The Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit #5

Introduction:
  I. For the last four Sunday nights we have discussed the 
     works of the flesh.
 II. Tonight, we turn our attention to the “Fruit of the 
     Spirit.”
III. We will look at the expression “the Fruit of the 
     Spirit,” then the first of the fruit of the Spirit – 
     “love.”

Body:
 I. The Fruit of the Spirit
    A. Trees that produce fruit are cultivated on the 
       account of the fruit.
    B. Fruit is a proof of the tree.
       1. Matthew 12:33
       2. Matthew 7:18
       3. We need to keep in mind that we should bear the 
          fruit of the Spirit, we should recognized that we 
          shall not be without out faults and sins; and 
          that being a tree that bears good fruit involves 
          growth, and growth takes time.
    C. The source of good fruit is described.
       1. Galatians 5:22
       2. Colossians 1:6
       3. John 15:15
       4. There is no difference between the fruit of the 
          Spirit in our life and the fruit of the word of 
          God.
       5. The Word tells us what the fruit of the Spirit 
          is; and when followed it produces this fruit.
       6. When we store up His word in our hearts, we shall 
          speak out of the abundance of the hart which 
          mediates on His word and we shall bear the fruit 
          of the Spirit.
       7. There is no difference between bearing the fruit 
          of the Spirit and being led by the Spirit.
       8. The one who bears the fruit of the Spirit does 
          not manifest in his life the works of the flesh.
    D. The importance of bearing fruit.
       1. Fruit-bearing is a natural and not a mechanical 
          process, revealing the presence of an inner life; 
          and the use of the singular points to the unity 
          of the character which the Spirit creates.
       2. We who have the gift of the Spirit ought also to 
          bear the fruit of the Spirit.
          a. If we do not, are we not grieving the Spirit?
          b. In the midst of a discussion on some moral 
             obligations of the Christians, Paul said… 
             (Ephesians 4:30).
       3. One cannot profess to live by the Spirit, if he 
          does not really walk by the Spirit.  He must sow 
          the seeds of well doing or he will not reap life 
          everlasting.
       4. Although, we do not all produce the same amount, 
          if we bear no fruit at all we cannot continue to 
          be disciples. John 15:2-8
    E. It will be observed that Paul does not in this 
       context speak of the fruits of the Spirit, as if 
       love is one fruit, peace another, goodness another, 
       and faithfulness another.
       1. Instead, he speaks of the fruit of the Spirit.
       2. Taken altogether, they constitute the fruit of 
          the Spirit; thus one is not to be under the 
          impression that he is really bearing the fruit of 
          the Spirit if he manifests only one of these 
          qualities.

II. Love (agape, agarh)
    A. Definition:
       1. Arndt & Gingrich: Love
       2. Thayer: 1. affection, good-will, love.
       3. Green: love, generosity, kindly concern, 
          devotedness.
       4. Compare Philia jilia (warm love, tender affection) 
          with agape.
       5. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
       6. The Golden Rule – Matthew 7:12
       7. What does love mean?  There are those who think 
          of this love as a sentimental or emotional 
          attachment to someone or to something.  Because 
          they equate this love with a feeling, they think 
          that they love when they have this feeling and 
          that they are without love when they do not have 
          this feeling.  Love, however, cannot be an 
          emotion, although it may draw to itself the 
          emotions, and one thing that proves this is that 
          love is a command.  A command is addressed to the 
          will of man; and whether we obey the commandment 
          or not is a matter of our being willing to do so.  
          We cannot command an emotion.
       8. We can will to do these things (in 1 Corinthians 
          13:4-7) even though our feelings at times, if we 
          gave way to them would lead us to act the 
          opposite. Bales
    B. The importance of love.
       1. Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:14
       2. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
       3. 1 Corinthians 14:1
       4. 2 Peter 1:7
    C. God and Jesus shows us what love is.
       1. Matthew 5:45
       2. John 3:16
       3. Romans 5:6-10
       4. Romans 8:35-39
    D. Christians are to love:
       1. God and Jesus Christ
          a. Matthew 22:37
          b. John 14:15, 21
          c. 1 Corinthians 8:3
          d. 1 John 4:19
       2. Our fellow Christians.
          a. Ephesians 4:2
          b. John 15:12-13, 14; Philippians 2:6-8; 
             Galatians 5:13
          c. John 13:34-35
          d. 1 Thessalonians 4:9
          e. 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17
          f. 1 John 2:10; 3:10-11, 14, 18, 4:7
       3. Others
          a. Matthew 5:43-44
          b. 1 Thessalonians 3:12
          c. Romans 13:8-10; 15:2
          d. Ephesians 5:25, 28, 33
          e. Mark 12:31
       4. Self
          a. Mark 12:31
          b. We should seek good toward ourselves, seek our 
             own highest good.
          c. This is different from selfishness; condemned 
             in the Bible where one chooses self as the 
             supreme object of trust and service.