| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: Galatians |
Rusty's Notes
A Funny Little Story About Hymns and Praise Songs
By Author Unknown
An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the farmer. “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”
“Praise choruses?” asked the wife. “What are those?”
“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
The farmer said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you, ‘Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, in the CORN, CORN, CORN, COOOOORRRRRNNNNN,’ then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus.”
As luck would have it, the exact same Sunday a young, new Christian from the city church attended the small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the young man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.”
“Hymns?” asked the wife. “What are those?”
“They’re okay. They’re sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
The young man said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,
Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, glorious truth.
For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn chewed.
So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.
Then, if I were to do only verses one, three and four, and change keys on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”
Galatians 6:1-10
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. 2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.
6 The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher. 7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.[1]
Galatians 6:6-10
6 The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher.
- Paul is talking about sharing material goods for those who are teaching the Gospel.
- Not a tax like the Jews were required to pay to their rabbis.
- Leavener is not interested in taxing you a percentage or pressuring you to buy a ticket to the show.
- If the teacher is sharing “good news”, people will gladly share their good things.
7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.[2]
- Goods… not just money… are given to “Leavener”.
- Once they are given… there are no strings attached.
- Even the government understands that principle. (designated gifts vs unrestricted gifts).
- I have a pre-determined salary just like you do.
- The goods that come into our ministry do not determine my take home pay.
- The passage says to share goods with the teacher.
- It doesn’t say the counselor, the crisis manager, the burden carrier.
- My desire is to focus on the Word and teach the Word.
Galatians 6:1-5
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.
- “caught” – 2 points of view
- Either caught by someone else doing something wrong.
- Or caught by the sin itself… Like a cheetah on a gazelle.
- Either way, the “brother” is surprised or overtaken.
- “spiritual” – Those who are walking with and by the Spirit vs those who are acting “religious”.
- “gentleness” – A product of the Holy Spirit. (5:23)
- “tempted” – 2 points of views
- Either that the person restoring falls into the same temptation.
- Or that person becomes completely judgmental and places their self above the wrong doer.
2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.
- Not the Law given to Moses but Jesus’ interpretation of the Law of Moses.
- “Love the Lord… Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- “burden” – Heavy load
- Today, is the day when we hear over and over… “Never forget”.
- “Never forget” what?
- What they did to us?
- Those who lost their lives?
- How our lives were changed?
- How there was a deeper sense of community and family bonding?
- Tomorrow will be 9/12 and we will go about our business as normal.
- It is all about perspective…
- Line up – From the most positive person in the room to the most negative person in the room.
When you are struggling and you are seeking advice, you will do 1 of 3 things:
1) You will find someone (it may take you a few
people) to sympathize with you and They will say
what you want to hear. Someone that agrees with
you no matter if you are right or wrong.
2) You will go to someone for wisdom in a situation
and you will receive good advice but you come up
with every excuse not to pursue that advice. You
continue down the same path of destruction.
3) You will go to someone for wisdom, understanding and comfort and they will walk with you through the situation.
- Wisdom – See life from God’s perspective.
- Therefore it would make sense to know God.
- Advice for a successful marriage…
- Magic trick – Advice - “Walk by the Spirit”
- You either walk by the flesh or walk by the Spirit.
- Galatians 5
- So when people contact me it usually because of unwise behavior… otherwise known as foolishness… otherwise known as chasing selfish desires.
- So if they contact me, they are confessing their foolish pursuit.
- And I am going to point out to you that you are acting foolish by it being about yourself.
- I will encourage you to pursue God and walk by the Spirit in you.
- I will do this for a season…
- Think back to the bowling night when I was sick and those folks got hammered and then eventually divorced and none of their peers intervened in the process... why should that situation end up on my docket?
- Some falsely believe freedom is for the flesh rather than the spirit
- I expect to go through ups and downs with you… I get that we still have a flesh suit and bad habit patterns.
- My prayer is that you will see others around you that can do the same.
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ga 6:1–10). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
By Author Unknown
An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the farmer. “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”
“Praise choruses?” asked the wife. “What are those?”
“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
The farmer said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you, ‘Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, in the CORN, CORN, CORN, COOOOORRRRRNNNNN,’ then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus.”
As luck would have it, the exact same Sunday a young, new Christian from the city church attended the small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the young man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.”
“Hymns?” asked the wife. “What are those?”
“They’re okay. They’re sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
The young man said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,
Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, glorious truth.
For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn chewed.
So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.
Then, if I were to do only verses one, three and four, and change keys on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”
Galatians 6:1-10
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. 2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.
6 The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher. 7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.[1]
Galatians 6:6-10
6 The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher.
- Paul is talking about sharing material goods for those who are teaching the Gospel.
- Not a tax like the Jews were required to pay to their rabbis.
- Leavener is not interested in taxing you a percentage or pressuring you to buy a ticket to the show.
- If the teacher is sharing “good news”, people will gladly share their good things.
7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.[2]
- Goods… not just money… are given to “Leavener”.
- Once they are given… there are no strings attached.
- Even the government understands that principle. (designated gifts vs unrestricted gifts).
- I have a pre-determined salary just like you do.
- The goods that come into our ministry do not determine my take home pay.
- The passage says to share goods with the teacher.
- It doesn’t say the counselor, the crisis manager, the burden carrier.
- My desire is to focus on the Word and teach the Word.
Galatians 6:1-5
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.
- “caught” – 2 points of view
- Either caught by someone else doing something wrong.
- Or caught by the sin itself… Like a cheetah on a gazelle.
- Either way, the “brother” is surprised or overtaken.
- “spiritual” – Those who are walking with and by the Spirit vs those who are acting “religious”.
- “gentleness” – A product of the Holy Spirit. (5:23)
- “tempted” – 2 points of views
- Either that the person restoring falls into the same temptation.
- Or that person becomes completely judgmental and places their self above the wrong doer.
2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.
- Not the Law given to Moses but Jesus’ interpretation of the Law of Moses.
- “Love the Lord… Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- “burden” – Heavy load
- Today, is the day when we hear over and over… “Never forget”.
- “Never forget” what?
- What they did to us?
- Those who lost their lives?
- How our lives were changed?
- How there was a deeper sense of community and family bonding?
- Tomorrow will be 9/12 and we will go about our business as normal.
- It is all about perspective…
- Line up – From the most positive person in the room to the most negative person in the room.
When you are struggling and you are seeking advice, you will do 1 of 3 things:
1) You will find someone (it may take you a few
people) to sympathize with you and They will say
what you want to hear. Someone that agrees with
you no matter if you are right or wrong.
2) You will go to someone for wisdom in a situation
and you will receive good advice but you come up
with every excuse not to pursue that advice. You
continue down the same path of destruction.
3) You will go to someone for wisdom, understanding and comfort and they will walk with you through the situation.
- Wisdom – See life from God’s perspective.
- Therefore it would make sense to know God.
- Advice for a successful marriage…
- Magic trick – Advice - “Walk by the Spirit”
- You either walk by the flesh or walk by the Spirit.
- Galatians 5
- So when people contact me it usually because of unwise behavior… otherwise known as foolishness… otherwise known as chasing selfish desires.
- So if they contact me, they are confessing their foolish pursuit.
- And I am going to point out to you that you are acting foolish by it being about yourself.
- I will encourage you to pursue God and walk by the Spirit in you.
- I will do this for a season…
- Think back to the bowling night when I was sick and those folks got hammered and then eventually divorced and none of their peers intervened in the process... why should that situation end up on my docket?
- Some falsely believe freedom is for the flesh rather than the spirit
- I expect to go through ups and downs with you… I get that we still have a flesh suit and bad habit patterns.
- My prayer is that you will see others around you that can do the same.
- “The First Time” - MercyMe
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ga 6:1–10). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
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