Peeled - 2

I Got the Joy!

We are examining the Fruit of the Spirit and discovering characteristics of a life changed by Christ.

Here’s what we know about fruit, fruit is never grown overnight, it must be cultivated.

Picture your life like a piece of fruit. When you are peeled is the fruit sweet or sour?

We are peeling back the layers of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Many say “fruits,” however there are not 9 “fruits” of the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit has 9 characteristics, 9 layers if you will.

One Fruit with 9 elements. These Fruit taken together make up the character of Christ.

Some people try to pick and choose their way through the Fruit of the Spirit. Many pray and ask God to “give” them the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are given. Fruit is cultivated.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Fruit of the Spirit is a description of the character qualities found in Christ.

Last week we examined Love.

It has been said that love is not simply the first Fruit of the Spirit, instead love is the Fruit of the Spirit. Everything else in Paul’s list comes from love.

This week let’s examine Joy.

Happiness vs. Joy

Happiness is external. Joy is internal.

Happiness is conditional based on outside factors like someone else’s attitude or other dynamics out of your control.

Joy cannot be bought, is not conditional, nor is it contingent upon someone else’s behavior.

According to an Article in Psychology Today, “Joy is a mystery. It is an internal spiritual quality.

Joy – [Greek] = chara (khar-ah’) – cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, exceeding joy

Joy is the fruit produced when we realize God loves us. When we understand that He is faithful and unchanging. Joy is the product of a right relationship with God.

We cannot create joy, joy is found in Jesus.

Philippians 4:4 NLT Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

Philippians 3:1 NLT Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

Psalm 118:24 NLT This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

“Joy is the learned capacity to display your faith ahead of time by means of your daily mental attitude.”    – Tommy Newberry, The 4:8 Principle p.75

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV … for the joy of the Lord is your strength …

Your level of JOY determines your level of strength.

How do we “get” joy?

Knowing that Joy is cultivated and we do not have the ability to create joy in our lives, how do we get joy?

1. Joy comes from being made right in God’s sight.

Romans 5:1-2 NLT Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Romans 5:6-9 NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

Believing in Jesus as the Son of God makes us right in our relationship with God. Receiving His work on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins brings us into a place of undeserved privilege.

This is not something we earn or buy.

Ephesians 2:4-10 NLT But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ⁵ that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) ⁶ For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. ⁷ So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Psalm 32:1-2 NLT Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!

² Yes, what joy for those whose record the lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Knowing we have been made right with God creates a deep sense of joy based upon the truth that we have been made right with God.

1 Peter 1:8 NIV Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

2. Joy is cultivated in difficulties.

Romans 5:3-5 NLT We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Joy doesn’t just happen. – We must daily choose joy.

We choose to live a joy-filled life and then we work on being joyful.
Joy doesn’t come automatically, it must be cultivated.

We must choose JOY and then JOY can be cultivated.

How is Joy cultivated? Why in difficulties, of course!

It’s okay, if a little of our JOY seeps away during life’s difficult and painful moments. You know the times when things don’t go as we planned.

Why? Because JOY is formed in the midst of difficult seasons.

James 1:2-4 NIV Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We don’t often thank God for our trials, heartaches, and difficulties. Although we are willing to praise Him for His goodness, we sometimes fail to realize that even adverse circumstances are blessings in disguise.

What if we stop defining our blessings in terms of our circumstances?

When we count our blessings, we should include the weaknesses, the hardships, the burdens, and the trials we face. If we do, we might find that God has used our difficulties more than the “good” things to help us grow spiritually. Why is that? Because it is in those difficult places that we discover the sufficiency of His grace. In our trials, we turn to God. As we depend on Him, we find that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

Often people start a spiritual journey but lose their joy because they have lost sight of the objective. We must focus our attention on God. The battle we face might be difficult, but focusing on God will create thanksgiving in our heart.

Psalm 118:24 NLT This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

“Joy is an outward sign of inward faith in God’s promises.” 

– Tommy Newberry, The 4:8 Principle p.42

Philippians 4:4-8 NLT Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I THINK MYSELF HAPPY!

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 NIV Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

The prophet Habakkuk, born six centuries before Christ, struggled with the injustices of the Chaldean regime over the Jews. He lived in a day of violence and people turning away from their beliefs.

The symbolism of the text cannot be overlooked. The fig tree represented prosperity. When the fields produced no food, people starved. No sheep or cattle in the pen means no control over the animals.

Habakkuk could have become embittered. Yet he discovered that some times, even the worst times, may be God’s time for us to draw close to Him.

Ask yourself: “How would I be acting in my current circumstances if I were truly overflowing with JOY?”

Now begin to live that way. Living life full of JOY leads to a life filled with overflowing JOY in the Lord.

When we live truly joy-filled lives, our JOY causes others to search for the source of true JOY.

True JOY is only found in Jesus!

3. Joy is a result of friendship with God.

Romans 5:6-11 NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Psalm 16:11 NKJV You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 27:1-6 NIV The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.

³ Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

⁵ For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

⁶ Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

The more time you spend in God’s presence, the more JOY and strength you will have.

God made it easy for us to be in His presence. He came to earth!

Jesus gives me Joy. – Jesus – came as a baby, grew to be a man; fully human. Fully God.

He came to reveal the heart of God; all the fullness of God would be revealed in Jesus. (Col. 2:9)

Hebrews 1:3 NIV The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

The Christ child grows up to be the One who suffers on the cross for our sakes. Motivated by love for the Father and obedience to His will. Obedience which leads to JOY.

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

His joy was fulfilling the will of the Father.

“Joy is the byproduct of obedience.” —unknown

John 15:9-10 NIV As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

John 15:11 NIV “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Jesus words most likely tell of the happiness He had due to the disciple’s obedience, love and loyalty. Their obedience to him was a source of joy.

[Your joy may be complete] That you might be set free from your hopelessness and grief that I’m leaving. That you might see why I have to leave and let the Holy Spirit comfort you and sustain you in your times of trial.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 NLT Always be joyful.

We cannot create joy on our own. Being full of joy that can only come from Jesus.

Do you have Joy?

PEELED - 1

Welcome to our new series "Peeled."

We are examining the Fruit of the Spirit and discovering characteristics of a life changed by Christ.

Here’s what we know about fruit, fruit is never grown overnight, it must be cultivated.

Picture your life like a piece of fruit. When you are peeled is the fruit sweet or sour?

We are peeling back the layers of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Many say “fruits,” however there are not 9 “fruits” of the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit has 9 characteristics, 9 layers if you will.

One Fruit with 9 elements.

These Fruit taken together make up the character of Christ.

Some people try to pick and choose their way through the Fruit of the Spirit. Many pray and ask God to “give” them the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are given. Fruit is cultivated.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

1. Fruit is Cultivated.

Fruit is never grown overnight, it is cultivated.

Spiritual fruit is often developed in our lives in the midst of difficulties.

Want to see if you are bearing the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Notice how you respond in difficult times. Trials and tests help find a person. How you react under pressure is the real you.

As we go through trials and difficulties in life, we may not realize it but trusting in God during these times allows spiritual fruit to be cultivated in our lives.

The Chinese Bamboo Tree

In the Far East the Asian people plant a tree known as the Chinese Bamboo. During the first four years they water and fertilize the plant despite seeing little or no results. Then during the fifth year, they again water and fertilize the tree - and in five weeks' time the tree grows ninety feet! The obvious question to ask is: Did the Chinese bamboo tree grow ninety feet in five weeks, or did it grow ninety feet in five years? The answer is: It grew ninety feet in five years.

You see if at any time during those five years the people would have stopped watering and fertilizing the tree, it would have died. Many times our dreams and plans appear as if they are going nowhere, and we are tempted to give up and quit trying. But on the contrary, we must keep watering and fertilizing those dreams and plans God's placed inside us. Because we know that if we do not quit, if we show perseverance and endurance, we will also reap a harvest.

So many times we run when we face difficulties. Or we decide this church is not for us, or we become offended, bitter, jealous or even filled with hate.

What we fail to realize is that perhaps God allowed us to go through this difficulty to develop fruit in our life. When we run away, or get upset, we miss a chance to build our character.

We grow in the tough times, not the easy times. If we run from the difficult times we will seriously hinder our growth.

Fruit is never grown overnight, it is cultivated.

Spiritual fruit is often developed in our lives in the midst of difficulties.

2. The Fruit of the Spirit is appetizing.

Just reading this list of spiritual disciplines should cause you to desire to allow the Holy Spirit to produce these graces in your life.

Not only should we desire these spiritual disciplines in our lives, but as we reflect Christ, others should desires what they see in us.

The Fruit of the Spirit is appetizing!

Is your life so sweetened with fruit that people are drawn to the farmer? People are drawn to the One who is cultivating your life?

When we live a life full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control people will say, “Where did you get that, and how can I get it too?”

The fruit of the Spirit is the gateway to salvation for many who would not enter the church. They begin to see Christianity lived out through us and want what we have, which leads to an opportunity to talk about Jesus.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The fruit of the Spirit is just that, fruit produced through the Spirit. We cannot produce this fruit on our own. As we remain in Jesus, we begin to see a harvest of fruit in our actions and attitudes that are evidences we are connected to Christ.

The Purpose of the fruit of the Spirit is for us to be more like Christ.

One writer said, “The fruit of the spirit is a picture of perfection.”

Another writer said, “The fruit of the spirit is the essence of the character of Christ.”

The Fruit of the Spirit are the character qualities found in Christ.

John 15:4-5, 8 NLT Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

When we are made new in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit then begins a work in us to change us from the inside out to make us more like Christ.

The fruit of the Spirit is developmental.

We are always a work in progress.

The Holy Spirit takes us where we are and begins to shape and form us into the character of Christ.

He takes us where we are and helps us begin to grow into who He desires us to be.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Let’s peel back the layers and unpack the Fruit of the Spirit.

Today we will come to understand the foundational layer of Love.

3. Love – Agape

Agape – means an undefeatable benevolence that always seeks the highest good of the other person no matter what he does.

Agape is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return.

Agape is love by choice.  Agape describes the nature of God.

Illus: Agape Love

The Greek word agape (love) seems to have been virtually a Christian invention—a new word for a new thing (apart from about twenty occurrences in the Greek version of the Old Testament, it is almost non-existent before the New Testament). Agape draws it’s meaning directly from the revelation of God in Christ. It is not a form of natural affection, however, intense, but a supernatural fruit of the Spirit. It is a matter of will rather than feeling (for Christians must love even those they dislike—Matt. 5:44-48). It is the basic element in Christ-likeness. Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for March 10

It has been said that love is not simply the first Fruit of the Spirit, instead love is the Fruit of the Spirit. Everything else in Paul’s list comes from love.

What exactly is this thing called “love?”

Among the great disciplines that characterized the life of Jesus, was His determination to practice genuine love toward those He encountered.

As Christians, as Christ followers, we must learn to see life as full of opportunities to love and to let love live.

1 John 3:16 NIV This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

How do we learn to love?

Love is not learned in isolation. We learn to love by being around irritating, imperfect people.

In ancient Hebrew the definition of love is “I give”.

[Hebrew] – ahav/ahab – (v.) to provide and protect what is given as a privilege.

The Greek equivalent is agapao - The Love of God – God’s love toward man. – And agape – charity, unconditional benevolent love.

Working definition of love: recognizing a need in someone’s life and having the means necessary to meet that need. Love is giving.

John 3:16 NIV "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

1 John 4:7-12 NIV Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 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. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

God desires for us to learn to love like He loves.

Our love for others should not be to earn a badge or for approval.

We should love others simply out of our commitment to Christ.

He loves us, so we love others. 

What matters most to God? Of all the precepts, principles and doctrines in Scripture, what matters most?

Galatians 5:6 CEV If you are a follower of Christ Jesus… All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.

Matthew 22:35-40 NIV One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" ³⁷ Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The key word is “love”. What matters most, when it all comes down to it is this word called love.

John 13:34-35 NIV "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

1 John 3:10 NIV This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV84 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

“Live a Life of Love” = Let Love Live = Love Wins

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NIV84 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails.

Paul not only describes the characteristics of Christ, he is also describing what our lives will look like when we live a life of love reflecting the character of Christ.

Our lives must reflect the character of Christ.

What is the character of Christ?

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The foundation of the character of Christ is love.

But how are we supposed to love people?

Paul’s prescription for how to love:

Romans 12:9-21 NLT Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. ¹¹ Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. ¹² Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. ¹³ When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. ¹⁵ Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

¹⁷ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ¹⁸ Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

²⁰ Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.

If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

²¹ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

So how are you doing?

Can you love like Jesus loved?

Do you love people like Paul described loving people?

Why do we make loving people so hard?

How can you begin loving people like Jesus loved people?

Loving people begins with knowing without a doubt that God loves us.