Authentic Christianity Means Rescuing the Sheep

1. Read: Galatians 6:1-5

2. About the Text:

1) In Galatians 6:1 Paul talks about the spiritual helping those who are overtaken in a trespass.

2) It is the obligation of the spiritual to help those who are in such a state.

3) To be spiritual means to follow the direction of the Spirit.

4) Galatians 5:16 – “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

2. What are our desires?

1) What do we want out of life?

2) What do we spend most of our time thinking about?

3) Is God and the gospel at the top of the list?

3. We have a purpose – Matthew 22:37-40 – All of our desires should be centered around this.

4. Think about the two sets of desires presented in Galatians 5.

1) “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom.8:6).

2) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26).

5. When we have spiritual desires, we will rescue the lost sheep.

1) We will want to fulfill the purpose of the kingdom.

2) “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).

1. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

2. Jesus came to save the lost: “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

3. Consider that God was not happy with those who did not seek the lost sheep.

4. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them” (Ezekiel 34:7-10).

5. “For thus says the Lord GOD: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day” (Ezekiel 34:11-12).

6. “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment” (Ezekiel 24:16).

7. Jesus spoke about seeking the lost sheep.

8. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost! I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7)

9. We rescue the sheep because we want to fulfill the law of Christ!

1. “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (Galatians 6:3-4).

2. ?“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

3. We stay humble by pointing other people to Christ, not ourselves.

1) “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

2) ?“God resists the proud, ??But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

3) “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

4. Consider the parable of the talents – Mathew 25:14-30.

1) If we are focused on Jesus Christ, we will use those talents to get more talents!

2) This means talking to others about the gospel.

3) We cannot be satisfied with what we’ve got.

1. As spiritual people, we must be about the business of rescuing the sheep.

1) Maintain Spiritual Desires

2) Fulfill the Law of Christ

3) Stay Humble

2. Invitation