Fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-23)
Sermon Notes
Foundational Truths
- Walking in the Spirit – We must continually live under the influence, control and empowerment of the Holy Spirit to not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
- Crucifying the flesh – We must crucify the sinful dispositions in our hearts.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [d]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The Fruit of the Spirit are those characteristics and virtues that are produced exclusively by the Holy Spirit. The Works are plural, but fruit is singular. It’s similar to a Pomegranate. When you open it up, there are several seeds on the inside. So you have one fruit with many seeds. Just as the Fruit of the Spirit is a singular whole, with multiple manifestations. At the point of salvation, God deposits all of the Graces to bear all of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
“The Fruit of the Spirit is what tells people who we belong to.” – Dr. D’Ann Johnson
Grace that is Rooted in God
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
Grace that Responds to Others
- Long-suffering
- Gentleness
- Goodness
Grace that Regulates Self-Behavior
- Faith
- Meekness
- Temperance
“When people don’t see the fruit, it is hard for us to communicate the root.” – Dr. D’Ann Johnson
Fruit Reflects the Nature of the Tree
Matthew 12:33 – Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
A tree is known by its fruit. When we see apples on the ground near a tree, we can determine that this is an apple tree. In the same way, people determine who are God is, by the fruit they see in our lives. We see from Genesis that everything has the seed to reproduce on the inside, and that they produce after their own kind.
Fruit Requires Connection to the Source
John 15:5 – I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.
When we stop being connected to the source, we progressively die due to disconnection, just as the limb that is disconnected from the tree slowly dies.
Fruit Reproduces through Pruning
John 15:2 – Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
“Pruning is the process of cutting away what’s unnecessary, so that He can get more of what’s desired.” – Dr. D’Ann Johnson
Pruning has nothing to do with sin; it has everything to do with preparing for more growth. Sometimes, the parts that are pruned look like perfectly good fruit. However, by pruning, more growth happens.
“Pruning never feels good.” – Dr. D’Ann Johnson
Fruit Remains Throughout Time
Psalms 92:13-14 – Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright.
It doesn’t matter how old we get. If we stay connected to the vine, we will stay fresh and flourishing! Lord, cultivate Your fruit in me; make me fruitful, make me abundant, keep me fresh, and keep me flourishing!
