Transcript The Fruit of the Spirit Part II: Love, Joy, Peace

The Fruit of the Spirit
Part II: Love, Joy, Peace
Galatians 5:22-24
Review
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The Fruit of the Spirit is the effect or
result of our being filled with the Spirit.
– When a tree is filled with proper nutrients the
result is good fruit.
– Ps. 1:1-3
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In like manner, we will bear this fruit when
we are filled with the Spirit
Review
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To be filled with the Spirit is not
emotionalism, nor is it a mystical feeling.
Rather, as the word of God is given to us by
the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10-12), so we are filled
with the Spirit when we fill ourselves up with
that word.
We do so by filling up our minds the
knowledge of God and applying that
knowledge to the way we live our lives.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
“For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you
heard from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also effectively
works in you who believe.”
Review
When we receive it by faith it is able to
effectively work in us (1 Thess. 2:13)
 It is able to transform us as we fill our
minds (hearts) with it (Rom. 12:2)
 What is the end result?
 The Fruit of the Spirit.
 There is one characteristic that stands
above the rest…
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Love
Love is such an integral part of God’s character
that we are told, “God is love” (1 John 4:16).
 Everything He does is out of love.
 The commandments and ordinances that make
up His law are all designed to effect that same
love in the hearts of His people (Matt. 22:3740).
 The greatest evidence that a person is a
disciples of Christ is the love he has for his
brethren (John 13:35).
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Love
It is no wonder, then, that the first
characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit is
LOVE.
 When we truly fill ourselves with the Spirit
of God, the greatest result it will have in
our lives is love for God and love for our
brethren (see again Matt. 22:37-40).
 But what is love?

Love
Love is: agape—”can be known only from
the actions it prompts…seeks the welfare
of all, and works no ill toward any…seeks
opportunity to do good to all” (Vine’s).
 The love of God is seen most of all in the
sacrifice of His Son for our sins (1 John
4:9, 10).
 Through God’s example we have the
perfect definition of love.
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Love
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That definition is laid out for us in
1 Cor. 13:4-8a
– Love is (does): Long suffering, kind, rejoices
in the truth, bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things,
NEVER FAILS.
– Love does not (is not): Envy, parade itself,
puff up, behave rudely, seek its own,
provoked, think evil, rejoice in iniquity.
Love
This is the kind of love every Christian
must have toward God and toward his
fellow man (Matt. 22:37-40).
 If we have love toward God then we will…
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– rejoice in His truth (all truth, not just what
pleases us), obedient to that truth (John
14:15).
– Put Him and His will before our own desires
(does not seek its own). Matt. 16:24-27.
Love
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If we have love toward men then we will…
– Put the salvation of their souls above all else.
– Rejoice when others come to the truth.
– Put the welfare of others before self.
– Show humility rather than arrogance.
– Make sacrifices for the wellbeing (spiritual and
physical) of others.
Love
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Therefore:
– Agape love is not an impulse or feeling.
 It is not a love that we can just “fall out of.”
 It is not based on how others treat us.
– It is not controlled by the natural impulses of our
many moods and is not bias as to whom it is given.
– Love is a choice, it is the decision we make to put
others before self.
– Gal. 5:13, 14: One brother voluntarily serves another.
– This love causes us to do what we need to do, even
when we do not want to or do not feel like it.
Love
God had this love toward us.
 Therefore, when we are filled with His
Spirit it is only natural that we have this
love for one another.
 “By this we know love, because He laid
down His life for us. And we also ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren “
(1 John 3:16).
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Joy
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When our love is in the right place, then the
natural result is joy.
– People rejoice in that which they love.
 i.e. God and His angels love righteousness, therefore they
rejoice when sinners repent (Luke 15:10).
– When a Christian has the love of God, he will take joy
in the things of God: truth, righteousness, heavenly
reward.
– Heb. 12:2: Jesus loves us, therefore His joy is our
salvation. He endured the cross for the joy that was
set before Him.
Joy
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This is important!
– Many Christians serve, but do it grudgingly.
These are not filled with the spirit.
– Many Christians heed the instruction of God
with resentment. These are not filled with the
Spirit.
God is not pleased when we give or serve
in this manner (2 Cor. 9:5, 7).
 Why?
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Joy
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If we do not take joy in His ways then we
do not have His love in us.
– We ought to rejoice in God’s instruction, no
matter how much we have to change.
– Jesus served us, therefore we ought to rejoice
in serving others.
– Our joy in the truth will help us endure the
hardship of contending for that truth.
– We will find joy in humility and good works
rather than boasting (James 3:13-18).
Joy
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Paul had the love of God to such an extent that
he did not hesitate to make sacrifices of himself
for the benefit of others.
– “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your
souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the
less I am loved” (2 Cor. 12:15).
– When we are called on to serve, do we find joy in the
sittuation or are we too concerned with how much it
is costing us?
– The Spirit teaches us that our lives are for service.
Joy
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This principle can be applied to every situation
we face.
– Suffering? Take joy in eternal life (1 Cor. 15)
– Persecution? Take joy in God’s reward (Acts 5:41)
– Temptation? Take joy in things that are good (Phil.
4:8).
– Sad, down? Rejoice in the salvation and glory of God.
Turn thoughts away from self by taking joy in serving
others (Mt. 25:21).
– In doubt? Take joy in the council of the Lord (Ps.
119:162).
Joy
Every opportunity to serve, to do good, to
be spent that others may abound will
bring us great joy.
 Why?
 Because that is what God does for us.
 Therefore, when we are filled with the
Spirit it will bear the fruit of joy in us.
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Peace
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This peace describes the harmonious
relationship between people.
– It is a peace that we learn from God as we
communicate with Him (Phil. 4:6-7)
– It is a peace that we must work hard to attain
and maintain (Eph. 4:1-3).
– When we strive to make this peace an
important aspect of our lives then we will be
blessed as peacemakers (Matt. 5:9).
Peace
We must understand the true nature of
this peace if we are going to bear it as
fruit in our lives.
 It is not:
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– Apathy (indifference, lack of concern)
– Laziness
– Content with error, compromise.
– Based on falsehood.
Peace
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The peace of God is:
– Based on God’s one true standard: Eph. 4:1-3
– The result of love (for God, brethren, and truth)
– Begins inwardly, manifests itself outwardly (Col. 3:15,
Rom. 12:18)
– Requires great effort (Col. 1:20; 1 Cor. 1:10)
– Forbearing (Rom. 15:1-3).
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If we are striving to be filled with the Spirit of
God then we will pursue this kind of peace.
Peace
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At the same time we will avoid that which
hinders peace.
– 2 Tim. 2:22-23: foolish and ignorant disputes.
– James 3:16-18: envy, self-seeking.
– False doctrine: 2 Pet. 2:1-2, 18-19.
Conclusion
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All of these characteristics must be combined to
make up the fruit of the Spirit.
– Do you have love? Then be obedient to the
commands of God (John 14:15).
– Do you desire joy? Then turn to God so that you can
have joy in Him.
– Do you want peace? The begin with making peace
between you and God.
How do we do all of these things?
We begin by repenting of our sins and obeying
the gospel.
 Will you come?
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