Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 2: The Fruit of the Spirit
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
Monday Bible Study back at the Shields’ 5:00PM
Tuesday Women’s at Lori’s 5:00PM
Men’s on Friday at the church 8:00PM
Supplies were purchased for making the Church Sign for US23
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
† Love of God
This Series: God’s Spirit
Previously:
God’s Spirit with us / in us
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 2: The Fruit of the Spirit
OPEN IN PRAYER
SCRIPTURE READING
Ephesians 5:1-21
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or vulgar joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness…
What are the Fruits of the Spirit?
Where do they come from?
How do we obtain them?
What are they?
Do we produce them?
Have you found what pleases the Lord?
Are we being doers of the Word?
What fruits are we producing?
What if we are not?
Have we confessed our sin to the Lord?
Have we repented of that sin so that we may receive forgiveness?
Are we walking in the Spirit? (Being doers of the Word)
INTRODUCTION
Many may associate the Fruits of the Spirit with emotions or feelings, they are not feelings or emotions, but the Characteristics of God Himself brought out of us by the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within us.
God has commanded us to exercise the Fruits daily in our lives. We keep from doing this when we chose our will over the Will of God in our lives.
The Fruits of the Spirit have nothing to do with our feelings or emotions and they are not under the direct control of our will…other than the fact we can choose to obey the Spirit and show these fruits, or we can deny the spirit of God and choose our own will.
We have free will to allow God to work in our lives and through us, or deny Him and live our will.
I. WHAT ARE THEY?
The fruits of the Spirit are simply God’s Characteristics coming forth from us because of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit dwelled in the Holy of Holies within the Temple, and only the High Priest was allowed within there.
He had to be ceremonially clean; otherwise he would die in God’s presence.
No one was allowed in other than the High Priest.
This was foreshadowing of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, the temple of God
II. WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?
They come only from the Holy Spirits indwelling within us.
I Corinthians 6:19 – 20
19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Jesus is now our High Priest
Hebrews 6:20
… Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…
And only the High Priest may enter the Holy of Holies which is our heart, where the Holy Spirit dwells within us when we belong to the Lord.
II Chronicles 6:30
then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men),
III. WHAT ARE THEY?
They are literally listed as the following,
Galatians 5:16 – 26
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
CONCLUSION
Matthew 7:15- 20 – You will recognize the Lord’s Children
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Mark 11:12-14 & 20-21
12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again."
20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
We are commanded by the Lord to produce fruit, in season, and out of season.
2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season;
CLOSING
John 15:1-17
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.
