Hello Gloria Dei,
At the core of our Christian faith is the reality that God has saved us through the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. The Bible tells us that we are “saved by grace through faith.”
In our Wednesday morning Men’s Bible Study, we are finishing up our study of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In that letter, Paul emphasizes that we don’t need to add anything to Christ and his saving work for us. Jesus has done it all. By God’s grace, accessed through faith in Jesus, you and I are now free in Christ.
To those in Galatia who wanted to add the need for certain laws and rules for salvation, Paul says in chapter 6, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Paul is saying that in our freedom, we don’t need a bunch of rote rules and regulations. Rather, we are free now to lift up and encourage one another in love.
We all need encouragers. We all need people who help us “bear our burdens.” We all need close friendships.
When I was young, I heard in school about the President’s “Cabinet.” I thought maybe the President had a cabinet in his office with snacks and goodies. Then I learned that the cabinet was a group of people who come alongside of the president to offer advice, guidance, and support.
Do you have a cabinet? Are there people in your life who listen, offer advice when needed, and provide support, all in the name of love? Keep the naysayers and cynics at a distance. Advice should, at times, be challenging, but it needs to be done in love. Not one of us ever outgrows our need for encouragers. Give thanks to God for those who serve this role in your life. And be sure to seek them out if you need more of them in your life. And finally, if you are privileged enough to be in someone else’s cabinet, your primary role is to be an encourager.
As Paul tells the Galatians in chapter 5:13, “For you were called to freedom brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become servants of one another.” And as I mentioned already, Paul says in chapter 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
For this week in worship, please read Acts 8:26-39. Philip becomes an encourager and teacher for a man who is curious about the gospel.
See you in worship where you will be encouraged in your walk of faith and where you have opportunity to encourage others.
Pastor Tim
