Fruit Of The Spirit

Fruits of the Spirit (Matt.5:13-16 )

Intro: Many years a missionary employed a Chinese scholar to translate the New Testament into the Chinese language. The scholar was a Confucianist and had never heard of Christianity until the missionary had hired him. The scholar was a painstaking person and wanted to produce a splendid translation. As he completed his work the missionary remembered that he had not said one word to the scholar about Salvation and his need for a Savior. Talking to the scholar the missionary said, "after you have translated the bible what do you think of Christianity, would you like to become a Christian?" The scholar replied " Yes I think it's wonderful and if I could see a Christian I might be interested in becoming one. ”But "the missionary replied " I'm a Christian". You! Are a Christian the scholar exclaimed I don't mean to offend you but the bible says that Christians are Christ like I've not seen Christ in your life .I seen you talk about people when they weren't there would Christ do that? I seen you spend the collections that came in for the church on trinkets and treasures for you're self .I seen you lust after your neighbor's wife, I seen you drink saki until you were in a drunken stupor , are these the actions of a Christian? I think not. I think that if I could see a Christian, I would become one.

Text: Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mat 5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

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

What are the signs of a true Christian and what makes him shine

1.They have the Fruits of the Spirit

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal 5:23 gentleness and self-control.

(1) Love LOVE Unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the well-being of another.

A young boy was overheard asking his playmate, "Wouldn't you hate to wear glasses all the time?" "No," came the answer, "not if I had some like my Grandma's. She always sees when people are tired or sad, and she knows just what to do to make them feel better. One day I asked her how she could see that way all the time. She told me it was the way she had learned to look at things as she grew older." After thinking for a minute, the first boy concluded, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It must be her glasses."

As Christians, we need to be like that grandmother. We should look at our neighbors as our Savior did. He always had compassion on the masses. "Next to God, man should be the highest in {our} value scale . . . it is a fact that persons who love and find fulfillment in other people will also find happiness for themselves." Yes, being concerned for the welfare of others does bring happiness. But our highest motivation should not be to get all we can out of a relationship; rather, it should be to obey our Lord and Savior. He has commanded us to love one another, as He has loved us.

In the Teachings of Jesus Just before the parable of the Good Samaritan, a lawyer quoted the two commands to love and then asked Jesus: "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29) Jesus gave the story of the Samaritan who took care of the man who fell among robbers to illustrate the selfless love which is to be characteristic of citizens of the Kingdom.

In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus gave the radical command to love one's enemies and to pray for those who persecute. Loving only those who love you is, according to Jesus, no better than those who are not His disciples. The love that Jesus' disciples have for others is to be just as complete as God's love (Matt 5:48; compare Rom. 5:8).

In these teachings, of course, the selfless love is a response to God's prior activity. It is a way of living expected of those who are citizens of the Kingdom.

First Corinthians 13:1-3 indicate that the gifts of the Spirit (ecstatic speech, wisdom, faith, and self-sacrifice) are good for nothing without love; only love builds up. The Spirit distributes His gifts for the common good (1 Cor. 8:1; 12:7).