GALATIANS 5:22 | FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT : JOY & PEACE

Notes
Transcript

TEXT: GALATIANS 5:22 | FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT : JOY & PEACE

INTRO

ILLUSTRATION: It was a couple years ago now, I was hunting by myself and I was sitting about halfway up the mountainside.
It was mid afternoon and the sun had been shining all day as I sat there just waiting for the sound of an elk or the site of something stepping out.
I noticed off in the distance a few clouds that began to form, but I didn’t think anything of it because the weather forecast had shown a 0% chance of rain.
But as time wen on the clouds began to get bigger and darker and they were moving right toward me.
All of the sudden off in the distance I began to hear some rumbling and what looked like some faint flashes.
I decided I would start walking down off the side of the mountain “just in case”
I was about 2 miles from my vehicle at that point, but I still wasn’t worried because how bad could a 0% of rain storm really get.
Well I found out.
The wind began to pick and up then there started to be a light drizzle
Before long the “drizzle” turned into rain and the thunder began to get much louder.
By this point I had begun running down the mountain toward the timber line, but it was too late.
The wind was whipping through and now the rain had turned into hail.
I found my way underneath a single lonely tree in the middle of a sagebrush mountainside as hail poured down all around me.
It continued on like this for what seemed like forever but was likely only 5-10 minutes.
When the hail slowed down enough I began picking up the pace as I hurried through the timber at that point.
I made it to a final sagebrush covered flat that I needed to cross to make it back to my vehicle only about 800 yards away at that point.
There was one problem, the hail had slowed but the lightening had picked up.
It seemed like it was all around me as the lightening would strike followed by the loud clash of the thunder.
The wind had not died down and I could hear trees snapping in the not so far distance.
I realized I could risk staying in the timber line with the trees falling or I could race across the sagebrush flat with the lightening striking.
I’m not sure it was the right decision but I began my sprint through the sagebrush trying to stay as low as possible.
I was the tallest thing on that hillside and I was carrying the only metal thing for miles.
Now, spoiler alert, I lived, but I can remember the anxiousness and even fear that I experienced on the mountain that day as that storm moved through around me.
APPLICATION: Storms have a way of shaking the foundations in our life.
For many, it is in the storms of life that you find yourself overcome with anxiety
With fear about what’s next
It leads to discouragement and sometimes to depression.
It just feels like no matter which way you turn, the hail is pounding down and the lightning is crashing all around you.
EXPLANATION: And yet, here in v.22, Paul gives us two more words that are slices of that fruit of the Spirit that should be evident in the life of the Christian.
Galatians 5:22 KJV 1900
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
When we first hear those words, we think of being happy all the time and everything always being calm and quiet in our life.
Joy and happiness, peace and calm seem to be tied together.
ILLUSTRATION: In our Awana club we sing the song with the kids, “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart… And I’m so happy”
EXPLANATION: And yet when Paul wrote that these slices of the fruit of the Spirit should be evident in the life of the Christian, Paul wasn’t singing “I’ve got the Joy down in my heart!”
These words that Paul mentions, joy and peace, are not emotions based in life circumstances, but rather firm, unwavering, realities in the Spirit filled Christian!
They are based not in the outcome of uncertain circumstances but in the confidence in an unchanging God.
For a few moments, let’s look at what these two realities are, and see how they should be evident in the life of the Christian

I. WHERE ARE THEY FROM

ILLUSTRATION: Our world is convinced that joy and peace is found in having things and the absence of problems.
That’s why all the politicians make the same two promises…
You will have more money, and they will solve all your problems.
Many Christians have fallen into the trap of believing that it is found when life is easy and you just have peace.
That is what Jonah believed.
Do you remember the story, God had told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach the Gospel to them.
Jonah 1:1–2 KJV 1900
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
But we all remember Jonah’s response
Jonah 1:3 KJV 1900
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah fled to what was then considered the end of the world, and found himself on a ship going away from what God had told him to do.
And so God sent a storm onto that water that rocked the boat to the point the mariners believed they were going to die.
Don’t you remember where Jonah was in the middle of that terrible, life threatening storm?
Jonah 1:5 KJV 1900
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
He was asleep!
I guess you could say he “had peace”
Peace for Jonah came in his disobedience to God.
Friend, that is a false peace!
EXPLANATION: No, joy and peace doe not come because the waves are calm and the sun is shining!
Real joy and real peace is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ!
It is grounded in a trust in an unchanging God!
In the night before His crucifixion, Jesus was with His disciples in the upper room and He knew everything that was about to come.
He knew of His betrayal
He knew of His capture
He knew of His false accusations
He knew of His beatings
He knew of His mockings
He knew of His unjust trial
He knew of His crucifixion.
And He knew that His disciples who had walked with Him the last 3 and a half years would have their world turned upside down.
And with all of that in mind, He told them in John 14:27
John 14:27 KJV 1900
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jesus knew that joy and peace would not come to the disciples because of outward circumstances… it would come because of an inner presence.
What was that inner presence… He told them in the verse just before v.27
John 14:26 KJV 1900
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Paul said it this way in Romans 14:17
Romans 14:17 KJV 1900
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
He said it again in Romans 15:13
Romans 15:13 KJV 1900
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is no wonder that Paul tied this all together for the Galatian believers by challenging them back in Galatians 5:16
Galatians 5:16 KJV 1900
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
APPLICATION: Friend if your joy and peace is wrapped up in the situations in your life, what is going to happen when your life is turned upside down?
True joy and peace must be rooted in the unchanging nature of God… in Christ… in the Holy Spirit that dwells within you!
Happiness will come and go with the situations of life… but real joy and real peace is not based in circumstances!
ILLUSTRATION: We were at the ocean and the kids were having a blast playing in the water.
May perfect day at the beach is much different.
I usually have a long sleeve swim shirt on and I sent on a chair under a canopy… that’s my idea of a great day on the beach!
They would only go a little way out because the waves could knock them over, so they stayed in the fairly shallow water.
After a lot of begging, Jayce and Kynoa convinced me to go out in the water with them.
As we went out, the water got deeper and deeper, until they could no longer touch the bottom.
At one point I acted like I was going to let Kynoa go and she started to panic, and I quickly brought her back in close.
Amidst the laughter and the splashing over and over again, they repeated the same phrase.
“Daddy, don’t let go.”
You see as long as they knew I wouldn’t let go, they were at peace and had joy, even in the midst of the waves.
APPLICATION: Friend, can I let you in on a secret of how you can have real peace and joy?
Remember Who is holding on to you!
Hebrews 13:5 KJV 1900
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Romans 8:38–39 KJV 1900
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isaiah 43:2 KJV 1900
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
There are some of you here this morning and your joy and your peace is because of your job
But what if that job goes away
There are some of you here and your joy and your peace is in your kids.
Praise God for children… they really do bring so much happiness into our lives.
But what happens when they aren’t doing things that bring us happiness?
What happens when there is rebellion and disobedience?
There are some here that your joy and your peace is tied to your health
But what happens when your health isn’t good?
What happens when you get a call from the doctor and they mention one of those terrifying diagnoses?
There are some that your joy and your peace is tied to your spouse.
But what happen God takes them home before you were ready or expecting?
You see, the truth is our peace and our joy must come from the Lord and be wrapped up in Him because He never changes.
And there is only one way that you and I can truly know if that is where they are…

II. HOW THEY ARE SHOWN

EXPLANATION: The test of our joy and our peace, is not when life if going great and the sun is shining.
The test is in the midst of the overwhelming waves of life.
ILLUSTRATION: Job was a godly man.
The Bible described Job in the very first verse of the book baring his name
Job 1:1 KJV 1900
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Eschewed evil literally means he ran from it!
Not only was Job a godly guy, but his family was too.
Job 1:4–5 KJV 1900
And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job offered sacrifices on their behalf, not because they were openly in sin… but just in case they had sinned in their hearts!
We know the story, Satan determines that he is going to get Job to turn his back on God.
In 6 verses, Job went from the richest and most blessed man in all the land, to the poorest most heart broken man you could imagine.
Everything had been taken from Job!
But the most stunning part of Job’s story is his response to everything being taken away in v.20-22
Job 1:20–22 KJV 1900
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
In the midst of unthinkable devastation, Job fell on His face before God and he worshipped God!
How?
Because his peace and his joy was not based in the circumstances of life, but in an unchanging God
And the storms in Job’s life proved it!
APPLICATION: Church, I don’t recommend that you pray for storms.
There are certain things I am absolutely terrified to pray for.
“Lord, increase my faith.”
In the next two years, 6 family members and a dog died unexpectedly.
“Lord, give me patience.”
He’s gonna put someone in front of you driving 35 in a 55!
Friend, you don’t have to ask God to show you were your peace and joy is in…
The situations and circumstances of life will show you that soon enough.
And when they come, what will the storms of life reveal?
ILLUSTRATION: The story of the prodigal son is one of the most familiar stories in the Scriptures
I love the wonderful picture it gives of the wondering son returning to the father and finding him with his arms open wide.
But one of the most fascinating parts of the story of the prodigal son, is that when Jesus told the story, his emphasis wasn’t on the prodigal son!
You see at the start of Luke 15:1-2 the Bible says
Luke 15:1–2 KJV 1900
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Here was an opportunity for the religious crowd to rejoice with joy and know peace because, praise God, Jesus receives sinners.
But instead they murmured.
So Jesus goes on to give 3 illustrations.
The first is of a man that lost a sheep and he left the 99 to find the one and when he found the one v.6 says
Luke 15:6 KJV 1900
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
The second story is that of a woman that lost a precious piece of silver.
And verse 9 says
Luke 15:9 KJV 1900
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
And then Jesus comes to his final story of the lost son… the prodigal.
But here is the part we miss… v.11
Luke 15:11 KJV 1900
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
You see after the brother returned home, the father prepared a feast of rejoicing and called everyone to the house, and if the story ended in v.24, it would be wonderful, but look at the verses that follow:
Luke 15:25–32 KJV 1900
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
He had an opportunity to have joy and peace over what made the father happy!
But installed he was robbed of his joy and his peace because the circumstances of life didn’t go the way he had wanted.

CONCLUSION

Church, are you being robbed of the joy and the peace God intends for you to have in your life because of the circumstances and storms you’ve been through?
Could it be today that you aren’t walking in the Spirit and it’s evident because of the lack of these slices of the fruit of the Spirit in your life?
ILLUSTRATION: You know, on that day in the mountain, there was only one place that I finally found real peace and joy…
It was when I made it back to my vehicle and got inside.
Here’s the thing, the rain was still falling, the thunder was still rolling, the lightening was still crashing.
But I knew I was secure inside the vehicle.
APPLICATION: Friend, true peace and joy is not found in the absence of storms.
True peace and joy is found in Christ in the midst of the storm!
This morning, who or what are you trusting in for your peace and joy?
Have the storms and trials of life revealed its in something other than Christ?
This morning put your confidence in the only place real peace and joy can be found.
And when you do, you will find yourself taking another step walking in the fruit of the Spirit!
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more