Fruit of The Spirit: Love

ILLUSTRATION: I didn’t have fruit trees growing up, BUT... Pecan tree in our backyard growing up VS the squash plants in our garden - loved the pecans, got sick of the squash. So you can tell which one I preferred and which I left alone.

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Important Facts about The Fruit Of The Spirit

(PPT) NOT many by one fruit

The FRUIT of the spirit is singular - all or nothing. As I’m looking for some kind of graphic regarding the fruit of the spirit every single time what someone makes is all these different types of fruit with one of these assigned to each one of them. But that’s the wrong picture! The best way to illustrate it is as one piece of fruit with all of them inside of it.

(PPT) You can’t pick and choose

Many will go through here and pick out the one they like the best and the one that they’re developing and leaving the rest aside...But it doesn’t work like that.

Why? Because you’re either striving to be fully like Jesus or not at all, there’s no in between. We don’t get to pick the parts of Christianity of Jesus that we like and make up the rest or the rest.

Consider this - we’re only as spiritually mature as our weakest trait in this list. We’ve got to find out where we’re lacking so we can actively work on maturing what needs to be matured, and not ignore or be working against how the Spirit is trying to work.

That’s why a series like this is so important for us and I hope that you keep going with us in it. It’s a vital point of growth for Christians.

1 Peter 2:2 “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,”.

God expects us to grow! If I’m the exact same as when I was baptized, then I’m not walking in faith as I should. God doesn’t expect miraculous, but He does expect progress. My worldly life is what He saved me out of.

God’s people have a special criteria of how our life should be.

(PPT) It’s a Reflection of God

And that criteria is a reflection of Christ in the world. Enter the topic of the fruit of the spirit, characteristics of God that we are supposed to be growing in. Acts 2:38 tells us who this is for. When you have your sins washed the good news doesn’t end there, but the Holy Spirit will work on you from the inside out when you are working in the right direction too.

You have to ask the question during this “Is that me?” As we’re studying this, we’re learning that not only this is what I should be, but it’s exclusively for Christians that God is working and instilling in us to make us like him from the inside out. It’s a complete change of life that reflects the character of God.

As we’re studying this, we’re learning that not only this is what I should be, but it’s exclusively for Christians that God is working and instilling in us to make us like him from the inside out. It’s a complete change of life that reflects the character of God.

(PPT) A Process

Additionally, we need to understand that it’s not instant. There’s a growth process.

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.” Literally this versus to keep moving along the guided path and keep conforming to. Ongoing!

How? The Word, pray for transformation, and be faithful in the small things not just looking for big moments of heroism.

(PPT) Vital, not just “nice”

It’s VITAL for Christians, not just nice. Often when I hear the fruit of the spirit referred to in the church, we almost treated as if it’s for our little ones. YET there are many who are considered life-long members of the Church who are lacking in mature fruit seen in Gal.5.

(PPT) NOT basic/easy

That means that this isn’t something that is just “basic” church teaching or beginner level… . It’s for the mature and the maturing, it’s for the adult who still need a radical change of life. It’s as serious as any doctrinal discussion.

You should look here in addition to 1 Tim & Titus when looking for capable men to serve as elders and deacons as well.

(PPT) A Choice not emotions

The fruit of the Spirit is not a feeling it’s a choice. I’ll speak more on that in a moment.

(PPT) NOT Just for your benefit

All of the traits are something produced in us, but certainly not just for our selves.... Think about this: Does a tree consume it’s own fruit? What then is the purpose of bearing fruit? It’s to be seen, it’s to provide sustenance, and ultimately it’s to plant more seeds for growth.

So, the purpose of the fruit of the Spirit is not just about personal spiritual fulfillment. It’s meant to be IMPACTFUL and REPRESENTATIVE.

Matthew 7:17 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.” - There will be “fruit” or results in your life.

My question for you now and for the rest of this series is this: “Are you ready to grow?” It takes time, effort, and energy, and the encouragement of one another. I hope you’ll stay with us during this study.

Have you ever grown? Growth isn’t a question of Gods ability to transform you, but your willingness to do so. None of the list “comes naturally” to anyone. But God promises it for those that are willing and continually striving in faith.

Love Is...

Fruit, Harvest, the RESULT of the Spirit working in you, and striving forward to keep in step with Him.

(PPT) NOT about tolerance, acceptance, or feelings. (OUR WORLD)

(PPT) “agape”, not an emotion, but it manifest itself in ACTION

Love is doing for someone that which they need, even if they don’t know it’s what they want.

Example: Jesus coming to die on a cross for us.

(PPT) “Agape” Originates with God

NEW to us, not to God – John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

You can never “check it off” as done!

Romans 13:8–10 “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not work evil against a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.”

It originates with God, unnatural to us, we can never love enough...it’s IMPOSSIBLE for us to accomplish then!

AGAPE is impossible!... without God.

It only comes from Him. Can an unholy person make himself holy? No. Can we make ourselves more like Jesus? NO! So how can we love one another as He loved us? How do I grow in this way?

It’s only by the WORK of God. The Spirit is working to grow you in His image as. The Spirit grows us as we willingly keep in step with the guidance found in the Word of God. That’s not just filling our head, its doing something as well.

Love One Another

Maybe you’re in the “Peter Stage”

(PPT) John 21:15 - Notice the wording here that continues through all 3 questions/answers

Peter is saying “I don’t get what you’re asking of me” to which Jesus says “you will over time if you do this...”

My paraphrase of Jesus’ instruction: “Feed the young followers with the Word of God. Walk alongside all of them and assist them in everyday things. And don’t forget to speak to the grown sheep with the word too. DON’T LEAVE ANY OF THEM! MAKE IT YOUR GOAL TO GET PEOPLE TO HEAVEN!”

How are you going to love with action?

WARNING: You don’t love in order to get something in return.

Illustration: getting my wife McCalisters/pickle chips during pregnancy. “Hey remember when I did this for you 43 times, so can you…and I got 42 left of those”.

(PPT) You don’t love because someone’s been good to you. You make the decision I’m going to love them no matter what.

WARNING: Love isn’t an “IF” Love: if you do this or if you don’t do that.

Doesn’t keep score of who’s blessed us or wronged us, not keeping petty grievances. That’s conditional love, and that’s wrong.

It’s not saying/doing the “correct” things with the wrong heart/motive. 1 Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Love is “regardless” of your flaws, your failures, the way you keep that raggedy look on your face, regardless that you don’t deserve it, regardless of whatever I choose to love you...That’s Godly love. A choice.

Love of God and Loving God

Romans 5:6–8 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

What was the right rime? When we were most sinful, when I was the most defiant, when I was the most anti-God, when i was the rudest, meanest, harshest, nastiest sinner.

Because of that moment, Jesus made the choice to die on my behalf. Because He knew that it’s what I needed. We all were hard to love. But He chose to anyway.

And in return, I am learning to love God back.

Notice what Jesus said beginning in Luke 10:25-29. (Love the Lord Your God...) And Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan to show him and us “You got your priorities wrong. Don’t be concerned about who is helping you. Be most concerned about God first who also wants you to look to others needs second, and your last.” Because Jesus ends it by saying “You go be a neighbor”.

Loving God means choosing His ways to please Him, not doing it kicking rocks and grumbling. AGAPE isn’t an emotion! It’s not something you fall in and out of or that's thrust upon you against your will. God wants you to choose Him.

If we truly love God with all our effort, then we will learn to love anyone around us. We love others best when we love God the most.

Love For The Benefit of The World

This world is a spiritual wilderness that tries to zap any bit of godly moisture. The world craves love without even knowing it because it’s so deprived.

I need to have a love for the lost.

People need another option than sinful depravity, something else to look to.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

We MUST bear good fruit for them to see so they know what that better way is.

Conclusion:

Don’t be a spiritual cul-de-sac. What do I mean? A cul-de-sac is a street that doesn’t go anywhere—it just loops back on itself. Love isn’t meant to just circle around you. It’s meant to flow outward, impacting others. Christians aren’t meant to be consumers, we are investors. But you’ve got to be willing to make the payments.

Are you growing? Are you choosing to grow? Have you been to the starting line of baptism so that you can live a life of faith and grow in the fruit of the spirit?