On Saturday morning we (Living Hope Neighborhood Church) began a 9 week series on the "Fruit of the Spirit." I kicked it off, with the first message on love. Below are my sermon notes (condensed version). I wish I had audio, but we aren't recording our Saturday messages just yet (coming soon).
The Fruit of the Spirit: Love
Galatians 5:22-23 = But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1)Christ’s Love For Us
The essence of God’s love is sacrifice. It is a sacrificial love
Galatians 2:20 = …who loved me and gave Himself for me.
1 John 3:16 = By this we know the love of God, because He laid down His life for us
Romans 5:8 = But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:4 = But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us…
Gospel Pause:
Have you truly received His love by putting your faith and trust in Him as your Lord and Savior? He’s not waiting for you to get your life together in this new year. He’s not waiting for you to clean yourself up. He loves you and He died for you in spite of your filth, in spite of your mess. He loves you. He gave Himself for you. He wants a relationship with you. Do you truly know His love this morning?
For those of us in this room who do know Him, when you repented of your sins and believed on Him, He came in. The Bible tells us that those of us who by grace believed in Him for our salvation, we now have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit lives inside of us.
Romans 5:5 = …God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
2)The Holy Spirit In Us
a)Indwelling
He dwells or resides within us (He is resident).
John 14:16-17 = …You know Him, for He (the Holy Spirit) dwells with you and will be in you.
2 Timothy 1:14 = By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us…
Think about that…the God of the Universe lives inside of you. The God of the Universe dwells within You. And He will never leave!
So if you are a believer and follower of Christ, the question is not whether the Holy Spirit is resident, but rather is He president? He is dwelling inside of you, but the question is, is He directing you? Is He in control of your life?
b)Filling
We need daily walk in dependence upon Him (He is president).
Ephesians 5:18 = And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Be continually CONTROLLED by the Holy Spirit
A drunk person is controlled by the alcohol he has consumed. Therefore, he thinks and acts in ways that are not normal or natural for him. The man who is spirit-filled is controlled, and he too acts in ways that are unnatural for him. He can now act in supernatural ways that contrast with his old life.
Galatians 5:16 = But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Walking is a succession of dependent acts. With each step you are dependent on your foot and leg to hold your weight. Each step is a step of faith, a step of dependence. To daily walk by the Spirit, is to daily depend on Him.
If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of You, and if He is in control of your life, then your life will produce fruit. Your character will be transformed. Your life will be marked by these 9 traits of Christlikeness.
3)Christ’s Love Through Us
Galatians 5:22 = But the fruit of the Spirit is love…
John 13:34 = …just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another
“Only God can generate within us the kind of self-sacrificing love which is the proof that we are His children.” - Ryrie
“If we are to love as God loves, that love – that Agape – can only come from its true source.”
Practical Examples of Love:
Love my wife (Eph 5:25) – who loved her and gave Himself up for her
Love our neighbors (Galatians 5:14; Matthew 22:37)
Love our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6)
1 John 4:11-12 = Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.
Our love (for one another) puts Christ on display to a watching world!
2 comments:
Wish I could have heard the sermon you brought. Just reading your outline uplifted me. I've been delving into Scriptures more this year (still trying to do the one-year read), and I find that the more I read the more I want to read. God bless you and Josie. Loved the wedding day tribute. You are God's gift to each other. Love you guys!
Thanks Judy! Love you too! You are always such an encouragement! Hope to see you in June!
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