THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPIRITUAL FRUIT
PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11
INTRODUCTION: WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT:
GALATIANS 5:22-23 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.
YET THIS MORNING, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL FRUIT, AND IN THE PROCESS HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL FRUIT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL FRUIT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO SEE. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS IMPARTED TO US BY THE HOLY. IT IS SOMETHING WE OBTAIN FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. SPIRITUAL FRUIT IS SOMETHING IMPARTED BY US AND IS PRODUCED BY A PROCESS IN OUR LIVES.
PROPOSITION: IN ORDER OT HAVE JOY IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST WE NEED TO BE PRODUCING SPIRITUAL FRUIT
PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11 AND THIS I PRAY, THAT YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND STILL MORE AND MORE IN REAL KNOWLEDGE AND ALL DISCERNMENT, 10 SO THAT YOU MAY APPROVE THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT, IN ORDER TO BE SINCERE AND BLAMELESS UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST; 11 HAVING BEEN FILLED WITH THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH COMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, TO THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD.
TRANSITION: IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WE NEED TO, ….
1. UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE SAVED TO BEAR FRUIT
a. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A PURPOSE FOR OUR SALVATION.
b. THE GOAL OF SALVATION IS TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS
c. THE CONCLUSION OF SALVATION IS ETERNITY WITH GOD
d. THE PURPOSE OF OUR SALVATION WAS TO BEAR FRUIT – SPIRITUAL FRUIT
EPHESIANS 2:8-10 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; 9 NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM.
i. WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH – SALVATION IS PURELY GOD’S FAVOR ON US
ii. WE ARE NOT SAVED BY WORKS. IN OTHER WORDS WE CANNOT WORK ENOUGH FOR SALVATION
iii. SALVATION IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
iv. SALVATION IS THE CONDUIT OF DOING GOOD WORKS GOD HAS ALREADY PUT IN PLACE FOR US TO DO.
e. IT IS GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES TO BEAR FRUIT FOR HIM
f. IF YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU LIFE, NOW YOU KNOW!
2. THE TWO STEP PLAN OF FRUIT PRODUCTION – ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!
a. WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUNDING LOVE
i. ABOUND COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD, PERISSEUO
ii. IT MEANS TO BE OVER OR ABOVE; TO BE MORE THAN ENOUGH
iii. TO BE PRESENT IN A SUPER ABUNDANCE
iv. HAVING ENOUGH TO SPARE
b. IT IS A LOVE CHARACTERIZED BY
i. GROWTH
ii. KNOWLEDGE
iii. INSIGHT
iv. DISCERNMENT
v. QUALITY – FROM GOD!
ONE MIGHT SAY THAT ABOUNDING LOVE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AND A CLANGING CYMBAL
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1 IF I SPEAK WITH THE TONGUES OF MEN AND OF ANGELS, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I HAVE BECOME A NOISY GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.
c. LOVE AND REAL KNOWLEDGE
i. GREEK WORD EPIGNOSIS
ii. IT MEANS A SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
iii. A KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES FROM THE STUDY AND TIME PUT IN THE WORD OF GOD
iv. IN ORDER TO DO GOOD WORKS AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, WE NEED TO BE ABOUNDING IN LOVE
v. USING THAT LOVE AS A CHANNEL FOR OUR GOOD WORKS
vi. THE LOVE OF GOD ABOUNDING IN OUR LIVES PLUS NO RESISTANCE FROM US EQUALS CHRIST HONORING/GLORIFYING GOOD WORKS!
d. LOVE AND DISCERNMENT
i. REDUCES THE RESISTANCE NECESSARY TO DO CHRIST GLORIFYING GOOD WORKS
ii. COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD AITHESIS
iii. MEANS UNDERSTANDING THAT COMES FROM THE WORD OF GOD
iv. DISCERNING HOW THIS LOVE SHOULD OPERATE
v. IT WAS A WORD THAT WAS USED TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT WAS GENUINE OR AN ANIMAL THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR SACRIFICE.
vi. MORE THAN SIMPLY KNOWING GOOD FROM EVIL OR RIGHT FROM WRONG
1. EVEN THE DEMONS KNOW THAT, AND I FOR ONE WOULD NOT TRUST THEIR DISCERNMENT
JAMES 2:19 YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD IS ONE. YOU DO WELL; THE DEMONS ALSO BELIEVE, AND SHUDDER.
2. DISCERNING WHAT IS BEST AND THEN LIVING THAT WAY – EXCELLENCE!
YOU SEE, WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER WHAT GOD WANTS US TO KNOW, GLEANED FORM OUR TIME AND STUDY WITH HIM COMBINED WITH HOW WE ARE TO USE IT IN A GENUINE AND GOD HONORING WAY, THEN AND ONLY THEN DO WE HAVE A CONDUIT FOR CHRIST GLORIFYING GOOD WORKS.
THIS THEN ALLOWS US TO BE (STEP #2)
e. FREE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS
i. FIRST STEP IS APPROVAL
1. DOKIMAZO
2. MEANS TO PROVE BY TEST
3. MEANS TO PROVE THE WORTH
ILLUSTRATION: IN ANCIENT TIMES THE BIGGEST INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD WAS THE POTTERY INDUSTRY. AND POTTERY VARIED IN QUALITY JUST AS CARS, OFFICE SUPPLIES, OR HOUSEHOLD GOODS VARY TODAY. THE CHEAPEST POTTERY WAS THICK AND SOLID AND DID NOT REQUIRE MUCH SKILL TO MAKE. IT IS FOUND EVERYWHERE AT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES. THE FINEST POTTERY WAS THIN. IT HAD A CLEAR COLOR, AND IT BROUGHT A HIGH PRICE. FINE POTTERY WAS VERY FRAGILE BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER FIRING, AND IT WOULD OFTEN CRACK IN THE OVEN. CRACKED POTTERY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN AWAY. BUT DISHONEST DEALERS WERE IN THE HABIT OF FILLING IN THE CRACKS WITH A HARD PEARLY WAX THAT WOULD BLEND IN WITH THE COLOR OF THE POTTERY. THIS MADE THE CRACKS PRACTICALLY UNDETECTABLE IN THE SHOPS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAINTED OR GLAZED; BUT THE WAX WAS IMMEDIATELY DETECTABLE WHEN THE POTTERY WAS HELD UP TO LIGHT, ESPECIALLY THE SUN. IT WAS SAID THAT THE ARTIFICIAL ELEMENT WAS DETECTED BY "SUN-TESTING." HONEST DEALERS MARKED THEIR FINER PRODUCT BY THE CAPTION SINE CERA—"WITHOUT WAX."
4. OUR OWN FLAWS MUST NOT BE COVERED UP
a. WE ARE NOT PERFECT
b. NOR SHOULD WE DISGUISE OURSELVES TO BE
5. IN A SENSE WE ARE STUDYING THE BEST WAY TO OBEY GOD, NOT JUST A WAY
ii. SECOND STEP IS EXCELLENCE
1. IN OTHER WORDS THE THINGS TAT ARE EXCELLENT
2. SEE, IF WE WILL SPEND THE TIME CHECKING THINGS OUT, WE WILL FIND THE BEST/EXCELLENT WAY TO DO SOMETHING FOR GOD.
THIS THEN PRODUCES THE THIRD STEP, ….
iii. SINCERITY AND BLAMELESSNESS
1. SINCERITY IS DIRECTIVE
a. SINCERE IN WHAT ARENA? THE WORLD!
b. OUR POSITION IN REGARD TO THE WORLD
JAMES 1:27 PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF OUR GOD AND FATHER IS THIS: TO VISIT ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR DISTRESS, AND TO KEEP ONESELF UNSTAINED BY THE WORLD.
ROMANS 12:2 AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, SO THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS, THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT.
c. IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
2 CORINTHIANS 1:12 FOR OUR PROUD CONFIDENCE IS THIS: THE TESTIMONY OF OUR CONSCIENCE, THAT IN HOLINESS AND GODLY SINCERITY, NOT IN FLESHLY WISDOM BUT IN THE GRACE OF GOD, WE HAVE CONDUCTED OURSELVES IN THE WORLD, AND ESPECIALLY TOWARD YOU.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:32 GIVE NO OFFENSE EITHER TO JEWS OR TO GREEKS OR TO THE CHURCH OF GOD;
d. AVOIDING PERSONAL SIN
2. BLAMELESS IS ALSO DIRECTIVE IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS APPLICABLE TO OTHERS
a. IT IS THE EXTENT OF OUR INTEGRITY
b. IT SPEAKS ABOUT NOT ALLOWING OUR ACTIONS TO STUMBLE OTHERS IN THE WALK AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
HYPOCRISY STOPS THE FLOW OF GOD’S LOVE AND HENCE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
WHEN WE SHOW OURSELVES FOR WHO WE ARE, THEN GOD’S LOVE CAN AND WILL FLOW THROUGH US!
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7 BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, SO THAT THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF THE POWER WILL BE OF GOD AND NOT FROM OURSELVES;
ONCE THESE TWO STEPS ARE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND JOYOUS BEGINS TO HAPPEN
f. FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BEGINS TO GROW
i. NOTICE THE PHRASE, “HAVING BEEN FILLED”
1. IT IS PASSIVE
2. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE DOING BUT SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DONE TO US
3. ABOUNDING LOVE AND NO OBSTRUCTIONS PERMIT GOD TO WORK IN US.
ii. NOTICE WHAT WE ARE FILLED WITH
1. THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH COMES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
EPHESIANS 2:8-10 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD;
9 NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM.
2. SALVATION IS ONLY THE START!
3. THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS TO BE FRUITFUL
JOHN 15:1 "I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER.
JOHN 15:4-5 "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. 5 "I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES; HE WHO ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.
4. ABIDING IN PRODUCES FRUIT
ILLUSTRATION: WHEN LAWRENCE OF ARABIA WAS IN PARIS AFTER WORLD WAR I WITH SOME OF HIS ARAB FRIENDS, HE TOOK SOME TIME TO SHOW THEM THE SIGHTS OF THE CITY: THE LOUVRE, THE ARCH OF TRIUMPH, NAPOLEON'S TOMB, THE CHAMPS ELYSEES. THEY FOUND LITTLE INTEREST IN THESE THINGS. THE THING THAT REALLY INTERESTED THEM WAS THE FAUCET IN THE BATHTUB OF THEIR HOTEL ROOM. THEY SPENT MUCH TIME THERE TURNING IT ON AND OFF; THEY THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL. ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS TURN THE HANDLE, AND THEY COULD GET ALL THE WATER THEY WANTED.
SOMETIME LATER, WHEN THEY WERE READY TO LEAVE PARIS AND RETURN TO THE EAST, LAWRENCE FOUND THEM IN THE BATHROOM TRYING TO DETACH THE FAUCET. "YOU SEE," THEY SAID, "IT IS VERY DRY IN ARABIA. WHAT WE NEED ARE FAUCETS. IF WE HAVE THEM, WE WILL HAVE ALL THE WATER WE WANT." LAWRENCE HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FAUCETS DID NOT LIE IN THEMSELVES BUT IN THE IMMENSE SYSTEM OF WATER WORKS TO WHICH THEY WERE ATTACHED. HE HAD TO POINT OUT THAT BEHIND THIS LAY THE RAIN AND SNOWFALL ON THE ALPS.
MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING LIVES THAT ARE AS DRY AS THE DESERTS OF ARABIA. THEY HAVE THE FAUCETS, BUT THERE IS NO CONNECTION TO THE PIPELINE. THEY MUST COME TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST. OTHER PEOPLE ARE ALSO PARCHED, BUT THEY ARE PARCHED FOR ANOTHER REASON. THERE ARE IMPURITIES THAT CHOKE THE LINES.
5. IT IS OUR CONNECTION TO CHRIST THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
a. FRUIT THAT GLORIFIES GOD!
b. WHEN WE ARE ABIDING THEN WE ARE BEARING!
6. A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CAUSES ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO FLOW OUT OF US. AND THEY ARE ALWAYS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
SO, TODAY, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE: YOU WERE SAVED TO BEAR FRUIT
YOU CAN ONLY BEAR FRUIT – GOD GLORIFYING FRUIT IF YOUR LOVE IS GROWING AND IF YOU HAVE NO OBSTACLES.
THEN GOD CAN – AND WILL WORK IN YOUR LIFE TO PRODUCE GOD GLORIFYING FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
