Fruit Examined
Galatians 5:22-23
Intro
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Good morning. I am glad that you could join us today.
Last week we started a series looking at some of the things the Holy Spirit produces and provides and we started with the Fruit of the Spirit and we learned some truths about what fruit actually is.
We saw that others that come to trust in Jesus Christ through you are fruit.
It is exciting to be able to see some of this fruit being produced in our church as people are inviting friends and we are seeing some visible growth and people are trusting in Christ and following Him in obedience. That is just one type of fruit that the Bible speaks of though.
We also saw that our good conduct done for Christ’s glory is fruit.
And that fruit is also our character being transformed into His likeness.
This morning, I want to examine these last fruits,
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those character traits that are given in Galatians 5:22-23 a bit more closely so we can truly see if we are bearing this type of fruit in our life.
So, turn with me to Galatians 5:16-25.
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We are going to begin a little further back from where the actual fruits of the Spirit are listed so we can get the context of what Paul is talking about.
Galatians 5:16-25
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Pray
Sin Nature vs. Spiritual Nature
Ok, before we look specifically at the fruits, I want us to see an overview of what Paul is saying. He says that we have these 2 natures, the sinful nature and the spiritual nature that are in conflict with each other and depending upon which nature you are living according to, there will be different outcomes in your life.
Living according to the Sin Nature, will lead to “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”
Living according to the Spirit will bear the fruit of “love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Now, this morning I want to Examine these Fruits so we might see how they manifest in our lives so we can see if they are being produced in our life and if not, how we might prepare the soil so that fruit can be produced and produced abundantly.
Now it is important to realize that these are Fruits of the Spirit, meaning that without the Spirit of God in us, these fruits will never grow. But we have also got to realize that we have been given a role in helping these fruits of the Spirit develop.
That is what the parable last week talked about. When there was no fruit found on the fig tree, the servant said, ’leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.’ (Luke 13:8).
That is the same thing that Paul is saying when he says in Galatians 5:25 that “since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
It is by the power of the Spirit that there is the ability to keep in step with the Spirit, that is cultivate an environment in our lives where the Spirit will produce fruit.
Farmer and seed
It would be like the farmer who without seed will never have a harvest, but even after the seed is planted, he helps that seed to have an environment conducive to having a harvest, by watering it, and by keeping the weeds out of the field.
Similarly, as we understand these fruits and what they look like and how they grow, we can keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) so that we will bear much fruit to the Father’s glory (John 15:8).
So let’s examine these fruits so that we might see how we might bear much fruit.
The first fruit that Paul lists is
The Fruit of Love
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And I don’t think it is just by chance that he starts with Love. I believe love is at the root of all the other fruits and at the root of living the Christian life.
In fact, If you don’t have love, it is evidence that you don’t have Christ.
The apostle John tells us in
1 John 4:8 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
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So this fruit of love is primary and should be one of the fruits most evident in any Christian’s life.
But what does this love look like?
The word used here for love is the Greek Word “agape.”
It is a love that is selfless and sacrificial. It is the type of love the Lord has for us.
1 John 4:10 - This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
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Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The fruit of love will be sacrificial and selfless, just like Christ was.
As you examine your life would selfishness or selflessness be a better character description?
Realize that being loving isn’t just about being willing to sacrifice your life for others, it is about sacrificing your living, your day in and day out living.
Love like this looks like sacrificing time to serve others
Love like this looks like sacrificing money for the benefit of others.
Love is going to cost something. If it doesn’t it isn’t sacrificial and selfless and it isn’t love like the Lord had for us.
Is this fruit evident in your life? Keep thinking about that as we continue.
The next fruit of the Spirit is
The Fruit of Joy
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Joy is different from happiness.
Happiness depends on our external circumstances.
Joy is internal. I would argue that it is a choice, a choice that those who are in a relationship with Christ can make in any circumstance because it is not dependent on the circumstance, but on the presence of the Lord in your life.
Psalm 16:11 - in your presence there is fullness of joy (ESV)
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Joy comes from understanding what we have been given and despite any difficult circumstances, recognizing that we are still blessed.
Paul is a great example of having the fruit of joy.
He was in prison and his future was uncertain, but he says in
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Philippians 1:18-20 - I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. (NIV)
He did not know whether he was going to live or die at this point, and yet he had joy because he was focused on the glory of the Lord, his future eternal life with the Lord, begin confident that the Lord would give him everything he needed to glorify Him.
He chose to have joy in the Holy Spirit rather than happiness in circumstances.
Even in bad circumstances we can choose joy by focusing on the blessings we have in Christ.
Listen to how Matthew Henry, a minster who wrote the commentary on the Bible, responds with rejoicing in thanks after being robbed.
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“I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth because it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed.
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/matthew_henry/
There are always things to rejoice about and be thankful for.
We can choose, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to rejoice always.
The third fruit of the Spirit is
The Fruit of Peace
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Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
The peace of God is more than just a lack of turmoil, it is a state of being at ease and at rest and free from worry and anxiety.
Listen to what Paul writes to the Philippians in
Philippians 4:4-7
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4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Slide - 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
The Peace of God is a peace that transcends understanding. It can be experienced when the world says you shouldn’t be peaceful, when your circumstances are hard or your situation is uncertain.
Eternity is not uncertain
But that is the thing about being a follower of Christ. We may face uncertainty during this earthly life, but we can have peace because, when we receive Christ as our Savior, the Lord has removed all uncertainty about our eternal life.
That is why we can have peace even as we face death.
Are you bearing the fruit of peace in your life?
The fourth fruit is
The Fruit of Patience
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As you keep in step with the Spirit, you will have opportunities to grow in patience.
From our earthly perspective, we don’t always view it as an opportunity, but more like a curse, but the opportunities we have to be patient, help this fruit to be evident in our life and brings glory to God as we bear it.
In these opportunities to be patient, we learn to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of the word of God and we are strengthened.
The psalmist writes in
Psalm 130:5 – I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
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When we read his Word and are strengthened and encouraged by the word, we can wait patiently for the Lord trusting Him to accomplish His will in our lives.
Often, it is in the waiting that God does powerful works in our life.
And remember being patient isn’t just waiting on the Lord. Often we need to be patient with people, trusting the Lord to work.
Paul writes in
Ephesians 4:2 – “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
It is our love for the Lord and for people that will help us to wait on Him and as we are patiently waiting, God is glorified and works in us to continue to transform us into the image of His Son who is patient with us.
Be patient and wait upon the Lord.
The fifth fruit is
The Fruit of Kindness
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Many times we see kindness in the Bible used as the opposite of quarreling.
2 Timothy 2:24 - And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone
Often when quarreling, people become defensive. But if we seek to be kind instead of quarreling, it may help the other person to come to a point of perhaps recognizing areas that they might be wrong in or at least have responsibility in.
That is what God’s kindness leads us to.
Paul writes to the Romans and says in
Romans 2:4 – “do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” NIV
When we bear the fruit of kindness, it will help lead people to Christ as we reflect his character toward them.
The English adjective, “kind” and the adverb “kindly” are related to the root that has also produced the noun “kin.”
Richard Patterson, “Fruit of the Spirit.” Accessed 2/17/2011 at http://bible.org/article/fruit-spirit
Bearing the fruit of kindness would mean treating people as kin, like a member of your own family. We need to be kind and give grace to people just like they were part of our family.
The 6th Fruit is
The Fruit of Goodness
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Now Jesus says in Mark 10:18 that "No one is good — except God alone.”
How can we bear the fruit of goodness when only God is good?
Well, it is through the work of God in our life to produce moral change in our character that we are able to reflect his goodness and do good by His power and strength.
Ephesians 2:10
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God saved us to reflect His glory and to do good by His power.
Is your lifestyle what those around you would say is good?
Jesus says in Matthew 5:16 – “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. NIV
And in Colossians 1:10, Paul writes – “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work”
Do good in the power of the Holy Spirit as He leads and directs you. Respond to His leading by doing the good He leads you to do.
The 7th fruit is
The Fruit of Faithfulness
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Sometimes people wish they had more faith.
I would argue that it is not more faith that we need. It is that we need to exercise the faith that we already have in the circumstances that we are in. That is how our faith will grow.
Faith like Muscles
Faith is kind of like muscles. Exercise what you have and you will have more; whether that is more muscles or more faith.
The parable of the talents is a good illustration that when we use what we have been given we get more of it. In that parable, 3 men are given differing amounts of money.
They use what they have been given and gain more.
Exercising faith means acting on what you know about God and about His promises even when you aren’t sure of how things will work out.
Hebrews 11:1 - faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
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We bear the fruit of faithfulness when we serve and we don’t see the results of that service immediately.
We bear the fruit of faithfulness when we tithe, giving the first 10% of what we make, when we are unsure of how we will survive.
It means using all of our resources for God’s glory and trusting his provision.
Investment in the Kingdom
I remember 6 years ago, when I first started here as the pastor, the people here believed that the Lord wanted to use this church to grow His kingdom. But that belief required steps of faith to prepare for that growth.
The people were willing to invest $30,000 in upgrading our facility getting rid of the pews in our old sanctuary and purchasing chairs so we could use that area for other ministry. We invested in going through a design process to see what we could afford to build.
Now that $30,000 was all the church had and it was scary to say we are going to use all this money because our human nature is to hold on to resources as our security.
Faith is trusting the Lord as our security and using our resources wisely in accordance with His leading.
A year after we made that decision and invested in chairs and designing some future building projects, we doubled in size and we still had $30,000 in the bank and were making plans to build this sanctuary to accommodate the growth we were experiencing.
Exercise the faith you have, and the Lord will grow your faith as He gives you more to be faithful with.
The eighth fruit is
The Fruit of Gentleness
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Gentleness comes across in the way we act, but it begins with an inner quality of heart attitude.
That is why Peter points out that it is not one’s external appearance that we need to focus on, but on “your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:4)
It is as we grow in our relationship with Christ, that we are going to take on more of His character, for He tells us that He is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29)
Being gentle should not be confused with being weak. Gentleness is going to come from the knowledge that the Lord is Sovereign and that we do not need to force someone to think or believe what we do, but through patience and understanding we can be gentle in sharing what we believe to be the truth and in our responses to those who disagree.
1 Peter 3:15-16 - But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (NIV)
Finally, the last fruit is
The Fruit of Self-Control
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The word translated as Self Control (NT:1466 - egkrateia) is derived from a word that means strong or strength (NT:1468 - egkrates )
It requires strength to “keep in step with the spirit” instead of living according to the sinful nature. Living according to the sinful nature requires no strength, it is what we will do if we do not act upon the strength the Spirit provides to discipline our lives to overcome our sinful nature.
As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we will be strengthened to exercise self-control and live for the glory of the Lord and not for the pleasure of the moment.
Conclusion
As we grow in our relationship with Christ, these fruits of the Spirit should be manifesting themselves more and more in our life.
It will require a daily and constant battle against our sin nature to live according to our spiritual nature and to see the fruits of the Spirit manifested in our lives. But we can do that better when we have our focus on Christ and the eternity we can experience with Him.
Then it will no longer be a struggle to live according to the Spiritual nature, because our sin nature will be destroyed as we are in the constant presence of the Lord.
Can you imagine that?
Keep that focus as you live this life so you can live in a way that keeps in step with the Spirit and that will manifest the fruits of the Spirit in this life, and while we can only imagine it now, we can look forward to that day when it is no longer in our minds, but experienced completely in the Lord’s presence.
We are going to close in worship this morning singing “I Can Only Imagine.” It is a song that talks about what it will be like to eventually be in the Lord’s presence and what we will do. One of the things we will do is worship Him.
One type of fruit that we did not talk about last week is the sacrifice of praise. The author of Hebrews calls praise “the fruit of the lips that confess his name (Hebrews 13:15)
Let those who confess Jesus as Lord praise him by worshiping him this morning.
I Can Only Imagine
