Spiritual Fruit Stands

This morning I am reading from Galatians 5:22-26 NIV:

[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

I love these verses, as they are so rich in meaning and encouragement. I realty like what David Guzick writes about the first two verses here:

5. (22-23) Examples of the fruit of the Spirit that walking in the Spirit produces in our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

a. But the fruit of the Spirit: The works of the flesh seem overwhelming – both in us and around us. God is good enough, and big enough, to change everything with but (only) the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit can always conquer the works of the flesh.

i. Significantly, it is the fruit of the Spirit set across from the works of the flesh. Works are works, and fruit is fruit. Fruit has several important characteristics.
· Fruit isn't achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding.

· Fruit is fragile.

· Fruit reproduces itself.

· Fruit is attractive.

· Fruit nourishes.

b. Fruit of the Spirit: Paul used the plural is describing life after the flesh (works of the flesh), but he uses the singular (fruit, not fruits, of the Spirit). In the big picture, the Spirit has one work to do in all of us. These aren't the gifts of the Spirit, which are distributed on an individual basis by the will of the Spirit; this is something for every Christian.

i. "It may be significant that the word fruit is singular; Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits that would be shared around, so that one believer has one, another another. Rather he is referring to a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each believer." (Morris)

As Paul continues the discourse, he speaks of those who walk in the Spirit as having crucified the flesh. That is a very severe image, but in reality it is true, as we have been crucified with Christ, our old man and sin, nailed to the cross with Jesus (Romans 6:6). On this side of the cross, we are set free from those things, becoming a new creation.

Paul then encourages us to stay in step with the Spirit, to walk in unison with Him. Walking this way requires a continual connection and listening and seeing. When I used to march with a marching band, we were supposed to stay in step with our line, and one did this by adapting ones walk to match the steps of the others. We listened to the cadence, and watched the line making sure our steps matched the steps of others. In the same way, we need to stay in step, listening, looking at what the Spirit is doing and adjusting our steps, our walk to stay in step with Him.

Finally we should not become conceited if we have fruit present in our lives. We all should have fruit, as it comes from abiding in Him. We are not the source, we merely reflect externally what He is establishing internally. We are not to be envious of other's fruit, but rather encouraged that other levels of fruitfulness are available.

Let us learn to abide in the Spirit, allowing our lives to resonate with what the Spirit brings, namely, His fruit. As David Guzick says, fruit is attractive, and meant to be one of things that draw others to Christ. As I was thinking about that, I had the image of a road-side fruit stand pop into my mind. What a great image, we are supposed to live in such a way that the Spirit's fruit in us is visible to all, and attracts people to him. We are called to be Spiritual Fruit Stands.