Freedom: Spirits fruit in you - Pt. 1
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Works vs. Fruit
Works vs. Fruit
Go ahead boast, you are not a murder, adulterer and the like, but that is not enough. A Christian’s walk by faith while it may take effort the results are not from works but from faith and the Spirits work in you that will be evident to you and to others.
Flesh produces dead works (Heb9:14)
Remember that the Judiazers and legalists think ore than grace, more than the blood of Christ is needed. Look what the Hebrew writer said.
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The eternal Spirit of God will cleanse us of our dead works so as to serve the living God; That was God’s plan in the beginning to provide fruit
God’s fruit from the beginning (Gen1:11)
According to Gen1:11, the earth would produce the fruit. Works takes effort, labor, strain, and toil. but the fruit of the Spirit is love and produces more love, joy and helps to produce more fruit.
God’s fruit inspection (Jn15:2)
2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
Look at this, no fruit, taken away, but if fruit bearing you are pruned.
Why do you prune something? How about spiritually?
Fruit produces more fruit (Rom1:13)
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Fruit, have you, because of your love (fruit) and your joy in the Lord (fruit) ever lead someone to know the truth and to respond to the gospel message? See the love of God was poured out will produce fruit, joy and the list gods on, we will get there in a few minutes.
Fruit produces fruit!
Fruit proof
Holy Living (Rom6:22; 1Pt1:16)
Rom6:22 speaks of being freed from sin and enslaved to God and your benefit (fruit) is sanctification and eternal life.
Justification by faith brought forgiveness of sins, that was only the start, fruit starts to develop there, it grows in the life of the believer to be holy (1Pt1:16)
Then there is the fruit of
Good works (Col1:10)
We fruit bearers will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord bearing good fruit in every good work!
Fruit of praise (Heb13:15)
Ah the wonderful fruit of praise, from the fruit of our lips we give thanks to His name. May we do that often for that is from attractive to others.
This now leads us to our passage today that is all about the Fruit of the Spirit, this displays the Spirit’s fruit in the life of the believer. This is different from the gift of the Spirit (Act2:38) having to do with salvation; or the gifts of the Spirit (1Cor12:1ff) that has to do with service. This has to do with the graces given and developed in the life, in the character of the believer.
So, finally here is our passage:
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.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
In looking at this list what do you think is most important, why?
What is the problem in Galatia, why is Paul putting this here?
The works of the flesh avail nothing, the works of God and the Spirit produce a saved life and a fruitful life in the life of the believer.
These graces come three ways
First three: Godward
Second three, manward
Third three, Selfward
Fruit of Spirit: Godward Graces
Fruit of Spirit: Godward Graces
The Godward graces are for the believer to help them in their personal walk with Christ. Their ability to walk in the Spirit of love, joy and peace.
Love (Rom5:5; Eph3:16-19; Php1:9)
Love was poured out
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Through the Holy Spirit that produces love (fruit) in us; This is Agape love, which is divine love, it is the love that seeks only the highest good for others.
This is the love that we are to be rooted in and grounded in; in the inner man as Paul speaks of in Eph3:16-19, love that Paul wants us to comprehend!
Love that Paul wants to abound
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
For:
Love walks (Eph5:1-2)
Love imitates and walks
Love is sacrificial and is a fragrant aroma
Love is to be worn (Col3:12-14)
We are to put on love and it looks like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiving
For this kind of love brings unity.
Glad we don’t have to work for this, we just have to receive and put it on. The Spirit will produce this love in YOU!
Love is to be in everything (1Cor16:14)
Paul told the Corinthian church let all that you do be done in love.
Love is the be fervent (1Pt1:22)
Not only do things in love, but that love may be fervent in us, love from the heart that is sincere for one another.
Let’s park here for a few minutes; what does love look like in you, or that you hope, desire for love to look like in you or others?
Is this love that you produce or does God produce it through prayer and the Spirit in you?
This now leads us to the second godward grace, fruit of the Spirit
Joy - inward peace “chara” (Rom14:17; Rom15:13)
Joy, “Chara” is joy, gladness, delight, it is vital to living in the kingdom and is closely linked to peace
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
It is found “in” the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is “in” you when you sins were forgiven.
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
not only “in” you, but will abound by the power of the Holy Spirit in you!
Joy that is not linked to circumstances (Jm1:2-4)
We are to count it a joy, when we encounter various trials, knowing that it will have its perfect and complete results
Joy that is a blessing in difficult times (1The1:6)
Joy in the Holy Spirit as seen in receipt of the Word in tribulation, difficult times.
Joy that can be described as inexpressible (1Pt1:6-8)
Oh I have to give you this passage from Peter.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Rejoice with joy that is inexpressible, and is full of glory!
Joy is more than a feeling it is a knowing, a knowing that no matter what God is with you, in the good times and in the trying times and in the trying times He is producing perfect results (Rom5:3-5). And it can even be seen in the contentment in all situations as Paul describes in (Php4:11-13) knowing that God will supply all of our needs in Christ Jesus (Php4:19)
Peace (“eireine”) - peace between individuals, harmony, concord (Rom8:5-6; Rom14:17; ROm15:13)
Peace is result of those who set their minds on, well, here is the passage
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Set’s their minds on the things of the Spirit brings peace
Peace, again is an integral part of the kingdom as mentioned previously in (Rom14:17)
It works hand in hand with joy and to our faith as noted in (Rom15:13)
Those who are led by the Spirit will have evidence of the fruit of peace in their lives.
Peace starts with peace with God (Rom5:1)
Because we are justified by faith we have peace with God
Peace is apparent with peace between men (Eph2:11-19)
The passage in Eph2 passage we can see peace between circumcision and uncircumcision; the excluded now the included, once far off, now brought near by the blood of Christ.
Made one body, walls broken down, and if that is not peace what is, only God can do this.
Then, peace with self, often shown, evidenced in prayer (Php4:6-7)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So in Romans you have peace with God and here you have the peace of God and that is the fruit of the Spirit that dwells and becomes evident in the believer.
So, how does peace manifest itself in your life? Is this natural or do you think it is supernatural as from the Spirit?
Flesh vs. Fruit (so far)
Walk by the Spirit, fruit of the Spirit, love, joy and peace (Gal5:22)
Walk by the flesh, hatred, jealousies and outbursts of wrath (Gal5:17-21)
Now from the godward grace;s, love, joy, peace that directs our thoughts and our hearts towards God and manifests itself in our love for others, comes to our next part, the manward graces for others:
Fruit of the Spirit: manward graces
Fruit of the Spirit: manward graces
God first, then others, how often have you heard that? The fruit of the Spirit goes from being right and at peace with God and having the peace of God to then the parts of the fruit that is fruitful in our relationships with others. Longsuffering, kindness and goodness.
Longsuffering, I know we have talked about this before, who likes to suffer? No one, not even Christ in the flesh looks to suffer, but are willing to suffer. Longsuffering is to suffer, to endure without quitting.
Longsuffering - “makrothumia” (2Pt3:7-9, 15; Rom2:4; 2Cor7:10)
It means to be long-tempered; so that is the opposite of? (short-tempered)
It is linked with patience, foreberance, slowness in avenging wrongs (Thayers bible dictionary)
Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation. Vines says “it does not hastily retaliate or propmtly punish. It is the opposite of anger and is associated with mercy, and is used of God.” - Vines Bible dictionary
Look at this passage, you maybe familiar with it:
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
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.
Who is longsuffering here? Why is He longsuffering? - He does not want any to perish in the judgment, that all should come to repentance, but there is a day of judgment, a day of perdition of ungodly men. But wait, there is more, I can’t stop there
15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
The Lord’s longsuffering is what? - salvation!
Salvation that comes from repentance as noted in Rom2:4; that comes from Godly sorrow (2Cor7:10).
We need to be people of longsuffering
If we want the longsuffering of the Lord upon us (Mt18:32-35)
In the parable of the wicked servant that was forgiven much but refused to forgive little. The Lord will repay in like kind, so be sure to forgive.
If we want to maintain unity of the Spirit (Eph4:1-3)
It is part of our christian responsiblity to walk with longsuffering according to the Ephesians passage. So that we may walk worthy of the gospel.
It is developed then manifested through love and prayer (1Cor13:4-8; Col1:9-12)
You can read the love chapter which definitely covers longsuffering.
So hey, how about we do like it says in Colossians and longsuffer with joy.
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
So, that leads to the question, do we manifest longsuffering in our walk in the Spirit today? If so, how?
We do not produce the longsuffering the patience, God does through His Spirit in the heart and life of the believer and it, the fruit will be evident.
(encouragement slide - fruit of the spirit -2 picture)
Summarize, we do not produce fruit, God does and He does it in the heart hands, head and feet of the believer. He gives us the fruit and cultivates it within us, but first you have to be His planting ground for it. Is the Spirit in you? How do you know? Is there proof? There should be.
encouragement (encouragement slide 2 - same one as above) prayer