2021 0314 Personal Virtues one

Foundational Principle

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Influence

* the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something

Integrity

* the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles

the level of our integrity will directly determine what influence we have

Foundational Person

Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Jesus is by far the most influential person in history

The Spirit brings Christ’s Nature

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

nine characteristics or qualities of Jesus Christ

these come out of the work of the Holy Spirit

love, joy, peace is the top three

love is seen in patience, in kindness and in goodness and gentleness

peace is seen in self-control

joy expresses itself in faithfulness

we cannot consider them as separate but as one and the same

e.g. we may need patience for a moment yet we need more love and peace

2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

the Spirit’s work is to transform us into the image of Christ

this image will reflect the very nature of Christ = the fruit of the Spirit

each follower of Jesus should be growing in these qualities

let us not be discouraged in our momentary troubles

we are reflecting more and more the glory of our Lord Jesus

Follower into Overseer

1 Timothy 3:2–3 NIV

Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

we have been discussing influence and integrity

it begins at the moment of your redemption

it begins when the Spirit comes and starts to transform you into the glory of Christ

do not regard yourself as inferior or worthless

Christ through his Spirit has called you to another calling, a higher status than this world can ever give you

whatever the world gives you, Christ gives you more

however the world promotes you, you are promoted eternally

Qualities

faithful in marriage and manage the family

gentle and peaceful,

no addictive behaviours

ability to teach and hospitable

respectful and above reproach

Personal Qualities

two given prominence here - gentleness and peaceful

not violent and not quarrelsome

we see the scourge of modern life all around us

there are movements against sexual abuse, domestic violence, coward’s punches, lock downs of nightlife due to drunkenness and violence, and the list goes on

we can join the noisy rabble demanding a fix to these problems

or we can do something about it

Our Response

get rid of the rage, deal with the hurts and triggers in your life

learn to live in an attitude of forgiveness

stand up for the higher standard of love that Christ demonstrated on the cross

sacrificial love covers a multitude of sin

be peaceful on the inside - do not bottle it up

let the Spirit of peace rule your life and let him deal with the crap

be a model of calm that your family and your associates will warn to

build influence due to demonstrated love