Fruit of the Spirit: Love

Introduction

Over the last few weeks we have talked about the cost of discipleship, very tough sermons, this week we are going to take a dive into the fruit that will be produced if you take the cost of discipleship seriously.

Our conversation will be guided by the list found in Galatians 5:22-24. Each week we will look at part of the fruit mentioned and dive into what it looks like to have that fruit present in your life

Galatians 5:22–24 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

This week the section of the fruit we will look at is, love. A topic we talk about so much, a topic with so many different options. As I prayed and searched for where to preach, the sanctity of marriage weighed heavy upon me.

The purpose of marriage is not to make you happy, but to make you holy and to reflect God’s glory. -Gary Thomas

Marriage is a holy union, which means it is a relationship that is set apart from all other relationships when done right. It is holy in that it is a proclamation of the goodness of God, it is holy in that it points to the Trinity, it is holy in the ups and downs of marriage it teaches you to walk more holy.

So one of the greatest ways to reflect on how we as believers should have love blooming in our lifes is to look at what biblical marriage teaches us about love and there is a book of the Bible we so often pass

over that helps us celebrate and see the holiness of marriage, and that is the book of Song of Solomon, which is where we will be today

Love and Adoration

Song of Solomon 1:9-15

Part of a strong marriage is in our words.

We speak words of adoration to our spouse about the character and physical nature

These words come from a place of how they move us on a deeper level

Because of the joy Lindsey makes me feel, I want her to feel like the most special person in the world because their is not a single other person in this world that impacts me like her

But how she makes me feel and the words of adoration I have for her are just a shadow of the joy the Lord fills me with and the words of worship I have for Him

Aspect #1: Love is evident in how we talk about the Lord.

Do words of adoration leave you lips on a regular basis talking about the Lord? Or is your speech more categorized by bitterness, anxiety, selfishness, etc.

Our speech should show the joy the Lord brings

People know you are in a relationship by the way you talk, by the way I talk at work people know two things about me, I love the Lord and I love Lindsey. they know beyond a shadow of a doubt my life revolves around those two. That every decision I make is with those two first

So evaluate your words to see if love is present in your life

James 3:5 ESV

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

Love and Security

Song of Solomon 2:3-4

When talking about marriage ladies where do you feel the safest? Next to your husband

The closeness in marriage allows the wife to feel the safest with her man on an emotional and physical level

He is their to know her at a deep emotional level and is their to defend her no matter the attack

Aspect #2: Love is evident in where you run for shelter. Love causes us to provide shelter for the weaker.

If something awful happened here, who is Lindsey going to run to? Me

As the bride of Christ we should run to our groom when danger comes

As a believer if their is somewhere else you run, you must ask with what idol are you playing the adulterous with

In this world today, as you watched the news last night where did you run to for shelter?

Psalm 36:7 ESV

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Love and Vision

Song of Solomon 4:7

Does Solomon truly believe his love is without flaw?

When I talk about this gorgeous beautiful perfect woman? Do i truly believe she is without flaw?

No, once again we see an example of hyperbole.

Me and Solomon though so deeply love the one we married that we are able to overlook the flaws. We do not look for our wives to be perfect, we look at the whole of them and in looking at her in her entirety and loving her for the selfless, kind hearted woman see is.

Aspect #3: Christ Loves us for looking at us in our entirety, beings made in his image, thus that is how we should view people.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

he did not wait for us to fix the flaws, he choose to love us despite the flaws

Think of what you know of Paul, before salvation he oversaw murder, he is part of the us in Romans.

As we interact with this world love being in our lives allows us to look with grace upon all

Proverbs 10:12 ESV

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Love and Material Things

Song of Solomon 4:10

If I had to choose between Lindsey and money/new car/tv/nice house/iPhone, what am I going to choose?

Lindsey, every time. What satisfaction is in any of those things If I do not have the love of my life to enjoy those things with?

If I love Lindsey right, she recognizes the fact I love her more than anything else

Aspect #4: When we experience the spirit of God we find our purpose and love in Christ not things or positions

Matthew 16:26 ESV

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Love and Deep Intimacy

Song of Solomon 4:16

Within marriage their is a depth to intimacy, their is a way we offer our bodies to one another in a way we do not offer it to anyone else. Their are needs we should not look elsewhere for satisfaction.

It is an intimacy we crave and seek and out of it comes life

Aspect #5: When we love the Lord, we have a spiritual craving for spiritual intimacy with the Lord.

We seek out that intimacy and out of that intimacy life comes forth

Conclusion

Song of Solomon 8:9

What are we doing for the ones who have not became the bride of Christ yet?

Are we protecting and preparing?

1. Examine Your Words

This week, ask: Do my words reflect the joy and love I claim to have for Christ and for those He’s given me to love?

Speak words of adoration to God, and to your spouse, your children, your church family.

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” — Luke 6:45

2. Run to the Right Shelter

In crisis or conflict, where do you run?

Love for Christ drives us to seek His presence first, not people, platforms, or possessions.

Show others where your refuge truly lies—under the shadow of His wings.

3. Practice Grace-Filled Vision

Look at your spouse, your neighbors, even strangers—not just as they are, but as people made in the image of God.

Learn to overlook offense, like Christ overlooked ours and still chose the cross.

4. Loosen Your Grip on Material Things

Reevaluate what you love more: Christ or comfort, marriage or materialism.

Choose Christ every time—and live like you’d choose Him again tomorrow.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21

5. Pursue Spiritual Intimacy

Set aside real time for prayer, Scripture, worship—not just to check the box, but to crave His presence.

Love longs to be close. Don’t settle for casual Christianity when deep intimacy is offered.