Perhaps you’ve heard of the best selling business author and speaker Harvey Mackay? His books include “How To Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”; Beware Of The Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt”; and “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.” Harvey was waiting in line for a taxi at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie and freshly pressed black slacks, Wally the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back door. Harvey noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside spotlessly clean. As Wally slid behind the wheel, he said, "Would you like a cup of coffee?" Harvey said, "No, I’d prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice." Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I’ll take a Diet Coke." Handing Harvey his drink, Wally said, "If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today." As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Wally handed Harvey a laminated card and said, "These are the stations I get and the music they play if you’d like to listen to the radio." As if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey the air conditioning was on and asked if the temperature was comfortable. The driver then advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. Wally also let Harvey know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts. "Tell me, Wally," the amazed passenger asked, "have you always served customers like this?" Wally smiled and looked in the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I read something that said if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. So stop complaining. Distinguish yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd." "So I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers unfriendly and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more." "I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said. "It sure has," Wally replied. "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year, I’ll probably quadruple it." Wally the cab driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like a duck and to start soaring like an eagle.
So which one are you? A duck or an eagle?
This morning we are reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatian Churches. The region of Galatia, located in modern day Turkey was not far from the city of Tarsus where Paul was born. As you are aware, prior to his rather sudden and amazing conversion to Christianity, A member of the ultra-orthodox sect of the Pharisees (the religious rulers of the time) Paul was one of the up and coming stars in the Jewish faith during the first century. Paul received a thorough training in the Old Testament Scriptures studying under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. In fact Paul mentions in this letter that “I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.” And he goes on to give credit to God for saving him through grace, to reveal Jesus Christ to him that he might preach the Gospel message to the Gentiles, and here we are.
For any of you who may be new to the study of the Bible and its people, Paul’s miraculous conversion is detailed in the New Testament book of Acts, penned by the Gospel writer Luke.
Our study this morning, the “Spirit of Life Through Jesus Christ” is based on the fifth chapter of Galatians, verses 16 through 25:
Paul writes, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
All believers have the presence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as the personal power to please God. The form of the Greek word translated “walk” indicates an habitual lifestyle, continuous action. Walking implies movement and progress as we grow spiritually. When Paul mentions the word “flesh” he is not just referring to the physical body, but the mind, will and emotions as well. We can think of the flesh as of this world, and our spirit in God’s realm. The spirit and the flesh are opposites. When we are led by the spirit, we are not under the law. It’s our choice. It’s our prayer every morning before our feet hit the floor. Father fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may glorify You through my words, my actions and my deeds. Or overall, my lifestyle. Either we live by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, which results in righteous behavior and spiritual attitudes or we live under the law, which produces the opposite.
I don’t want to dwell on Paul’s list of the works of the flesh, but I do want to mention one thing which I rarely discuss. Paul’s mention of fornication refers to acts outside of the bond of marriage. The Greek word is Porneia, from which the English word “pornography” comes from. It refers to all illicit sexual activity. If there is one area where Satan has established such an enormous foothold, it is this highly addictive area. Besides the fact that there are absolutely no benefits, I believe it can separate us from the love of God – it certainly brings no glory to our Father in Heaven. This multi-billion worldwide industry is eroding our moral foundations. It is the ultimate example of loving what the world can offer us. When Paul mentions that if we practice such things of the flesh, we will not inherit the kingdom of God, he is referring to God’s ongoing abundant blessings in our lives and for eternity. If we live in the Spirit, we walk in the Spirit, and we live and walk in truth and Jesus said, the truth will set us free. (John 8:32.)
Paul lists nine characteristics or attitudes that are inexplicitly linked with each other and are commanded of all believers throughout the New Testament. The fruits of the Spirit are the evidence of a Godly lifestyle, a Christ-like example of living.
They include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. These are not listed in a legalistic sense, but as a guide to a healthy lifestyle through Christ.
Think about the past week in your life, the places you went, the people you encountered. Did they witness these spiritual fruits when they were with you? Now think of the life of Jesus, and His three short years of ministry. Did He exhibit these fruits throughout His ministry? Yes, every single one of them.
Paul ends this section of his letter with these few words; “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.” Sometimes we church people, we believers can become a little conceited, a little untouchable, a little “Holier than Thou.” We know that to be Holy is to be set apart, but conceit cannot enter into it.
Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Luke records it in his Gospel. Listen to these words of Jesus. Luke 18:9-14. I’m reading from the “Message” translation:
Jesus told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
How can God use each of us as God used Paul. Paul, who was personally responsible for the persecution and murder of countless followers of Christ became one of God’s most powerful teachers. Paul, a sinner. In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, he concludes by saying; “And lest I should be exalted above measure, by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me.” (Some kind of infirmity.) He says, “I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in your weakness.” Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution and in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
All you may have to offer up is broken pieces – give it to Him. He can use it. You may not have a lot of knowledge or skill – give it to Him. He can use you! For some, you just need to walk in obedience to what He wants you to do. Just do it! God can use people who will just sing His praise and worship Him. Whether you are a duck or an eagle, wherever you find yourself in the process, know this. God can use you! God wants you to be an eagle. He does.
