An Expositional Sermon
Galatians 5:22-26
“Freedom/Fruit of the Spirit”
Theme/Big Idea: The flavor Christ’s people tastes like the fruit of the Spirit.
Aim/Appropriation/Application: Keep in step with the Spirit.
Outline:
(1) What Freedom from Sin & the Law Looks/Tastes Like (Galatians 5:22-23)
(2) Those Who Belong to Christ Have Crucified the Flesh (Galatians 5:24-26)
Questions for Further Study and Application:
(1) Metaphorically, if someone took a bite out of your life or the life of our church, what would it taste like?
(2) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #1 – Love: What does it take to provoke you to impatience and anger? Do people constantly have to walk on eggshells around you? Do you see biblical love like this in your life toward brothers and sisters in Christ in the church? What are the ways that God’s love for you in Jesus Christ is reflected out in our church? Is “love of the brethren” one of the reasons you come to church on Sunday? To lay down your self-interest, to set aside your selfish desire to sleep in, to set aside your hobbies and activities to be with God’s people on the Lord’s Day, not only to worship God for who He is and what He has done in Christ, but also because you love other believers? Not because your earning salvation by checking the Hebrews 10:25 box of, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some.” And not even primarily because we’ve promised in our Church Covenant to, “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together,” but because we love each other. Is this one of the reasons you come to church, because we love each other? If not, pray that God would change your heart and repent.
(3) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #2 – Joy: Is one of the things that brings you joy in your life being together with the church face to face? Talking of the great truth of the gospel and of what the Bible says and encouraging one another as we see the final day approaching?
(4) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #3 – Peace: Do you have any relationships in our church that lack peace? How can you pursue making peace, pursuing reconciliation, being at rest in relationships instead of stirring up strife?
(5) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #4 – Patience: Does the description “completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with one another in love” describe your relationships in the church? Do you see great endurance and patience in your life? Why or why not?
(6) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #5 – Kindness: Are you benevolent and useful to others? In particular do you point others to their greatest good by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone? How are you seeking to be useful to God’s people by selflessly doing good to and for one another, because you know the kindness and mercy of God who loved enemy rebels like us and sent His Son to die to save us from hell? What sacrifices are you making to show kindness to others in the church?(7) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #6 – Goodness: Are you growing wearing in doing good? Pray that God would refresh you in the work of ministry.
(8) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #7 – Faithfulness: Are you trustworthy even as we are called to trust each other? Are you reliable, or should people be suspicious of you?
(9) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #8 – Gentleness: Gentleness doesn’t mean a lack of power, confidence, conviction, honesty or even being blunt in a helpful way. To be gentle is to use authority not to harm but to help others. Was Christ weak because he is gentle and lowly of heart (Matthew 11:29)? No. Gentleness doesn’t mean a pushover who never makes a stand, who always says what people like, but it does seek to lord power over others. Gentleness is the use of authority with great restraint and care. How do you see this flavor of Spiritual fruit in your life?
(10) Spiritual Fruit Flavor #9 – Self-control: Are you driven by your emotions and natural impulses? Do you seek to restrain yourself from evil desires for the sake of God’s glory?
(11) By faith alone in Christ alone we are free from the law, but here Paul writes that we fulfill the law. What’s the difference between being a slave to the law, and fulfilling the law? How would you describe that freedom in Christ looks like a life that fulfills the law of God?
(12) How are you seeking to fight your sin? Though you are tempted by sin how does your knowledge that you belong to Christ help you to kill your sin?
(13) What does it mean that we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires?
(14) Are you keeping in step with the Spirit?