ‘large letters’ he uses. Perhaps his handwriting was messier than his scribe’s. Perhaps his eyesight was not so good and he wrote big to see it better. Or maybe he was writing this way for emphasis, in the same way that with the computer I am using to type this I could emphasise the text by highlighting it in bold, or with italics or even by SWITCHING THE CAPS LOCK ON. Whatever the reason, writing himself serves to emphasise to the reader what he now goes on to mention.
So what is it Paul is particularly wanting to highlight as a last word to the Galatians? He highlights what are perhaps the two key themes of this letter, which are also vitally important gospel questions for any time and place. He contrasts himself and the gospel with the Judaizing agitators and asks, firstly, is the essence of the gospel inward or outward? Is it about outward ceremonies and marks in the flesh or inward spiritual renewal? And secondly, is it human or divine? Does the gospel originate with us and our ability to order our lives rightly? Or is it about the inner transformation of our spirit and our person, through faith, by the person of the Spirit working on us and in us? Is it about what we do for God or about what he has done for us? Hopefully, we know the correct answers…
Question to Consider
How does the cross of Christ represent the fact that the world had been crucified to Paul? What about that Paul had been crucified to the world?
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for you grace once again, for moving when we were stuck, for saving us when we couldn’t, for freeing us to be your people and to love others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 4 – The Marks of the Flesh
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Galatians 6:14-17
Here, at the very end of our readings in this series on grace, as we come to the end of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, we find Paul once more proclaiming that the marks of circumcision do not matter. And yet, with so much already said about the agitators and the ‘circumcision party’ who were insisting on the marks of the flesh as a sign of membership in the body of God’s people, Paul turns his own argument on its head. He puts a special emphasis on what he has been saying, one last surprise twist in the story which shows how God’s gospel subverts everything we thought we knew. Paul’s final twist? Marks in the flesh do matter, they are important. Just not the ones the Galatians were thinking of.
Paul will boast in nothing but the cross of Christ, through which “the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” He has faced suffering and punishment for his faith in Jesus. He bears the marks of Jesus on his body – and these are the marks of the flesh that matter, the ones that show he is faithfully following the Lord Jesus come whatever this might entail. The cross is at the heart of it all. Paul has been shown grace and he is prepared to face persecution for the sake of the cross. He will share the story of this grace with any who will listen and any who won’t – and if he ends up with marks on his body in imitation of his Lord, well, that just shows the extent of his devotion and his transformation.
Question to Consider
What was Paul’s attitude to his marks of the flesh? How do you carry the marks of following Jesus in your body? What does this mean for you?
Prayer
Holy Lord, may I be a more faithful follower, regardless of what the consequences might be. Help me be bolder and braver and less concerned with appearances. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 5 – It Begins and Ends with Grace
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Galatians 6:18
It is fitting that the epistle ends with a final reminder of the importance – the centrality – of grace: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit.” For followers of Jesus, life, that most precious God-given gift, is lived by the grace of Christ. There is nothing we can do of any lasting consequence without acknowledging the grace of God, without accepting the unmerited favour that God has showered upon us, without moving and working and being under the guidance and influence of his Spirit poured out on us. As Paul’s letter has reminded us, we are free. We have been set free by God’s gracious act of salvation in Christ to be God’s people, not for our benefit or for our own pleasure, but for the sake of the world.
The entire gospel story is grace from start to finish. The gospel does not come from human initiative. God took the initiative for our salvation when we were stained by sin. It is the work of God. Membership in God’s family is by his grace and through faith in Jesus Christ. Our human categories are not the determining factor. God’s grace reaches out to the entire world, to all peoples in all places and all times. And he calls us to join in his work of spreading the word about this grace, embodied in Jesus, to all who have not heard of it or experienced it for themselves. The grace that has been given to us is grace that is to be given to others. God offers grace to all. We should too.
Question to Consider
What have you learned about grace through this series? How have you experienced God’s grace in your life recently? How have you changed as a result?
Prayer
Father God, thank you for all you have done for me. May I be grateful for each moment you give me and each opportunity to serve you that comes my way as I follow wherever you lead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)