Sunday Sermon
GOT FRUIT?
Date: February 18, 2007
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Galatians 5:22-26
Listen to Audio Sermon
Scriptures used in ministry of "Got Fruit?"

SCRIPTURE : GALATIANS 5:22-26
BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL.

DEVELOPING THESE FRUIT IN OUR LIVES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT.

FIRST THREE, LOVE, JOY, PEACE
DEAL WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.
SECOND THREE, PATIENCE, GOODNESS DEAL WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUT FELLOW MAN.

THIRD THREE DEAL WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES.

LAST TIME WE SAID THAT THE RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS MORE THAN JUST SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND OTHER MANIFESTATIONS. NOW, WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN US AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT TAKES THE REIGNS.

LET US READ GALATIANS 5:13-26 (NIV)

1. SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE. THIS IS GOD'S MAJOR FOCUS IN OUR LIVES.

2. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF SUMS UP THE ENTIRE LAW OF GOD. WHAT GOD WANTS TO PLANT IN US IS GODLY LOVE !!!

3. BITING AND DEVOURING MEANS DESTRUCTION.

GIFTS ARE GIVEN, BUT FRUIT HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED.
THEY ARE DEVELOPED IN THREE (3) WAYS:
1. PRAYER
2. STUDYING THE WORD
3 PUTTING FAITH INTO ACTION

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS A DISPLAY OF THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST. IT IS HIS PRESENCE WITHIN US THAT ENABLES US TO DEVELOP THOSE FRUIT. (JOHN 15:4)

THE DEGREE THAT THESE FRUIT ARE DEVELOPED IN US IS A MEASUREMENT OF HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALKS. THE SAME APPLIES FOR CHURCHES. IF EACH INDIVIDUAL IS ACTIVELY DEVELOPING THESE FRUIT, THAT MINISTRY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.

JOHN 15:5 SAYS, I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM. HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

JOHN 15:16 SAYS (NOW GET THIS!!!!) YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME; BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT, FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. THEN THE FATHER WILL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME.( AMPLIFIED BIBLE SAYS, AFTER NAME AS PRESENTING ALL THAT I AM.) WHEN HE SEES THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST, HAVING BEEN DEVELOPED IN YOU, HE WILL NOT SAY NO TO YOUR REQUEST !!!!!!!

IN ORDER TO BEAR THIS FRUIT (THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUS) YOU MUST BE PROPERLY BE ROOTED SPIRITUALLY:

READ PSALM 1:1-3

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO DOES NOT WALK IN THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED OR STAND IN THE WAY OF SINNERS OR SIT IN THE SEAT OF MOCKERS. BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, AND ON HIS LAW HE MEDITATES DATE AND NIGHT. HE IS LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY STREAMS OF WATER, WHICH YIELDS ITS FRUIT IN SEASON AND WHOSE LEAF DOES NOT WITHER. WHATEVER HE DOES PROSPERS.

WHAT THE PSALMIST IS SAYING IS IF YOU WANT THIS PROMISE YOU MUST;
1. REJECT SIN.
2. WALK IN HOLINESS.
3. DELIGHT IN GODS LAW.
4. BE PLANTED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD - CONNECTED TO THE BODY.

PSALM 92:12-15 READ FROM OVERHEAD.

JOHN 15: 2 TALKS ABOUT PRUNING EVEN THE PRODUCTIVE BRANCHES SO THAT THEY WILL PRODUCE MORE FRUIT. THE FATHER IS VERY EAGER FOR FRUIT. LETS GIVE HIM WHAT HE WANTS.

LETS LOOK AT THE 9 FRUIT. THE BOOK OF GALATIANS IDENTIFIES THE CHRIST-LIKE QUALITIES THAT GOD WANTS TO PRODUCE IN OUR LIVES. AS WE GO THROUGH THESE, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE MATURING IN YOUR LIFE.

BEFORE WE GO TO GALATIANS LETS LO0K AT MATTHEW 7:15-20.
(READ AND COMMENT ON VERSES) I.E. BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM. COULD WE FOLLOW YOU AROUND WITH A CAMERA FOR A FEW DAYS, WHAT TYPE OF FRUIT WOULD WE SEE BEING MANIFESTED ?

LOVE

THIS FRUIT IS THE KEY TO ALL THE OTHERS. ALONG WITH SELF-CONTROL LOVE IS A BOOKEND THAT HELPS HOLD THE OTHER FRUIT IN PLACE. THIS LOVE THAT IS IN US SURPASSES HUMAN UNDERSTANDING AND (GET THIS) CAUSES A PERSON TO BE FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD !!! ITS NOT JUST A FEELING OR AN EMOTION, BUT RATHER A DECISION TO LOVE EVEN WHEN WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT AND ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN DO THAT.
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE: 1CORINTHIANS 13;JOHN 13:34,35; 1PETER 4:8; I JOHN 3:11; 1 JOHN 4:7.8 (GO OVER EACH, IF TIME PERMITS)

JOY

JOY IS DEFINED AS CHEERFULNESS OR CALM DELIGHT AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR EMOTIONS. ITS SUPERNATURAL JOY THAT GIVES SPIRITUAL STRENGTH. ITS (NOW GET THIS) DIVINE JOY THAT RESULTS FROM AN EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF GODS WORD. JOHN 15:11; JEREMIAH 15:16.(READ IF TIME PERMITS)
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF JOY: NEHEMIAH 8:10 FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.; PSALMS 16:11; 35:9; ROMANS 14:17

PEACE

WE MUST LEARN TO MAINTAIN:
1. PEACE WITH GOD. BY (BELIEVING AND TRUSTING HIM)
2. PEACE WITH OUR FELLOW MAN. BY (NOT ALLOWING STRIFE)
3. PEACE WITH OURSELVES. BY(REFUSING TO LIVE IN GUILT AND CONDEMNATION.)
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING THE IMPORTANCE OF PEACE: PSALM 119:165; ISAIAH 26:3; JOHN 14:27; PHILIPPIANS 4:7

LONGSUFFERING (PATIENCE)

LONGSUFFERING IS LOVE ON TRIAL, BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE EACH OTHER- COLOSSIANS 3:13
COLOSSIANS 1:11 BEING STRENGTHENED WITH ALL POWER ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS MIGHT SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE GREAT ENDURANCE AND PATIENCE...
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF LONGSUFFERING: EPHSIANS 4:1,2; 2 PETER 3:9.

GENTLENESS

GENTLENESS IS WHAT MAKES YOU GREAT IN GOD'S SIGHT. 1 THESSALONIANS 2:7
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF GENTLENESS: 2 TIMOTHY 2:25; JAMES 3:17

GOODNESS

GOODNESS IS HOLINESS PUT INTO PRACTICE AND RESULTS FROM KNOWING GOD, GOODNESS ENABLES YOU TO DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU. LUKE 6:27. IT IS THE GOODNESS OF GOD THAT LEADS MEN TO REPENTANCE.
SCRIPTURES THAT ATTEST TO IMPORTANCE OG GOODNESS: PSALMS 23:6; 52:1.

FAITH

FAITHFULNESS IS WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR DAILY LIVING. THE FRUIT OF FAITH ENABLES US TO WALK AND LIVE BY FAITH. IT WILL KEEP YOU STEADFAST IN THE CALL. FAITHFUL TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AND TO THE VISION HEBREWS 11:6,
SCRIPTURES THAT ATTEST TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITHFULNESS: MATTHEW 17:20 MUSTARD SEED FAITH; ROMANS 4:20,21; EPHESIANS 6:16.

MEEKNESS

MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS. BUT A SLAVELIKE SUBMISSION TO GOD. FREE FROM REBELLION AND PRIDE. BEING HUMBLE TO THE MAX. 1 PETER 5:5 SAYS THAT GOD RESISTS THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE SIMPLE.
SCRIPTURES ATTESTING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF MEEKNESS. EPHESIANS 4:1,2; COLOSSIANS 3:12;

TEMPERANCE (SELF CONTROL)

ITS CONTROL OVER THE WHOLE MAN. SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. WHICH LEADS US TO LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:25. AFTER ALL LOVE AND SELF CONTROL ARE BOOKENDS THAT HOLD ALL THE OTHER FRUIT IN PLACE. EPHESIANS 5:18 BE NOT DRUNK WITH WINE IN EXCESS, BUT BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
SCRIPTURES THAT ATTEST TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF CONTROL: ACTS 24:25, 2 PETER 1:6

AND REMEMBER WHAT PETER SAYS IN 2 PETER 1:5-11 READ OFF OF THE PROJECTOR. YOU MUST ADD TO YOU FAITH TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND NEVER FALL.

GOT FRUIT ?? MAYBE YOU HAVE THE SEED BUT YOU MUST LET THE LORD DEVELOP THEM IN YOU.