Fruit of the Spirit - Longsuffering and Gentleness
Fruit of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsDetailing what "longsuffering" and "gentleness" are in context and what it looks like when they are being manifest in our lives
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
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
Body
Recap:
The fruit of the Spirit are a manifestation of the character of God in our lives
We cannot attain unto them. They are produced by the Holy Ghost resident in us.
They can only manifest in us as we are submitted to Christ and are “attached to the True Vine”.
This differs from the gifts of the spirit in that:
The gifts are external and immediate manifestations of the Holy Ghost
The fruit are an internal manifestations of the Holy Ghost and they take time to develop in the Christian’s life
This can only happen if we are dead to our old nature and alive to Christ
Under grace, we are prohibited from both legalism AND License.
Longsuffering
Longsuffering
Longsuffering - “Patience, steadfastness, forbearance, endurance”
Two aspects of longsuffering:
Endurance
Endurance
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
How do we endure?
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
We endure because of the Word of God
Our lives are built upon it
We know it, and apply it
We know by the Word of God that we’re right with Him
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We endure because of our hope
At the end of everything, we win
Our work, our sufferings, our afflictions work for us an ever-better future.
At the end, God makes everything right. He will balance every book.
Patience
Patience
The ability to bear pain or suffering without complaint. We won’t lose our temper and become angry at God or others. We will not take vengeance on others for actions taken against us.
We are self-controlled and restrained in the midst of provocation and affliction.
How can we be patient with others and with our present circumstances?
God is patient with us
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
God loved us in our error, we can love others in theirs
Again, this is not license. This is forbearance.
Jesus was patient with the people, not so much with the Pharisees.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
He’s patient with the sinner and the lost and will wait for them to come home.
The Prodigal Son
God endured affliction with patience
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
He was patient with the badgering and the questioning.
He was patient when they would try to twist His words
He was patient when they falsely accused Him
He was patient when they hung Him on a cross and crucified Him.
Gentleness
Gentleness
Gentleness - “Goodness, kindness”
Most translations translate this “kindness”
What does it mean to be kind?
Good deeds
Non-Christians do this however
Responding to anger with soft words and peace
Repaying evil with good
Story of basic training and the shoe shining
How can we demonstrate this level of kindness?
Jesus responds to us this way
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, Nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, And the smoking flax shall he not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, Till he have set judgment in the earth: And the isles shall wait for his law.
Very careful to heal and not harm
“Father forgive them...”
He loved me when I hated Him.
His spirit is resident within us
We’re built upon the Word of God which teaches us this principle.
Conclusion
Conclusion
To Love, Joy, and Peace we can now add Longsuffering and Gentleness.
It becomes more apparent the farther along we get in this study that these characteristics are very much above us. To manifest them in our lives requires us to be connected to the True Vine from which life flows.