Patience, Kindness, Goodness Series

Getting Fruit From The Garden of God

Gal. 5.22-23

Part 2 or 3

Introduction:

A Opening

B The fruit of the Spirit is not a new set of moral laws/codes that must be kept.

1 The fruit of the Spirit are the results of living, being led, and filled by the Holy Spirit of God.

a Jesus taught the guineense of His followers would be seen the fruit they display in their lives.

b Jesus said . . .

aa "You will know them by their fruits. Matt 7:16 (NASB)

bb "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. John 15:4 (NASB)

2 The fruit of the Spirit is a spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us.

a If you are saved, you have the fruit of the Spirit.

aa All the Fruit, maybe to varying degrees, intensities . . . You have the fruit.

bb They are for ALL the saints! (Gifts vary, fruit is constant)

b The fruit of the Spirit is the very nature of God (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.)

C Human nature can not pull this fruit off . . . only the Holy Spirit can.

1 Let’s resume our process of getting fruit from the garden of God.

a We’ve looked at love, joy, peace.

(You started seeing someone and fell in LOVE, you had a JOYful wedding ceremony but you couldn’t wait to get to the reception to have a PEACE of cake . . .)

b Today, let’s go further.

(The cater was running late with the cake so you had to show some PATIENCE. As you waited, you decided to mingle with some of your KIN-dness. And as you turned to shake your Uncle’s hand you stepped right into a big pile of GOO-dness and got it all over your shoe.”

2 Let’s Pray

IV Patience (gk. Makrothumeo)

A Patience (slow to anger) is an attribute that is often used to describe the very character of God (cf. Num. 14.18; Ps. 86.15, 193.8; Is 48.9; Joel 2.13)

1 The two poles which constitute God’s patience are Wrath & Grace.

2 God is slow to anger/anger and that is what He wants His children to be too.

a Patiently God waited for 100 years before the flood (1 Peter 3.20)

b Patiently He waited for 40 years for an unfaithful generation to die in the wilderness (Num 14.18)

c Patiently Jesus allowed himself to be birthed, betrayed, accused of heresy, beaten, crucified.

d Patiently the Father waited 3 days until saying, “Arise, My love. The grave no longer has a hold on you!”

e Patiently the Lord is waiting for our family, friends, Chester, . . . maybe for you to come to repentance today (2 Peter 3.9)

3 Romans 2.4 warns us not to take His Patience for granted.

B Do you believe Jesus is coming back? Are you glad about it?

1 You’re glad because . . . you’re ready, not taken God’s patience lightly.

a There are billions who are not ready.

b Whether He comes or they go to Him . . . they’re not ready! “Just a little more time.”

2 For us, raptured/physical death, we’ll meet Him and we’ll say “What took you so long? It’s about time, Lord.”

a We know what we’ve earned, deserve . . .

aa We’ve earned . . .Wrath, judgement of hell, eternal death & separation.

bb He’s given . . . . . grace, mercy of heaven, eternal life and fellowship.

b That’s the patience of God!

aa Instead of killing me, striking me, punishing me, he showed self-restraint.

bb I provoked/earned His wrath . . . He put up with me to save me, because He loves me.

3 Patience is the opposite of rage, outbursts of anger, & short-tempers.

a It’s staying with people who have constantly wronged/irritated.

b It’s self-restraint in the face of provocation. (Turning the other cheek)

c It’s letting God take care of vengeance (Wishing blessing on those who oppose you.)

V Kindness (Gk. Chrestotes)

A Kindness is what God showed us that lead us to repentance.

1 God’s sweet disposition, compassion, tenderness.

a IL. Jesus at the Pharisee Simon’s house when a trashy woman broke her alabaster jar on the master’s feet. He was kind to Simon, woman.

b Matthew 11.28-29 Yoke is easy, burden light.

2 Kindness is an attitude/desire to treat others gently.

B Kindness is how the love of God in Christ in the heart of His children works itself out towards their neighbors.

1 Attitude . . .THE THING YOU ARE . . . Personality.

2 God has not (WILL NOT) put a fruit of bitterness, depression, anger, harshness, cynicism, sarcasm, paranoia, negativity, criticalness, meanness.