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.
T.S. If ‘kindness’ is the thing you are then the next fruit is the thing you do.
VI Goodness (Gk. Agathosune)
A God is good (All the Time)! How do you know?
1 Goodness is kindness engaged, active & expressed kindness.
a Jesus was kind . . . and out of goodness he cleansed the temple. (Matt. 21.12-13) Not Pretty.
b Jesus was kind . . . and out of goodness he undressed the Pharisees and Saduciees for their hypocrisy. (Matt. 23.13-19) Not Pretty.
c Jesus was kind . . . and out of goodness he allowed soldiers and my sin nail him to a cross. NOT PRETTY
2 We see the violent/furious love of God and it is always throttled by God’s patience!
B Goodness requires us to do something (may not be pretty/easy).
1 We use patience as the throttle for everything we do (or don’t do.)
2 God has put His Spirit in us . . . for GOODNESS sake.
a Eph. 2.10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
b 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Gal 6:9-10 (NASB)
Conclusion:
We’ve talked about three more sections of the fruit of the Spirit.
A Patience: Ever wondered why God doesn’t level Iraq, Afganistan . . . He’s patient. Giving them time to come to repentance.
B Kindness & Goodness (Hand in Hand)
C I believe the Fruit is already in you.
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. Gal 5:24-25 (NASB)
1 You can see it, but it means you’ve got to put to death the “deeds of the flesh.”
a Crucify them (Crucifixion hurts.)
b Feel the nails as they enter in.
2 Walk by the Spirit. (NIV, to keep in step with the Spirit)
a Boys in Wal-Mart, toy aisles are not for passing by, they get their mind focused on toy, what they have in mind . . . get lost, separated from parents. Why? Weren’t in Step.
b WE get out of step when we get our eyes off the Spirit and on the Flesh.
3 Prayer: Stir up in them . . . prune . . .
a John 15:5 (NIV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
b Trust in the work of Christ – stop trying to overcome the desires of the flesh in your own strength.
aa Let the life of Christ flow in you; he is the vine you are the branch.
bb Only by the power of the Spirit in you can you overcome sin!
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