How Ro Clean Dirty Deeds Part 2 Series

9 Ways to Clean Up Dirty Deeds (pt. 2)

Gal. 5:22-25Aug. 28, 2005 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor

Introduction

A It’s one thing to overcome the flesh & not do evil things, but quite something else to do good things.

1 The legalist will be able to say, "I don’t drink, smoke, run around", but can anyone see the beautiful grace of God in his life.

a Negative goodness is not enough

b There must be positive qualities as well

2 Fruit of the Spirit!

a Gift-salvation

b Gifts-service

c Graces-character

3 Imagine you’re drinking your favorite drink

a Someone runs into you & now what was in your glass is all over your lap

aa You & I are like the cup filled to the brim

bb Whatever is on the inside comes out when we get upset, too!

b We might do "damage control" after the spill, but the damage is done.

aa Some of us have hot words (coffee), and burned our family & friends

bb Some of us have ice water & have chilled our relationship.

cc Like grape/tomato juice, we’ve left a stain that can’t be cleaned.

dd Whatever is on the inside will come out!

B Paul gave a list of nine characteristics that replaced the deeds of the flesh.

1 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. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful challenging one another, envying one another. Gal 5:22-26 (NASB)

2 A heart filled with Christ gives external evidence of His presence.

C I want my listener to commit to producing more of at least one fruit of the Spirit this week.

1 What fruit of the Spirit will you work to increase this week?

2 Let’s look at two facts that can help us increase fruit production this week.

I The first fact that can help us increase fruit production this week is a description of the fruit of the Spirit.

A Paul had talked about works/deeds for 5 chapters, never in a positive light (it’s what we’re capable of making on our own).

a A factory full of machines can turn out a product, but it can never produce/manufacture a fruit.

aa Works/deeds we associate with strain, labor, effort, toil.

bb Fruit comes out of life. There is a beauty, quietness, unfolding of life.

b In the case of the fruit of the Spirit, the life that this fruit unfolds from is out of life in the Spirit (only for Christians).

B The fruit of the Spirit is the outward indicator that a person is saved. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Matt 7:16-18 (NASB)

a The fruits of the Spirit are not emotions, but rather character qualities determined by how we act, not how we feel.

b The fruits of the Spirit are a natural product of the Spirit when Jesus takes over a life.

C The fruit of the Spirit will always be present in a believer.

a It grows amazingly well in the right atmosphere.

(IL) Tomatoes grow well is workable, weed-free, fertilized, receptive soil.

(IL) Two men are in an orchard. One man climbs a ladder & starts picking apples & dropping them. The helper does not do anything. Regardless of how much fruit is picked/dropped, the helper won’t receive any unless he is standing under the ladder with his bucket ready.

b Fruit is grown for one purpose...to be eatem.

aa People are around us are starving for fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace).

bb When they find we have these fruits, they will realize that we have something in Christ that they lack in the world.

D (IL) Wallet was lost by sailor James Lubeck in 1966 at Marblehead Harbor.

a In June of 2005, a fisherman, Antonio Randazzo, hauled in the wallet along with a netful of cod, flounder, and haddock.

b Randazzo thought the wallet was from someone who had been lost at sea until he saw the expiration dates on the credit cards were from the late 60’s.

aa He looked for Lubeck in the phone book and found one, Jonathan Lubeck, James’ son.

bb James was still alive, according to his daughter-in-law.

c The wallet was returned.

aa The checks, cash, and leather were gone, but the value of the find isn’t what in what was recovered, but what happened afterward, Lubeck said.