Sunday's Message: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit - A Look at Galatians 5:22-23 (Love)

On Friday, August 12, SPC had its annual Summer Day Camp entitled “Big Heart Farms: Where God’s Fruit Grows.” During the day, the children looked at Galatians 5:22-23 and talked about the Fruit of the Spirit. Building on this theme, during nine of our worship services, we’ll consider how we can integrate this fruit into our own lives. We’ll focus on the following qualities:

• August 14 - Love
• August 21 - Joy
• August 28 - Peace
• September 4 - Patience
• September 11 - Kindness
• September 18 - Generosity
• September 25 - Faithfulness
• October 2 - Gentleness
• October 9 - Self-control

And so, as we move into the Fall, let’s talk about how we might cultivate the most important crop of all, the Fruit of the Spirit.

In this first message, we considered love as a spiritual fruit. The sermon text and podcast is below:

I’ll tell you, if you weren’t here on Friday, you really missed something really special. You see, we had about seventy kids, ranging in age from three to twelve, a whole bunch of adult volunteers, ranging in age from fifteen to older than fifteen, and even two dogs who were younger than our youngest volunteer, they were all at our annual Vacation Bible School Day Camp. And outside of the dogs, everyone was singing songs, hearing stories, painting little flower pots, searching for stuff, milking a cow, and doing a lot of bouncing. But I’ll tell you, whether human or canine, I think everybody had a great time. And as y’all know, the title for the day camp was Big Heart Farms: Where God’s Fruit Grows. And that really summed up the theme. You see, through songs and stories and crafts, the children looked at what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote this to the Galatians:

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. [Galatians 5:22-23, NRSVUE]

Now that was the focus on Friday.

And sort of building on this theme, that’ll also be our focus for a couple of months. You see, during the next nine worship services, we’re going to look at how we might, into our own lives, cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, we’ll talk about how we might integrate love, joy and peace; patience, kindness and generosity; faithfulness, gentleness and self-control into our characters and into our relationships. Now that’s the plan.

Which means that, this morning, we’re going to look at the first of the spiritual fruit, namely love. But, you know, even though among these qualities listed by Paul it stands at the head of the line, it sure seems as though a lot of people are kind of confused about what it’s all about. I mean, outside of believing that it makes the world go ’round and it’s all you really need, the nature of love is not exactly clear. Of course, that really shouldn’t be a surprise, especially considering how love is often defined within our society. For example, I think for most folks, love has to do with emotions, you know, how we feel about certain foods and movies and people. These are the things we love. And although that’s certainly true, even biblical, I think it’s really important that, in the Bible, there are two separate Greek words that are both translated “love:” φίλος and ἀγάπη. And you know, while φίλος has everything to do with what we’re feeling, ἀγάπη, well, that’s very different. And it’s ἀγάπη that Paul used when he listed his spiritual fruit.

And that’s going to be our focus this morning; we’ll be looking at ἀγάπη/love. And to do that, we’re going to use another passage written by Paul. You see, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to break down 1 Corinthians 13 so that we can better understand what ἀγάπη/love actually is. And I’ll tell you, when we do, I think there are three characteristics of this loving fruit that Paul challenges spiritual men and women to cultivate. 

For example, first, when we look at what he wrote to the Corinthians, I think we can safely say that love is essential, at least, it was for the Apostle Paul. In other words, it sets us apart as Christians. It identifies us as followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, it’s the single most important quality that defines who we are and what we believe. And I think that’s what Paul was getting at when he wrote this:

What if I could speak

all languages of humans

    and even of angels?

If I did not love others,

    I would be nothing more

than a noisy gong

    or a clanging cymbal.

What if I could prophesy

and understand all mysteries

    and all knowledge?

And what if I had faith

    that moved mountains?

I would be nothing,

    unless I loved others.

What if I gave away all

    that I owned

and let myself

    be burned alive? 

I would gain nothing,

    unless I loved others. [1 Corinthians 13:1-3, CEV]

You see, for Paul, regardless of the words we use or the promises we offer, regardless of the knowledge we have or the faith we claim, my gosh, regardless of the sacrifices we make or the courage we show, none of that means a hill of beans, if we don’t love others. In other words, for Christians, love isn’t optional. It’s not an added bonus. It’s not something that we should show, but if we don’t, it’s no big deal. No sir, if we take Paul at his word, love is essential.

And I’ll tell you, I think that makes a lot of sense, because let’s be honest, our willingness to love one another really is at the very core of our witness whether we want it to be or not.  You see, it’s the way the world is going to judge not only us, but also the one we claim to follow. And you know, I think Jesus understood this very thing, and that’s the reason he said this to his disciples:

Treat others just as you want to be treated.

If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.

But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you. [Luke 6:31-36, CEV]

It’s like the song says, “...they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” [They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love, Peter Scholtes] You see, love is essential, and for Paul, that’s its first characteristic.

And second, according to what he wrote to the Corinthians, I think love is also active. It’s shown by a whole lot more than just emotions. It involves actually doing something. In other words, unlike what we might be feeling at any given moment, this kind of love is something that we actually control. And for that reason, it can never be called fickle. And, in my opinion, that’s why Paul wrote this:

Love is patient and kind,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or rude.

Love isn't selfish

    or quick tempered.

It doesn't keep a record

    of wrongs that others do.

Love rejoices in the truth,

    but not in evil.

Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

    and trusting. [1 Corinthians 13:4-7, CEV]

I’ll tell you, this isn’t the kind of love you fall into or might feel at first sight. No, I believe it’s something that we intentionally do, and we’re called to do it whether we feel it or not.

And for that reason, I think love always comes down to a decision. It’s like I’ve often said at weddings; it’s deciding to listen when you’d rather be talking, to ask for forgiveness when you think that you should be the forgiver, rather than the forgivee. Man, it’s all about putting yourself second when you want to be first. Now that’s what I often say to couples I marry. And I say it, because I believe it. And in that way, I guess it means incorporating these words of Jesus into our daily living:

Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try to keep back your shirt. Give to everyone who asks and don't ask people to return what they have taken from you. [Luke 6:28-30, CEV]

Of course, as I think we all know, doing that kind of thing doesn’t just happen, not without us deciding to do it. And I’ll tell you something else, it sure isn’t easy, especially when we’re out there, showing ἀγάπη/love to folks we don’t even like. And yet, that’s what those who are serious about cultivating this spiritual fruit are expected to do. Why? Because love is active, and for Paul, I think that’s its second characteristic.

And third, according to what he wrote, love is always Godly. In other words, ἀγάπη/love always reflects the nature and the will of God. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s true whether it’s done in the name of Jesus or not. In fact, our decision to love our neighbors as ourselves, man, that’s the ultimate sign of Christian growth and maturity. And you know, for me, that’s why Paul ended his “love chapter” with these words:

Love never fails! 

Everyone who prophesies

    will stop,

and unknown languages

will no longer

    be spoken.

All that we know

    will be forgotten.

We don't know everything,

and our prophecies

    are not complete.

But what is perfect

    will someday appear,

and what isn't perfect

    will then disappear.

When we were children,

we thought and reasoned

    as children do.

But when we grew up,

    we quit our childish ways.

Now all we can see of God

is like a cloudy picture

    in a mirror.

Later we will see him

    face to face.

We don't know everything,

    but then we will,

just as God completely

    understands us.

For now there are faith,

    hope, and love.

But of these three,

    the greatest is love. [1 Corinthians 13:8-13, CEV]

I’ll tell you, showing this kind of love isn’t for wimps. I think it takes some genuine maturity and self-awareness to pull off.

And you know, for that reason, I believe it’s crucially important for us to be as loving as we can as often as we can. Of course, I understand that’s hard to do. I mean, it’s much easier for us to reduce our relationship with God to the words we use and the promises we make. And I also recognize that it’s also easier to be selective in showing our love, you know, to focus on folk we already like and wait on those whom we may not, you know, those who are different from us and who make us uncomfortable, we can wait to be loving to them until we actually feel it. Now, doing that would be easier. But is that really what God wants us to do? I mean, wouldn’t that sort of move us away from the ideal envisioned by Jesus himself when he made this prediction:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” [Matthew 25:31-40, CEV]

You see, the more we love others, the more it becomes natural. As a matter of fact, if we do it often enough, it can become so natural that we don’t even realize that we’re doing it. And I think that’s what God wants, because, according to Paul, love is Godly, and that’s its third characteristic.

Well, VBS is in the books for another year, but its theme, well, that’s something that can shape the way we live 24/7. And next week, we’ll consider what Paul offered as the second spiritual fruit, namely joy. But you know, before we move on, let’s remember that, when you get right down to it, the other eight don’t really mean a lot if we skim past number one. And so, as we leave here and go about our business, let’s remember the quality that Paul considered essential and active and Godly. In other words, let’s intentionally cultivate that fruit of the Spirit called love.