FREEDOM AND THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
Text: Galatians 5:1, 13-26
Galatians 5:1, 13-16: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. … (13) For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (15) But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (ESV).
I once had a church member that called the police to come because someone broke in their house. The ironic thing was not that the criminal wanted to steal anything. He just wanted to go back to prison. So what does that have to do with today’s text? There were people who opposed Paul. Someone (Charles B. Cousar) called Paul’s opponents “rival missionaries.” (Charles B. Cousar. Interpretation: Galatians. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982, p. 29). Paul preached about God’s grace whereas his opponents preached contrary to Paul’s message arguing that the law required circumcision.
Why would a prisoner who has been granted freedom want to return to prison?
Paul seems to be addressing three things in today’s text: confusion, community and compassion.
CONFUSION
What was the confusion that Paul was trying to clarify?
1.One answer to that question was the confusion that was created by these “rival missionaries” whose message about the law contradicted Paul’s message about grace.
2.A second answer was how Paul tried to clarify the difference between genuine freedom in the Spirit versus counterfeit freedom from the flesh.
3. I Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not the author of confusion (KJV).
Can unbelievers be confused? Of course they can. The more confusion that Satan creates, the more people can be deceived and led astray. There may not be rival missionaries today, but there are rival messengers on a mission. If God is not the author of confusion and exception then who else can be behind it except Satan.
Someone reports: I was an air-traffic controller stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan. One morning we picked up a Montana National Guard passenger aircraft. Instead of identifying the plane by its five-digit tail number, its pilot radioed, "Selfridge Approach, this is Pig Sty One." As we were taught to refer to aircraft by whatever call sign the pilot used, the controller thereafter called the craft "Pig Sty One." Just after touching down, the pilot contacted the tower.
"Selfridge," he said, "our call sign is not “Pig Sty one." It is “Big Sky One,' and we have the governor of Montana on board!"
https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/1078/air-traffic-controller/
Can people get confused by distorted things they hear?
Confusion creates delusion and delusion leads to destruction!
Paul clarifies how true liberty comes from having a relationship with God.
COMMUNITY
What is different about our community? People can live in the same geographical community and yet not have much in common. People can have moral standards of conduct and yet still be lost because they live according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit.
It is possible for people to have what John Wesley called the “form of godliness but not the power”: “Such is the state of every natural man; whether he be born a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable decent sinner, having the form, though not the power of godliness.” (Robert W. Burtner & Robert E. Chiles. eds. John Wesley’s Theology. [Wesley’s sermon, “The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption.”] Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1982, p. 128). Without the Spirit there is neither genuine godly influence in love or life! Without the Spirit there is no genuine freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord's Spirit is, there is freedom (ISV).
What is the ideal of the Christian community?
1.The ideals Christian Community are peace, love and being the keepers of our brothers and sisters. Peace is mandatory for the Christian community. Consider Romans 12:18, “ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all”. Only God’s Spirit can give us peace. Consider Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
2.This is where the fruits of the Spirit come in (Galatians 5:22- 23).
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Galatians 5:16-17). ….
The fruits of the Spirit are in opposition to the desires of the flesh.
Paul tells us that we cannot sow to the flesh and reap from the Spirit because we reap what we have sown.
We cannot master our flesh without the help of the Holy Spirit. "Jack Eckerd, (the former founder-owner of the 1,700 store chain of Eckerd Drugs, [was] a committed Christian, and his Christianity [had] clearly carried over into his business dealings. One day Eckerd received a letter accusing him of selling pornographic books and magazines in his stores. When the complainer sent him a copy of a book she had purchased at one of his stores, Eckerd took immediate action. Within days, all questionable books and magazines were removed from all of Eckerd's stores. Eckerd's staff was apprehensive, and one key officer warned him that the chain would lose millions of dollars in sales as a result of removing the pornographic literature.
[Let me interject. Could it be that Eckerd was more concerned about losing souls that losing money? It certainly seems to be the case. He was clear about serving God rather than trying to serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24)! Any time we hoard money as a possession rather than use it as a tool as God intended, we are in danger of making it an “idol that would keep us”!!! Now back to the story …].
Instead, letters poured in expressing thanks. And sales increased. Eckerd determined to go a step further, he wrote to the top management of Revco, Rite-Aid, People's Dart Drug, Gray Drug, 7-Eleven, plus other and convenience stores and urged them to refuse to sell pornographic books and magazines. Eventually, all of these stores agreed.
Eckerd honestly refuse to take any credit, but simply wants to express his faith trough practical service. The Bible calls this bearing fruit of the Spirit." (Dr. William P. Barker. ed. Tarbell's Teacher's Guide. 89th Annual Volume. Elgin: David C. Cook Publishing Co., 1993, pp. 246-247). This story helps us to understand how our actions can make a difference. It only takes a spark to get a fire going!!! What would have happened in the business community if Jack Eckerd had yielded the flesh instead of the Spirit?
COMPASSION
Does having the fruit of the Spirit make us people of compassion? It should.
The fruit of the Spirit should bring results in us and through us that transforms others. Warren Wiersbe put it this way, that the first three fruits of the Spirit [love, joy, peace, patience] are "Godward" and express the aspect of the Christian life. The next thee [longsuffering, gentleness and goodness] are the "manward" aspect of Christian life. The final three [faith, meekness self-control] are selfward aspects of the Christian life. " (Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton Victor Books, 1989, p 720). There is no doubt that the love for both God and neighbor are connected to the fruits of the Spirit.
What did Paul mean by his warning not to bite each other? There is the story of this man walking down the street complaining about the greed and gossip of others. He then started pointing out the flaws in the man that was approaching him to the angel who was conversing and walking along with him. The angel pointed out that was not a man but a mirror that they were approaching as it was his own reflection that he was chastising. (A. Nasimith. 1200 Notes, Quotes And Anecdotes. Great Britain: Pickering Paperbacks, 1988, p. 133). Sometimes the very things that we claim that we do not like about others are true about ourselves.
Paul included this warning about how we treat others with contempt because of the damage it can do (Galatians 5:15). Biting and devouring one another has a personal price for each individual involved in the dispute. What about the price to the unity within the community? What about the price of the witness of the community? Do we not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) when we fail to stay in step with the Holy Spirit? Unless we live by the Spirit, we cannot stay in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
Although Paul does not use the word compassion in Galatians 5 he certainly does imply it. The way that Paul speaks of love in this chapter implies that love must be active and dynamic to accomplish its purpose. Like salt in a shaker, love has to go beyond its vessel it can accomplish its purpose!!!
“Six young men were slated to compete against one another in Seattle, Washington. The event was the one-hundred yard dash. The men lined up and waited for the starting gun, and took off in a sprint. About halfway down the track, the man in front stumbled and fell, skinning his hands and knees. The other five men stopped and helped him up. After they brushed him off and were sure that he was unhurt, they decided to finish the race together, holding hands. None of the judges could tell who won the blue ribbon; none of them could see through their tears. No one in the stands that day would ever forget this demonstration of compassion. As the race ended the crowd stood and cheered for ten minutes. These young men were competing in the Special Olympics, and showed that they cared more for a fallen friend than finishing the race.”
(Steve May. The Story File. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2001, p. 66). Does the way we run our race---the way that we live, the way that we witness on a daily basis, set others free from their prisons?
In order to maintain our spiritual health, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in us, enabling both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). When we are truly Spirit filled, Spirit, fed and Spirit led, then we can become the people that God wants us to be.
The world has its own agenda that rivals God’s kingdom.
Remember the story of the convict who wanted to get re-arrested to avoid responsibility? He did not want to be accountable to anyone! God wants us to be a community that has compassion where we rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (I Corinthians 12:26).
Lord help us to do all we can to help Your Kingdom grow on earth.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
