Fruit Examined

without the Spirit of God in us, these fruits will never grow. But we have also got to realize that we have been given a role in helping these fruits of the Spirit develop.

That is what the parable last week talked about. When there was no fruit found on the fig tree, the servant said, ’leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.’ (Luke 13:8).

That is the same thing that Paul is saying when he says in Galatians 5:25 that “since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

It is by the power of the Spirit that there is the ability to keep in step with the Spirit, that is cultivate an environment in our lives where the Spirit will produce fruit.

Farmer and seed
It would be like the farmer who without seed will never have a harvest, but even after the seed is planted, he helps that seed to have an environment conducive to having a harvest, by watering it, and by keeping the weeds out of the field.

Similarly, as we understand these fruits and what they look like and how they grow, we can keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) so that we will bear much fruit to the Father’s glory (John 15:8).

So let’s examine these fruits so that we might see how we might bear much fruit.

The first fruit that Paul lists is
The Fruit of Love
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And I don’t think it is just by chance that he starts with Love. I believe love is at the root of all the other fruits and at the root of living the Christian life.

In fact, If you don’t have love, it is evidence that you don’t have Christ.
The apostle John tells us in
1 John 4:8 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
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So this fruit of love is primary and should be one of the fruits most evident in any Christian’s life.

But what does this love look like?

The word used here for love is the Greek Word “agape.”

It is a love that is selfless and sacrificial. It is the type of love the Lord has for us.

1 John 4:10 - This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
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Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The fruit of love will be sacrificial and selfless, just like Christ was.

As you examine your life would selfishness or selflessness be a better character description?
Realize that being loving isn’t just about being willing to sacrifice your life for others, it is about sacrificing your living, your day in and day out living.
Love like this looks like sacrificing time to serve others
Love like this looks like sacrificing money for the benefit of others.

Love is going to cost something. If it doesn’t it isn’t sacrificial and selfless and it isn’t love like the Lord had for us.

Is this fruit evident in your life? Keep thinking about that as we continue.

The next fruit of the Spirit is
The Fruit of Joy
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Joy is different from happiness.

Happiness depends on our external circumstances.
Joy is internal. I would argue that it is a choice, a choice that those who are in a relationship with Christ can make in any circumstance because it is not dependent on the circumstance, but on the presence of the Lord in your life.

Psalm 16:11 - in your presence there is fullness of joy (ESV)
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Joy comes from understanding