Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levytam.

Gideon Levytam: The study of the book of Galatians chapter 6. You see brothers and sisters the challenges that we are facing today we are not only liable to deceive ourselves. We are not only being deceived or liable to be deceived by the world, the deceivers around the world and we are not only we are also capable or liable to be deceived by Satan. And that's why we constantly are exhorted to be cautious and careful and to walk in the spirit and not in to walk in the lust of the flesh and not to think of ourselves as we can trust ourselves.

No, we can deceive ourselves. Satan deceives men. Deceivers in the world deceive men. And that's why Paul is saying listen if any man think himself, if any brother in your midst Galatians in any sisters in your midst Galatians he said a think himself to be something when he is or she is nothing he or she deceive herself. But let the man let every man prove his own work and then shall he or she in that case we can add to it every rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. Apparently those ones that came from Jerusalem and sought to influence the believers from among the to tell them you must be circumcised and you must keep the law of Moses otherwise you are not really saved.

They thought oh we have kept the law of Moses. We are circumcised. And today in the last days of the church age others say that we are baptized. We have gone through this kind of a ceremony or this another kind of a ceremony and we are not like them. And Paul says no no no he says if any man think of himself something you better be careful because you are really in the danger of deceiving yourself. But then he says in verse 4 it says let a man not a verse for let every man prove or examine his own or pay attention to his own work.

What is he? What is she doing? How are they behaving? And then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and he and not in another. You know what's happened? I remember years ago when we used to go on the streets and hand out tracts and every one of us came at the end of the time and every one of us show how many people we led to the Lord. So we said well I've led 12 this afternoon. Look at the list. The other one says I have led seven. Look at my list. As if it was us who have led someone to accept Yeshua the Messiah.

We might be used as vessels but we have to be extremely careful not to exalt oneself. It's the same thing can be in many other areas. I have done that and I've accomplished this and I've achieved this kind of work and so on. Paul is saying every man prove or examine or a pay attention to your own work. How do you do the work of the Lord? How do you live your life? He's really searching all of our hearts. He's challenging the Galatians. He's challenging us. And he's telling us you better examine how you are conducting yourself and if you have done well he's saying to them he says you will receive a rejoicing for yourself and not an account of someone else.

That's what the Apostle Paul is charging Galatians to remember. Now brothers and sisters listen. One day we are going to stand before the Lord and we're going to have to give an account like the Galatians as how we behaved, how we how was our work here in this world? Did we follow the fruit of the spirit? And again I want you to look at this or did we follow the works of the flesh? If you look at the charts that we have you notice that either first of all you'll see the works of the flesh, you know adultery, fornication, uncleanness and so on.

All these works of the flesh. How did we conduct ourselves and we can say many time Lord I've blown it. On the other hand if you look at the fruit of the spirit is it we brought love, joy, peace, shalom, long suffering, meekness, goodness, faith, gentleness, temperance. How did I work? In other words did I do what I did for the glory of God or did I do it in order to think myself or to get myself some sort of a points instead of being humble before the Lord and acknowledging that everything that we have accomplished, we have done it in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the power of the flesh.

So Paul was very practical and specifically when he speak here to the Galatians in chapter 6 and he wants them to see that to see that perhaps somebody who have told them that they had to be circumcised and some of them got circumcised. So that person who got them circumcised says well I got now 20 that are circumcised. Wow, I've done so. Or maybe if we got some people baptized or wow look at the list that I have. I got so many here. I did it rather than to do it allowing that the Lord will be the one that will be receiving the glory and not to think of oneself above what we have to think and not to deceive ourselves.

And I notice in verse 5 we're going to move along and then in verse 5 he says listen every one notice for every man shall bear his own burden. Every man shall burn his own burden. This verse is a portione in the Greek. In Hebrew it says massa in Hebrew. Now years ago somebody says listen there's a contradiction in the Bible because in verse 2 it says bear ye one another's burden and then in verse 5 it says every man should bear his own burden. You see there's a contradiction in the Bible one might say.

But do you think the Apostle Paul didn't know what he said? He knew very well what is a what you and I have in English burden. In the Greek is completely different word. The one the first one is baos which apply to the failure and the heaviness that people go through in their life. That's why we are called to bear one another's burdens and bear one another's heaviness and failure and help them to be lifted up. But then in verse 5 is bear your own burdens. There is a different word is portione and really simply it mean bear your responsibility, bear your obligation.

Don't demand that from someone else. Two different words in the Greek gives us in the English the same name burden. The Hebrew word is massa is something that we carry but the one we carry for another the other one we carry our own responsibility. You know sometime I'm fascinated how people don't have realization that they are also responsible. You know brothers and sisters we are all responsible in the things of the Lord. You are you and I are all responsible. We cannot neglect the responsibility that we have even in local fellowship, in local assembly. How do you think just to make to be practical how do you think this so-called holy scriptures in Israel a ministry runs?

Is it a one man show? If it's a one man show it's wrong. Every one of us have some responsibility. That why often time we request help because the work of the Lord is not one man show. Every one has to be responsible in one way or another to help to build. We have so many broken homes and broken assemblies, broken churches and broken fellowship. Unless we work together and take some burden on our own shoulder we will never be able to enjoy the blessing of serving the Lord and to receive from the Lord that statement well done good and faithful servant.

And that's why the bear ye one another burden mean you help others when they are in trouble. And then every man should bear his own burden, take responsibility, fulfill your obligation rather than to blame somebody else or he doesn't do it or she doesn't do it. You see how how the Apostle Paul is very practical. See faith in the Messiah bring give us salvation. But to be walking here in this world to fulfill the requirement of the Lord here on earth means that we have to do something in response to the things of the Lord.

And that's what the Apostle Paul is emphasizing. The first burden is baos heaviness and problems of others. The second burden is portione which speaks about personal obligation and responsibility that every one of us have. For every man shall ought to need to bear his own responsibility and take your responsibility for the glory of God and for the blessing of the brethren and do your responsibility fulfill that. Paul is saying a to the Galatians brothers and sisters. So here we are. We covered the first five verses of Galatians in chapter 6 that need to bear one another burden and Paul is encouraging the Galatians to do so.

And we encourage each other a to do so as well. But now let's move along for verse 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 five more verses. In this second portion there's a need not only of bearing one another burden but also sharing with one another the blessing both physical, material and spiritual blessing that we need to share with one another. And you notice how he began here. This is a passage that we often those of us that are in full-time ministry don't like to talk about it. But you notice what the Apostle Paul is saying here in verse 6 he says let him that is taught in the word communicate or share unto him that teaches in all good things.

Now many time because of the responsibility because we don't like to talk about the necessity of the brothers and sisters to support the ministry of the Lord. We have to realize that the Lord's work is not going to be sustained on air. Just the same like a person go to a job on Monday morning and earn his living. What do you think the spiritual leaders and the Bible teachers are doing? They do the same thing except that instead of going to work to earn living they're earning through their ministry. And so the Apostle Paul is amazing that he's including here the practical necessity of the people of God to support the ministry of the Lord.

And you notice what he says. He says he's listen let him that is taught in the word take the responsibility and communicate and share unto him the teaches in all good things. In other words there is a responsibility of the people of God to support the work of the Lord. Brothers and sisters listen. No missionary can go to the mission field and get there without people supporting him or her on the mission field. No one who is occupied with the things of the Lord in teaching, in ministry, in pastoring and in any ministry can support himself unless he has a big business somewhere.

So Paul is saying to the brethren listen you know you have responsibility he's saying to the brethren in Galatia. So listen him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches. There is their responsibility. Years ago I was was uncomfortable to read texts like that lest the people would say oh here we go again. These preachers always ask for money. Well I could jump to verse 7 if you want and I can forget a verse 6. But that's what is written here. We happened to fall or verse 6. Let me show you something.

First Corinthians chapter 9. First Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7. This is very interesting because Paul was very practical. He wanted the brothers and sisters to understand that they have responsibility to minister to those who are teaching them and ministering them and pastoring them and and visiting with them, spending the time with them. Listen what he says in in first Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard and eat not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

Say I these things as a man or say as not the Lord the same also? For it is written in the law of Moshe thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for his own? Verse 10 says or says he eat all together for our sake. For our sake no doubt this is written that he that plower should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Paul is saying?

Look at verse 15. He continue that very interesting because in verse 14 even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Now I tell you it's not nice to say it. Better to jump over these kind of verses because the moment you start to talk about support and money we always feel uncomfortable about it. But in reality the servants of the Lord need to be supported by God's people. And that is a principle. By the way it's not only principle today in the church in the assembly age.

You know what God said to Israel in Deuteronomy the the book of Deuteronomy chapter 12 and chapter 14 don't forget the responsibility that you have to the to the Levites. They are serving in the temple. You have a responsibility to meet their need. They didn't have a portion in the in in Israel in that sense of the land but they were serving in the temple. And the rest of the tribes of Israel were responsible to provide for the Levites. The Levites didn't need to run after them. They needed to take this responsibility and to do so.

And thank God I mean I'm sometimes fascinated. People that never sat under my teaching supported me over the years, never heard me except sometime through the internet or sometime through another way. It's is amazing how the Lord provides. He doesn't force anybody to do so. He provide he finds a way to provide. It's very humbling when you really think about it. People who never see you. You never go to their meetings to preach and teach them. And yet the Lord laid on their hearts to support you and to help in the ministry of the gospel.

I often think about the cost that we have to pay for the radio but the radio programs are running and every month we have to pay a bill. And their radio station doesn't say brother Gideon trust in the Lord. Holy Scriptures in Israel don't worry we will pay your rates. No, they send a bill. And the bill has to be paid. And yet the Lord provide beyond what we have imagined. It's really humble my heart when I really think about it. I told you this years ago that I was on a train traveling to Toronto from St.

Catherine's and I sat down on the train I read my Bible and there was this man that never knew me before saw me reading my Bible. Apparently he was also a a Bible teacher and missionary. And he saw me reading my Bible he says what are you doing? He said I'm I'm going to Toronto I have a Bible class to teach. Then we we share I'm a Jewish believer in Yeshua the Messiah. The Lord saved me and I'm so thankful for that. And he said thank God he he loved the Jewish people, loved Israel, wanted to support Israel.

So when he left the train after a few station I'm putting my Bible back in my case and I find an envelope with a little bit of money there for the work of the Lord. And I was just saying to myself Lord I don't know the man. I don't know who he is but one thing he was moving my heart how the Lord provide far behind what we even ask or think. So Paul is teaching the brothers and sisters listen if you are going to be benefiting from the from teaching well you have some responsibility communicate unto him that teach you.

You've been taught communicate. In other words there's a responsibility and he continue and in verse 7 he says listen don't you think that you deceive God? Look what he said in verse 7 be not deceived. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. In other words listen he's saying listen you and I can never mock God. We might deceive ourselves but he says you know it's it's beautiful the way he said it. Listen don't be deceived brethren, brothers and sisters of the Galatians. He says listen God he's not mocked.

Everything that you sow in your life you're going to end up to reap it. He's saying to us, he's saying to the Galatians. In other words whenever we do things for God whenever we do things that are of the new nature, of the divine nature we eventually going to reap. And we're going to reap blessing. We're going to reap joy. We going to reap rewards from the Lord. But whatever we do in the flesh whatever we do, whatever we sow in our life that which is dishonoring unto the Lord we eventually going to reap the consequences of our wrong doing.

And we know that brothers and sisters don't we know how many a time we should have done something and we haven't done it and we made the wrong decision. We fail, we stumble, we sinned. And then later on we find out oh boy how I fail the Lord and later on it catch us. And we look back and we say boy I see the result. I shouldn't have done what I've done. I shouldn't have gone in that direction. I should have behaved the way I behaved. I should have honored the Lord. I should have waited on the Lord.

He says listen don't be deceived. God is not mocked. There is a principle. There is a principle. There is a law. The law that is whatever we sow we are going to reap. Whatever we sow we continue notice in verse 8 is linking verse 8 with this. He says really there's two kind of results which can we can expect from our sowing. He says he that soweth to his flesh okay shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the spirit of the spirit shall reap life everlasting. You see what he say really there are only two results.

If doing our lifetime as believers now now of course it's apply to every one in the world but for believers in Galatia and for us today there's a principle. Every time we sow to the flesh from the flesh we're going to reap corruption. Every time we sow to the spirit from the spirit we are going to reap life everlasting. Whenever we sow things that are for the flesh we will get flesh. Flesh bring flesh. Whenever we sow to the spirit to the spirit we will reap a life everlasting. Paul is saying notice the flesh reap corruption, the spirit reap life.

The flesh bring sadness and sorrow. The spirit is the new nature bring blessing. And shalom to the people of God. And now he's closing this portion in verses 9 and verse 10 and he's telling giving an assurance to the Galatians. He's encouraging them the Galatians in verse 9. He is telling them in that verse he says let us that is you Galatians and I let us not be weary in well doing. For in due time we shall reap if we faint not. Let us even though we sometime get discouraged and sometime there are things happening in our life which cause us to be you might say disappointed and sad and maybe things are not so easy.

Maybe we have problems that arises in our life. He says listen brethren he's saying to them listen don't be discouraged. Let us not be weary in well doing. Do well. Continue to to sow seed to the spirit rather than to the flesh and you will see that in due season sooner or later you are going to reap blessing. You are going eventually to be rewarded if you just continue on and sow to the spirit. And notice finally in verse 10 and I'm going to conclude with verse 10 and we have he says as we have where for opportunity let us do good to all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

In other words brothers and sisters of the Galatians let us make sure that every opportunity that we have to do good, let us do good to all men. Unbelievers and believers relative and non-relative. But he says here especially unto them which are of the household of faith. In other words don't forget to take care of one another, make sure that you are being used by the Lord to be builders so you will be able to edify the people of God. Don't neglect to use every opportunity to do good to all men but especially unto them who are of the household of God.

You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom shalom.