November 27, 2022
This morning's message is from Garrett Sims - High School Ministry Director of Bear Creek Church.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–25 (NASB1995)
The Big Idea:
Faithfulness and gentleness are both qualities that were displayed by God and should be displayed in our lives as well.
“The Gentle Spirit of A Faithful Heart”
Faithfulness:
Greek Word: Pistis
“The conviction that God exists and is the creator of the world and that Jesus is the Messiah and the way by which we obtain salvation.”
“The Character of one who can be relied upon.”
We are called to live a life full of faith
I. We Are Faithful, Because He Has Always Been Faithful
“But the Lord is faithful. He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NASB 1995)
“If we are faithless, He is faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB 1995)
God’s faithfulness is not dependent on you or me
God is faithful. He’s always been faithful, and He will always be faithful. And, we seek to emulate that faithfulness in our own lives and point people to Him.
II. We Are Faithful In ALL Things, Regardless of Scope or Size
Our faithfulness should not be dependent on a position, a possession, or a person
Before we’re ready for the palace, we must first be faithful in the pasture
Faithfulness is not something we do, it is a position of the heart.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.
20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
Matthew 25: 19-21 (NASB 1995)
It matters not how much you’ve been given, but how faithful you were with what you were given.
Gentleness:
Greek Word: Prautes
Gentleness in Spirit or meekness
Gentleness is not weakness or merely being nice. It’s being humble
If faithfulness is our response to God, gentleness is our response to others
People will associate God with what they see in His people
III. Gentleness Comes From The Elimination of Pride
The single most detrimental obstacle to fruit growing in our lives is pride
Pride comes from this sense or belief that we are more important than we actually are
We suffer from forgetfulness that we are only who we are because of the grace of God
“Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NASB 1995)
IV. Gentleness Extends FROM God THROUGH Us
The world experiences the gentleness of God through His people
Before gentleness can ever be expressed, it has to be experienced
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB 1995)
God is inviting you to find rest today
Learn to be gentle. Learn to be Humble.
For believers who have experienced the gentleness of God, we are called to allow that to grow in our lives, and, in turn, show the world.
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.”
2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NASB 1995)
The right message presented the wrong way becomes the wrong message
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