Displaying the Fruit of the Spirit

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Church, Separation in

The story has been told of a small church affiliated with an exclusive “splinter” denomination. The members had cut out some gold letters and fastened them on the wall in front of the church. The letters said: “JESUS ONLY.”

One day a gust of wind blew away the first three letters. The sign then read, more accurately: “US ONLY.”

There is a real danger that every person in the church must be aware of…it only takes 1 person with selfishness ruling their hearts to begin creating separation within the body that can easily spread like cancer and before long will impact the body.

That is what happened in this church of Galatia…except it was a group of people proclaiming to be us only…Gentiles had to become Jews…Christ wasn’t enough, you need to live our way…

As we land this plane of our study through Galatians we observe that Paul has been exhorting the Galatian believers that because of grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are now free to help others instead of separating yourselves from one another.

In Chapter 5, Paul identified the two ways we can choose to live...

fulfilling the desires of the flesh

walking in the Spirit.

He contrasted those two ways by identifying the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

Now in Chapter 6, he provides a practical way for the fruit of the Spirit to be displayed…how you help others.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians Galatians 6: Help One Another

“It is easy to talk about the fruit of the Spirit while doing very little about it. So Christians need to learn that it is in concrete situations, rather than in emotional highs, that the reality of the Holy Spirit in their lives is demonstrated.”

James Boice

So what we have at the end of chapter 6 is a practical treatment for demonstrating the reality of the Spirit in our life.

Main Point: The Fruit of the Spirit Can Be Displayed in Practical Ways.

Paul already shared one way in the first 5 verses…bearing one another’s burdens…don’t take their backpack, but we lighten the load.

Much like what happens in the movie version of the Return of the King…Frodo has collapsed under the burden of being the ring bearer…his mission is almost done, but he cannot go any further…Sam comes along and says “Come Mr. Frodo, I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!” Then he proceeds to help him up the mountain.

Those walking in the Spirit display His fruit by helping their brother and sisters carry the burdens that crush them.

So as we finish chapter 6 lets look for 3 more ways to display the fruit of the Spirit.

Generous Sharing (6)

Galatians 6:6 “The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.”

This was supposed to be Pastor Matthew’s week to preach and I was thankful for that because he would have to deal with this verse and not me…but God has a sense of humor and so here I am.

Let me preface this verse by saying this…I am very blessed by your generosity to me and my family…you have provided far and above what we have needed.

It is not easy for pastors to talk about money from the pulpit…pastors sometimes get a bad rap of people thinking all the pastor talks about is money…

Paul speaks here to the responsibilities of both the teacher and the receiver.

Responsibility of the Teacher

The teacher must be faithful to expound the Word of God.

taught and teacher both come from the same word…it is the word we get catechism from…it refers to fundamentals of the faith.

The false teachers impacting the Galatians had deviated from the fundamentals…they weren’t faithful to the apostles teaching…they departed from the Scripture.

As much as I want you to be engaged in the preaching/teaching of the Word, my role is not to entertain you…my job (as well as all those who preach and teach the Word to you) is to proclaim the truth in such a way that your life is changed through the ministry of the Holy Spirit taking His Word and burning it upon your heart.

God commands me and all pastors to preach the Word…2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Being ready in season and out of season means when it is comfortable and when it is not comfortable... meaning there are going to be times when I and Matthew and John and others who share this pulpit to say things that are uncomfortable for us to talk about but need addressed because the Scripture addresses it.

So what that means is that every week you come and sit here there should be an expectation that you will hear the truth and not expect a dog and pony show.

What this verse means for me is that I must come prepared every week to speak truth and not make the ministry about producing a bigger and better dog and pony show.

Since God has equipped me with the ability and desire to teach His word, I cannot be stingy with it…I must be diligent to share with you what God has shared with me through his word

…you have that right to expect me to not just provide you with a few good “tips” but to faithful to teach the whole counsel of God (or at least as much as can be shared in a 30 minute window)

Would you be satisfied if I read just 2 verses of Hebrews 11 and simply say “Today’s thought is be faithful” God bless us everyone. Let’s go home.?

I don’t think so.

So teachers must be generous with the truth…if our church is going to be led by the Spirit, then we must be a church focused on the preaching/teaching of the Word.

Responsibility of the Receivers

Obviously there should be desire to learn…but Paul doesn’t say that.

“Share all good things with the one who teaches” — this would include food, money, whatever good things that are necessary and appropriate for their good welfare.

Paul encourages the believers to take care of those who teach them…why?

There must have been a need here in Galatia…otherwise he probably would not have mentioned it.

Remember the churches were led by elders appointed by Paul and Barnabas in every church they planted.

Perhaps the people had stopped supporting the ministry Paul had started here.

Perhaps they were infatuated with the false teaching and stopped supporting those who were teaching the truth.

Not sure why, but don’t miss the focus of what Paul is saying here…it is not money…it is Paul’s burden for the furtherance of the gospel.

Paul knew that God’s program involved the steady proclamation of His Word by faithful teachers and these teachers would be limited if they could not take care of their daily necessities.

By caring for the needs of the teachers, the church of Galatia would declare the value it placed upon the preaching and teaching of His Word.

Transition…1st way…Generous Sharing…2nd way...

Personal Holiness (7-8)

Galatians 6:7–8 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Here Paul talks about sowing and reaping, but not in relationship to money…it is in personal holiness.

The imagery Paul uses here is an agricultural analogy…sowing, reaping…the Law of the Harvest.

Holiness is a harvest…the seeds of holiness are your thoughts and deeds

Sowing seeds of the flesh...

Allowing your mind to harbor a grudge

Nursing a grievance

Entertaining an impure fantasy

Wallowing in self-pity.

Those are just some...Lingering in bad company that negatively impacts your thinking and behavior, staying in bed when you should be praying, neglecting time in the Word, and the list goes on…the more you sow the seeds of the flesh, the greater your harvest of the flesh.

Sowing seeds of holiness...

Faithfulness to read His Word consistently.

Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.

Being anxious for nothing, but in everything pray.

Disciplining yourself for righteousness

Paul issues a warning here…God is not mocked…choose your seeds wisely…

Surround yourself with godly people

Take your thoughts captive

Be fully engaged in your spiritual life

You cannot reap what you do not sow!

If you want to reap a harvest of holiness, then you cannot sow seeds of the flesh…if you continue to sow seeds of the flesh, you will reap a harvest of corruption.

Transition…1st way…Generous Sharing…2nd way…Personal Holiness…3rd way

Doing Good (9-10)

Galatians 6:9–10 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

Here Paul provides both encouragement and instruction.

Encouragement: Don’t lose heart in doing good

Compassionate ministry can wear you out…contending for the gospel can exhaust you…discouragement can come easily.

Don’t give up, keep sowing those seeds…keep loving, keep doing good, the harvest is out there, it just might take a while to see it…it could happen in the next life and not this one…in due time…

Instruction: Your life should be characterized by doing good

Universally we should love ALL our neighbors…being sensitive to the needs of our community…looking for ways to show mercy to those God brings to our attention.

Particularly we must take special care to be aware of those within our body…restoring a broken brother/sister…bearing burdens…tutoring those kids who need help…volunteering to babysit kids so parents can have time together…taking note of widows who need help and meeting those needs...

The last way Paul mentions here is perhaps the best way to display the fruit of the Spirit...

Live a Cross-Centered Life (11-18)

In these final verses Paul summarizes the entire letter…Christ is enough!

v. 11 — the large letters…emphasizes the importance of what Paul is going to say next…it would be equivalent to us using ALL CAPS AND BOLD PRINT in a letter.

He writes passionately with big letters…here is how you live a cross filled life that displays the fruit of the Spirit.

Be Humble

Galatians 6:12–13 “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.”

Look at the terms Paul uses to describe the false teachers...

manipulators who compel

compromisers who don’t want to be persecuted

hypocrites who don’t keep the law themselves

braggers who love to boast.

Either you glory in the flesh, or you glory in Christ…our culture is wrapped up in boasting…its all about me…what I want, look at me...

There is only one acceptable means of boasting…the cross…there is no room for pride at the cross…all we are and all we have is because of Christ, not us!

What are you doing to cultivate a life of humility and fight off pride…walk in the Spirit…look for the needs of others above your own.

Boast only about the Cross, not Self

Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

may it never be = strongest terminology Paul could use…trying to emphasize his point…DON’T EVER boast in anything except the cross.

Boast = means to glory in…to make much of…be consumed with…mastered by something…its deep, it comes from your center, your soul

Boasting in the cross means you place in your confidence in Christ and His work on the cross… not trusting in anything you do, but Christ alone…everything you have is a result of what Jesus did.

Treasure Christ, not the World

Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

The cross has a present power in our life…it frees us from the power of bondage to the world...

When Christ died, we died with him…we died to the world, we live for him…the world is not our treasure, Christ is.

Live as though this world has nothing to offer you and Christ is everything for you…Die to the world, live for Christ as your ultimate treasure.

Value Spiritual Transformation, Not External Ritual

Galatians 6:15–16 “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”

Internal change is what matters, not external rituals.

Remember we are new creations…2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

It’s about progressively becoming more like Christ…it’s not about trying harder, being a religious person…it is about allowing the Holy Spirit to impact your thinking and behavior moment by moment, choice by choice…you can do all the right things but if your heart has not been changed by Christ.

Walk in Truth, Not Error

Galatians 6:16 “And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”

rule= canon = measuring rod or carpenter’s rule = the standard by which we walk is the standard of the cross, the power of Christ to change us and the very course of our life.

Theology matters…Paul invokes peace and mercy upon those who choose to live according to sound theology…the health and life of the church is at stake...

Those who live cross-centered lives are not shaken by the turmoil they see in the world…they realize they are at peace with God, they have experienced his mercy and can share his mercy openly.

Seek to Please Christ, Not Man

Galatians 6:17–18 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”

Paul is saying that from now on he will not allow anyone or anything to alter his life or his teaching.

brand-marks — referring to wounds he has received for following Christ…this word is used of branding slaves…Paul was branded a slave for Christ...

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and he had the marks on his body to prove it…Paul did not avoid the persecution like the Judiazers did…for Paul we was willing to endure what ever it took to live for Christ.

We don’t need to go looking for trouble, it will find us…don’t be surprised by it…be ready for it…Jesus never promises life will be easy and free from suffering…He does promise to be with us in every moment, in every circumstance.

What brand-marks are you willing to endure to show you are a slave for Christ?

In verse 18, Paul comes full circle...It is all about Grace!

He began the book with a salutation of grace and now ends his letter with grace.

For Paul, it was all about the grace of the gospel. Teaching the truth of that gospel. Living the truth of that gospel.

It is all of GRACE!

Lesson for Life — The Greatest Practical Expression of Grace is LOVE!

Grace always shows itself in the care and concern of others.

Loving the lovely is a lot easier than loving the unlovely...It’s much easier when it costs nothing.

Yet Galatians teaches that God gives us the power through his Spirit to love others. When we are a new creation in Christ (Gal. 6:15), we have the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16–26) to step outside of our own self-centeredness and to think of others.

The goal is to go from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness to ministry-centeredness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can love and serve others.