June 30, 2019 Text: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Dear Friends in Christ,
There is a hill in Lake District in England called Rash Judgment Point. It was given that name by the poet William Wordsworth. He and his sister were standing at the top of the hill one day during harvest season looking at the lake below. They saw a man fishing and this angered them because every able-bodied man was needed to gather the harvest. Wordsworth decided to go down the hill and challenge the man that he should be busy at work for the good of the community.
He called the man to shore. He got out of the boat old and bent over. He had several fish. He explained he had worked for years helping with the harvest but he couldn’t physically do it anymore. Instead, he contributed to the community by getting up each day at dawn and fishing. The fish he caught he added to the community’s resources. Wordsworth felt so bad about his hasty judgment that he named the hill from which he had first seen the man fishing, Rash Judgment Point.
Rash judgment is a sin of the flesh. It is a weakness in every man and woman. This was just one of the things Paul warned the Christians in Galatia about. He has a whole list. But he also has encouragement for us as Christians to . . .
“WALK BY THE SPIRIT”
Walking in the Spirit means we do make judgments. We are to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, good and evil. Where there is open sin apart from God’s Word manifesting itself the Christian is called to do what Paul writes in Galatians 6. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” Matthew 18 has the congregation excluding openly unrepentant sinners. The goal is restoration. The child of God repents and is welcomed back. We do not pass judgment on those outside the church that is the job of governing authorities.
In our gospel lesson even the apostles James and John struggled with this sin. When the Samaritans would not welcome Jesus they wanted fire to come down and consume them. But Jesus rebuked them.
Have you ever felt like that? Wanted someone to get his or hers? Don’t we take guilty pleasure in the misfortune of others especially if their arrogance leads to a bad decision? Be careful what your sinful flesh wants. Many of these same Samaritans we are told were saved when the gospel reached them in the Book of Acts. Do we see a soul that needs saving or does our flesh work against walking by the Spirit?
As long as the world stands there is an opportunity to share the Gospel with unbelievers in the hope they will be saved. We are not walking by the Spirit if we wish for their damnation. John wrote this, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn. 3:17) The love of God is for those who recognize the depth of their sin. That love has touched us. As we walk by the Spirit we recognize our weakness in passing unfair judgments. We need that love of Jesus that comes through His life, and suffering, and death. Our sins are then forgiven and we escape everlasting damnation. This love changes everything in us.
Paul writes in our text, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (v. 13,14) When we are touched by the love of God, we can walk by the Spirit, we can even love our enemies. We want them to be saved and in heaven with us. This is where our love and kindness and goodness and patience and gentleness can make a difference in the lives of others today. Isn’t our society screaming for more fruits of the Spirit to manifest itself? Oh, it is so needed and I hope this is in your prayers daily. Some days who wants to leave the house? Through the Spirit we leave our residence and let Him work through us.
Corrie Ten Boom tells this story in her book, Reflections of God’s Glory. “In Africa a man came to a meeting with bandaged hands. I asked what happened. He said, ‘My neighbor’s straw roof was on fire; I helped him put it out and that’s how my hands got burned.’ Later the whole story came out. The neighbor hated him and had set his roof on fire while his wife and children were asleep in the hut. They were in great danger. Fortunately, he was able to put out the fire in his house on time. But sparks flew over to the roof of the man who had set the house on fire and his house started to burn. There was no hate in the heart of this Christian; there was love for his enemy and he did everything he could to put out the fire in his neighbor’s house. That is how his hands were burned.”
An amazing story, isn’t it? It shames us when we take delight in what we think others deserve. The truth is, we all deserve to be burned in fire because of our sin. For the sake of Jesus we have been forgiven and the fire of wrath has been extinguished. God loved us that much. Can’t we in turn love others? Live by the Spirit . . . and Walk By The Spirit. Amen.