Fellowship Baptist Church
Fruit of the Spirit - Peace - Nov 17, Sunday School

  • Introduction:

    "What are some of the things you say you 'love' every day, whether big or small?"
    "How do you usually decide if you love something? Is it based on how it makes you feel, what it gives you, or something else?"
    This morning, I want us to talk about the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22. I want us to see that there’s a reason this fruit is mentioned first - it is a primary expression of the Spirit that stands behind the whole list. My desire is that you walk out of here more confident in why you should love, how you should love, and how you can love.

    Love’s Description

    Love has always been a priority in the Scriptures.

    The Old Testament, in Lev 19:18, instituted the command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
    Jesus called us to go beyond this. He called us to love even our enemies (Matt 5:43-48)

    Love is seeking the good of others above yourself

    In general, he describes love as the seeking of the good of others above yourself. I just want to read some of these qualities to you that are described in that text.
    He says Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7)
    But our text at least describes love by contrast, doesn’t it? Look at Gal 5:15 - what is the opposite of love there?
    In fact, we discussed last week that the works of the flesh are the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit. Notice the sins described in verse 19-21. Do these describe what a lack of love might look like? While adultery might sometimes be justified by loving someone, Paul puts it in a very different light.
    But love is also expressed by actual deeds (5:25). Paul calls us to keep in step with the Spirit, which means there must be an active participation on our part by doing loving things.
    What are some expressions of love the Bible calls us to show to one another?
    Eph 4:15 - speaking the truth of scripture to one another.
    Loving our spouses as Christ loved the church (Eph 5:25, Titus 2:4)
    Unity in the church (Col 3:14)
    Labor for the Lord which is produced by love (1 Thess 1:3)
    Generosity to the poor and needy (James 2:8)

    Love’s Priority

    Love is the way our faith is expressed (Gal 5:6)

    In Paul, faith is not just an abstract feeling we have towards God. Faith in God is practically worked out by how we love others.

    Love is the source for everything we do for our neighbor.

    “By love serve” = Gal 5:13 -

    Love is the sum total of all of the Old Testament laws (Gal 5:14).

    But also consider how the very placing of the fruit here in the list communicates its priority. Do we really think that Paul just randomly listed the fruits in a particular order? There has to be some intentionality even to the fact that this fruit is listed first.
    We see love’s priority in 1 Corinthians as well, don’t we? There, Paul contrasts the importance of love with every other gift of the Spirit, showing that the gifts are useless without this primary fruit of the Spirit. If I speak with the tongues of angels, and don’t have love, I am nothing. If I have the faith to move mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I can prophesy, but do not love, I am nothing.
    Revelation 2:4–5
    Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
    By contrast, we see the priority of love in the church at Ephesus in Rev 2:4-5. In Revelation, we have a series of letters to these churches in Europe. And they each have problems, but we are surprised that the greatest consequences are threatened on the “loveless” church. But this I have against you that you have left your first love. Remember from where you have fallen, repent, and do the works you did at first, or else I will remove your candlestick (witness or status as a church). Love is so primary as a church that even if we have everything right doctrinally, but do not have love, as Paul says elsewhere “our church is nothing.”

    Love’s Fuel

    We know what love is by Jesus’s death on the cross for us (Gal 2:20).

    Its interesting that in Paul’s use of the terms of love in this letter, he begins by talking about how Jesus loved us and gave himself for us on the cross (2:20).
    This phrase functions as a description of the “Son of God.” Who is the son of God? He is the one who loved us as individuals. He gave himself for you as an individual as well!
    But let’s not forget that Paul says this quality, love, is not the fruit of Christ, per se, but the fruit of the Spirit! The Spirit is the spirit of love, as other scriptures indicate.

    The Spirit is what ultimately produces love in our hearts (Col 1:8, Rom 5:5)

    Col 1:8 In this context, the preposition “in” (ἐν) takes on an instrumental sense that points to the Spirit as the agent through whom the manifestation of genuine love is possible: “the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you”
    Colossians 1:8 KJV 1900
    Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
    ​
    Rom 5:5 is a powerful verse. Rather than just saying that we know God’s love intellectually by considering the cross, Paul says that God’s love for us is experienced in great measure when the Holy Spirit is given to us at salvation. Our awareness of God’s love is experienced through the Holy Spirit given to us.
    Romans 5:5 KJV 1900
    And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
    ​
    1 John 4:11 KJV 1900
    Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
    1 John 4:11 - God is love and therefore his children should love

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