The Fruit of the Spirit

Introduction

Galatians 5:16–25 KJV 1900

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Body

Old ranch owner John farmed a small ranch in Montana.  The Montana Wage and Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his workers and sent an agent out to interview him. 'I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,' demanded the agent. 'Well,' replied old John, 'There's my ranch hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $600 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay him $500 a week plus free room and board. Then there's the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board and I take him to his favorite restaurant every Saturday night.' 'That's the guy I want to talk to, the half-wit,' says the agent. 'That would be me,' replied old rancher John.

We’ll be laying a foundation for our study into the Fruit of the Spirit today

Contrasting works from fruit and why this is important

How do we produce fruit in our lives

Contrasting Works from Fruit

“work” - Deed, action, task, do, bring about, accomplish

Here we see something happening. An external event being accomplished by the strength and will of an individual

These are the end results of persons who submit themselves to the desires and the lusts of the old man.

“fruit” - harvest, produce, gain, profit, crops, yield

Here we see something else entirely. The idea of planting seed and harvesting a rich crop.

Some initial work is accomplished by the individual, but the fruit is produced outside of themselves. Outside of their ability.

Works are accomplished by our own actions. By making decisions and acting on them.

Gathering a harvest is something we want to see accomplished, but it’s almost entirely out of our hands.

Planting is works, and harvesting is works

God isn’t going to sew seed

God isn’t going to harvest the crop that’s produced

Producing a crop is in the hands of God

I can’t break open a kernel of corn and pull out a corn stalk

I can’t cut into a potato and find a potato plant anywhere in there

When these things are planted, God produces a crop that can be harvested

This applies to evangelism as well

We are responsible to sew the seed

Tell people our testimonies.

Teach Bible studies

We are responsible to harvest the crop

Pray with people to receive the Holy Ghost

Baptize them in Jesus’ Name

Disciple them

But only God can bring them to the place where they desire salvation

How to Produce Fruit

John 12:24 KJV 1900

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Paul explains to us that if we will walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh

This means we must first die out to our old man. We are, as Paul says, “crucified with Christ.”

Fruit cannot be produced except first the seed die.

This verse speaks directly of Jesus Christ dying on a cross.

There is no salvation except Jesus Christ first die.

John 15:1–8 KJV 1900

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Here Jesus explains that to produce fruit in our lives we must be connected to Him

Paul explains this in Galatians as being filled with His Spirit, and walking therein.

We must be filled with God’s Word

We see here that fruit is expected to be produced simply because we are attached to Jesus Christ.

He produces the fruit because “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Our task then is simply to get attached, and stay attached, to Jesus.

Conclusion

Sewing seed takes work. Harvesting a crop takes work. However in between these is a process that only God can complete.

Studying the Bible is work. Praying and fasting is work. But spiritual fruit is only produced by God working in us.