The Fruit of Love
The Fruit of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsThe gift of Jesus at Christmas is not the only gift God has given us. The power of the Spirit bears the fruit of God and reveals the essence of God to the world. Jesus came to restore the union of the Holy Spirit with our spirit. Over the next eight weeks, we will dive deep into “The Fruit of the Spirit” to understand walking in the Spirit.
Notes
Transcript
Series Introduction:
We have just spent the last month celebrating one of the greatest gifts the world has ever received, which is the Creator God stepping out of the unseen realm and into our realm of influence. No doubt, one of the greatest expressions of God’s love toward us. God with us: Emmanuel.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The whole reason for the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ was to reunite our spirit with the Holy Spirit of God, causing us who were dead in our sins to be reborn and alive in God.
If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have received the Holy Spirit of promise. God in us.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
In the words of Eddie Johnson, “Clark, It’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.”
In the words of Eddie Johnson, “Clark, It’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.”
The Holy Spirit in us is our internal guide to truth and righteousness. We choose to walk in the fruit of the Spirit or we walk after the lust of the flesh.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
There’s an old joke among I.T. professionals.
When someone calls the help desk and says, “My computer isn’t working.”
The Tech replies, “Did you hit the power button.”
We have the most powerful force in all creation, but we struggle to find the power button to utilize it.
We must learn to walk in the Spirit and produce the fruit of the Spirit, for in doing so, we reveal the Spirit of God into the world.
Sermon Introduction
So we will take the next eight weeks to understand “The Fruit of the Spirit” and what it looks like as we walk in the Spirit.
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.
There are nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. When a person is walking under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit, they will express all nine attributes. You are walking in the fruit of the Spirit or walking in the fruit of the flesh, but you can’t do both.
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.
Let’s get the power on in our lives. So we can accomplish all that God desires of us.
The Fruit of Love
The Fruit of Love
Love is first in the list because it is the essence of the Spirit. It is the vain that bleeds into all other characteristics. Love is the central theme of the Bible and is inexhaustible. So, I have picked out some major themes that will help us on our journey of love this morning.
God is Love
God is Love
1 John 4:16 (ESV)
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
We understand God’s love through sacrifice.
We understand God’s love through sacrifice.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Love is everything.
Love is everything.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
The Expression of Love
The Expression of Love
Follow God’s example of love.
Follow God’s example of love.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Expressions of love don’t come from how you feel but from how you treat others.
Expressions of love don’t come from how you feel but from how you treat others.
Love is not the natural expression of humanity.
Love is not the natural expression of humanity.
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.
Love is the natural expression of God for He is love.
Love is the natural expression of God for He is love.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:8 (ESV)
8 Love never ends...
Take your marching orders from the Spirit of Love.
Take your marching orders from the Spirit of Love.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The Greek verb in this verse is a military term that carries the connotation of march in time.
As we see the Spirit moving in love, we will join his march and cadence as we love others around us.
There is nothing more impressive than seeing a group of people in sync with one another. (military, dance, or band)
How do we express love to others:
How do we express love to others:
Love is accepting other’s in spite of their humanity.
Love is accepting other’s in spite of their humanity.
Love is sacrificing for another’s wellbeing.
Love is sacrificing for another’s wellbeing.
Love is walking in the truth, the way, and the life of the Lord.
Love is walking in the truth, the way, and the life of the Lord.
Takeaways:
Takeaways:
Make an inventory of all the people in your life right now that would think you don’t love and care about them.
Not a list of those you think don’t love you, but those that would think you don’t love them.
Pray for them and an opportunity to show love to them.
Take a step with the Spirit to assure their hearts that you love them.
Love those that are not like you.
You don’t have to agree or affirm someone’s actions to love them unconditionally.
It might be as simple as saying, “I love you.”
Love yourself enough to be confident in loving others.
You might say, “Pastor, If I show love to them it will not be reciprocated and I will get hurt.”
When you are confident in God’s love for you, you can handle the hurts from others because you don’t find your worth in their love but the love of the Spirit.