The Fruit of The Spirit: Longsuffering

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Temple Baptist Church - 9-20-2020

Galatians 5:22

 

Introduction:

 

A.  The Fruit of the Spirit manifests itself in nine different aspects—three inward, the soul—three outward, the body—three upward, the spirit.  If any of the nine are missing, one is not filled with the Spirit.

 

B.  These three aspects of the fruit of the Spirit work with each other.  First, we must be right inward.  Secondly, we must be right outwardly.  Thirdly, if we are not right inwardly and outwardly, we cannot be right upwardly!

 

C.  I have preached on love, joy, and peace.  Does everyone here have those three aspects?  HALLELUIAH, DON’T YOU FEEL GREAT NOW THAT THE INWARD IS GOOD?  Now, we will look at the first aspect of our outward three, longsuffering.

 

D.  The first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit in our outward demeanor is an important one: longsuffering!

 

1.  Longsuffering defined:  patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship. 

 

2.  Longsuffering synonyms:  Forgiving, selfless, accommodating, tolerant, patient, stoic, uncomplaining.  I love the word stoic.

 

3.  Stoic defined: not affected by or showing passion or feeling.

 

4.  “Is everything going your way?”  Longsuffering says, “No and neither does it have to go my way.”

 

E.  Longsuffering: simply stated is that you are going to have to put up with a lot of “junk” from others! 

 

1.  People have bad days, say dumb things, or otherwise transgress “your space” in some way so you can either ACT or REACT. 

 

2.  If you react, your response can fuel a fire than needs to be put out.  Wrong reactions are like fighting a house fire with gasoline!  Things fail to have a harmonious outcome.

 

3.  If you act and are right with the “love-joy-peace” aspect of being filled with the Spirit, you will be longsuffering, forbearing, and forgiving.  You are not offended, do not offend, and then you get the harmonious result that God wants.

 

F.  You just have to put up with a lot of “junk” in this life!  This morning, I want to look at longsuffering from a local church perspective.  Probably the number one problem and greatest enemy of the local church is personal conflict.

 

1.  Most people do not leave the church over doctrinal problems.

 

2.  They leave over hurt feelings – root of bitterness

 

G.  First mention Of Longsuffering - Exodus 34:6  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

 

1.  The Lord Is Longsuffering To Sinners - Numbers 14:18  The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

 

2.  The Lord Is Longsuffering To Saints - Jeremiah 15:15  O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

 

H.  Our Example in longsuffering is the Lord Jesus Christ in His relationship with you and I individually.

 

Ephesians 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  (32)  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

 

Colossians 3:12-13  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  (13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

 

1.  Longsuffering protects the Unity within the Church.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ and are to love one another with our whole heart fervently.  Charity, or brotherly love, covers a multitude of sins.

 

2.  Longsuffering protects the Purpose of the Church.  When people get hurt and leave a church, missions giving is always the first thing that pays the price.

 

3.  Longsuffering protects the Testimony of the Church.  When people leave churches wrong, the world will soon know.

 

4.  Longsuffering protects the Posterity of the Church.  When people are miffed at one another, there is division and our children know and are hurt by it.

 

5.  Longsuffering protects our Prayer Life.  When we are out of sorts with others, we are out of sorts with God and our prayers go unanswered.

 

6.  Longsuffering protects the Worship of the Church.  If we do not love our brother whom we can see, how can we worship our God whom we cannot see.

 

7.  Longsuffering protects our inward soul.  When we are right and do right, our love—joy—peace remain intact and we are well adjusted Christians.

A Lamb As It Had Been Slain

Temple Baptist Church - 9-13-2020

Revelation 5:5-6

 

Introduction:

 

A.  In Verse 6, John sees Christ as “a Lamb as it had been slain.”  From Revelation 5:5 until Revelation 19:10, Christ Jesus is only called the “Lamb.”  I have not doubt that His Person as the Lamb of God will be an eternal reminder of what He did for us.  We will be in heaven based upon His vicarious sacrifice for our sin on Calvary.

 

B.  I want to look at an interesting verse found in Revelation, chapter 13:

 

Revelation 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

 

“The foundation of the world” takes us to a time before the sin of Adam!  The “book of life of the Lamb” mentioned in the preceding verse is the record of those who have been saved by faith in the finished work of Christ.

 

C.  John’s vision looks at Lamb of God’s sacrifice from the future back as “it had been slain.”

 

Revelation 13:8, which reads, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” looks back the beginning of time, millenniums before Christ came to this earth and died for sins.

 

D.  It is important that we understand the foreknowledge of God.  I will not take the time to deal with the heresy of Calvinism but do want to look at the foreknowledge of God found in the Bible concerning the “Lamb of God.”

 

Acts 2:21-24  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  (22)  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:  (23)  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:  (24)  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

 

Christ was delivered by the “determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.”  From the foundation of the world, God knew that this moment would come and had prepared the Lamb of God for sacrifice.

 

But we also see the personal choice of those who crucified Christ in the words “ye have taken, and BY WICKED HANDS, have crucified and slain.”  God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge included the personal choices of those who delivered Christ to the cross.

 

1 Peter 1:19-20  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (20)  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

E.  One of the most familiar verses in the New Testament concerning the coming sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ is a quote from John the Baptist in John 1:29: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

 

F. l The First mention of a sacrifice for sin is found when God sacrificed and animal for Adam’s sin and clothed both Adam and Eve with its skin.  Only the sacrifice made by God can cover man’s sin.

 

1.  The First Prophecy of Calvary - Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

2.  The First Performance of Atonement - Genesis 3:21  Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

 

G.  The First Mention of a man bringing a sacrifice to God is in Genesis, chapter 4.  It is a story of acceptance and rejection.  Man will either accept God’s demand of a blood sacrifice or he will be rejected based on self-merit.

 

Genesis 4:3-5  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  (4)  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:  (5)  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

 

H.  The First mention of the word “lamb” is found in the context of Abraham’s prophecy of Christ or Messiah’s coming.

 

Genesis 22:5-8  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again (the Gospel) to you.  (6)  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.  (7)  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  (8)  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

 

J.  Throughout the Old Testament, from Adam’s day until the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, lambs were killed and their blood shed.  That blood was an Atonement for sin.  The word “atonement’ is used 80x in the Old Testament. 

 

Atonement – to expiate, to placate, to cover.  One of the synonyms for expiate is to “apologize!”

 

Hebrews 10:4  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

 

K.  The word “atonement” is used only 1x in the New Testament.

 

Romans 5:8-11  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  (9)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  (10)  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  (11)  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

 

Our sins are gone forever through the precious blood of Christ.  God did not apologize for sin, He took them upon Himself and bore the shame and reproach.

 

Hebrews 9:6-14  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.  (7)  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:  (8)  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:  (9)  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;  (10)  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.  (11)  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  (12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  (13)  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  (14)  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

L.  In heaven, we will “Behold the Lamb of God” who still bears the wounds in his hands, feet, and side.  He still bears the wounds of the crown of thorns and the beatings that He bore.  WE WILL FOREVER REMEMBER THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!

Peace

Temple Baptist Church - 9-13-2020

Galatians 5:22

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Nine aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit: 3 inward, 3 outwards, 3 upward.  These 9 aspects all work in unison to make sure that we are right inwardly and, if right inwardly, we will be right outwardly, and, if right inwardly and outwardly, WE WILL BE RIGHT UPWARDLY.

 

B.  We have seen love and joy.  This morning, I want to look at the third aspect of the inward result of the filling of the Holy Ghost: peace.  We CANNOT have peace without love and joy!

 

C.  Dr. John Waters had us to memorize the following verse while we were in Bible College.

 

John 14:26-27  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  (27)  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

1.  The Person of Peace – the Comforter, the Holy Ghost.

 

2.  The Availability of Peace – the Lord left His peace with us.  Peace is available to each of us.

 

3.  The Responsibility of Peace – “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

 

D.  There Is No Peace For The Lost - Isaiah 48:22  There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

 

E.  No Peace To The Backslider - Psalms 85:8  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

Hebrews 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 

“A clear conscience makes for a soft pillow!”

 

F.  True Peace comes through trust and faith.   Isaiah 26:3-4  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  (4)  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

 

Things That Will Bring Peace To Your Soul! 

 

1.  Peace Comes Through Assurance of Salvation - Colossians 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

 

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

Psalms 29:11  The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

 

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Isaiah 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 

2.  Peace Comes Through A Right Attitude About Oneself - Psalms 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

 

3.  Peace Comes Through Living For The Lord - Psalms 37:37  Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

 

Proverbs 3:1-2  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

 

Isaiah 32:16-18  Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.  And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

 

2 Peter 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

 

Philippians 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

4.  Peace Comes Through Loving The Word Of God - Psalms 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

 

5.  Peace Comes Through Embracing Wisdom - Proverbs 3:13-18  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.  Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

 

2 Peter 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

 

6.  Peace Comes Through Resting In The Lord - Psalms 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

 

Romans 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

7.  Peace Comes Through Loving Your Brother - James 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

 

2 Corinthians 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

 

8.  Peace Comes Through Taking Your Burdens To The Lord Seeking His Will - Philippians 4:6-7  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Joy

Temple Baptist Church - 9-6-2020

Galatians 5:22-23

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  As we study the filling of the Spirit in the believer, we are looking closely at the “fruit of the Spirit.”  Fruit on a tree of bush speaks of either good attachment and much fruit or poor attachment and little or no fruit.  The fruit of the Spirit is singular but manifesting itself in nine different aspect.  To be biblically filled with the Spirit is to have ALL nine.

 

B.  As a trichotomy, we are soul—self-conscious, body—world conscious, and spirit—God conscious.  Three of the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit are inward—the soul, three are outward—the body, and three are upward—the spirit.

 

C.  Last week, we saw the most important of the inward three, love.  Without love, we are nothing!

 

D.  The second aspect of the inward is Joy.  Without joy, you will never endure; you will just become another statistic; one who started but did not finish; one who became a burden instead of their intended blessing; one having to be visited instead of one who visits; one who must be earnestly prayed for instead of one who earnestly prays; one who must be helped instead of one who helps.  There are too many of God’s people who have fallen to the wayside and find in comfortable.

 

E.  Most Christians today live in discouragement with little or no real joy.  This has been a year of change and the changes have not been good ones.  People are learning to survive while living in fear and restrictions to liberty.  God never intended for us to survive; He intends for us to flourish!

 

F.  I have not been a fan.  I have tried to live in encouragement and refuse to live in fear.  I have tried to maintain normalcy as much as possible but, at times, despite every effort, the “new normal” has adversely affected all of us.

 

2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

G.  Yet, we have:

 

1.  Fears about the Virus.

 

2.  Fears about the Future.

 

3.  Fears about our Families.

 

4.  Fears about the direction of our Country.

 

H.  Joy defined:

 

JOY, The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; Joy is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a good.

 

Romans 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Romans 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

 

J.  For the Christian, true joy is found despite circumstances, not in circumstances.

 

1.  Our Example - Isaiah 53:3-5  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  (4)  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  (5)  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 

John 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

 

John 17:13  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

 

2.  Our Exhortation - 1 John 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

 

2 Corinthians 7:4  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

 

2 Corinthians 8:2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

 

Colossians 1:11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

 

1 Thessalonians 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

 

1.  The Joy Of Salvation - Psalms 35:9  And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

Psalms 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalms 132:16  I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Isaiah 12:3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

 

2.  The Joy Of Understanding God’s Word - Nehemiah 8:9-12  And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.  Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.  And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

 

3.  The Joy Of Worship - Nehemiah 12:43-46  Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.  And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.  And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.  For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

 

4.  The Joy Of Going To Church - Psalms 42:4  When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

 

a.  The Joy Of Singing - Psalms 95:1  O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

 

Psalms 95:2  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

 

Psalms 98:4  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

 

b.  The Joy Of Praise - Psalms 27:6  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

 

5.  The Joy Of Hope - Psalms 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

 

6.  The Joy Of Eternity - Psalms 16:8-11  I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

1 Peter 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

Jude 24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

7.  The Joy Of Sinners Saved - Luke 15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

 

8.  The Joy Of A Finished Course - Acts 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

 

9.  The Joy Of The Saviour - 1 Peter 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 

Psalms 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.