Disciples are Spirit-Fruit Cultivators
Notes
Transcript
As disciples of Jesus, filled by the Spirit, we are to be producing spiritual fruit (love, joy, etc…). As disciple makers, we are to be experts at recognizing and cultivating Spirit fruits. We can do this on purpose as we abide in Christ, walk in the Spirit, and obey Jesus’ commands to love, rejoice, be at peace, persevere, etc… Be fruitful, and disciple others in cultivating Spirit Fruit.
Magic Fruit
Magic Fruit
The world is full of stories about magical fruit that changes everything. This is going to get progressively nerdier, so bear with me.
You remember Hercules stealing the Golden Apple for Hera… by holding up the sky for Atlas.
Or Persephone, tricked into eating a Pomegranate by Hades and binding her to the Underworld… and that’s why we have seasons.
A couple more modern ones: Cradle, the main character eats magic fruit (Ancestral Orus Fruit) to gain magical powers.
One-Piece, eat magic fruit and get super powers.
And of course, the most ancient story, our origin story, the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil… eaten against God’s command in the Garden of Eve, which brought sin and death into the world.
In all these stories, it is God, or the Gods or the Powers that produce the fruit, and humans are consuming them, often with terrible consequences because it is too good, or too powerful, or too much.
Jesus reverses that picture. The disciple of Jesus is not a consumer of fruit, they produce it. They don’t eat it, they make it. It’s a reversal of the original sin.
Jesus says it like this:
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
He uses the fruit metaphor again and again, and it’s always us producing fruit as we abide in him. Or folks not producing fruit and being judged accordingly. The apostles pick up this metaphor many places to describe the visible outcomes of the Saving work of Jesus, the Sanctifying work of the Spirit in us.
And since we, as Spirit-filled disciples, one of our key marks of discipleship, we could be experts in recognizing, growing, cultivating these Spirit fruits. Most famously, Paul gives some names in Galatians 5:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Who produces the fruit? the Spirit. We don’t produce these things just by trying hard, it is the Spirit at work in us to produce.
So… there’s nothing you can do!???
Then, why is Paul even writing this?
Choose how you walk
Choose how you walk
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Don’t walk in those. It is less about mistakes or “never-have-I-ever” proof of moral superiority. That is the road of Pharisaical judgment and condemnation.
All of these have an ongoing component, being the kind of person that walks in envy, idolatry, sorcery, drunkenness, all these things. If that is the orientation of your life, you cannot call Jesus “Lord” with a straight face, not in any kind of honesty. You are certainly not walking with the Spirit.
Instead, “walk by the Spirit.” And you will know you are walking by the Spirit when and as you see these things produced in your life:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
We are to be “Cultivators of the Heart”, “Walking with the Spirit”, “Abiding in Christ.”
Really, all the same things.
As disciples of Jesus, we are to be expert cultivators of spiritual fruit. We can recognize it from way off, we know how to nurture it, we know the things to prevent that threaten our fruit… or produce wrong fruit.
We know this not only for ourselves… but for those we disciple. What is Paul doing here by this letter? Teaching his disciples about fruit, how to produce the good stuff… and not the unhelpful, unfruitful, un-Spiritual fruits of the flesh.
These are great to memorize and meditate on. It’s a good list.
I had a great time trying to come up with short, concise, kind of bumper sticker definitions for these. It really helped me explore each of them, maybe it helps you to. I would love to hear your favorite definitions of these.
And I have said before, these are fruits of the Spirit, a tree doesn’t produce fruit by faking it or (squeeze), trying really hard… but by abiding. Sending roots deep, drinking up water, soaking in the Light. We could unpack all of those metaphors. Paul, here, says walk by the Spirit, led by the Spirit.
AND, as we unpack the fruits, we also find that many of them are also commands of Jesus. Things we do on purpose… and I believe if Jesus gives us a command he also gives us the ability to do it. If he says “pick up your mat and walk” I know, “hey, I’ve got legs now!”
So, a survey of the fruits:
Love
Love
The Giving of me for the Gooding of you
We love as he first loved us, because God gave and gives of Himself for our good, you are filled up to pour out for others of your time, talent and treasure.
And, yes, this is a fruit the Holy Spirit produces within you… AND something you do on purpose, by action, by your will, with intention. For Jesus has commanded you to do it. Again and again, to enemies, to neighbors, to one another. My favorite:
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Joy
Joy
Confidence in God’s character that outlasts the crisis.
"The echo of God’s life within us."
"The steady heartbeat of a soul at home in Christ."
"A delight in God that isn't held hostage by circumstances."
"Heaven’s oxygen for the earthly lungs."
"An internal 'yes' to God’s presence regardless of the world’s 'no'."
"Confidence in God’s character that outlasts the crisis."
We can easily overemphasize “joy” from “happiness”. We mean that happiness is often circumstantial and maybe seems superficial. But who doesn’t like to be happy? And joy is the well from which happiness springs. It doesn’t mean “happy happy happy all the time.” But I’d venture to say joyful people are happier more often, and in a deeper and more fulfilling way.
This is something Jesus had, and wanted for us, he wanted to pass his joy along to us:
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
and it is something we can do on purpose, lean into, do by our will and action.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Rejoice! (and again I say, rejoice!)
Peace
Peace
Rest in the finished work of Christ
It has little to do with the absence of trouble or conflict externally. The world could be at war, there could still be Sabbath in your heart. The Hebrew word is Shalom, everything just where it should be, just as it should be.
This is something Jesus had, and wanted to give us.
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 hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
And something he commands us to do, on purpose, at least with one another:
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Isn’t that an interesting connection? Salt and peace? That’s one to dig into another time.
Patience
Patience
Trusting God with the timing
Especially when things are hard, patience has another name: perseverance. Perseverance is patience in the struggle.
Certainly this is something Jesus had, that Jesus did. As Peter said, God’s patience toward us is why he tarries “not wishing that any should perish but all should reach repentance” and we, in turn, are patient for the coming of the Lord.
Jesus’ commands here are about patient endurance, perseverance in end times:
19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.
Patience and perseverance in producing fruit!
15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
That’s even a word about bearing fruit! This whole thing takes time, and so much time. (More about that in a couple weeks).
Kindness
Kindness
Treating others as if they belong to God.
Seeing the Image of God, the profound beauty and wonderfulness, sometimes COMPLETELY covered up by someone being an absolute jerk, or lost in fruit of the flesh.
Be kind. It is an act of love, an act of mercy, and aren’t we glad for God’s simple kindness toward us?
36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Goodness
Goodness
Integrity when no one is watching
Reflecting God’s light in a dark world.
God’s holiness in human action.
So much overlap with all the others, all of these are a Venn diagram, pairing beautiful with one another. Like a pear slice, with a little bit of fig on it, and some goat cheese… so good.
These are the things even the world recognizes as “doing good.” Let them call us “do-gooders”… and see humility and grace while we do it.
Do good, not bad. Simple.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Faithfulness
Faithfulness
Keeping your “yes” to God.
So much of our Christian life is more about faithfulness than any outcomes. Outcomes are all in God’s hands. Whether anyone ever responds to us proclaiming the gospel? God’s hands. Whether you share the story when you have a chance? Faithfulness. Say “yes” to God. We say “yes” to God in here all the time, every week… keeping that “yes” at school, at work, at home when no one else is around… that is faithfulness.
And again, this is something we do on purpose, there’s a command of Jesus… especially when it’s hard. Jesus commands one church about to face hard times:
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
And it comes with a promise:
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
Gentleness
Gentleness
Strength under control. Meek and Weak.
Famously, preachers love to use the example of a “gentled” horse… the power is all still there, but under the control and discipline of the master. I’ve talked about this before, it isn’t just strength under control:
What about a weak horse, a barely surviving horse… but well trained. Still meek, still gentled, all of that weakness under control.
What about a goat? Goats are weird.
Can you tame a goat? You absolutely can. All of that weirdness… under control.
It is everything we are under his control. All of life for all of life.
Jesus has this, and wants to teach it to us:
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
He has this blessing for the meek and weak:
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
And he commands us to lowly servant-hood:
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
Self-Control
Self-Control
Saying ‘no’ to self so you can say ‘yes’ to God.
The Spirit steering the ship.
This is what fasting is all about, it isn’t about proving anything to God… or hunger-striking so He has to do stuff for you. It is about dependence on God… and about exercising this muscle, cultivating this fruit: self-control. Knowing that you can have a desire and say “no” to it… or “not yet”… and that’s okay.
Our culture essentially calls this evil, unless it relates to Sugar and Carbs. But the “okay” self-control changes constantly. God teaches self-control in all things.
This is the way of the cross:
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Paul’s list isn’t exhaustive, it isn’t complete, we can come up with fruits we would add. Paul himself adds one:
Fruit of Righteousness
Fruit of Righteousness
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Right-relationship that leads to right-living that leads back into right-relationship.
Fruit of Hope
Fruit of Hope
Confident expectation of the future
I want to add Hope after Camille’s service last week, dwelling on hope, our confident expectation of the future: the way we know things will be because God says it will be so.
Spirit-Fruit Cultivators
Spirit-Fruit Cultivators
Together, these form a picture of a disciple of Jesus. A Spirit-filled people producing Spirit-fruit… by the Spirit of Christ.
Now you may struggle with a particular one of these. You may see a lack of joy in your life. A lack of faithfulness, perhaps.
You may hear one fruit, gentleness, and say “I don’t know if I even WANT that.” “Self-control??? Gross!”
As disciples of Jesus, we are to recognize, and we are to cultivate this fruit in our life.
Are there things that steal your joy? Knock it off! Jesus has counsel around things that steal our joy: from anxiety and worry to the devil. Learn joy at the feet of Jesus, practice joy on purpose, learn from joyful people, put yourself around joyful people…
Are there things that foster your joy, “spark” joy, help you “rejoice”? Lean into it, do more of it. Cultivate that fruit, recognize the work of the Spirit in you.
As you disciple your kid, your friend, your neighbor… as you disciple on purpose by name, look for fruit. See where the Spirit is already at work and join in. Call it out. “I see, when you are with this group of friends, you show so much love, it’s beautiful. And with these others, there’s no love there, no peace there… why is that?” We can help others to cultivate their Spirit-fruit… how cool is that?
Isn’t that what Paul is doing for the Galatians and Philippians? What Peter is doing… what Jesus is doing?!
Can you imagine if we were the most loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled people around?
We don’t need any other marketing campaign, no gimmicks, no leveraging of guilt and shame. If Christians were like this, if we were like this, and growing more and more so every day… your friends are asking you “what is your secret?”
… and you are prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have… and the love and joy and patience.
This is us, who we are being, who we are becoming, who we are making.
In the footsteps of Jesus: the most loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled human who has ever lived.
Being and Making Disciples of Jesus, full of the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit. Amen.
