1 Fruit of the Spirit Love John 15:9-17 Today we begin a new sermon series on the Fruit of the Spirit. Specifically today we will be looking at the first in the list which is? (love). Guess what? We are to love! Got it? Okay our closing hymn is.... Well since we are here why don t we look into the Scripture a little more? Let s read these verses together. 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. Galatians 5:22-23 This list called the fruit of the spirit is very familiar to Christians. Many have them memorized and the rest of us can fake it pretty good with at least the first three. The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace and a bunch of longer words. But why is this list here? Why did Paul write these words? Lets look at the context. Throughout Galatians Paul is once again refuting those who promote keeping the law, human works, as a part of our salvation. He begins chapter five stating that in Christ we have freedom from the law and beginning in verse 13 he says: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13 What is the flesh? Paul says you know how to identify the flesh. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Galatians 5:19-21 Some items on this list are more out there, we would never participate in those but some hit pretty close to home for each of us. There is one on this list that definitely applies to all of us. It is that last one. Okay I better clarify that last phrase, and the like. We all get to add our own vices to the list. Paul says the acts of the flesh are obvious. The list could be endless and he goes on to say those who live gratifying the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. But in contrast to the acts of the flesh, Paul says the Fruit of the Spirit is... So what is the Fruit of the Spirit? First of all it is different from the gifts of the Spirit. Sometimes we hear these phrases used interchangeably when in fact they are quite
different. Yes they both come from the Spirit and each has its own significance. Here is a brief comparison of the two. 1. The basic distinction is that the Fruit is who we are and the Gifts are what we do. Example: Jesus said, you are to be my witnesses not go and do witnessing. Evangelism is a specific gift but being a witness is who we are every moment. 2. Fruit deals with our character while the Gifts are related to our service. 3. Fruit is to be the same in every Christian but the gifts are different for all of us. 4. Fruit is a goal in the Christian life, gifts are a tool to be used. 5. Fruit is developed according to our spiritual growth and maturity, while the gifts are not 6. Fruit is eternal and the gifts will cease 7. Fruit cannot be imitated but the gifts can. 8. There is only one fruit but there are many gifts. It is important to keep these distinctions in mind as we progress through this series. The last item on that list says that there is only one fruit. The verse says that the fruit of the Spirit is not are. Often when we look at a list such as the nine characteristics given to us, we immediately rank them in some way. We may highlight our favorites and discount the ones we don t care about as much. Love is good so I am glad that one is first but patience would be better at the end of the list. We may focus on the things we are good at doing and ignore those that are more difficult for us. I am glad kindness made the list because I am good at that, but love is a challenge for me so let s stick with kindness. In some way we reorganize the list in our minds in a way that makes us feel better. Paul says we don t get to do that here. This is not a list to choose from. This is not a bowl of fruit where we get to pick our favorite kind. All of these are characteristics that the Spirit desires to help each of us to develop in our lives. These are not just random qualities. They are based on the nature and character of God and as we grow closer to God, each of these qualities will become more evident in our lives. In our comparison between the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit I said the fruit cannot be imitated. That is because the Fruit of the Spirit is not love, it is God s love, it is not joy, but joy that comes from God, it is not peace but the peace that only God can give us. It is not what we work hard to develop in our lives, the Fruit of the Spirit is what we allow the Spirit to nurture and produce as we follow His leading in our lives. 2
3 Francis Chan in Forgotten God, the book the staff has been studying together, says this about the Fruit of the Spirit: Look over those traits right now and ask yourself if you possess each to a supernatural degree. Do you exhibit more kindness and faithfulness than the Mormons you know? Do you exhibit more self-control than your Muslim friends? More peace that Buddhists? More joy than atheists? If GOD truly lives in you, shouldn t you expect to be different than everyone else? He goes on to say that too often we just want a bit of peace, enough to make it through the day or hour instead of the peace that passes all understanding. The point is not to frustrate or discourage us but to help us realize that we can t do it without turning to and relying on the Holy Spirit. He is the one who helps us become who we are meant to be. Left to ourselves we end up living out the acts of the flesh, but when we allow the Spirit to work in us then the Fruit of His character begins to become evident in our lives. Today we are going to begin by looking at the first fruit of the Spirit: love! The Greek language has several different words that are translated into our one English word love. First there is Eros, which is a sensual love, a passionate love that would be what Woody Allen was speaking of when he said I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox. Eros isn t actually used in the Bible. The next word for love was Phileo. This is brotherly love or strong friendship. Then there is Storge, and this is the love a family shares or affection. But Paul doesn t use any of those words for love instead he uses the word Agape. Agape is not a feeling of the heart, it is a choice of the mind. It is an act of the will not an emotional response. It is why Jesus can tell us to love our enemies. It is a conscious action, something that we decide to do and something that we cannot do without the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Peter do you love me? John 21. Tell the story. "Agape, is defined by the nature of God. John affirms that "God is love". God does not merely love; he is love. Everything God does flows from his love. John tells us often that God the Father loves the Son and that the Son loves the Father. Because the Father loves the Son, he made his will known to him. Jesus in turn lived out his love to the Father through his obedience and submission.
Throughout the Bible we see the self-revelation of the God of love. In the garden of Eden, God told Adam, "you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die". But later, when God looks for Adam after his sin, God seeks Adam, not to put him to death, but to reestablish a relationship with him. God will not allow sin to stand between us and him. He personally bridges the gap. The ultimate example of God s love is when God sent his Son into the world to rescue sinners and to provide them with eternal life. John declares, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us". God's love is not based on our wothiness. Because he is love, God is not willing that any one should perish, but wants everyone to repent and live. On our own we are totally incapable of loving either God or others. This is something only God can change for us. God is the only source of love; he "poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us". God's love then awakens a response in those who accept it. God loves through his people, we are branches who must be connected to the vine if we are to have that love. Once we have received God's love as his children, he expects us to love. In fact, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love". In Christ we understand the greatest love, the ultimate source of pure, perfect love. As we walk with Jesus, we learn how to love people with our words, deeds, and actions. Christ like love, agape love, is a giving, self-sacrificing love that has its source in Christ s self-giving love. Jesus said, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father s commands and remain in his love...my command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:9-10, 12) Our relationship with God, with other Christians, and with our neighbors is where the reality of our faith is lived out. It is love that helps us build healthy relationships with others. However, there are two common misconceptions about love that we need to consider. I. First, Two Common Misconceptions About Love. A. Number One - Love just happens. In others words, if we just tell ourselves to love someone, then it will happen naturally. Yet, the Bible never assumes that we know how to love other people. Over and over again it instructs us on how to love and why we are to love. 4
As Christians we are instructed to love one another and to love those who do not know Jesus. I John 3:10-11 - Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. I John 3:18 - Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. I John 4:7 & 12- Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God....No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. I John 4:20 - If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. In a world full of people who live according to the flesh filled with things like anger, hate, envy, jealousy, and revenge, we may be tempted to act in the same way. The love we are to show as people of God requires intentional effort. B. Number Two - (misconception) If we understand the definition of love, then we will naturally love. There are some unusual definitions of love. For instance: Love is a feeling you feel you are feeling when you re feeling a feeling you ve never felt before. While there might be many different concepts of love, understanding a concept and acting on that concept are two different things. As God s people we are called love even when we do not feel like loving! We are to love when we see no results, even when the object of our love may continue on his or her path of rejecting, avoiding, or turning against us. Jesus spent three years with twelve men. He knew that one would betray him, yet he continued to love him just as he did the other eleven. II. Second, Our Lives will show God s Love. We know we are supposed to love others. Love is about giving, sacrificing and going beyond the minimum. In John 13:34, you ll see the same words Jesus speaks in John 15:12, except that he calls this a new commandment. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 5
What was new about it? God s people had been commanded for generation after generation to love each other... but it is a new commandment because Jesus commands us, Love each other as I have loved you. The word as is important. And that little word doesn t mean, Love each other because I have loved you. It doesn t mean, Love each other with the same feelings with which I have loved you. IT MEANS LOVE EACH OTHER IN THE SAME MANNER OF LOVING WITH WHICH I HAVE LOVED YOU. And what way is that? What is the as of verse 12? Jesus himself explains when he says, Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. That s the as of verse 12....Do you wanna love as Jesus loves? Then lay down your life for a friend. Jesus was not only talking about dying on a cross for someone, or throwing yourself in the path of an oncoming car for someone. It means loving so deeply that my life will embody agape love in everything we do and say. One of the greatest descriptions of agape love is given in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Let s change it from Love to Jesus and see how it reads: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Jesus does not demand his own way. Jesus is not irritable, and he keeps no record of when he has been wronged. He is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Jesus never gives up, never loses faith, he is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. What do you think? Does it work? Let s take it a step further. What about us? Ok, so let s go back to 1 Corinthians 13, we changed the word love to Christ, now let s take it a step further and make it personal and see how it reads 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 I am patient and kind. I am not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. I do not demand my own way. I am not irritable, and I keep no record of when I have been wronged. I am 6
never glad about injustice but rejoice whenever the truth wins out. I will never give up, never lose faith, I am always hopeful, and will endure through every circumstance. His name was Bill. He was in his early twenties and had wild hair, and he wore a T-shirt with holes in it, blue jeans, and no shoes. This was literally the hippie's wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He was a brilliant student, but kind of esoteric. A very, very bright young man. He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from the campus was a church with a very welldressed, very conservative congregation. One Sunday, Bill decided to go there. He walked in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service had already started and Bill started down the aisle looking for a seat. The church was completely packed and he couldn't find a seat. By then, people were really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one said anything. Bill got closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realized there were no seats, he just squatted down right on the carpet. By then the people were really uptight, and the tension in the air was thick. From way at the back of the church, a deacon was slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon was in his eighties and he had silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A Godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walked with a cane. As he started walking toward this boy, everyone was saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he was going to do. How could you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some hippie college kid sitting on the floor in church?? It took a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church was utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes were focused on him. Then they saw this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, the old man lowered himself and sat down next to Bill and worshiped with him so Bill wouldn't be alone. That is God s love, that is Agape! Do you love with a supernatural love? The Holy Spirit desires to help all of us develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Call on him and he will teach you how to love. 7