Well, dear congregation, I would ask you now to please turn your very kind and prayerful attention to those words that I read to you in your hearing earlier. We arrive now in verse 1 of chapter 6 of the epistle to the Galatians, where the apostle, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has written, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one. in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." The Apostle Paul, as you know, has been speaking here by the Spirit of God to us. This is God's Word about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These things that are worked out in the life of the believer who is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Romans 8 verse 9. Every true child of God that is born of the Spirit of God will to varying degrees bear these fruits of the Holy Spirit. There are evidences that we are born of God. And the Apostle Paul here now, he begins to single out some of these fruits of the Spirit And here particularly, he begins with meekness. This was certainly one of the fruits. Look at verse 23. Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. Now he begins here with meekness. Meekness should be used here particularly to help fallen believers. Believers who have stumbled in a sin. Notice what he says, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. It is very, I suppose, easy to approach people about their sin. But how do we approach them? One who is spiritual approaches another in the spirit of meekness. And so he touches upon this fruit of the spirit here, And he says here, notice, ye which are spiritual. Now we must firstly say that he does not mean here that there are two kinds of Christians. That there are those who are super spiritual, that there are some who are completely different as if they are cut out of a different bit of cloth. There are some who are holy and there are some who are not holy. No, we are all called to be holy. When Paul writes to the Romans, in Romans 1, verse 7, he says, Beloved of God, called to be holy, or hagiosos, hagiosmos, it comes in that whole family of words, which really means to be set apart. And everyone that is born of God is set apart by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has now put as it were, that seed of holiness in us and is working out holiness in our lives. So we mustn't imagine here that the Apostle Paul is singling out certain Christians. But what he means here, if you look at verse 25 of chapter 5, which we saw, is this, we who are spiritual, that is, if we notice, if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. If we have the Spirit of God, we are therefore spiritual. His Spirit so working in our spirits that we, by the Spirit, Romans 8, put to death the deeds of the body. Those who are of God are all indwelt by the Holy Spirit, even in the Old Testament. That's why David prayed in Psalm 51 after he sinned, Lord, remove not my spirit from me. Everyone that is born of God is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The promise in Jeremiah 31 is that God would do this work in the Gentiles, that he would put his Spirit in them, and that he would write his laws in the hearts of even Gentiles such as we. We're born of God, dear friends. We're indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. Romans 8 verse 9. Now you notice something that is very unusual here. I suppose the word he uses is not one that is found, and we'll consider the Greek word here. But notice he says in verse 1, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, Ye which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness. Now, we might ask, what is this word here, fault? Well, it's an interesting Greek word. But it has to do with this, somebody that has stumbled. The word is the word parapetuma, which means one who has trespassed, one who has gone in a territory, in an area, and perhaps even fallen down. And the idea here, one that is spiritual, comes alongside such a person and, as it were, picks them up, carries them up out of this trap, this place where they've fallen. We can think of a lost sheep, how the shepherd comes and he lifts up the sheep and he takes the sheep out. He doesn't, as it were, scold the sheep. He takes the sheep out of the thickets, the briars, and he tends to it, and we have the law, don't we, in Isaiah, how he comes and he sees his lambs, his sheep, who have strayed, and he takes all the briars, all the thorns out, and he picks the sheep up and he carries it home. So the word here does not refer to heresies or schisms. something drastic or a very flagrant sin that demands immediate and sometimes even severe discipline by the church. And sometimes some sins are so flagrant, so serious, that more serious action needs to be taken. is you see a brother has fallen or begun to fall in an area, something personal. And it's perhaps not known by other people. And of course, you come alongside this brother. We have it in Matthew 18, if thy brother sin, go and tell him his fault. Also in Luke, we're reminded in Luke 17, if thy brother sin, go and tell him. And if thy brother has heard thee, thou hast won him. The idea is that there is something with regards to a behavior issue or some immoral thing that this person is doing or just the language, the speech of somebody is become rather unbecoming of a Christian. And this is not only detrimental to them but to other people as well. And so the idea is that somebody comes alongside here. If a man be overtaken in a fault, and this could be any man, now he doesn't mean somebody who's not a Christian. Obviously he's meaning here a Christian, a Christian man. Now we have to be very careful because sometimes we don't know for sure whether somebody is a Christian. And when we come and we approach somebody we need to be very cautious. Friends, it's a dangerous thing and a solemn thing, as you will see this morning, to correct somebody. It's not something we should take lightly because there are all kinds of dangers that we are prone to falling into ourselves when we correct other people. Now, what kind of things might be Well, the first thing I want to say is what I'm going to say now, I'm not thinking about anybody here in particular that you're doing these things. And sometimes I've preached things in sermons and things, people think that I'm speaking about them directly. Brethren, if I have a problem with you, I'm going to speak to you privately as I hope you would myself. So I don't have anybody in view. I don't have a particular sin. I'm simply going to give you some examples. in a general sense, of areas of our own lives where we can sin. Perhaps it might be something like this, where he says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in a spirit of meekness. Well, there can be pride, can't there? You think of James and John, when the Lord Jesus Christ had to address them. Remember when he was preaching? in that Sumerian city, and the people did not receive the ministry of our Lord Jesus, and they said, Lord, should we call down fire from heaven? Well, the Lord had to speak to them and say to them, you know not what spirit you're of. Your spirits are wrong. Your heart is wrong. Firstly, therefore, maybe somebody you've noticed has become proud. in the way that they speak about other people. You know, it's not becoming for a Christian to be proud. In fact, it's the very opposite to what we should be. We should be humble people, and particularly when we speak about others. Now, the Lord does very clearly tell us in Matthew 7 that we are to make judgments. We are not to be hypercritical. Criticism is necessary sometimes. But a censorious spirit, a hypercritical spirit is wholly wrong, isn't it? And sometimes the way we can speak about other people, we can become haughty, we can be filled also perhaps with glee at other people's faults. That is so unbecoming of a Christian, isn't it? It's a wrong spirit to speak unkindly about people. We should rather be grieved when people sin Oh, maybe you can think of somebody who has become gleeful over other people's faults, and you speak, or they speak proudly about other people when they fall. Or you begin to gloat over all kinds of falls of other people, smearing the names of other people. This has become a pleasure to you, smear other people's names to discredit them. Or perhaps, it may not be that, but maybe you've become rather coarse in your language, in your speech. And not only is there name calling, but the Bible tells us no coarse jesting, no harsh language, no coarse words, no rude jokes, nothing on the edge, you know, sometimes Some people, I'm sure you've heard it, like to cut it very close to the edge. It's almost as if you can't pin them, they're not swearing, but it's as close to swearing as you can get. It's a very bad thing, isn't it? Christians are meant to be holy in all conduct and conversation of life. If the person is not Christ-like and if we're not Christ-like, we shouldn't speak like that. We shouldn't speak such things. Christ wouldn't speak in such a way. If you're tempted to say something, ask yourself, would Christ speak in such a manner? Would he speak with such a spirit? Think of how low the Lord Jesus Christ, humble and meek he was, knowing the thoughts of all men and yet, He was so gentle, wasn't he? And low of heart. If you turn there to Matthew chapter 11 with me, notice what our Lord Jesus said. He says there in verse 28, come unto me, Matthew 11, 28, all ye that labor in a heavy laden, and I will give you rest. These are people laboring under their sin. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." When we become a Christian, we have to learn from the school of grace. We have to learn from Christ to be meek. This is the subject that we're dealing with here, isn't it? In Galatians 6, to be meek. are to help somebody else, you must be meek, not critical, not harsh, not coarse, not base in your language. We have to be meek. And when the Lord saves us, he puts, as it were, his yoke upon us. It's the yoke of his law. It's also the yoke of his character. We must walk in that character, in that likeness of the Lord Jesus. We must be meek, we must be lowly. But if our speech has become harsh, and callous, and coarse, and questionable, we can't help others. We must come in a spirit of meekness. Or perhaps you've noticed somebody that is speaking in this way, how you are to address them. You are also to address them in a spirit of meekness. Don't deal with them in the way that they speak of other people. Or perhaps, secondly, it might be a fault of becoming worldly, where you've noticed somebody, you've noticed they're always hunting for the latest fashion item. They're spending so much money on clothing. They become showy. They're wanting to draw attention to themselves by their apparel, by their car, by this and that. And of course, all of that is such a bad witness. For a Christian who was meant to be humble, who was meant to be meek and lowly, how do you address them? Well, a Christian who has become worldly can let down the character. They are meant to be Christ-like. They can let down the name of Christ. They are followers of Christ. And maybe you're such a person. Well, you've noticed somebody like this. All kinds of faults people can fall into. You've got to approach them with a spirit of meekness. Or perhaps the person has become very proud generally. They like to flaunt themselves. It's so predominant today, isn't it, on the internet. You notice that people who engage in social media, I don't do that. I don't like social media, but people do. And I hear about this all the time. People on Twitter, I don't think it's Twitter anymore, I think it's Axel, something like that, or Facebook and those sort of things, they use their accounts to flaunt themselves, to parade themselves, what they have got, what they've acquired. There's all kinds of ways that people can flaunt themselves, make a name for themselves, and they like to tell everybody how many likes they've had and how many friends they have. This is not the spirit of a Christian. This is not the way of a Christian. The Bible speaks of the pride of life and the vainglory of man. People today spend so much time on their profile, as it were, their internet profile and biography, advertising themselves and so on. Well, we have to approach those people in a spirit of meekness as well, lest we also ourselves fall into temptation. Now, how do we deal with brethren that fall into various types of sins like this? Or perhaps you see somebody spending time with a member of the opposite sex, somebody who is married, and you see them speaking to that person, and it's leading to a terrible witness, isn't it? But also there's the danger, isn't there, of things becoming far worse. How do you address such things? This is a very important question, isn't it? Well, we're told here to approach them in a spirit of meekness. This is what the text says. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in his fault, the fall, he's going astray, he's going aside. Ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. Now notice, considering thyself, lest thou be tempted. So firstly, in the spirit of meekness. And the first thing we need to do is show a proper sense of respect for people, even those who have fallen. Because after all, we too have fallen in our lives, haven't we? We have all erred. No man is perfect, of course, but it doesn't mean to say you don't say anything. But you need to understand that even in our addressing other people, it's not done for vainglory, to put others down. And as I said earlier, one of the ways in which you can see somebody sin is they are constantly putting down other people. And the devil will like to use this when we have to address somebody else to, as it were, to boost us, to make us feel good about ourselves when we put other people down. This is terrible, isn't it? This is a very bad spirit. The Apostle Paul says, if you turn to Philippians chapter two, Notice what he says there, Philippians 2 verse 3. He says, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. You know, there's things that that person doesn't even know about you. And thank the Lord for that. esteem others better than yourself. We often see other people's sins, but often, as Martin Luther said, our own sins are behind our own back. And it's very easy, isn't it, to forget about ourselves. This is why the Lord Jesus warns in Matthew 7 about taking the moat out of our brother's eye when we haven't taken out the beam out of our own. We can be so blind. This is so often the case with us. Well, we must approach in the spirit of meekness. This is the way we can help other people. Remembering also what we thought just a few weeks ago about biblical meekness. Meekness, really the idea of meekness, can only really be understood in terms of God's goodness shown to us. Remember that you are what you are right now by the grace of God. Some people have not had the privileges that you've had. Some people have not had the background that you've had as a Christian, or spent years in a church as you have. And maybe they're a new believer. So you have to approach them in a spirit of meekness. Meekness can only really truly be understood in terms of God's goodness and grace and providence towards us. And that even when difficulty comes to us, trial and tribulation, well, God will work that for his good. It's his providence being worked out. And you must remember that also, by the grace of God, you haven't fallen into such a sin yourself. Or maybe you have. And you need to remind yourself, by the way, I too have fallen in this sin before. And you see, this respect means something else, that you also don't correct the person publicly. It's done in a private manner as much as possible. Now some sins, and sometimes people say things publicly, and if you don't address it as a Christian, could be detrimental to the church. Sometimes some things need to be addressed publicly. For instance, when Paul needed to correct Peter, do you remember? And Peter, of course, was a pastor and he had sinned. He was at fault, says Paul. He tells us even in this epistle how when Peter came up to Antioch, he removed himself from the Gentiles. And well, he showed a disregard for them. He only regarded the Jews. And this was a terrible witness. And Paul tells us that he had to withstand him and Barnabas. It wasn't just Peter, but it was also Barnabas. So some sins, we must give this understanding, some sins have to be addressed publicly, particularly if we have caused other people to stumble. There is a time and there's a place for that. But always it should be done with a spirit of meekness, shouldn't it? And sin must be challenged. But remember even, if you turn there briefly with me to Matthew chapter 18, what the Lord Jesus reminds us of here, and this is so critical within the church, isn't it? You notice this is why church membership is really is key to the New Testament. You cannot exercise here Matthew 18 without being a church member, because you notice the person is eventually removed from the church. He does not hear the church. Matthew 18 verse 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, same word, and you know, by the way, It could be something as a brother swears at you, he curses at you, or you hear him use a swear word and you say, look brother, this is not the language of a Christian. This is not the behavior of a Christian. I heard you say this, but he doesn't confess. He doesn't say I'm sorry, this is wrong. Moreover, thy brother shall trespass against thee. Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Now then, if he hears the others, of course, you've again, you've won your brother. But if he shall neglect to hear them, that's the witnesses, Tell it to the church. Now, the church are church members, because the members have the right to dismiss this person from the membership. But if you neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. You see that? It's very key, isn't it? Now, it's got to, first of all, be done privately. and discreetly, not wanting to shame the person. That's not the spirit. Is it to shame somebody openly, publicly? Maybe they just haven't thought about the thing that they've done. So you could approach it in a spirit of meekness. Maybe they are not as mature as you are in the faith. And so they would appreciate, no doubt, if you showed them their fault. The whole idea even if correction, is to strengthen, to edify the person, and to restore the offender. Even discipline itself is intended for the restitution of the offender. So this, again, is key. There's another thing that we can do to help somebody when we approach them in the spirit of meekness. We can use what we call personal confession. You might say to somebody, well, you know what? I did this thing once. I fell as you were fallen. I too have done this and I'm coming in love to explain to you this is what somebody else addressed me with and I'm so thankful for it. You can use personal confession. And really that takes away pride, doesn't it? And the devil hates it because the devil, what he wants, wants us to be filled with pride when we're correcting somebody else. Because, in a sense, it boosts us. It boosts our ego. And then we're prone to falling, aren't we? Into further sin. There's something else with this whole idea of meekness when we approach somebody else. Only say what you need to say. One of the things, and we're all prone to this, is we can bottle up all kinds of things that somebody else has done against us in the past. And then, as it were, here is now the straw that breaks the camel's back. And we let it all out. We've all done it, I'm sure. And everything falls upon this person. The whole idea, think of the analogy here. You are lifting the brother up. This is what the word means. You're coming, you're not burdening this people with all that has passed and all that you should have said before. This is why it's so important that if we do have a fault with somebody, we go and we tell them immediately. We don't wait till we've got so many other things to lay upon them. And we're all prone to this. And often it's because the fear of man bringeth a snare, and we're afraid to address personal matters with other people. Now again, personal confession, it shows that you are being sympathetic to other people. I've been there before. And then, as I said, only say what you need to say. Address the matter at hand. Don't trounce upon somebody. Don't overburden them with a whole host, a whole raft of other things that you have stored up. And then notice something else that the apostle mentions here in the verse 1. Considering thyself. Well, right here, the Greek word is a very interesting word. The analogy really has to do with peering, looking, gazing. upon yourself. The word is the word scopio, which is where we get the word scope from. The idea is maybe a microscope or even a telescope. Scrutinize yourself. Peer upon yourself. Look, as it were, even with a telescope, back to your past and look at your life now. Examine yourself, as I must. Be careful. Friends, we all fall here, don't we? Let me say this, this is one of the most difficult things to do, is to correct somebody. Because there is so much pride, and there can even be anger over the thing that the person has fallen into, but we must consider ourselves. Lest, notice, thou also be tempted. Tempted in all kinds of ways. Tempted to be filled with pride, or anger, Every time you correct, remember this. Remember your own sin. Remember your own past, your poor proud heart, and remember the devil is always there. Sin lieth at the door, doesn't it? Now notice The second important exhortation. Look at verse two. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. This is so important. Bear one another's burdens. This is how you help somebody. You're not loading them now with more. You are dealing with a sin, but deal with it in such a way that you're actually helping the person, lifting them up out of their trouble. Don't crush your brother. Don't crush your sister under a load of guilt and sin. But help him to get out. Help him to see it. You see, this is a mutual thing. This is what he says, bear ye one another's burdens. Remember, you have had sin in the past, as he has sin in the past. And there's going to come a time, really what he's saying is, that somebody else is going to have to bear your burden. That somebody else is going to have to help you. Do unto others, said the Lord, as ye would have done unto thyself. That's the golden rule, isn't it? Always. It's there in Matthew chapter 7. It comes immediately after the context of correction and so on. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Meekness, true meekness, sees sin as another person's burden. And you're helping that person to come out under the load of it, and to confess it, to forsake it, and to face it in the right way. Now you notice what he says. This is the connection. Look at chapter 5, verse 13. He says there, for brethren, ye have been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty or freedom for an occasion of the flesh. But by love, we saw this before, serve one another. You're doing this in love. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. How would you want to be treated in such a situation? You wouldn't want to have scorn poured all over you. You would want to be helped, wouldn't you? You would want a right spirit coming to you. where he says here, for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Well, this is the commandment. Where is that commandment found? This is love, the fulfilling of the law. Well, if you turn to Leviticus 19, you notice that it says there, and you notice there are references. put a stumbling block before the blind, and people would do that, terrible, wicked things. You know, a blind person, and people would laugh, throw a block in front of him, watch him fall. That's not love, is it? That's not kind? And there was severe occasion for reproof and correction with regards to that. Now it says, thou shalt not avenge. Verse 18 of Leviticus 19. nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people. This is important even when we are correcting and the person has been forgiven. Nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. See, there's the commandment. It's an old commandment. And love is the fulfilling of this law. It's the second table of the law, isn't it? First, we love God. And as a result, we love our neighbor as ourself. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Now if you turn to John chapter 13, I want you to see, and we've seen it before, that there are no new laws in the New Testament. Although it might seem to be, this love thy neighbor as thyself is only new in terms of how it's seen qualitatively in Christ. It says in John 13 verse 34, a new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Now we've already seen that we should love our neighbor as ourself, but it's new in this sense that it has never been seen in the perfection as it has been seen in Christ. This is why John says in 1 John 2, 7, brethren, I write no new commandment. There are no new commandments. But he says, but an old commandment. The old commandment, which you've heard from the beginning. That's the beginning of your faith, also the beginning. Love thy neighbor as thyself. But the Lord Jesus says, love one another as I have loved you. You keep turning the other cheek. You keep showing kindness. You love as Christ loved. You forgive as Christ forgave. You forgive your brother. You forgive your sister. It's new in that sense because nobody else ever is loved as Christ loved. And you know, this is how we're able to love one another, by thinking on the love that Christ has shown to us. That's how you love him now, as I have loved you. The person that cannot forgive others is not forgiven. What did the Lord Jesus say? He said, when you pray, pray, Father, forgive us our debts as we have been forgiven. God has shown us mercy. We need to show mercy and kindness to others. This is the law that he has said that he will put in the hearts of the Gentiles. Jeremiah 31, also Hebrews 10, I will put my law in their inward parts. It's the same law. There aren't new laws. It's the law of Leviticus 19, love thy neighbor as thyself. But now Christ indwells us. Well, how are we to bear one another's burdens? I can tell you there are many ways The first thing I would say is don't be a burden to other people. Do not be a burden to other people. Use somebody that complains incessantly. You know, there are people in churches who just complain. All they do is complain, and they don't do anything. There are some people who wear other people out with their voices, and they're a burden. You can weary people with your life stories on and on and on. where you are meant to lift other people up. You're not meant to impose yourself upon others and to be a burden on others. You know, you and I should be a blessing to one another, shouldn't we? Let me ask at home, are you somebody who comes home from work and you're always complaining? How difficult it must be for the wife or for the husband. after a hard day's work, to hear constant nagging on all day long. Well, you can't lift other people up and bear one another's burdens if you moan all the time. Do you take share of your responsibilities? Do you do your responsibilities in the church? That's another thing. Some people are given responsibilities, yet they have to be constantly reminded if you've done it. And sometimes you think, well, was it worth that person taking on responsibility. It's not a good thing, is it? That's how we can be a help. We are, as believers, to help one another in the church and to bear one another's burdens. But you can't bear one another's burdens if you are being a burden, if you are inflicting burdens on others. You're not a burden reliever, but you're a burden loader. We try to make life easy for other people. Are we conscientious? Are we thoughtful? Kind? It's so important, isn't it? We bear one another's burdens. Sometimes you need to put, and I need to put my feet in other people's shoes. You know, we often fail to do this, don't we? It's easy to criticize people But sometimes they have it far more difficult than us. And we have to bear those burdens. We are to bear one another's infirmities, particularly those who are younger in the faith. And remember, older, more mature Christians, they know less than you. But you better not be a stumbling block to them. That's no help, is it? The Lord said, that for some it had been better that they never would have been born if they caused little ones to stumble. You see, if Christ's Spirit is in you, you want the better for other people, don't you? You want to be a blessing. You don't want to be a burden on other people's lives. If you turn to Romans 15 verse 1, we read, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. In chapter 14 he has just got off speaking about those who in their weak conscience are troubled because some are eating food that was perhaps offered to an idol. Or they now have come to realize certain things, but the weaker brethren are struggling with these things. But here he says, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak notice and not to please ourselves. There's a lot of things we can say, I know I'm right on this and I don't care what he thinks. That's not love. That's not bearing one another's burdens. Sometimes we have to get into the shoes of other people and need to see where they're coming from. Now we never justify unbelief. We never justify a false gospel. We never justify certain things that are clearly wrong. But we need to have a right spirit, don't we? As we approach people. Notice, let every one of us notice verse 2, Romans 15. One of us please his neighbor for his good to edification, that is to build up. And then it says, for even Christ pleased not himself. But as it is written, the reproaches are them. The reproached thee fell on me. He bore the reproaches. He bore the suffering. He bore the indignation of men for the sake of his people, and so should we. But you see, when pride and haughtiness rule in the life of some of such deportment, when a man has such a vain high opinion of himself, He'll not be meek. He'll not be lowly to others. And he will not bear the burdens of other people. But he will be a burden to others. It's a terrible thing. Isn't it? When a man wants his pride, his knowledge, and yet he is so shallow. The man thinks too much of himself. This is what he goes on to say. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think of himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Friends, we are nothing. All of us are nothing. We are only what we are by the grace of God. Let us understand that. We believe our Bibles today. Who gave you that faith? It was of God. We've repented. Who gave you that? It was of God. He's worked everything in you. There was a day when you were in darkness, but God shed the light of the knowledge of his son into your hearts. If a man think of himself anything, to be something. When he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. You see how easily deceived we can be. We think we're something. We think we're important. But you know, there's only one really who is worthy, and that's our wonderful Savior. And therefore, we ought to be pleased if God might use us for the good of others. God who has shown us goodness and kindness and mercy, may we ever have a grateful and a gracious spirit one to another. May we ever look, look at the word here, it's interesting, may he examine himself, may he look, this man who is humbled by the grace of God, may he ever consider himself Consider the grace of God. Consider your sin. How was it that you once were? And how has God treated you? Not according to your just desserts, my friend, neither mine, but God in mercy has forgiven us in Christ Jesus. May God give us a good and right spirit Let the devil not make us feel special and superior, that we are better than other people. Beware of the devil. Beware, friends. We are only what we are by the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. May God ever humble us and make us to draw near to him. You who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Amen.