The Holy Spirit, A Fruit Producer
Notes
Transcript
Intro; As we continue to study the Holy Spirit of God, I want us to make a correlation between what I preached last week to what I’m going to preach this morning.
Correlation- a mutual relationship, interdependence between two or more things
Last Sunday morning I preached on the “The Holy Spirit, A Gift Giver”, where all born again believers receive a spiritual gift/gifts [special abilities, empowered by the Holy Spirit] to serve the Lord.
I also showed you that when we are not using those spiritual gifts we are essentially walking in the flesh.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
So the correlation I want to make between last week and this morning is this; “when we walk, serve and live in our Spiritual Gifts, then we will produce Spiritual Fruit!”
This morning I want to preach on “The Holy Spirit, A Fruit Producer”
Text; Gal. 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Paul makes a great contrast here between works and fruit [ref. vs. 19-21]. Works are something that you do, motivated by your flesh. But fruit is something produced through you by the Holy Spirit as we respond to his urging.
The sources are different, and their outcomes are different. Just as the works of the flesh are visible to all, so also is the fruit of the Spirit. You can’t miss it. And make no mistake: fruit always bears the character of the tree that produces it.
Matthew 7:17–18 (NKJV)
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Fruit of the Spirit- singular not plural. That means that every believer should manifest every virtue of fruit in their life as they walk with God and serve Him!
All nine virtues of the Fruit of the Spirit that are listed by Paul are interconnected and never stand alone. But this morning I want to break them into three categories of purpose as we keep them connected in use.
1. Fruit of Love, Joy & Peace; 22a
1. Fruit of Love, Joy & Peace; 22a
The first three manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit find their source in our personal relationship with God.
Love [agape]- love that is devoted to the well being of others. It reflects personal choice, not emotions or feelings, but to self sacrifice. Love is the supreme virtue of Christian living modeled after our Savior,Jesus Christ!
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Love forms the foundation for all the other virtues of Spiritual Fruit listed!
Joy - inner rejoicing that abides despite our outer circumstances. Joy doesn’t just come when everything is good, but also when things are at their worst. [Ills.] Jesus talking with disciples before His crucifixion.
John 16:16–22 (NKJV)
16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Joy in Jesus remains even in the deserts and valleys of life!
Peace - peace is not the absence of chaos, it’s trusting God in the midst of it. Peace has no relationship to circumstances, but to God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
John 14:1 (NKJV)
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:27 (NKJV)
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The peace of God reminds us He’s still in charge when everything else is going crazy!
2. Fruit of Longsuffering, Kindness & Goodness; 22b
2. Fruit of Longsuffering, Kindness & Goodness; 22b
The second three manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit deal with the believer’s relationship to others
Longsuffering- patience, putting up with people who irritate or inflict injuries on us. Being slow to anger.
This can include enduring our own family, kids, co-workers, being in traffic in Atlanta, etc…
15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Kindness- concern for others as God has concern for us. Kindness takes the initiative in responding to other people’s needs
2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Goodness- Reaching out to do good to others, even if they don’t deserve it. Uprightness of soul.
Now this goes beyond helping with material needs, it goes along with kindness, doing the right thing.
[Ills.] Joseph was a righteous man but also a good man. When he found out Mary was pregnant, assuming she had been unfaithful, he would not marry her [righteous according to the law], but he also would not disgrace her publicly [goodness out of his care for her].
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
The fruit of our relationship with others stems from the fruit of our relationship in Christ.
3. Fruit of Faithfulness, Gentleness & Self-Control; 22c-23
3. Fruit of Faithfulness, Gentleness & Self-Control; 22c-23
The last three manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit represent the general conduct and character of the believer led by the Spirit.
Faithfulness- reliable, trustworthy, loyal
It’s easy to be faithful when everything is going your way, but real faithfulness shows up when times are hard.
Matthew 26:39 (NKJV)
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
Gentleness- humble, submissive to God while being considerate of others. Gentleness is a two sided coin.
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
Self-control -apply restraint; restraining sinful passions and desires; overcoming temptations. Jesus was never tempted or tricked into doing anything contrary to His Fathers will. And neither should we!
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The Spirit produces His Fruit in our lives as we grow in our relationship with Christ through Him.
4. No Law Against It; 23b-25
4. No Law Against It; 23b-25
God gave the law to make people aware of their sin and the need of a Savior
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But there is no law against the Fruit of the Spirit. They are neither sinful nor evil. Everyone might not agree with them or even like them, but the believer is commanded to live in them [vs. 24-25]
Close;
The believer who walks in the Spirit and manifests His fruit does not need a system of law to produce the right attitudes and behavior—they rise from within him.
John 15:1–5 (NKJV)
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.