NOT Canceled: Fruit
Hey Restoration family!
During this time of separation, we still are able to access good teachings online through the makers of our Sunday school curriculum.
Please don’t let this chance to worship with your kiddos pass by and take advantage of teaching moments we call “God sightings”. As we spend our days more indoors with our kids, we can show our kids how God shows himself in everyday ways. Be creative, get messy, no one’s looking! I encourage you to connect with your kids in such a time as this.
“II have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Check out week 6 in the link below:
Sermon Notes
Not Canceled: Fruit
“Walk In The Spirit”
- What is the fruit of the spirit? Love, joy, peace…
- These are not canceled, which is good news!
- Galatians
- Our section of text that Rick just read comes from a letter to a church in Galatia written by the Apostle Paul who helped start the church and he is angry and heartbroken. Why? Because people representing themselves as Christian leaders, were diverting people from the Gospel message telling them the males had to be circumcised to be saved. Can you imagine?
- Come to faith in Christ, (Explain Gospel) get baptized, (Outward proclamation) everything is awesome and then, “Hey, before you change, just one more thing, we need you to come in back for a small procedure.”
- Our section of text that Rick just read comes from a letter to a church in Galatia written by the Apostle Paul who helped start the church and he is angry and heartbroken. Why? Because people representing themselves as Christian leaders, were diverting people from the Gospel message telling them the males had to be circumcised to be saved. Can you imagine?
- The problem was not getting circumcised, the problem was telling them that they needed to do something more to be right with God.
- Why is that a problem? It negates everything that was said to you. Talk about a bait and switch! The message of faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone is the biblical message of the Gospel.
- Christianity is NOT a list of do’s and do not’s, it’s what Christ has done.
- Whenever we learn, or are tempted to believe that I need to do______to be right with God other than faith in the sufficiency of the death and resurrection of Jesus, that’s a form of legalism.
- I thought today was about Fruit? Don’t worry, I’ll get there!
- Imputed righteousness; Changes who we are from the inside out, the Bible would refer to this being born again. It’s what he has done, not what we can do. Jesus + nothing= new life.
- Colossians 2:10 says you are FULL or COMPLETE in Jesus / Hebrews 10:14 says “By one offering He has perfected forever them that are His”
- And before we get into “walking by the Spirit” it’s important to see what we’re up against.
- Last week, the struggle is real. That even though we have a new nature through the gospel, there is still an influence of our old nature within us. It’s for good reason, but that was last week, so go watch that one to find out more.
- The old nature will always desire to save itself; to be its own messiah & to define salvation on its own terms.
- Some- Legalism, but others lawlessness.
- THEY ARE BOTH an attempt at salvation. They are both “FLESH”, Sin nature.
- The good news is Paul gives us advice to overcome sin, to find the balance between legalism and lawlessness, & to be free & fruitful, basically it’s the silver bullet of living your life for Christ. Are you ready?
Walk by the Spirit
- Gal. 5:16, “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
- The command is “walk in the Spirit”, the promise is overcoming the desire of the flesh
- “But I say” means here’s my advice. And he points to our “life in the Spirit” a few different ways that basically mean the same thing.
- Vs.16 Walk by the Spirit & you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- vs. 18, But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
- vs. 25, If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
#1. Walk
- It’s a command, I want to follow it, and its promise is overcoming sin, then I really want to follow this command! So then, what is it?
- In my research of the many scholars and bible expositors I read, I got very little in practical terms.
- Would it not be great if it was laid out? This is what it means to walk in the Spirit…
- Quite time for at LEAST 15min. every morning which includes but not limited to 1 chapter of bible reading.
- But it is not, why? Because we would turn it into legalism.
- The Christian life is often represented with this equation, Spiritual Disciples=Fruit
- I am all for spiritual disciples! I read the Bible, pray, journal, pray, read, pray, study, pray, do good works, witness to others about Jesus, you get my point. But these are commanded in scripture to produce 1 thing! FAITH, an increased confidence in who God is and who I am because of what Christ has done.
- Paul makes it clear in Galatians…
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Galatians 3:2–3
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:10-11
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Galatians 3:26
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:6–7
- To Walk in the Spirit means to walk in faith!
#2. In
- The bible teaches us more about who we are than what we do. In fact, all the do and do not’s are anchored in the who and who you are not. Do you believe it? Do you have faith?
- Here’s another truth…
- Jesus is with you.
- How do we walk IN the Spirit? We abide IN Jesus.
- Abide means to be actively present.
- Jesus is with us, he will never leave us or forsake us therefore to walk in the Spirit is to be actively present with Jesus. In fact, being fruitful counts on it. Look what Jesus says in John 15…
- Here’s another truth…
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4–5
- There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be fruitful, it’s usually the means by which we attain it is reversed.
- We usually look to overcome sin by focusing on sin, but the scriptures tell us to focus on walking in the Spirit and the fruit of that will be to overcome the desires of the flesh.
- We usually look to be fruitful and walk in the fruit of the Spirit by behavior modification, but the scriptures tell us to be present with Jesus. To abide…
- [19] Now the works of the flesh are evident:
- He goes through the list citing multiple types of sin which are all contrary to living as a son or daughter of the living king.
- If you are going to continue in them, it’s evidence the Spirit is not in you and you are not born again. Why?
- [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Those things are dying and are being replaced by the fruit of the spirit.
#3. Walk in the Spirit is to have the fruit of the spirit.
- What are they? In Tim Keller’s commentary on the book of Galatians he defines them along with their counterfeits or fake versions of them…
- Agape = love. It means to serve a person for their good and intrinsic value, not for what the person brings you. Its opposite is fear: self-protection and abusing people. It’s counterfeit (a fake version) is selfish affection, where you are attracted to someone and treat them well because of how they make you feel about yourself.
- Chara = joy, a delight in God for the sheer beauty and worth of who He is. Its opposite is hopelessness or despair, and its counterfeit is an elation that is based on experiencing blessings, not the Blesser, causing mood swings based on circumstances.
- Irene = peace, meaning a confidence and rest in the wisdom and control of God, rather than in your own. It replaces anxiety and worry. The fake version of peace is indifference, apathy, not caring about something.
- Makrothumia = patience, an ability to face trouble without blowing up or hitting out. Its opposite is resentment toward God and others and its counterfeits are cynicism or lack of care: “This is too small to care about”
- Chrestotes = kindness, which is an ability to serve others practically in a way that makes me vulnerable, which comes from having a deep inner security. Its opposite is envy, which leaves me unable to rejoice in another’s joy. And its fake alternative is manipulative good deeds, doing good for others so I can congratulate myself and feel I am “good enough” for others or for God.
- Agathosune = goodness, integrity; being the same person in every situation, rather than a phony or a hypocrite. This is not the same as being always truthful but not always loving; getting things off your chest just to make yourself feel or look better.
- Pistis = faithfulness, loyalty, courage, to be utterly reliable and true to your word. Its opposite is to be an opportunist, a friend only in good times. And its counterfeit is to be loving but not truthful, so that you are never willing to confront or challenge.
- Prautus = gentleness, humility, self-forgetfulness. The opposite is to be superior or self-absorbed. Humility is not the same as inferiority.
- Egkrateia = self-control, the ability to pursue the important over the urgent, rather than to be always impulsive or uncontrolled. the slightly surprising counterfeit is a willpower which is based on pride, the need to feel in control. Self-Control, overpass
Keller, Timothy J. Galatians for you. Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2013
May you walk in the Spirit is to walk in faith, abiding in Jesus, with the fruit of the spirit flowing from our lives to the glory of God and your joy!