dcm 08 fruitsofthespirit

Fruits of the Spirit


Galatians 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.


JOY
Joy is more than happiness.
Joy is the unconditional state of mind that accompanies
fellowship with God.
CS Lewis: “God cannot give us happiness and peace apart
from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.Mere Christianity.
CS Lewis: “Joy is the serious business of heaven”


Is the Joy that only comes from God present
in our lives? Or Are we searching for
happiness in things and people other than
God?


LOVE
It is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking
anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its
object.
Agape describes the unconditional love God has for the world.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
CS Lewis: "We want to be loved for our cleverness, beauty,
generosity, fairness, usefulness." – The Four loves.


C.S. Lewis suggests there are three ways we encounter
Agape:
1.Through our own awareness of need love.
2. Through our own earthly gift-love.
3. Through Appreciative Love or an experience of perfect
love.


Agape love completes or perfects our nature. It
comes as gift, and it's something we must learn
to do. It's not our impulse to love
unconditionally, but this is what God calls us to
do through the power of Love itself.


Patience and Longsuffering
Patience- the bearing of provocation, annoyance,
misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper,
irritation, or the like; steady perseverance

Longsuffering- long and patient endurance of
injury, trouble, or provocation


The Problem of Pain

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face
trials of many kinds,
because you know that the
testing of your faith
develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its
work so that you may be
mature and complete, not
lacking anything.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping
his promise, as some
understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish,
but everyone to come to
repentance.


Peace

-freedom of the mind from
annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an
obsession, etc.; tranquility, serenity

“God cannot give us
a happiness and
peace apart from
Himself because it is
not there. There is
no such thing.”

“We Have No Right
to Happiness”
“The Problem of
Pain”


Romans 5:1-4
Therefore, since we have been
justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom we have gained access
by faith into this grace in which
we now stand. And we rejoice in
the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also rejoice
in our sufferings, because we
know that suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance,
character; and character, hope.

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything, but
in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. And the peace of
God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.Finally, brothers, whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy
—think about such things.


Kindness / goodness
Kindness- tender concern for others and has nothing to do with
weakness or a lack of conviction. It is a tender heart and a nurturing
spirit.

“The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he
'likes' them: the Christian, trying to treat every one kindly,
finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on including people he could not even have imagined himself
liking at the beginning”


Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man
boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him

who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I
am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on
earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

God’s nurturing kindness is shown when Christ called God the
Father - ABBA; giving permission for us as believers to call Him,
“Father”.


Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Christ live as an example to do kindness
- 5000 people were fed
- let the little children come to me

Christ is not only showed His care for others but also His
compassion wherever He goes.


Goodness
Benevolent in action - zeal for good works and truth
Even though it is goodness but it does not stray away from correcting
or chastising
"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are
good, but that God will make us good because He loves us;
just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun

because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun
shines on it.”


Human did not achieve goodness
We have not been saved by our works but we have been saved
to do His works.

Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

Goodness brings gladness to life


Faithfulness
Ideas of firmness, steadiness, sureness, steadfastness,
faithfulness, trust, honesty, safety, and certainty
Christians need to believe in God’s character and His words
because God has remain faithful to us
Loyalty - sticking to original choice despite other options


“They meant "to pursue happiness by all lawful means";
that it, by all means which the Law of Nature eternally
sanctions and which the law of the nation shall sanction.


Heb 11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who

comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those
who earnestly seek him”.

Heb 11:1
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
not see”

Romans 10:17
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the

message is heard through the word of Christ”.


We are called believers long before we are called
Christians
Ex: early church
Problems in today’s church


Gentleness
Meekness
Submission to God’s Will
Humility
Easily molded by the Spirit


"Thou wert the meekest man", says Sir Ector to the dead
Lancelot. "Thou were the meekest man that ever ate in hall
among ladies; and thou were the sternest knight to thy mortal
foe that ever put spear in the rest.” Necessity of Chivalry

"Until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real
self..." -Mere Christianity
Jesus portrayed an example of meekness and gentleness.


Humility
“Humility is not thinking
less of ourselves, it is
thinking of ourselves
less.”
"[God] is not proud...He
will have us even though
we have shown that we
prefer everything else to
Him."

"Prostitutes are in no
danger of finding their
present life so satisfactory
that they cannot turn to
God: the proud, the
avaricious, the selfrighteous, are in that
danger." Problem of Pain