I. Fruit that describes our personal experience with God. (Godward Fruit)

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1 The Fruit of the Spirit Part II Galatians 5:16-22 Joint Heirs ABF, 4/19/15 By Pastor Ray Benton I. Fruit that describes our personal experience with God. (Godward Fruit) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace When we are filled with the Spirit it will impact our personal experience and the third quality that will characterize our lives is PEACE. Do you know people who desire to know peace in their lives? (Where do they typically look to get that feeling or how do they obtain it?) Relationships/Drugs/Tranquilizers (Illustration) As we begin our study on Peace lets first ask what is it? A. Differentiations of peace. There are two types: 1. Positional Peace Romans 5:1, peace with God. The word means to join together. (Two opposite forces that were once separated, but now are reconciled. Peace is knowing that the God you were once separated from, you are now joined to through Jesus Christ.) Do you have peace with God? (It comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.) 2. Practical Peace Philippians 4:6-8, peace of God... The word means calm or repose. It is the tranquility of mind based on the consciousness of a right relationship with God. It is the assurance that God is in control. How will a Christian respond to the difficulties of life? (If he is filled with the Spirit, there will be calmness in the midst of distress.) Have you observed that? (In recent days with families who have lost loved ones.) B. Distinctions of Peace Where and when you will find it? 1. Centered in Jesus Christ John 14:27, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (Christ wanted believers to possess it.) 2. It is complete and absolute Psalm 4:8, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety. (What can enable us to pillow our heads and sleep even though there is difficulty and turmoil?) 3. Certain in spite of circumstances. John 16:33, These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (Spirit controlled believers have this peace no matter what is going on around them.) a. It controls their emotions b. It gives them calmness when the human spirit would rush to panic. 1

2 C. Development of Peace How you can possess it? 1. Know the author of peace Romans 15:33, Now the God of peace be with you all. Romans 1:7, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is the author of peace? God 2. The Prince of Peace Isaiah 26:3, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Who makes peace with God possible? Christ He joined us together 3. The Spirit of Peace John 15:26, But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 16:7, Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send Him to you. Who is the Helper? Who is the one that brings peace to us? The Holy Spirit! 4. The Word of Peace Psalm 119:165, Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. What is it that the Spirit will use to bring this peace? (The Word of God) John 16:13, However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth 5. The Ruler of Peace Colossians 3:15, And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. What happens when peace rules? (It impacts the inside/outside) How well are you doing in cultivating this quality? How do you respond to crises or problem situations? Upset/Calm assurance, God is in Control. D. God wants us to know His peace. Just like that bird that calmly in the midst of the torrent waterfall and threatening weather kept her little ones protected, He wants us as believers to possess this characteristic that keeps us calm in the midst of distress. It is His Peace! But not only does the fruit of the Spirit, have a Godward focus, it also has a man-ward focus. As we continue our study, what will the H.S. produce in my life as it relates to others? (Manward fruit) (Longsuffering/Kindness/Goodness) Are any of these characteristics natural? NO. Let s begin by looking at Longsuffering. II. Fruit that describe our personal experience with others. A. The fruit of the spirit is longsuffering 1. Define it What is longsuffering? a. The word means to have a long temper b. Forbearance (to refrain from), patience toward others 2

3 c. It is the quality of self-restraint in the face of opposition which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish. (It is the quality our kids or grandkids long for when they are about to get punished.) d. It is self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate to wrong. (Marty illustrated it when I wrecked his new bicycle) 2. Distinctives of Longsuffering a. Mark the walk of the believer Ephesians 4:2, walk worthy with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love Colossians 1: 10-11, walk worthy and longsuffering with joy b. Characterize the life of a believer Colossians 3:12, Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another c. Paul s charge to Timothy II Timothy 4:2, exhort with all longsuffering d. It is the mark of love I Corinthians 13:4, Love suffers long and is kind 3. Demonstrations of Longsuffering a. God s response to Israel b. God s way of dealing with Paul I Timothy 1:15-16, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. c. God s attitude toward the lost and the virtue that is closest to His heart II Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. d. Quality demonstrated by Christ John 18 Trial/ridiculed and how he responded. 4. Where do we need this quality? Home/Work/Play How do you respond to provocation? I Peter 2:23, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return, when He suffered He did not threaten but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. How do I respond to emotional reactionary situations? What qualities will be displayed if I practice longsuffering? Patience, Love, Forbearance, no revenge. If Not? Anger, retaliation, revenge 5. As I read that story, I wondered how often my testimony has been hindered because of reaction to a merchant who did not meet my expectation I wonder how my kids were wounded when my response to them wasn t mixed with grace over some failure in their behavior? I wonder how often I have hurt Sheila when she said something to me that didn t meet with my approval and I reacted to her with hurtful words or facial expressions that showed disapproval? Friends, the fruit of the spirit that which we should display to those we have contact with every day is longsuffering. 3

4 B. There is a second characteristic that marks this manward fruit, and that is, The fruit of the spirit is kindness. The KJV calls this quality, gentleness, but the word in the Greek is closer to kindness. 1. Define Kindness What do we mean by kindness? The word means gracious, soft spoken, mild, kind/not rough, opposite of harshness or severe. (the way we do things) Kindness is that sweetness of temper which puts other people at ease and shrinks at giving pain. 2. Direction of Kindness What is its focus? a. Do you remember one of the first verses you learned in Sunday School? Ephesians 4:32, And be kind to one another Why did we teach this verse at such a young age? (We wanted children to learn to be kind.) Why is this behavior so important? (If we learn to be kind we will practice what else verse 32 says, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. ) b. This quality has to do with our response toward others. (The place where we need it the most, we are often guilty of demonstrating it the least.) (1) Discipline of children Are we harsh or gentle? (2) Speaking to your mate---are we harsh or gentle? (3) Dealing with your associates 3. Distinctions of Kindness a. Characterized Paul I Thessalonians 2:7, But we were gentle (kind) toward you b. Exhortation to Timothy II Timothy 2:24, be gentle (kind) to all. c. Instruction from Titus Titus 3:2, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle (kind) d. Distinguished Christ Ephesians 2:7, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward Jesus Christ. e. Characterize the believer Colossians 3:12, put on kindness f. Characterizes love I Corinthians 13: 4, Love suffers long and is kind 4. Demonstrations of Kindness a. Character of God Romans 2:4, or do you despise the riches of His goodness (kindness), forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads to repentance? Where do we see His kindness? Creation/Care/Compassion b. Example of Christ Feeding the 5,000/Healing/Salvation Titus 3:4, But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness 5. How can we show a lost world that we are different? By acts of Kindness. (Only produced as we walk yielded to the Spirit of God.) Are you a kind person, am I a kind person? 4

5 Are we known for our kindness toward others, or are we harsh, short and rough? Be ye kind to one another The fruit of the Spirit is Kindness. C. There is one last characteristic to this manward fruit, not only is the Fruit of the Spirit longsuffering, and kindness, it is goodness 1. Define it a. Quality by which we aim at that which is good. b. Goodness is love in action (Discerning and seeking the welfare of others.) c. Gentleness (Kindness) has to do with the way or how we do things, goodness has to do with what we do. (The motivation is for others, not self.) Gentleness (Kindness) has to do with our attitude, goodness is our action. 2. Distinctions of goodness Scriptural references of goodness a. Romans 15:14, Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness (Those who Paul wrote to were filled with this quality.) b. Ephesians 5:8-9, For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, (for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness ) c. II Thessalonians 1:11, Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power (Paul prayed that these believers would be filled with goodness.) 3. Development of goodness How do we cultivate goodness? a. Only achieved through yieldedness to the Holy Spirit (1) Romans 7:18, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh)) nothing good dwells (In our flesh dwells no good thing.) (2) Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (We have been created in Christ for good works. ) b. As believers we are supplied with all that we need for good works. II Timothy 3:17, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. c. We should be ready and careful to maintain good works. Titus 3:1, 8, Distinguishing goodness a. May be thought of both as an uprightness of soul/and as an action reaching out to others to go good even when it is not deserved. (How do you respond to evil people? (Illustration of Riley Goliday) We would torment him/i apologized b. How should we respond to these kinds of people? Romans 12:14-21 (Overcome evil with good.) c. Jesus teaching Luke 6:35, But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 5

6 d. John s teaching III John, 11, Beloved do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. 5. Demonstration of Goodness Examples a. Christ Acts 10:38, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. b. Barnabas Acts 11:24, For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith c. My Dad (Put many through College/meals and clothes) 6. How would people characterize you? Would they say he/she is a good person? Are we sensitive to the needs of those around us and do we have a spirit within us that is moved to respond to those in need? I Timothy 6:17-18, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. As so we have seen the Godward fruit, (love, joy, peace); and the manward fruit, (longsuffering, kindness, goodness); next week we will finish our study with the characteristics that describe our personal development as people, (faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). 6