Fruit of the Spirit

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Fruit of the Spirit

• Sunday August 15, 2010

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We are called to reflect gods Character

• Through His grace, we are given the Holy Spirit
  by which we can grow in our image of Him.
• Being a servant of Christ means we surrender all
  of what we are until He becomes more and we
  become less (John 330 Gal. 220-21).
• 2 Corinthians 318  We all, with unveiled faces,
  are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are
  being transformed into the same image  from glory
  to glory this is from the Lord who is the
  Spirit. 

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What kind of tree am I?

• Psalm 1 3 He is like a tree planted beside
  streams of water that bears its fruit in
  season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever
  he does prospers. 
• "You will know them by their fruits. Do men
  gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from
  thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good
  fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" (Matthew
  716-17).

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Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 522-23)

• in the Greek language, it is referred to as
  singular, meaning one Fruit. These are
  different attributes or Characteristics we can
  acquire when we walk in the Spirit.
• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patient Endurance 
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faith and Faithfulness 
• Gentleness 
• Self-Discipline 

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• It all starts and ends here.
• Love manifests patience and kindness and it is
  not greedy or jealous it is not prideful nor
  brags of one's accomplishments. It is not rude or
  self-seeking, and it allows one not to be easily
  angered. By this, we do not keep record of others
  wrongs or enjoy it when bad things happen to
  others rather, we rejoice with others to build
  them up. Love always looks after others, shows
  trust, hope, and always carries on. Love
  encapsulates the purpose and role of Fruit, and
  thus, our furthermost goal, as followers of
  Christ, is to do all things in love (John 131
  1513 1 Corinthians 133-8 Galatians 522-23 1
  John 416).

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• Joy in James refers to declaring our situation as
  happy and fulfilling, even when it is not. It is
  to change our mindset and focus.  Our pleasure
  comes from knowing He is in charge and caring for
  us. Different from Happiness, because happiness
  depends on whats happening. Our Joy however
  lasting (the same yesterday, today and tomorrow)
• As children of God, we are rightful heirs to the
  blessing of overflowing Joy, God has declared us
  worthy. Joy is an outward sign of inward faith
  in the promises of God., Joy is not a distant
  destination at which you arrive rather its a
  path you choose to travel each day!Tommy
  Newberry author of The 48 Principle
• The mind is its own place and in itself can make
  a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven. John
  Milton
• 1 Thessalonians 516-18 (NIV)
•  16Be joyful always 17pray continually 18give
  thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's
  will for you in Christ Jesus.

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Peace

• By handing over control of our hearts, will, and
  minds to Him we are then willing to make peace
  with others because we have found peace with God.
  Thus, we can live at peace with our neighbors,
  proclaiming serenity and rekindling it when it
  goes down or is lost. Peace is unity, which is
  more important than just resolving trivial
  disagreements. 

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Patience

• "But God made a promise to us, and we are waiting
  for a new heaven and a new earth where goodness
  lives. Dear friends, since you are waiting for
  this to happen, do your best to be without sin
  and without fault ... Remember that we are saved
  because our Lord is patient" (2 Peter 313-15,
  NCV)
• Lets have patience with ourselves and others, He
  is patient with us Therefore He wants us to wait
  patiently for Him to act on His own timetable.
  "May you be made strong with all the strength
  that comes from his glorious power, and may you
  be prepared to endure everything with patience,
  while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who
  has enabled you to share in the inheritance of
  the saints in the light" (Colossians 111-12,
  NRSV).
• In regard to our relationships with one another
  we are also admonished "Be completely humble and
  gentle be patient, bearing with one another in
  love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the
  Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians
  42-3, NIV)

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Kindness

• Kindness is the medium through which Christ's
  love becomes real, tangible, and knowable through
  us. Kindness is the essence that shows the world
  we are Christians, like the fragrance coming from
  a beautiful flower.  This is something we
  replicate as we are kind, and also respond in
  kindness to others, our response to one another
  fuels the other's response, and so forth. 

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Goodness

• This is the fruit that makes people liked by
  and even lovable to others. This displays
  integrity, honesty, and compassion to others, and
  allows us to do the right thing. It is doing the
  right thing, even when it does not feel like we
  should, as Joseph did. He was betrayed and sold
  as a slave, yet, he chose to make his situation
  into something good, and to help and treat others
  better than he needed to. Why are we to be good?
  Because God is good to us (Psalm 865 1454-13)!
  Goodness is the model for people to want to
  repent and accept Christ.

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Faithfulness

•  It is the gluing fruit that will preserve our
  faith and the other characters of the Spirit, and
  identify God's will, so we can be dependable and
  trusting to God and others.

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Gentleness

• sometimes referred to as Meekness, is the fruit
  that will show calmness, personal care, and
  tenderness in meeting the needs of others. This
  also means being nonresistant to God and His work
  in us. Gentleness produces a desire and effort to
  please God and to submit our will and aspirations
  to His will and what is best.
• By keeping our focus on Christ with humility, we
  can endure being personally attacked or
  criticized.
• Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am
  gentle and lowly in heart ..." (Matthew 1129).

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Self Control/Discipline

•  sometimes referred to as Temperance, is allowing
  God to be in control of our will and hearts, and
  to be diligent in seeking the Spirit to enable
  us. We can know what not to do, and guard the
  areas in which we are weak. This will allow us to
  have discipline and restraint, with obedience to
  God and others. "A man without self control is
  like a city broken into and left without walls"
  (Proverbs 2528).  This description shows how
  important self control is, since it acts like a
  guard to our life. As the verse says, a man
  without self control is like a city broken into
  and left without protection, easy for thieves to
  break into, steal and destroy.
•  "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to
  your earthly nature" (Colossians 35, NIV).
• We need the Holy Spirit is to help us control
  our human nature. In addition to transforming our
  thinking and perspective, God's Spirit empowers
  us to exercise self-control, to live by the
  teachings of the Holy Scripture.

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How can we live this fruitful life in the spirit?

• Simply put by St. Paul, we achieve this by
  allowing the Word of Christ and His presence to
  dwell in us, and learn His instruction, so the
  peace of Christ rules our hearts and minds,
  translating into actions. It is all about our
  spiritual growth impacting us so it impacts
  others positively and in love (Col. 115 23
  31-11)!

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How can we live this fruitful life in the spirit?

•  Like with anything, you learn about it first
  (knowledge) then you train and practice it (live
  it out)
• 1st step Knowledge
• 2nd Step Application (through prayer/reading,
  self examination, confession, holy Eucharist as
  means to obtaining these fruit.

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How can we live this fruitful life in the spirit?

• Take a close look at each of the fruits listed.
  Which ones are you exhibiting well? Which ones do
  you lack? What are you going to do about the ones
  in which you are weak?
• We are being called to be productive and useful
  in the Kingdom as well as the community.
• If not, we are in disobedience and ignoring of
  His love and gifts for us. Why would a Christian
  not want to be productive for the Kingdom (Phil.
  48-9)?
• I need to examine myself and ask myself What
  blocks this Fruit from working and being
  exhibited in me?
• 2 Cor 315Examine yourselves to see whether you
  are in the faith test yourselves. Do you not
  realize that Christ Jesus is in youunless, of
  course, you fail the test?

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It all starts and ends with Love

• When were kind, gentle, good its because we
  want to be abiding in His Love.
• All it takes is to be in love with Christ. Seek
  His presence, grow in your discipleship and be
  persistent in your prayers and in so doing you
  will be building your Character too.

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If I am not bearing fruit then I am dead
There is a stern warning here for all of us! We
have a responsibility to pursue our faith
development that results in a good demonstration
of modeling Christ (2 Cor. 520). "Every tree
which does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire" (Matthew 719)  Our Fruit
trees of faith wither and die because we ignore
His Truth of the Word and Spirit and allow our
flesh to take the place of the Fruit.
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In Conclusion

• Let love and faithfulness never leave you bind
  them around your neck, write them on the tablet
  of your heart. Proverbs 33
• Let us all pray and seek diligently to hear the
  words Matthew 2521"'Well done, good and faithfu
  l servant! You have been faithful with a few
  things I will put you in charge of many things.
  Come and share your master's happiness!'

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Teach me O Lord

• Teach me O Lord.....Let me learn Your
  waysLead me O Lord.....Let me do Your
  willSearch me O Lord.....Cleanse all my
  sinsLove me O Lord.....Let me love You

And Glory be to Him, forever Amen.