Growth - Spiritual Fruit
IwannabeaGee Camp • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsGrowing to become more like Jesus, how to bear fruit for the King.
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grace recap
grace recap
Grace
God riches at Christ expense
Grace means; getting something you don’t deserve.
Heaven is a Free Gift
We cannot earn our way into heaven by religion, doing good deeds, being a good person, giving money
Illus. Watch
Ephesians 2:8-9
eph 2.8-9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the________, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Grace is not a license to live a sinful dirty life without consequences.
we all sin… a lot.
Jesus said, “REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND”
We must Repent, Repent means to turn away from your sinful lifestyle, receive Christ by Faith. to become a voluntary disciple, a student and follower of Jesus Christ. The name Christian means, to be ...“little Christ's”
Saving faith is trusting in Christ alone for salvation. Saving Faith is always evidenced by good deeds, love and sacrifice.
Faith without works is dead.
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Growth
I’d like to talk to you a little more deep…
(kids moving up..) we love you...
if you know Jesus Christ, and you believe the gospel, you trust in Him alone to save you..... God has entered your life, we become His temple, the dwelling place of His Spirit...
the more we understand this truth, we begin to grow in Christ, becoming more like Jesus everyday. This impacts the world with the love of God and draws others to know God. This is how we reach a lost world.
“knowing God and making Him known”
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit
1. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:12–14 (NLT)
12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
We have the Power from the Holy Spirit;
power to live a godly life,
power to obey Gods word
power to be a witness for Jesus Christ
The purpose is to glorify God by the way we live, with our behavior and attitudes.
GROWING IN CHRIST
Motivation for genuine spiritual growth arises out of a sincere desire to be godly, to be pleasing to the Holy Spirit, having an awareness of Gods presence. To be satisfied with nothing but the Word of God to know him better.
The Apostle Paul commanded believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”
It is by the intake of the truth that the Holy Spirit grows and matures believers
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
2. The fruit of the Spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Love
Eros (physical affection, Attraction)
Phileo (brotherly)
Agape (sacrificial)
Love is sacrificial
Jesus is the ultimate example of sacrificial love
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
rom 5.9-10 “9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
john 3.16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
jn15.13 “13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
rom8.39 “39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
whoever is forgiven much, loves much
How do we practice a Sacrificial love?
Sacrificing ours..... to serve others...
Time
Ambitions
Wealth
Entire life for the purpose of FAITH in Jesus Christ
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Entire life for the purpose of FAITH in Jesus Christ
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Loving one another is the greatest way we can become more like Jesus
love covers a multitude of sin, love forgives, love gives grace, love is patient, love is kind.
Joy
We are commanded to rejoice;
Joy can mean Happiness , or being glad... however it is so much more.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
happiness is emotional, its a feeling. whereas Joy is spiritual, its a spiritual fruit.
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
Joy is rooted in the assurances of our salvation, and your relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we are always continually complaining, grumbling, unhappy with who you are, where God has you in this season of your life… you are exhibiting, telling you’re friends God is not good to you. You are failing to show others that God is at work in you.
exemplified: Israelites walk in circles 40 yrs. because they complained. not trusting God is unbelief !
Joy is found in knowing Jesus Christ, knowing that you are growing in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ.
I find Joy in serving the Lord, being here in CM, the greatest evangelical ministry, serving and ministering Gods people
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Peace (opposite of war)
We have Peace with God through Jesus Christ
We are to live a peaceful life
We are to be peace makers
Exemplified; Paul was worshiping and praising God in Jail
Having the fruit of peace means that you trust and believe God is in control, that nothing is happening to you that God hasn’t allowed. When you can be at peace in very tough situation is evidence that you are becoming more like Jesus.
I Believe Joy and Peace are like a spiritual thermometer of our lives.
Spiritual Thermometer
Patience
My wife often say i need more patience, and I say… I’m not a doctor ! just playing,really...
Having patience means you are willing to wait for things to happen, knowing God is in control.
14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
It means not putting your foot in a door that is closing, or trying to make thing happen by the flesh, or greed. trying to make things happen on your own, when you have to cheat or lie to get what you want.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Being patient also means staying calm and content when it doesn’t work out the way you had hoped
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
When we are patient with others we can calm a difficult situation, we can make a difference in the lives of all those who are involved.
Kindness
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary Kindness, Lovingkindness
the word translated as “kindness” or “lovingkindness” refers to God’s long-suffering love—His determination to keep His promises to His chosen people in spite of their sin and rebellion
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
In the New Testament, the Greek word “grace” best represents the idea of God’s kindness or lovingkindness.
Because God has been gracious toward believers, they should treat all people with kindness or grace.
35 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
All people are created in God’s image and should be treated accordingly, no matter how badly they have twisted and deformed that image (Jas. 3:9).
Kindness can be the tool to bring the sinner back to God.
There may be a time it is expected that youd be upset, to respond meanly, but you choose to be kind..... this choice can make a big difference in the lives of others.
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Kindness pays you back, it feels good to show kindness and it brings Joy to you and to those involved.
The results of true spiritual growth is becoming more like Jesus.
Jesus said....
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “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. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
without me; apart, or disconnected from me.
The only way to be acceptable spiritually is to be connected to Christ.
I want to leave you with a blessing and a encouragement.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. 8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit. 9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? 10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.