WEBVTT 00:00:00.870 --> 00:00:03.990 Our sermon this morning is liberty, love, and 00:00:03.990 --> 00:00:07.490 the fruit of the Spirit. Let us go before the 00:00:07.490 --> 00:00:09.369 Lord and ask him for the blessing of the preaching 00:00:09.369 --> 00:00:14.169 of his word. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, 00:00:14.630 --> 00:00:18.510 we give thanks unto you that day after day, your 00:00:18.510 --> 00:00:21.629 mercies are new every morning. We thank you that 00:00:21.629 --> 00:00:24.809 we move and live and have our being in you, so 00:00:24.809 --> 00:00:27.230 that there is nothing strange or ungodly that 00:00:27.230 --> 00:00:30.899 can ever befall us. For your hand is always upon 00:00:30.899 --> 00:00:35.179 us. Your purposes are always revealed in all 00:00:35.179 --> 00:00:38.700 the experiences of our life. So that in Christ 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:41.439 Jesus, we are more than conquerors, ever victorious 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:45.880 in the face of all adversities. Teach us to know 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.780 you in every circumstance. Great and marvelous 00:00:48.780 --> 00:00:51.780 are your ways, oh Lord, and we praise you. Blessed 00:00:51.780 --> 00:00:54.039 this morning as we give ourselves to the study 00:00:54.039 --> 00:00:57.420 of your word, grant us your peace, and now make 00:00:57.420 --> 00:00:59.939 the words of my mouth. and the meditations of 00:00:59.939 --> 00:01:02.460 all our hearts to be acceptable in your sight 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:05.340 for the sake of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:12.760 Amen. This morning's passage is from Galatians 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.780 chapter five, beginning in verse 22. But the 00:01:17.780 --> 00:01:21.700 fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long 00:01:21.700 --> 00:01:25.599 -suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:29.310 gentleness. self -control. Against such there 00:01:29.310 --> 00:01:32.650 is no law, and those who are Christ have crucified 00:01:32.650 --> 00:01:36.069 the flesh with its passions and desires. If we 00:01:36.069 --> 00:01:39.049 live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 00:01:39.510 --> 00:01:42.730 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another 00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:46.969 and envying one another. These are the words 00:01:46.969 --> 00:01:50.329 of Almighty God. Receive them in your hearts. 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.780 Ideas or lenses that I want you to see this passage 00:01:56.780 --> 00:02:01.159 through this morning are these The Christian 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:06.599 life is a life of liberty the Christian life 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:11.740 is a life of liberty The Christian life is a 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:16.500 life of love the Christian life is a life of 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:22.080 love and the Christian life is a life of cultivating 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:26.259 the fruit of the Spirit. The Christian life is 00:02:26.259 --> 00:02:30.280 a life of cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:36.780 In our study of Psalm 37 last week, we were admonished 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:41.740 to trust in God and do good. We came to understand 00:02:41.740 --> 00:02:45.259 that trusting God in all our circumstances is 00:02:45.259 --> 00:02:49.259 for us to stand our post, that is our God -given 00:02:49.259 --> 00:02:53.680 post. that to do good is to cultivate the fruit 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:56.400 of the Spirit. This morning we will expand in 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.639 our teaching into the cultivation of the fruit 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:05.439 of the Spirit. Psalm 37 also reminded us, and 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.919 really it's God himself reminding us, that Jesus 00:03:08.919 --> 00:03:13.439 is the Lord and King of heaven and earth. We, 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:17.719 God's covenant people, are marked with his name 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:20.659 in baptism that is we are carrying his name we 00:03:20.659 --> 00:03:26.020 are acting in his name pausing just a moment 00:03:26.020 --> 00:03:30.139 there if you god's name has been placed on you 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:34.080 when you are carrying his name and you consider 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:38.919 all your words and actions in the past week were 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:44.860 you a good representation of god in this world 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:53.580 We each have been given our own portion in his 00:03:53.580 --> 00:03:58.979 kingdom to guard and to cultivate Taking what 00:03:58.979 --> 00:04:02.639 he has given us and we stand in our post and 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.599 then we Transform it into the will of heaven 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:10.099 on earth that is acting in the name of Jesus 00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:16.339 As one commentator puts it in the kingdom God 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:21.589 re socializes us into a new way of life as heirs 00:04:21.589 --> 00:04:25.230 of the kingdom. We are called to prefigure and 00:04:25.230 --> 00:04:30.750 proclaim the future kingdom in the present. We 00:04:30.750 --> 00:04:34.629 show there is a new way of doing business, a 00:04:34.629 --> 00:04:38.430 new way of being human, an alternative city, 00:04:38.970 --> 00:04:42.370 an alternative culture. We show the world has 00:04:42.370 --> 00:04:46.610 a new king and a life lived under his lordship 00:04:46.610 --> 00:04:51.660 is the way things ought to be. Remember, the 00:04:51.660 --> 00:04:55.399 kingdom of God is not heaven. It is the world 00:04:55.399 --> 00:05:00.420 remade and glorified by God. It is the new creation. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:04.779 God does not intend to scrap this world. He's 00:05:04.779 --> 00:05:09.459 going to transfigure it into a perfect, flourishing 00:05:09.459 --> 00:05:13.300 world so that we are in harmony with God, each 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:17.680 other, and the rest of creation. This harmony 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:21.639 is what the Old Testament prophets called shalom 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:30.860 or peace. Here this morning, we need to know 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:35.800 that God is speaking to us. Dearly beloved, God 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:39.379 has chosen to use his people, the church, to 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:42.560 accomplish this transformation by the work of 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:46.639 Jesus Christ on the cross and the power of the 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:52.360 Holy Spirit. Turning to our text, Galatians chapter 00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:54.920 five is nearing the end of Paul's letter to the 00:05:54.920 --> 00:06:01.379 church in Galatia. But our passage and no passage 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:05.220 should be studied in isolation to the rest of 00:06:05.220 --> 00:06:09.439 the book or the letter or the gospel. Galatians 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.139 chapter one and verse three begins with this. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.800 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:19.649 our Lord Jesus Christ. who gave himself for our 00:06:19.649 --> 00:06:22.529 sins, that he might deliver us from this present 00:06:22.529 --> 00:06:26.350 evil age according to the will of our God and 00:06:26.350 --> 00:06:30.529 Father. To him be glory forever and ever. And 00:06:30.529 --> 00:06:35.050 he ends this with amen. Paul greets the church 00:06:35.050 --> 00:06:38.089 in Galatia evoking the grace and peace of God 00:06:38.089 --> 00:06:40.870 the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who gave 00:06:40.870 --> 00:06:45.370 himself for our sins to deliver us from the evil 00:06:45.370 --> 00:06:50.420 present age. He marvels though that they so quickly 00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:55.220 are turning to another gospel a false gospel 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:00.779 propagated by false prophets and false teachers 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:05.319 Paul is clear that the peace of God comes to 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:10.680 Jews and Gentiles alike Paul makes it Clear that 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:14.100 the Old Testament law and sacrifices cannot save 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:18.560 for they are works Now in the book of Galatians 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.800 Paul makes two appeals not to abandon the gospel 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.759 of Jesus Christ and the beginning of chapter 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.279 5 is part of the second appeal Galatians 5 one 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:34.740 says Stand fast therefore and the liberty by 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:38.459 which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled 00:07:38.459 --> 00:07:42.839 again with the yoke of bondage That is for freedom 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:48.709 Christ has made us free Stand fast, therefore. 00:07:51.209 --> 00:07:54.370 Here Paul is calling the church in Galatia first 00:07:54.370 --> 00:07:59.430 to stand fast, to stand at our post in the freedom 00:07:59.430 --> 00:08:02.110 that we have in Christ Jesus from the bondage 00:08:02.110 --> 00:08:08.569 of sin. Trust Jesus and do good. The corrupted 00:08:08.569 --> 00:08:11.930 and now empty liturgy of the ceremonial law is 00:08:11.930 --> 00:08:18.819 fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Do not turn back to 00:08:18.819 --> 00:08:24.060 the shadows and images that point to Jesus. Stay 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:29.040 steadfast, looking to salvation and liberty in 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:35.259 Jesus. In verse 14, Paul quotes Leviticus 19, 00:08:35.259 --> 00:08:39.019 18, and he introduces it by saying, for all the 00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:43.519 law is fulfilled in one word or one idea. Even 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.200 this, and this is where he quotes Leviticus 19, 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:51.059 you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And 00:08:51.059 --> 00:08:54.179 then he goes on and clarifies, but if you bite 00:08:54.179 --> 00:08:59.720 and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:05.220 by one another. If we trust God, if we trust 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:10.039 Jesus in all circumstances, it transforms us 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:13.820 from our inward self -seeking. self -preserving 00:09:13.820 --> 00:09:18.919 evil heart to a new heart and a new mind which 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:27.860 means Excuse me which means New godly attitudes 00:09:27.860 --> 00:09:31.480 and actions so when we are in Jesus when we are 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:34.320 trusting in God when we are trusting in Jesus 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:39.600 And we go to do good if we're loving our neighbors 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:46.330 God calls us away from our selfishness, our own 00:09:46.330 --> 00:09:53.149 desires, and we are given these new godly attitudes 00:09:53.149 --> 00:09:58.289 and actions. God promised in Ezekiel 36, I will 00:09:58.289 --> 00:10:01.350 give you a new heart and put a new spirit within 00:10:01.350 --> 00:10:04.529 you. I will take the heart of stone out of your 00:10:04.529 --> 00:10:10.919 flesh and give you a heart of flesh. This was 00:10:10.919 --> 00:10:13.759 fulfilled in Christ Jesus on the cross and completed 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:19.019 in us by the power of the Spirit. Following Christ 00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:22.159 as his disciples means that we must be baptized 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:25.860 and taught all that Jesus has commanded. Not 00:10:25.860 --> 00:10:30.259 just an intellectual knowing of God's Word, but 00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:34.559 one that proceeds with humility and grace in 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:41.059 all of our actions and attitudes. love your neighbor 00:10:41.059 --> 00:10:46.480 as yourself. Paul warns that we should not bite 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:53.039 or devour one another, lest we consume and ruin, 00:10:53.379 --> 00:10:58.759 that is literally destroy one another. Can you 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:05.919 imagine actions, words, and emotions that consume 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:10.519 and destroy the people of God? Yes, there are 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:12.980 truly false teachers who come in from the outside 00:11:12.980 --> 00:11:17.539 to corrupt the people of God So do not turn away 00:11:17.539 --> 00:11:21.120 from the gospel of Jesus Christ But there is 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:25.299 an enemy within the church Many of you are familiar 00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:28.379 with the saying we have met the enemy and it 00:11:28.379 --> 00:11:39.259 is us Saints of God we are called to love one 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:43.440 another. What does this mean? What things are 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:48.080 we to do? What things are we not to do? What 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.539 attitudes and actions are loving one another? 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.820 And what is biting, devouring, and consuming 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:59.879 one another? Paul rightly understood that God 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:05.120 uses relationships as grace and a means of sanctification 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:10.049 in our lives. Every person that you come into 00:12:10.049 --> 00:12:15.250 contact with, every person you talk to, every 00:12:15.250 --> 00:12:18.809 relationship in your job, in your household, 00:12:19.450 --> 00:12:24.090 your extended family, God is using those relationships, 00:12:24.750 --> 00:12:30.330 even your government, to what end? As a grace 00:12:30.330 --> 00:12:38.100 and a means of sanctification in your life. All 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:41.559 relationships in our lives challenge our selfish 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:45.059 desires. Some think that living like the desert 00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:48.019 fathers as an isolated monk in the wilderness 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:52.860 will assist me in holy living. Now I'm not saying 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:54.779 that there aren't times where things get really 00:12:54.779 --> 00:12:58.240 hot and it's good to in a relationship and it's 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:01.220 good to step away for a moment and go pray and 00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:04.860 read the Bible. But you can't run away from what 00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:08.539 God is doing in your life. We know how that worked 00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:13.240 out for Jonah, right? This desire to be isolated, 00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:17.480 even by those who are lifted up as those desert 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:23.399 fathers, this is a grievous error. The Christian 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:28.580 life is not to be lived in isolation. For all 00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:32.899 of us, every Christian has a call by God in the 00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:38.570 redemption of the world. Every one of us in this 00:13:38.570 --> 00:13:42.570 room has a call for the redemption of the world 00:13:42.570 --> 00:13:50.789 in Christ Jesus. You know, we know that the church 00:13:50.789 --> 00:13:55.450 are trees that are producing fruit all year long 00:13:55.450 --> 00:13:58.370 with leaves for the healing of the nations, fed 00:13:58.370 --> 00:14:02.070 by the river of life. That is in the Holy Spirit. 00:14:03.470 --> 00:14:07.649 Now this is important. This is not some idea 00:14:07.649 --> 00:14:13.889 that's far away from you This is your call and 00:14:13.889 --> 00:14:16.169 the immediate life that you have in the immediate 00:14:16.169 --> 00:14:19.289 circumstances that you're in you are called to 00:14:19.289 --> 00:14:24.169 stand your post and Follow God follow Jesus be 00:14:24.169 --> 00:14:26.690 fruitful and multiply taking dominion in your 00:14:26.690 --> 00:14:34.210 realm in your responsibilities Paul goes on and 00:14:34.210 --> 00:14:38.669 says that we are to walk in the Spirit and thus 00:14:38.669 --> 00:14:44.009 not fulfill the lust of the flesh. We are not 00:14:44.009 --> 00:14:47.809 in bondage to sin any longer if we're led in 00:14:47.809 --> 00:14:53.330 the Spirit. Dearly beloved, you're not in bondage. 00:14:53.590 --> 00:14:55.750 You're in Christ Jesus. You have liberty. You 00:14:55.750 --> 00:15:00.230 have freedom. So those things which so easily 00:15:00.230 --> 00:15:04.779 entangle you, cast them off. Stop turning back 00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:11.620 to them. Stop doing those things. Galatians 519 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:14.879 says, the work of the flesh are evident, which 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:20.799 are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:27.419 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:32.340 outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions. 00:15:33.909 --> 00:15:38.789 heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, 00:15:38.909 --> 00:15:41.950 and the like, of which I tell you beforehand, 00:15:42.230 --> 00:15:45.730 just as I have told you in times past, that those 00:15:45.730 --> 00:15:49.009 who practice such things will not inherit the 00:15:49.009 --> 00:15:54.409 kingdom of God. Now following a similar list 00:15:54.409 --> 00:15:57.549 in First Corinthians chapter six, Paul says, 00:15:57.750 --> 00:16:02.090 beginning in verse 11, and such were some of 00:16:02.090 --> 00:16:07.850 you. But you were washed But you were sanctified, 00:16:08.289 --> 00:16:10.549 but you were justified in the name of the Lord 00:16:10.549 --> 00:16:16.090 Jesus and by the spirit of our God We should 00:16:16.090 --> 00:16:18.590 humbly recognize that we may have been in bondage 00:16:18.590 --> 00:16:22.269 to these sins before but we are now washed that 00:16:22.269 --> 00:16:26.509 is baptized we're sanctified that is being saved 00:16:26.509 --> 00:16:31.730 to do good works and justified made holy by the 00:16:31.730 --> 00:16:36.559 work of Jesus on the cross, and worked out in 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:41.200 our daily lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:47.220 Romans 8, 5, and 6 tell us this, for those who 00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:50.480 live according to the flesh set their minds on 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:53.679 the things of the flesh, but those who live according 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:57.740 to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For 00:16:57.740 --> 00:17:01.600 to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:07.940 minded is life and peace. We must set our mind 00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:12.099 not on the ways of the sinful heart, but our 00:17:12.099 --> 00:17:16.740 minds on the things of the Spirit. What are the 00:17:16.740 --> 00:17:19.759 things of the Spirit that give life and peace? 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:25.640 Verse 22 of chapter five. But the fruit of the 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:31.180 Spirit is love, joy, peace, long -suffering, 00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:35.880 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:40.440 self -control. Against such, there is no law. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:44.740 Dearly beloved, we are to live according to the 00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:49.259 Spirit, setting our minds on things of the Spirit, 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:53.960 thinking and living according to the Spirit. 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:58.539 You know, cultivating anything takes intentionality. 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:03.019 We must learn about cultivating something that 00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:07.900 is use our mind. I can't just say I want to go 00:18:07.900 --> 00:18:11.440 plant corn I know a story of this my wife and 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.539 I some years ago lived over in Gamberl's and 00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:16.839 we lived up on this big hill and there were some 00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:20.200 older folks that live up there and We built this 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:23.220 put in this really large garden and a part of 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:25.859 what we were doing there Was putting in some 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:28.900 rows of corn? And we talked to the old man who 00:18:28.900 --> 00:18:31.680 lived next door, and he says, you can't grow 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:35.200 any corn up on this hill. Trust me, a lot of 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:37.559 people have tried. Well, it was already in the 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:41.140 ground by then. And you know what? He was right. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:45.559 We grew lots of other things, but corn just wasn't 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.519 happening. You need to study. You need to learn. 00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:52.819 You need to do things so that you are preparing, 00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:55.779 saying this is the target. This is what I'm going 00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:59.970 for. We might even say part of this is morning 00:18:59.970 --> 00:19:05.150 prayer. If you go your entire day without praying, 00:19:07.269 --> 00:19:10.069 are you prepared? Are you making a plan in the 00:19:10.069 --> 00:19:14.089 Lord Jesus Christ? And I hear all the time, lots 00:19:14.089 --> 00:19:15.990 of people say, I just don't have time. I'm too 00:19:15.990 --> 00:19:17.569 busy to do it. Then I do it all at the end of 00:19:17.569 --> 00:19:21.950 the day. Well, outside of a few circumstances, 00:19:23.430 --> 00:19:25.589 what's the reason that we don't have time in 00:19:25.589 --> 00:19:29.559 the morning? Let's be honest. I'm too tired from 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:34.160 the day before. Well, you probably need to rearrange 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:37.079 your plans. Obviously sometimes emergencies happen. 00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:41.539 A pipe bursts. A pastor gets a call in the middle 00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:45.180 of the night. You're an emergency worker, those 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:48.319 kinds of things. Yes, your kids are sick at 2 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:51.420 a .m. I know that. But what is your plan? How 00:19:51.420 --> 00:19:53.400 are you going into it? Are you starting your 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:59.039 day rightly? in submission to God. That's part 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:00.740 of learning and cultivating, and it's part of 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:03.039 taking the action. Because here's the thing. 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:07.319 If you go to cultivate something, and you say, 00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:10.500 I'm going to do it, and I know what I'm doing. 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:13.740 I've watched a few YouTube videos. I'm ready 00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:18.019 to go. If you wait till 9 AM to get started, 00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:19.779 well, around here it's not too bad. But I'll 00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:21.819 tell you, in Louisiana, if you wait till 9 AM, 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:24.460 in the springtime or the summer to get out there 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:28.079 on your cultivation job? Man, you are hurting. 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:30.980 The sun is beating down hard. The humidity is 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:34.700 terrible. The wind's hardly blowing. That's what 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:40.539 life's like. Get up early. Make plans. And again, 00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:44.400 budget, be living grace. Don't get caught up, 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:47.740 oh man, my day's ruined. No, because of the emergency 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:52.880 at 4 a .m. Okay. But is that the norm? The exception. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:58.619 So we also have to plan. We have to work it out. 00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:02.119 And then we have to execute the work in cultivating 00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:05.299 things on a daily basis. Now, how this translates 00:21:05.299 --> 00:21:08.859 into your daily life is this. It is attitudes 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:13.779 and your actions. If you're going to cultivate 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:18.380 the fruit of the spirit, you must think about 00:21:18.380 --> 00:21:21.980 how it applies with your attitudes. and your 00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:28.019 actions. Sometimes we do the actions, but our 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:34.039 heart is grumbling and complaining to God. And 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:37.940 you know what? How does that come out? We complain 00:21:37.940 --> 00:21:42.559 to our spouses. We complain in front of our children. 00:21:42.900 --> 00:21:46.259 We complain in front of our friends. We are just 00:21:46.259 --> 00:21:48.500 grumbling. God's put me here and I'm gonna stay 00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:55.950 on my post, but I'm not happy. You can't do that. 00:21:56.410 --> 00:22:02.829 It's both attitude and action. And this attitude 00:22:02.829 --> 00:22:07.450 and action change that you've planned, that you're 00:22:07.450 --> 00:22:14.250 taking action on, it belongs in all of our relationships 00:22:14.250 --> 00:22:20.269 and circumstances. We must measure both the health 00:22:20.269 --> 00:22:24.460 of the fruit and the volume of the fruit. Again, 00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:29.259 this morning and evening. Prayers. Right? If 00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:31.160 you start out with a morning, you're saying, 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:33.460 God, I need to have the right heart. I gotta 00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:36.160 do these things. And then if you do your evening 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:38.319 prayers, it's an assessment. Again, Lord, forgive 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:40.859 me of the way I've fallen short. Show me what 00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:45.220 they are. Am I measuring what fruit is growing 00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:50.019 today in my household? Am I measuring how much 00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:54.259 of it, how abundant it is? Am I measuring what 00:22:54.259 --> 00:23:01.519 kind of fruit it is. The cultivation of the fruit 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:05.859 of the Spirit has worked into us to work out 00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:08.740 of us. So for each one of you, you start with 00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:11.480 yourself. That is your first realm. That is your 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:15.480 first kingdom in your life. How do I work and 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:17.859 cultivate the fruit of the Spirit to abound in 00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:21.880 me? But it's not just that I can become the holy, 00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:23.819 you know, I get the saint. You know, the halo 00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:31.539 up there. No, no. It is so that my abundance 00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:36.259 works in me to work out of me towards others. 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.640 Remember, Ezekiel 47, 12 and Revelation 22, one 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:44.640 and two both speak of trees bearing fruit 12 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:47.799 months of the year with leaves for the healing 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:52.170 of the nations. You want to see? your spouse 00:23:52.170 --> 00:23:55.130 transformed, cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. 00:23:55.589 --> 00:23:59.690 You want to see your children transformed, cultivate 00:23:59.690 --> 00:24:03.269 the fruit of the Spirit in your life and in theirs. 00:24:04.089 --> 00:24:07.789 You want to see the nations turned, cultivate 00:24:07.789 --> 00:24:10.309 the fruit of the Spirit in your family's life, 00:24:10.329 --> 00:24:14.150 in your church's life. And what will happen? 00:24:16.150 --> 00:24:20.539 The church will grow, will bear this fruit. and 00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:26.500 it will heal the nations. Now, here's the thing. 00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:28.680 In the cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit, 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:34.859 there is no place for coasting. How did God put 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:38.599 it? These trees are bearing fruit when? 12 months 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:43.380 of the year. 12 months of the year. There is 00:24:43.380 --> 00:24:49.119 no gap. One day of slack is as Proverbs 24 tells 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:53.470 us. that our laziness causes thorns to grow up 00:24:53.470 --> 00:24:56.869 and weeds that cover our fields and that the 00:24:56.869 --> 00:25:02.450 very walls that are there to protect us are broken 00:25:02.450 --> 00:25:07.650 down and our poverty and our neediness will come 00:25:07.650 --> 00:25:11.529 upon us like an armed man. That's kind of different 00:25:11.529 --> 00:25:14.950 when you think about that poverty and neediness 00:25:14.950 --> 00:25:20.640 because you lack the fruit of the spirit. But 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:23.480 when you look at your children, parents, and 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:25.299 you're considering them, when you look at your 00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:28.799 spouses, husbands and wives, when you look at 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:35.160 these things, do you see my child is needy? They're 00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:38.299 poverty stricken in this idea of following Christ, 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:42.519 at least in that moment with that sin, right? 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:45.980 Don't let it grow. Don't let the weeds come up. 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:49.559 Pull them up every single day. If you don't go 00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:51.880 out and pull the weeds every day, it gets unmanageable 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:55.299 really quick. Don't be slack. Don't say, oh, 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:58.079 I'm giving my kids a pass today. They can just 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:04.660 be feral. You know what that is? If you're honest, 00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:08.359 I'm not going to do my job today. I'm not going 00:26:08.359 --> 00:26:10.579 to stand my post. I'm not going to cultivate 00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:15.900 the fruit of the Spirit. So stand your post. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:21.210 Trust God. and do good. So let's take just a 00:26:21.210 --> 00:26:23.029 moment and consider what we are to cultivate 00:26:23.029 --> 00:26:26.569 in ourselves and all who are under our authority. 00:26:27.950 --> 00:26:29.430 First of all, there's love. And I'm not going 00:26:29.430 --> 00:26:32.710 to go into these in a huge depth. So I've tried 00:26:32.710 --> 00:26:36.390 to work it out fairly tightly, but I think it's 00:26:36.390 --> 00:26:40.630 important. And this is all leading up to the 00:26:40.630 --> 00:26:44.769 rest of our summer series. So we talk about marriage. 00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:49.740 husbands and wives, parenting, our relationships 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:52.680 with one another. This is all building up. That's 00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:54.839 why I said it's a summer series. These are all 00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:59.359 building on top of each other. So love. We are 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:05.960 to love God. Trust and obey. Trust and obey. 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:10.619 That's love. And in that, love your neighbor. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:15.440 Be like Jesus. who stooped low as a servant. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:17.799 Now here's the thing, a lot of times in America 00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:21.599 we hear love, oh you're just being soft. Was 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:27.259 Jesus soft? No, he stooped low to serve, to do 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:34.339 what? To tell them the truth for their deliverance. 00:27:35.140 --> 00:27:37.680 He not only told them their truth, he not only 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:41.240 stooped low coming down from heaven, but every 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:43.890 day, even washed their feet. Walked the road. 00:27:43.930 --> 00:27:46.349 He didn't just come down to earth and say all 00:27:46.349 --> 00:27:50.769 right Answers right here. Just come here No, 00:27:50.769 --> 00:27:55.410 he he walked long and dusty roads Went in the 00:27:55.410 --> 00:28:00.170 wilderness and prayed Went to synagogue every 00:28:00.170 --> 00:28:08.289 week But he stooped low in service told the truth 00:28:08.289 --> 00:28:13.589 and yet Provided deliverance through himself 00:28:13.589 --> 00:28:17.009 And you know when I said this the fruit of the 00:28:17.009 --> 00:28:18.950 Spirit is to be worked into us to be worked out 00:28:18.950 --> 00:28:21.769 of us You know in Galatians chapter 6 so right 00:28:21.769 --> 00:28:24.670 after this passage that we read today What does 00:28:24.670 --> 00:28:29.390 it say it says if any man is overtaken in any 00:28:29.390 --> 00:28:32.730 trespass? You who are spiritual that is mature 00:28:32.730 --> 00:28:37.109 are to restore him in meekness Considering yourself 00:28:37.109 --> 00:28:41.180 so you owe God such a great debt and he stooped 00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:46.980 low for you. We too are to be like him. So the 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:50.500 fruit grows in us and the fruit grows out of 00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:58.279 us. Joy, because our sins are forgiven. In confession, 00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:03.680 our joy is restored. Contentment in God's providence. 00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:06.890 Are you content in God's providence? I know you're 00:29:06.890 --> 00:29:08.710 joyful when you think about what God's done for 00:29:08.710 --> 00:29:12.609 you, for your sins, but are you content in His 00:29:12.609 --> 00:29:16.250 providence both before you were a Christian and 00:29:16.250 --> 00:29:24.250 especially now? Or are you discontent and angry 00:29:24.250 --> 00:29:31.269 about your history and your real fathers, your 00:29:31.269 --> 00:29:33.390 government fathers, your church fathers? Are 00:29:33.390 --> 00:29:39.200 you in discontent? True joy is found in savoring 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:44.960 all that is true, beautiful, and good. Delighting 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:48.819 in the Lord and all of the benefits of His creation. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:53.799 It isn't just, oh, I'm happy with my circumstance. 00:29:54.220 --> 00:29:57.660 No, I'm gonna be joyful out of gratitude. And 00:29:57.660 --> 00:30:00.339 then I'm gonna turn and look. Have you ever had 00:30:00.339 --> 00:30:05.559 a day that was so hard? And you were wiped out 00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:08.779 from all of the stress and difficulties. And 00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:13.519 you walked outside. And you saw a single flower. 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:19.200 And you thought, what beauty. Or the sunset going 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:25.740 down in God's masterpiece. Or how about the vanilla 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:31.339 bean that gives us great ice cream and coffee 00:30:31.339 --> 00:30:36.920 and desserts. Are we delighting in God and all 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:40.859 his spiritual benefits, but also the abundance? 00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:43.599 Yesterday, I'm sure you all ate some type of 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:48.740 fun food for the day. That feasting. Today you're 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:52.460 gonna leave church. You're feasting on so many 00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:55.940 great delights that God has given you out of 00:30:55.940 --> 00:31:00.640 the abundance of His grace. Now here's a warning. 00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:06.039 And everyone listen up, children, you too. Adults, 00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:14.759 self -pity is the great enemy of joy. Man, it's 00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:18.740 all loaded on me. We sang it this morning. Jesus 00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:26.420 words. It said what? His burden is light and 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:30.500 easy. Self -pity is I don't have an easy burden. 00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:34.640 I'm all alone. I have nothing. It's all so bad 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:39.319 for me. Self -pity is the great enemy of joy. 00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:45.660 Put that aside and delight in God and His wonderful 00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:49.220 abundance of grace and all those things found 00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:56.500 in His creation. Peace. We're to cultivate calmness 00:31:56.500 --> 00:32:00.240 and rest. in Jesus, no matter the circumstances. 00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:03.200 You know, that goes back to, you know, you have 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:06.880 these list of rules. Here's the rule. You start 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:09.720 here. And then the second rule is a line, and 00:32:09.720 --> 00:32:12.680 it says, go back and see rule one. Get to three. 00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:16.240 You see a rule. Go back and see rule one. Well, 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:19.119 this is sort of what we have here. If you believe 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:23.880 in the love of God or to love others, you can 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:30.220 have joy. Oh, wait. No self -pity. Oh, I can 00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:34.279 now trust in God and do good, and I can be calm 00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:38.220 and rest no matter the circumstances that I find 00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:42.099 myself in. The next one, long -suffering. Now, 00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:46.240 many translations have patience. You know, I 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:48.140 think in our American experience, at least how 00:32:48.140 --> 00:32:51.500 I see it, patience is something that I endure 00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:54.279 for a moment. Lord, give me patience in this 00:32:54.279 --> 00:32:57.470 circumstance. But I expect that circumstance 00:32:57.470 --> 00:33:02.349 to be resolved right quick Right, that's not 00:33:02.349 --> 00:33:04.710 really the meaning of this word here. It's long 00:33:04.710 --> 00:33:10.769 suffering It is steadfastness with perseverance 00:33:10.769 --> 00:33:16.609 Steadfastness stay in your post do good Long 00:33:16.609 --> 00:33:22.349 suffering with every relationship Kindness that 00:33:22.349 --> 00:33:27.750 is a wholesome quality that promotes Health Think 00:33:27.750 --> 00:33:32.329 about that kindness is A wholesome quality that 00:33:32.329 --> 00:33:35.869 promotes health again the goodness of God this 00:33:35.869 --> 00:33:38.369 fruit that comes in you that Transforms you it 00:33:38.369 --> 00:33:42.690 then goes out it promotes the health of others 00:33:42.690 --> 00:33:48.230 Goodness uprightness and attitudes and actions 00:33:48.230 --> 00:33:55.059 imitating Jesus Faithfulness Fidelity to God. 00:33:56.079 --> 00:34:00.319 Jesus. The Word of God. We have fidelity to Him. 00:34:01.720 --> 00:34:05.359 And someone who is faithful is one who can be 00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:09.059 relied on. Mom and dad, can your kids rely on 00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:13.420 you? And how do they rely on you? A difficulty 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:23.280 happens. Well, this is terrible. Right? How are 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:26.500 you being relied on? Do they hear you say, well, 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:29.559 this is difficult, but we're thankful for God's 00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:32.820 providence and his care. You know, have you ever 00:34:32.820 --> 00:34:34.639 sat in that traffic and are just like out of 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:38.880 your mind, man, this is awful, right? How about 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:40.820 turning around saying thank you, Lord, for protecting 00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:43.940 me from what I don't know? I don't know how this 00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:47.159 is all gonna work out. I don't use it as an excuse 00:34:47.159 --> 00:34:49.820 to be late. If you were slothful in your preparations, 00:34:49.860 --> 00:34:53.320 you were slothful out the door. Fix the slothfulness. 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:57.539 Right? Man, I caught every red light. That's 00:34:57.539 --> 00:35:01.480 why I'm late to work. No. No, you were late because 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:05.260 you didn't get up on time. Be honest. But what 00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:08.500 can your children rely on you for? How about 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:15.199 your wife or your husband? Gentleness. Again, 00:35:15.219 --> 00:35:18.159 here's another place where it's really not the 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:21.360 best where we think of gentleness and, you know. 00:35:22.030 --> 00:35:24.170 Like a small baby and we're back there. We're 00:35:24.170 --> 00:35:28.269 so careful. That's part of it But in reality 00:35:28.269 --> 00:35:31.469 it's a meekness. It is great power restrained 00:35:31.469 --> 00:35:39.489 mercy and grace received and given We have great 00:35:39.489 --> 00:35:44.909 power to exact on some people Difficulty and 00:35:44.909 --> 00:35:48.429 hardship. Are you pausing and asking yourself? 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:52.079 How has God been gracious and merciful to me? 00:35:53.659 --> 00:36:00.300 How then should I dispense that to others? And 00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:03.719 how do I not look for my justification, for my 00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:08.519 vindication, but rather put aside my right to 00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:12.099 vindication so that others may be drawn to the 00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:16.280 Lord Jesus Christ in a deeper way? And then self 00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:20.429 -control. the virtue of temperance, chastity, 00:36:20.530 --> 00:36:25.550 and charity. Do you exercise rule over your desires? 00:36:27.389 --> 00:36:32.510 What about your emotions? What about anger? Do 00:36:32.510 --> 00:36:37.269 you exercise self -control there? Or, thinking 00:36:37.269 --> 00:36:40.869 back to this idea of what you're teaching your 00:36:40.869 --> 00:36:44.110 children, when something happens, do they go, 00:36:44.130 --> 00:36:47.219 oh, man. I'm ducking out of here because mom 00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:50.400 or maybe it's dad. I'm staying out of the thing 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:53.039 because I saw this, something happened. I'm out 00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:54.440 of here because I don't want to be any part of 00:36:54.440 --> 00:37:00.480 what's about to come, right? Do you control and 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:08.239 exercise self -control over sex, food, alcohol, 00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:12.960 tobacco, sleep? You know, there's two kinds of 00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:15.320 ways. We stay up too late doing frivolous things, 00:37:15.619 --> 00:37:17.760 and we don't have the strength or mind capacity 00:37:17.760 --> 00:37:20.340 to be full of self -control. I know when I'm 00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:27.320 tired, my self -control comes down. Excuse me. 00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:31.099 And here's the thing. If it's beyond your control, 00:37:31.719 --> 00:37:34.519 that's one thing. But if you are self -inflicting 00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:39.079 to yourself about why you're so tired, that's 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:43.570 a different problem. How about this one? What 00:37:43.570 --> 00:37:46.590 about your mouth? Do you exercise self -control 00:37:46.590 --> 00:37:49.889 over your mouth? The book of Proverbs, the book 00:37:49.889 --> 00:37:54.909 of practical wisdom, just in one category of 00:37:54.909 --> 00:37:56.750 talking about things proceeding from your mouth, 00:37:56.809 --> 00:37:59.769 if you look up the word lip, so he's talking 00:37:59.769 --> 00:38:04.630 about your mouth, what you're saying, 41 times, 00:38:05.650 --> 00:38:08.130 gives instructions for the words that you speak. 00:38:08.710 --> 00:38:10.829 And like I said, I could have looked at so many 00:38:10.829 --> 00:38:13.969 other words that it uses. But just in that one 00:38:13.969 --> 00:38:19.750 word, right? 41 times instructions on the word 00:38:19.750 --> 00:38:21.670 you're speaking. Are you providing self -control 00:38:21.670 --> 00:38:24.469 there? Are you flourishing in self -control in 00:38:24.469 --> 00:38:29.050 these areas, but especially your mouth? All of 00:38:29.050 --> 00:38:32.949 this, all of this now takes courage, confession, 00:38:34.090 --> 00:38:38.940 strong fidelity. That is steadfastness. Stand 00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:43.320 in your post and work on cultivating and making 00:38:43.320 --> 00:38:46.900 fruitful the fruit of the Spirit. We need to 00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:50.179 cultivate all of these, the fruit of our Spirit, 00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:53.820 in ourselves and in our households. This means 00:38:53.820 --> 00:38:57.719 we must walk in the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, 00:38:58.340 --> 00:39:01.699 and live by the Spirit. These are not ethereal 00:39:01.699 --> 00:39:04.480 things. Like, I need to be led by the Spirit. 00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:08.230 Let me close my, no, no, no. He gives us instructions. 00:39:10.210 --> 00:39:14.289 And it's worked out. It starts here. Well, it 00:39:14.289 --> 00:39:16.030 starts with the new heart. But then it goes to 00:39:16.030 --> 00:39:18.550 you're thinking about it. You're planning it. 00:39:18.570 --> 00:39:22.510 You're executing it. You are asking God for help 00:39:22.510 --> 00:39:25.030 in the beginning. And you're assessing the results 00:39:25.030 --> 00:39:30.849 at the end of the day. It means, dearly beloved, 00:39:32.369 --> 00:39:36.650 that in this, Let's be honest. Sometimes we are 00:39:36.650 --> 00:39:40.369 feeling overwhelmed like we cannot grow and Colton 00:39:40.369 --> 00:39:44.670 cultivate faithfulness in these things I hear 00:39:44.670 --> 00:39:48.190 something really good. I heard a Somewhere in 00:39:48.190 --> 00:39:50.170 my reading and studying this way. I came across 00:39:50.170 --> 00:39:53.889 this line. I forgot to attribute it But for the 00:39:53.889 --> 00:39:58.650 metaphor it says this right God is not telling 00:39:58.650 --> 00:40:02.550 us in these things to make bricks without straw 00:40:04.030 --> 00:40:07.150 He's not telling you do this spiritual thing, 00:40:07.150 --> 00:40:09.570 but I'm not giving you anything to make the bricks 00:40:09.570 --> 00:40:18.090 out of no He gives us the spirit Jesus on the 00:40:18.090 --> 00:40:20.510 night he was betrayed in John 14 says if you 00:40:20.510 --> 00:40:24.170 love me keep my commandments which sounds overwhelming 00:40:24.170 --> 00:40:29.530 and I will pray the father and He will give you 00:40:29.530 --> 00:40:32.349 another helper that he may abide with you forever 00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:35.519 the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive 00:40:35.519 --> 00:40:38.380 because it neither sees him nor knows him but 00:40:38.380 --> 00:40:41.960 you know him for he dwells with you and will 00:40:41.960 --> 00:40:47.639 be in you I will not leave you orphans I will 00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:50.639 come to you he doesn't say do all these things 00:40:50.639 --> 00:40:53.639 grow in all these things take dominion be fruitful 00:40:53.639 --> 00:40:56.760 and multiply stand your post do good he doesn't 00:40:56.760 --> 00:41:00.679 say all this and leave we leave you with no means 00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:05.610 to do it The church is not left to fend for itself. 00:41:06.849 --> 00:41:09.230 You can have the mind of Christ because Jesus 00:41:09.230 --> 00:41:12.610 went to the cross for your sins. Therefore, the 00:41:12.610 --> 00:41:16.130 Spirit has given you a new heart. You are not 00:41:16.130 --> 00:41:18.909 in bondage to sin any longer. You have a life 00:41:18.909 --> 00:41:23.670 of liberty. You have a life of love. And you 00:41:23.670 --> 00:41:26.889 can, by the power of the Spirit, take your post, 00:41:27.530 --> 00:41:30.949 taking dominion and becoming fruitful and multiplying, 00:41:31.230 --> 00:41:34.000 flourishing in the fruit of the Spirit, in yourself 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:38.239 for the glory of God and for the benefit of others. 00:41:39.139 --> 00:41:43.760 Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for 00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:47.219 calling us your people, for placing your name 00:41:47.219 --> 00:41:49.800 on us because of the great and merciful and gracious 00:41:49.800 --> 00:41:53.039 work of your son Jesus on the cross. Please help 00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:57.260 us, we pray, to be led and to live in the spirit. 00:41:58.260 --> 00:42:00.500 Make us, we pray, fruitful trees by the river 00:42:00.500 --> 00:42:03.489 of life to your glory. and the fruit of the Spirit 00:42:03.489 --> 00:42:06.489 that the nations may be healed. We especially 00:42:06.489 --> 00:42:09.210 pray today with thanksgiving and righteous fear 00:42:09.210 --> 00:42:13.570 for mercy for this nation and its people. Reform 00:42:13.570 --> 00:42:16.489 us and your whole church that the unbelieving 00:42:16.489 --> 00:42:19.550 world may see our good works and be converted 00:42:19.550 --> 00:42:22.469 and thus give praise to your holy name forever. 00:42:23.070 --> 00:42:25.809 We ask all this for the sake of your son, Jesus, 00:42:25.909 --> 00:42:28.489 who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, world 00:42:28.489 --> 00:42:30.110 without end. Amen.