Kindness and Goodness (5 of 7)
Series: Fruit of the Spirit
Will McGee
Titus 3:4-8
INTRODUCTION:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Last week, we began a study on what is called the ''Fruit of the Spirit.''
- The fruit of the spirit is a collection of virtues the Apostle Paul lists out in Galatians 5.
- Paul says that if you are a follower of Jesus... And living by his Spirit... Growing into his image... Becoming more like Jesus... These are the areas that you will be growing in.
- In other words, this is what the Spirit Filled Life looks like.
Paul essentially says... ''This is what the life of a Xian is.''
- Jesus himself says, (Matt 7) ''You will know if someone is of God, by observing the fruit that their life produces.''
- Jesus also says in John 15... The way to produce such good fruit... Is to abide in him.
One of the mistakes I think we have made in American Christianity... Is that we have turned following Jesus/being a Christian into a self-help strategy.
- We like to use Jesus to make us better people. Individuals.
- A little religion to make us more well-rounded people.
- This is apparent in how we approach the topic of the Fruit of the Spirit.
- We often treat the fruit of the spirit as a list of personal character traits to aspire to. So that we can be a ''better of version of ourselves.'' So that we can feel good about ourselves.
- The fruit of the Spirit becomes a personal, private endeavor...
But the fruit of the Spirit is not about self-actualization... or Your Best Life Now... It is about serving others.
- A tree doesn't grow fruit for its own sake. An Apple Tree doesn't eat its own apples.
- It produces apples, so that others can pluck them off and taste their sweetness.
When Paul (and Jesus) talk about Xians bearing good fruit.... They don't have in mind us feeling better about ...
Series: Fruit of the Spirit
Will McGee
Titus 3:4-8
INTRODUCTION:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Last week, we began a study on what is called the ''Fruit of the Spirit.''
- The fruit of the spirit is a collection of virtues the Apostle Paul lists out in Galatians 5.
- Paul says that if you are a follower of Jesus... And living by his Spirit... Growing into his image... Becoming more like Jesus... These are the areas that you will be growing in.
- In other words, this is what the Spirit Filled Life looks like.
Paul essentially says... ''This is what the life of a Xian is.''
- Jesus himself says, (Matt 7) ''You will know if someone is of God, by observing the fruit that their life produces.''
- Jesus also says in John 15... The way to produce such good fruit... Is to abide in him.
One of the mistakes I think we have made in American Christianity... Is that we have turned following Jesus/being a Christian into a self-help strategy.
- We like to use Jesus to make us better people. Individuals.
- A little religion to make us more well-rounded people.
- This is apparent in how we approach the topic of the Fruit of the Spirit.
- We often treat the fruit of the spirit as a list of personal character traits to aspire to. So that we can be a ''better of version of ourselves.'' So that we can feel good about ourselves.
- The fruit of the Spirit becomes a personal, private endeavor...
But the fruit of the Spirit is not about self-actualization... or Your Best Life Now... It is about serving others.
- A tree doesn't grow fruit for its own sake. An Apple Tree doesn't eat its own apples.
- It produces apples, so that others can pluck them off and taste their sweetness.
When Paul (and Jesus) talk about Xians bearing good fruit.... They don't have in mind us feeling better about ...
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