Spurgeon on Galations

CHARLES SPURGEON — SERMON NOTES

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216.

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For every man shall bear his own burden." — Galatians 6:2, 5

GALATIANS were apparently fond of the law and its burdens. At least, they appeared to be ready to load themselves with ceremonies, and so fulfill the law of Moses.

Paul would have them think of other burdens, by the bearing of which they would fulfill the law of Christ. We are not under law, but under love. But love is also law in the best sense. The law of Christ is love. Love is the fulfilling of the law. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Lest this principle should be presumed upon, he mentions the principle of individual responsibility. "Every man shall bear his own burden?' I. COMMUNITY. "Bear ye one another's burdens?" 1. Negatively: It tacitly forbids certain modes of action.

• We are not to burden others. Some take a liberty to do so from this very text, as if it said, "Let others bear your burdens," which is just the reverse of what it urges.


• We are not to spy out others' burdens and report thereon.


• We are not to despise them for having such loads to bear.


• We are not to act as if all things existed for ourselves, and we were to bend all to our own purposes.


• We are not to go through the world oblivious of the sorrows of others. We may not shut our eyes to the woes of mankind.

2. Positively: We are to share the burdens of others:

• By compassion, bear with their former sins (verse 1).


• By patience, bear with their infirmities and even their conceit (verse 2).


• By sympathy, bear their sorrows (verses 2-3).


• By assistance, bear their wants (verses 6, 10).


• By communion, in love and comfort, bear their struggles.


• By prayer and practical help, bear the burden of their labors and, thus, lighten it (verse 6).

3. Specially, we ought to consider—

• The erring brother. Referred to in verse 1 as "overtaken in a fault?" We must tenderly restore him.


• The provoking brother, who thinks himself to be something (see verse 3). Bear with him; his mistake will bring him many a burden before he has done with it.


• The brother who is peculiarly trying is to be borne with to seventy times seven, even to the measure of the law of Christ.


• The greatly tried is to have our greatest sympathy.


• The minister of Christ should be released from temporal burdens, that he may give himself wholly to the burden of the Lord.

II. IMMUNITY. "For every man shall bear his own burden." We shall not bear all the burdens of others. We are not so bound to each other that we are partakers in willful transgression, negligence, or rebellion. 1. Each must bear his own sin if he persists in it.
2. Each must bear his own shame, which results from his sin.
3. Each must bear his own responsibility in his own sphere.
4. Each must bear his own judgment at the last. III. PERSONALITY. "Every man ... his own burden." True godliness is a personal affair, and we cannot cast off our individuality. Therefore, let us ask for grace to look well to ourselves in the following matters: 1. Personal religion. The new birth, repentance, faith, love, holiness, fellowship with God, etc., are all personal.
2. Personal self-examination. We cannot leave the question of our soul's condition to the judgment of others.
3. Personal service. We have to do what no one else can do.
4. Personal responsibility. Obligations cannot be transferred.
5. Personal effort. Nothing can be a substitute for this.
6. Personal sorrow. "The heart knoweth its own bitterness."
7. Personal comfort. We need the Comforter for ourselves, and we must personally look up to the Lord for his operations. All this belongs to the Christian, and we may judge ourselves by it. So bear your own burden as not to forget others.
So live as not to come under the guilt of other men's sins.
So help others as not to destroy their self-reliance. Pithy Brevities

An old anecdote of the great Napoleon records that, while walking along a country road attended by some of his officers, he encountered a peasant heavily laden with faggots for fuel. The peasant was about to be jostled aside as a matter of course by his social superiors, when the Emperor, laying his hand on the arm of the foremost member of his escort, arrested the whole party, and gave the laboring man the use of the road, with the remark, "Messieurs, respect the burden."

Let him who expects one class in society to prosper to the highest degree while others are in distress try whether one side of his face can smile while the other is pinched. — Thomas Fuller

There is a proverb, but none of Solomon's, "Every man for himself, and God for us all." But where every man is for himself, the devil will have all. — William Secker

"Every man shall bear his own burden"; this is the law of necessity. "Bear ye one another's burdens"; this is the law of Christ. Let a man lighten his own load by sharing his neighbor's burden. — T. T. Lynch

There is a gateway at the entrance of a narrow passage in London over which is written, "No burdens allowed to pass through." "And yet we do pass constantly with ours," said one friend to another as they turned up this passage out of a more frequented and broader thoroughfare. They carried no visible burdens, but they were like many who, although they have no outward pack upon their shoulders, often stoop inwardly beneath the pressure of a heavy load upon the heart. The worst burdens are those which never meet the eye.

Bishop Burner, in his charges to the clergy of his diocese, used to be extremely vehement in his declamations against pluralities. In his first visitation to Salisbury, he urged the authority of St. Bernard, who being consulted by one of his followers, whether he might accept of two benefices, replied, "And how will you be able to serve them both?" "I intend;' answered the priest, "to officiate in one of them by a deputy." "Will your deputy suffer eternal punishment for you, too?" asked the saint. "Believe me, you may serve your cure by proxy, but you must suffer the penalty in person." This anecdote made such an impression on Mr. Kelsey, a pious and wealthy clergyman then present, that he immediately resigned the rectory of Bernerton, in Berkshire, worth two hundred a year, which he then held with another of great value. — Whitecross

With many, personal service in the cause of humanity is commuted for a money payment. But we are to be colliers in the campaign against evil and not merely to pay the war tax. — "Ecce Homo"

Bear One Another’s Burdens (Gal 6)

Galatians 6

Bear One Another’s Burdens

¹Brothers,^a]">[a]^A)">(A) if anyone is caught in any transgression,^B)">(B) you who are spiritual should restore him in^C)">(C) a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ²^D)">(D) Bear one another’s burdens, and^E)">(E) so fulfill^F)">(F) the law of Christ. ³For^G)">(G) if anyone thinks he is something,^H)">(H) when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But let each one^I)">(I) test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵For^J)">(J) each will have to bear his own load.

⁶^K)">(K) One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷^L)">(L) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for^M)">(M) whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸For^N)">(N) the one who sows to his own flesh^O)">(O) will from the flesh reap corruption, but^P)">(P) the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹And^Q)">(Q) let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap,^R)">(R) if we do not give up. ¹⁰So then,^S)">(S) as we have opportunity, let us^T)">(T) do good to everyone, and especially to those who are^U)">(U) of the household of faith.

World Biggest Burger!

In America the challenge to create the world’s biggest burger is one that is taken very seriously indeed. It began with the imaginable 6 pounds of meat used to make the ‘Olde 96er’ at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

Denny Leigey Jr., owner of Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub says his world’s biggest burger building race began all the way back in 1991 with a 2 pound offering to compete with another local diner. This local race led to a 3 pounder in 1993 but things really got going when Denny began competing with not so local diners.

In 1998 his daughter went to college and came back with tales of a 4 pounder being served at a restaurant - Denny could only respond in one way, he had to beat it. The result was the massive Olde 96er which used 6 pounds of meat, one large onion, two whole tomatoes, one half head of lettuce, 1 1/4 pounds of cheese, top and bottom buns, and a cup each of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, banana peppers and some pickles.

Since its launch on to the menu, the Olde 96er has drawn attention from all over the world. The pub itself challenges eaters to finish the burger within 3 hours to make it onto the Denny’s wall of fame and receive the burger for free. Many challengers have tried to eat the burger within 3 hours and most have failed, including veteran competitive eating star Eric ‘Badlands’ Booker.

Badlands made his gallant attempt in June 2004 and managed to down the burger - but it took him over 7 hours to do so. Although he was the first person to eat the Olde 96er in full, the challenge to eat the burger in one 3-hour sitting was still unmatched. In January 2005 came an unlikely challenger - 100lb college student Kate Stelnick.

Kate Stelnick took a five hour drive from New Jersey when she saw photos of the giant burger online. She prepared by not eating for 2 days and wearing loose clothes. She came and she conquered. She ate the Olde 96er on 2 hours and 54 minutes. Another petit female, Lori Weiss, managed to meet the challenge on her 4th attempt in July 2005.
Leigey said he was pretty sure somebody would meet his world’s biggest burger challenge, though he didn’t have a petite woman in mind. “I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t think it was possible,” Leigey said.

News of Denny’s Olde 96er has spread all over the world and has led to new challengers to the thrown of world’s biggest burger.

The Baloo Burger Co. of Glasgow, Scotland has even had its attempt at making the world’s biggest cheeseburger with its Baloo Big Burger which uses 7 pounds of meat and will set you back a huge $125. But the real challenger to the thrown is the Clinton Station Diner, New Jersey which created the Zeus in 2005 that also used 7 pounds of meat.

Once again, Denny’s was eager to hold the accolade of world’s biggest cheeseburger and could only respond in one way - the result was the Beer Barrel Belly Buster. This mammoth creation consists of 11.5 pounds of meat, 25 slices of cheese, 1 full lettuce, 2 onions, 3 tomatoes and 25,000 calories. This would set you back a modest $34.99.

And the challenge? To eat this creation within 6 hours. The prize consists of $350 cash, burger is free, a certificate of achievement, photo on the “wall of fame,” and a t-shirt. It is unlikely that someone will meet this challenge - but many will try. Believe it or not the Beer Barrel Belly Buster is not the current thrown holder, the big burger race has one final leg.

The Clinton Station Diner has introduced the Mount Olympus burger which, wait for it, uses 25 pounds of meat and its total weight is over 50 pounds. Taking over 1 hour to prepare and costing $99 the challenge that goes along with the burger is for a 5 person team to complete the burger within 3 hours. Denny’s response? Queue the out of this world Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser. Using two 25 pound beef patties, 4 pounds of cheese, five heads of lettuce, a couple of onions, a cup of peppers, a jar of relish, smothered with loads of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. Nobody can deny that this is the world’s biggest burger.

Denny created the Bruiser just for a bit of family fun and doesn’t challenge anyone to eat it in full. The burger stands 34 inches tall and easily feeds groups of 35 to 50 diners. It takes an understandable 4 hours to make and must be ordered 24 hours in advance, and the price? A mere $179.

Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub has entered the 50 pound burger in to the Guinness World Records and is awaiting there approval to crown the Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser as the world’s largest commercially available burger.

My Class

I love my class at PVES. It has been a great year so far, I can't believe it is almost over.

1976 The University of Indiana completes an undefeated season by beating Michigan to win the school's third NCAA crown.