Pulpit Curriculum - Free To Serve
Derek A. Ward
April 14, 2024

Free to Serve.png

Pulpit Curriculum

April 14th – April 20th, 2024

Sermon Summary

Previous sermons in the series outlined the authenticity of the Gospel of Christ, and emphasized the truth that salvation is attained by faith in Christ alone, rather than via any rigid adherence to Mosaic Law. Today’s offering addresses how believers may live out their freedom found in Christ through committed Holy Spirit-led service to one another, doing so with generosity and a sense of perseverance to never resile from doing good.

Verse of the Week

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

Going Deeper

Review Galatians 6: 1 – 10

1) Matthew 22: 36-40 addresses what is called ‘the great commandment’.
a) Reflect on this passage and discuss your understanding of any connection to today’s theme “Free to Serve” in so far as it relates to firstly, love of God, and secondly, love of man?

b) What do you see as its relevance to the Law and the Prophets?


2) Pastor quoted Proverbs 26:14 - “the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”
a) Identify in Scripture one example each of a righteous person and a wicked one in the circumstances described.

b) What character traits accounted for the disparate outcomes in the examples you cited?


3) At first glance the call to bear one another’s burdens seems at variance with the tenet of casting all one’s cares on Christ. Rationalize this apparent conflict. Reference appropriate scripture to support your views.

4) Pastor spoke to the need for those of us who receive spiritual instruction to provide for the material support of our teachers (Galatians 6:6). Considering this biblical instruction…
a) What does scripture teach about tithing?

b) How does this compare / contrast with the notion of the cheerful giver as seen in 2 Corinthians 9?

Assess Your Life

The text (Galatians 6:1) entreats ‘you who are spiritual’ to get involved with restoring others ‘caught in any transgression’. To what extent would you honestly say that you qualify to perform such a restoration exercise?

Rate your spiritualty against the following criteria mentioned in the sermon:

  1. Do you walk by the Spirit?

  2. Are you mature in faith?

  3. Do you possess a spirit of gentleness?

  4. Are you sufficiently self-aware to acknowledge that you too may be guilty of transgressions?

Find an accountability partner with whom you can discuss the results of this spiritual inventory.

Application

Identify a specific relative, friend, or colleague who is carrying a specfic burden of which you are well aware, and who could do with a hand up from you in their situation during the next week.
Be sure to address the matter with gentleness and sensitivity rather than condemnation.

Sermon Main Points

In determining the level of service required in the Christian community, believers are called to:

- Heed the call to serve (Gal. 6:1-5)
We are expected to respond with gentleness and compassion to those in need whether arising from sin or other weighty burdens of daily life.
- Serve with generosity (Gal. 6:6-8)
Our responses must reflect an appreciation that we are in a God-monitored partnership with all categories of ‘one-anothers’ in our community. Special emphasis must be paid to meeting the material needs of those who attend to our spiritual needs.
- Persevere in doing good (Gal. 6:9-10)
To persevere in doing good not only honours God, but also provides inspiration for others.

Sermon Reflection

What stood out for me in this sermon?

What is something I can do to remember this?

Quotes

  • The myth of self-sufficiency is not a mark of bravery but rather a sign of pride.
  • Generosity should never be a chore but a joy.
  • To grow weary is to lose one’s motivation in continuing a desirable pattern of conduct or activity.
  • God isn’t a convenience store that you simply patronize when everything else is closed.
  • One of the most significant challenges in Christian ministry, and a primary reason for feeling exhausted in doing good, is the inability to predict the spiritual results of dedicated efforts in serving the Lord.
  • God cannot be mocked! There will be a payday someday because “a man reaps what he sows.”

5 Day Study Plan

Use the Inductive Bible Study method to study these scriptures this week and remember to share with someone else.

Follow these steps
1. Observe the text.
(What do you see in the text? Look for answers to questions like: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)
2. Interpret the text.
(What did God and the human author of the text want the original people reading this text to understand/do? Why?)
3. Apply the text.
(How do I need to change in my thinking, my affections, my attitudes, and/or my actions?)


Day 1 - Romans 15: 1-7

Day 2 - 1 Corinthians 3: 5-9

Day 3 - Romans 10: 14-15

Day 4 - 2 Corinthians 9: 6-9

Day 5 - 1 Timothy 6: 11-12


For best results, this content should be read and prepared privately and then discussed in your small group or with family / friends. We were not created to do life alone - get connected with a small group and grow together.