Sustain - Sermon Series Study Guide

Study Guide PA R T 1

Contents Lesson One: Fruit vs. Flesh.......................................................................................................... 1 Lesson Two: The Fruit of Love.................................................................................................... 5 Lesson Three: The Fruit of Joy...................................................................................................... 9 Lesson Four: The Fruit of Peace................................................................................................13 Lesson Five: The Fruit of Patience............................................................................................18

Notes for Group Leaders Throughout this guide you will see “Group Notes” in the margin featuring discussion questions or other suggestions if you are going through this study with a small group or Bible Study class.

Written by Dr. Jimmy Jeffcoat Editing/Layout/Design: Ken Roach ©2021 Frazer Church 6000 Atlanta Hwy. | Montgomery, AL 36117 334.272.8622 | www.frazer.church Unless otherwise noted, scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Lesson One: Fruit vs. Flesh

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Summary: In this lesson we are introduced to the concept of the Fruit of the Spirit, and how they relate to the overall life of the common Christian. We will contrast the Fruit of the Spirit with the Acts of the Flesh, and will see how Paul differentiates the Follower of Christ from the Unbeliever.

Lead-in Questions: 1.

What characteristics would you use to describe the difference between a true follower of Christ and an unbeliever?

2. Would these characteristics be visible at all times, or simply show up from time to time?

we can probably say that each of us will experience a spiritual childhood, a spiritual adolescence, and hopefully, a spiritual adulthood during our individual spiritual journeys.

Life In the Spirit

Our whole spiritual journey is one of living in the Spirit.

Let’s look at some examples from Scripture that help bring home this point. Jesus indicated to Nicodemus that the process of being born again, or becoming a Christian, was the work of the Holy Spirit – we are born of the Spirit. Later, in Romans 8:16, we are told that it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness to us that we have Paul enumerates the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians become Christians. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be 5:22-23: “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, witnesses for Christ. Jesus told the apostles, “you will peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against you; and you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) such things.”

Paul tells us that the Spirit assists us in our prayer life.

Note that the verb used in this case is singular in number In Romans 8:26, we read: “Likewise the Spirit helps us – Paul uses “is” instead of the plural “are.” in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we The implied meaning is that the common, everyday ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep Christian should manifest all of these fruits in their lives. for words.” The Holy Spirit is constantly interceding on Although each fruit is individual in nature, the follower our behalf (i.e., praying for us): “And he who searches of Christ is expected to display all of these fruits to hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will some degree. of God.” (Romans 8:27) Will we have all of them in equal proportion? Probably 3. How do we go about developing the Fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives?

Introduction

not. Some of us will perhaps be better at being generous than we are at being joyful, but that does not mean that we can’t be joyful as well. Some of us have tremendous self-control, whereas others of us wish that we had a little more of it. Nevertheless, we should hope that others can see evidence of all of these various fruits in our lives.

How do we get this fruit? The simple answer is that we got them when we became a Christian. We were made Christians by the Holy Spirit when we gave our lives to Christ. In John chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that we must have a “second birth” if we are going to be part of the Kingdom of God. This birth, he said, is of the Spirit. Pushed further, he tells Nicodemus that “whoever believes” in him will “not perish, but have everlasting life.”

(John 3:16) So, being born again evidently involves the Spirit doing something in us that gives us eternal life, and it happens when we have saving faith in Christ Jesus.

Nevertheless, like our physical birth, being born of the Spirit is the beginning of the process, rather than the end point. Once I become a Christian, I will move through the various stages of spiritual life in much the same way that I move through my physical life. In fact,

The Spirit helps us learn the truths that Christ left to us through his followers. Jesus comforted his disciples before his arrest with the knowledge that the Holy Spirit would help them to recall the very words of Jesus. In his last address to them before he was arrested, he explained that the Spirit would be a teacher for them, giving them (and, by extension, us) insight into the words of Christ. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) Paul notes that our means of conquering the desires of the flesh is the Spirit. “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13) Most of us are familiar with the irritating way that we fail when we try to make ourselves be better. We make resolutions; we make covenants; we go on strictly planned routines, all for naught – we find ourselves breaking the very laws that we are trying so hard to keep. The sinful human condition affects our capacity for purity; so, we know what we ought to do, but we just can’t seem to do it.

GROUP NOT E Discussion: Thinking about physical birth, what traits of the parents are immediately evident in their children at birth? What traits become evident only through a process of growth and maturity?

How might both aspects apply to spiritual birth and the fruit of the Spirit?

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We see Paul describing this dilemma at the end of Romans chapter seven. He, like us, wants to know how we can break these ungodly yearnings and habits. The Spirit, Paul tells us, is the answer to the how question.

The Holy Spirit helps us put to death our fleshly desires and weaknesses, by putting them to the cross. Paul describes it this way: “We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.

For whoever has died is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7) Then, in chapter 8, Paul tells us that the breaking of sin on a daily basis is the work of the Spirit.

Our very bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. When Paul was chastising the people in Corinth for the way that they continued to live sensual lives, he told them that the reason they should remain pure is that they are dwelling places for God’s Spirit. He writes: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” (I Corinthians 6:19-20) His point is that if our body is the place where the Spirit of God lives, then that Temple G RO UP N OT E ought to reflect the holiness of its inhabitant by the Have someone purity of the believer’s physical life.

read Galatians The Fruit of the Spirit reflect this interconnection we 5:16-21. Question: have with Christ through the Spirit, and though each of Do you see us may vary in which of the individual fruits we manifest any correlation between the more consistently, we all should show evidence of the works of the flesh presence of the Spirit within us by the fruit being visible and the fruit of to the community in which we live. the spirit? For example, are there particular Spiritual DNA works of the flesh that seem to Let’s look at this from another point of view. I carry within correspond with me the DNA of my family. To some degree that DNA an opposite fruit? is reflected most visibly in my physical body – what

type of body I have; what type of hair I have; my eye color; the shape of my face, etc. We often say things about babies such as “she has her eyes,” or “he is a big baby like his daddy,” traits that come with us at birth.

However, there are other intangible traits that come from our birth parents as well, such as athletic prowess, musical talent, or mathematical ability. We also pick up traits of our parents because we are with them more than any other people for a long period of time. As a result, sometimes we hold our head a certain way, or cough or walk a certain way, just because, without our knowing it, we have modeled ourselves after our parents.

What does that have to do with this Fruit of the Spirit series? Each one of the Fruit of the Spirit is also demonstrated perfectly in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

If we want to know what love looks like, we can look at our Triune God. If we want to know what gentleness should look like, then we simply need to observe the model that we find in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Do you get the picture? The Fruit of the Spirit listed by Paul can all be found in the highest level and form in our Savior, and because of that we should exhibit them in our own lives. The Spirit supplies the DNA of the Fruit

within us, and they are amplified the more we spend time with Christ. Just like I take on many of the traits of my parents through both inheritance and example, in like manner, I take on the character of Jesus both through the inheritance of the Spirit and the effects of spending time in His presence.

Acts of the Flesh: The Opposite of Fruit Now, having looked at the fruitful side of the equation, it might be helpful now to notice that Paul put out a second list in Galatians 5. This is the list of the Acts of the Flesh, the things that will automatically put us at odds with the Lord. We can learn much about the positive traits of the Fruit by contrasting them with the negative traits of the Flesh.

When we list out these “acts of the flesh” we find that they seemed to be grouped into pairs or fours: • Idolatry & Witchcraft.

• Hatred, Discord, Jealousy, and Fits of Rage.

• Selfish Ambition, Dissensions, Factions, and Envy.

• Drunkenness & Orgies It is possible that Paul simply wrote down things that came to him off the top of his head, but, considering the kind of logical mind that Paul had, it seems safer to assume that he brought out these characteristics in the order that they connected with each other.

1. Idolatry and Witchcraft This first grouping of Acts of the Flesh links two practices which seek to replace worship and obedience to God with false substitutes—idolatry and witchcraft.

Scripture frequently defines idolatry as choosing other gods over the true God. The first two of the Ten Commandments say that you shouldn’t have any other gods apart from the Lord, and that you are not to make a graven image or representation of God. (See Exodus 20:2-6) In addition to these external idols, internal attitudes can create the sin of idolatry. For example, when King Saul offered an illegal sacrifice because he was impatient, God calls it idolatry. Samuel explained to Saul, “For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.” (1 Samuel 15:23) How could idolatry be the same as stubbornness? To be stubborn is to want your way over that of someone else. To put your own will ahead of God’s will is to put yourself in the place of God. In other words, our decision to choose our own wants and desires over God’s is the same as making an idol of ourselves.

So, idolatry can be interpreted as worshiping anything other than God, and can be expanded to mean anything that has precedence over God in our lives.

How does witchcraft connect to this concept? In the

Scriptures there are several words associated with witchcraft, including necromancers, mediums, and sorcerers, and their practices are seen as magic arts, divination, telling fortunes, interpreting omens, and inquiring of the dead. In the New Testament, we see several individuals who are said to be possessed by evil spirits, who have the gift of divination or predicting events. In Jeremiah 27:9, God links together false prophets, diviners, dreamers, fortune-tellers, and sorcerers. In Exodus, when Moses faces the Pharaoh, his opponents are called magicians or diviners.

In Isaiah, God chastises the people for their practices relating to witchcraft: “Now if people say to you, ‘Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, for teaching and for instruction?’

Surely, those who speak like this will have no dawn!”

(Isaiah 8:19-20)

words, God doesn’t operate according to our whims and desires. We could not even understand God if He had not revealed Himself to us in His love.

God is not controllable by human beings. We are the created, not the Creator. Whenever we build idols, or seek the aid of witches, warlocks, seers, and diviners, we place ourselves in opposition to the God who rules the universe. Witchcraft and idolatry are always about human beings having charge of their own life and destiny. Christianity has as a core understanding that God is not controllable, but He will bless, love, and redeem based on His own plans and purposes, not our feeble attempts at control.

2. Hatred, Discord, Jealousy, and Fits of Rage

This group of Acts of the Flesh moves from our attiThe point here is that witchcraft, like idolatry, is putting tude towards God to our attitudes towards our fellow one’s trust in forces opposed to God, and reflects a humans, and it links the inner attitudes of hatred and trust in false gods rather than the true God. People go jealousy with outward actions of discord, rage, and to these diviners mentioned in the scriptures because violence. When people in the same organization they want to know the future to control it. They want “hate” each other, discord and jealousies are quick to make choices based on secret knowledge, apart to show up. When one person is jealous of another, from God’s will. it is not long before the one begins to hate the other.

Witchcraft uses incantations, amulets, and other things When one of the partners in a relationship begins to to control the forces of the spirit world. This was the be jealous of the other partner, it isn’t long before essence of the ancient religions; it was all about control. discord or division begins to disrupt the happiness in They believed that if they said the right words, gave the that relationship. Eventually, that hatred turns to rage right amount of money, or made the right sacrifice, the which often manifests itself in violence. god had to fulfill their request. In other words, humans Jesus classified hatred as murder due to the connection could control the gods to get what they wanted. between our thoughts and actions (See Matthew 5:21-22).

An act of sin rarely arises without forethought. Jesus This isn’t far from the beliefs of our present-day culture, recognized this, and spoke to it in Matthew 15:19-20: “For is it? Often when God does not seem to do what we out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, wanted him to do, we say things like, “It isn’t fair: I go to sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These church, I try to be a good person and treat people well, are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed I prayed and fasted; where is God when I need him? hands does not defile them.” Regardless of our outward Why doesn’t He ever answer my prayers?” This is the religious rituals, when we allow our inner self to be same attitude as in ancient witchcraft – God should do corrupted, then ultimately our actions will come forth what I want Him to because I fulfilled the requirements from the interior fountain.

It may not come out until we of the contract necessary to get my way. are under stress, but eventually what is in our hearts In his Chronicles of Narnia children’s stories, author will be revealed in our actions.

C.S. Lewis illustrated that God is not under our control through the character of Aslan, a lion who symbolizes Christ. When the character Mr. Beaver is asked whether 3. Selfish Ambition, Dissensions, Aslan is safe to be around, he responds: “‘Safe?’ said Factions, and Envy Mr. Beaver; ‘don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you?

Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. This grouping of Acts of the Flesh expands from interBut he’s good. He’s the King I tell you.’”1 Lewis means personal relationships to the dynamics of whole groups for us to understand in this extended storyline that of people. It links the inner attitudes of selfishness and God is a Transcendent God – you can’t control Him, envy with the outward consequences of division and He does what He wishes. faction within a group.

The prophet Isaiah puts it this way: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) In other

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In organizations, if one employee (or the employer) becomes filled with self-centered ambition, they tend to create dissension and factions as they push themselves to the top. In many cases, their ambition is also fueled by their envy of those who happen to

1 C.S. Lewis. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (MacMillan: 1950).

GROUP NOT E Divide into groups and have each group take one of these passages about idolatry: Isaiah 40:12-31; 42:5-9; 44:9-20, 24-28; 45:5-13, 18-25; 46:5-10.

Ask each group, ‘What do we learn about God in this passage?’

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be ahead of them. We see this among the disciples of Jesus while they traveled around with him, despite the fact that he was constantly emphasizing selflessness and humility.

On one occasion Jesus had to teach the disciples a lesson when he found them arguing over which one of them was the greatest. (See Mark 9:33-37) In another case, James and John’s mother pulled Jesus aside to ask him whether he might let her sons sit in places of honor when he set up his Kingdom. (See Matthew 20:20-28) These examples of selfish ambition led to dissensions among the disciples.

G RO UP N OT E Question: Do some of the works of the flesh seem worse than others to you? In what ways do we sometimes justify our own sins by comparing them to other sins, rather than comparing them to the fruit of the spirit?

Dissension arises through selfish ambition and spreads through complaints, gossip and secret slander leaked out about others. Those who create dissension often do so as a byproduct of their attempts to be wanted, needed, and accepted by others. Sharing gossip together creates a false sense of unity with those who share our secrets, but it comes at the cost of factions and divisions within the larger body. It hurts the individual who is being slandered, and it hurts the whole group by creating separations.

We only need to turn to the first letter to the Corinthians to see the damage done by factions. Here Paul has to rebuke the congregation because they have divided up over which Christian leader they are following: Some say that they are followers of Paul and his teaching; some say that they are most like their mentor Peter; and others think that they are linked to Apollos, the great evangelist of the Early Church.

(See 1 Corinthians 1:10-31) The only thing that these well-meaning Christians have done is to divide their congregation according to which group seems to have the most prestige. Envy naturally follows from this division. People feel left out because they don’t belong to Peter’s group, or feel demeaned by those who claim that they are liked by Paul.

4. Drunkenness and Orgies The final grouping shows the effects of the Acts of the Flesh on people’s ability to control their own bodies. A person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs often has their inhibitions and modesty dulled, so that they become willing to participate in things that they would never do in a sober state. Sexual acts, and even sexual crimes, have been perpetrated many times when people were out of control due to the addition of foreign substances into their bodies that affected their mental state.

In television and films, people are sometimes portrayed as “lovable drunks,” and being under the influence of substances is depicted as humorous. However, this glosses over the tremendous harm done to both the addict and those who are hurt by them due to their lack of self-control. To those under the influence of the Flesh, indulging in sexual perversion with the “help” of drunkenness is viewed as the height of “partying,” but those under the leadership of the Spirit see nothing but tragedy in corrupting God’s good gifts of the body and sexuality.

Summary The sum total of all these “acts of the flesh” is that the person is living the life of an “anti-Christian.” These are thoughts and behaviors that operate in direct opposition to the characteristics and actions of followers of a Holy and Righteous God. So, as Paul moves into a description of the fruit the Spirit-filled life generates, we get a sense of how they will counter the effects of a flesh-controlled life. In the Spirit-filled life, God will be highest in priority; hatred and division will be removed from relationships; mutual servanthood will be the mark of life in community; and self-control and power over sin will govern the actions of the lives of individual believers.

Next week we begin with the first of the fruit – LOVE!

Application Idea: Take time to do a self-analysis to see if there are any areas in your life that put you in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ and the lifestyle of a Christ-follower. Do you see any hint of these Acts of the Flesh operating in you? If you do, make a conscious decision this week to give that area over to Christ, and to begin walking in another direction by His grace.

Lesson Two: The Fruit of Love

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Summary: Love is perhaps the most important character trait in Christianity. Love is central to the Christian understanding of our relationship to God. In this lesson, we will look at ways that love is expressed in scripture, and will see how we might be better at it.

Lead-in Questions:

hand every evening, would indicate that two people loved one another.

1.

How would you define love – what are the charac- This is why the story of the Fall of Humanity in Genesis teristics of a relationship defined by love?

3 is such a tragedy and disappointment, because all 2. Is there more than one way to define love – are human existence was corrupted from that day forward, there different types of love? If so, what are they; and because of how the relationship between God and Humanity was separated by human choice. give an example.

3. What does it mean when we say that God is Love?

How does that play out in our understanding of Religion, and Christianity, in particular?

Introduction “Love is a many-splendored thing,” as the title of the 1955 movie goes. In other words, love is complex. Our human experiences of love are complicated by the fact that we humans are complex beings, and all parties bring things to the table when they love one another.

The love of God is even more layered, complex, and profound. Thankfully, God has given us the complex story of the Old Testament and the Covenant that God made with Israel, leading up to the ultimate sacrifice that Christ Jesus made on the Cross, to display His love in all its many facets. So, we are going to explore the concept of love from several different angles as we seek to understand how we should incorporate this fruit into our everyday lives.

Beginning at the Beginning Although the word ‘love’ is never used in the creation story as found in Genesis 1 and 2, a case can be made that the whole creation is an act of love. After all, in our own experience, we tend to love the things that we create. We love our children who are created through our relationship with our spouse. We love a piece of art that we create, or the garden that we worked so hard to develop. Every time God finished putting a piece of the Creation Puzzle together, we are told that He saw that “it was good,” which conveys to us that God loved that which He created. God spent personal time each day with Adam and Eve, indicating that He loved the two of them, in the same way that sharing a cup of coffee together on a porch every morning, or a walk hand in

The result of this colossal failure was that God now began a ponderous process of bringing the whole creation back together again. German theologians coined the word “Heilsgeschichte” for this process (pronounced: hials-ga-shick-ta), meaning “Salvation History.” The whole Bible is a book that follows this history of salvation, beginning with the Covenant with Abraham and ending with the creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth after the Final Judgment. All of this history is framed GROUP NOT E by the fact that “God so loved the world” and all the Question: How do people who are in it. (John 3:16) you think love is

How do we define love?

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) gave us a description of four types of love found in the Greek language. Although there are other words that relate to love, these four are specifically focused on the concept. This gives a good start on understanding the fruit that Paul is describing in Galatians 5.2 1. The first type of love that Lewis describes is Storge (pronounced store-gay). This kind of love is associated with parental love or affection. Although the word itself is not in the New Testament, we see it evident in parent-child relationships within scripture.

2. The second type of love is Eros. This is the realm of romantic love, and relates to words we use today, such as “erotic.” The love goddess, Venus/Aphrodite, was associated with this physical and instinctive type of love.

3. The third type of love is called Philia (fil-ee-ah).

This is the love of brothers or sisters, and from it we get words like Philadelphia (the city of brotherly love).

4. The fourth type of love is Agape (a-ga-pay).

Sometimes translated as “charity” in the New Testament, this word is not limited to giving to the poor. It signifies unconditional love, and often references the love God has for humanity. It is not a love based on emotions

2 See C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1960)

expressed in the creation of the “Heavens and the Earth?”

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G RO UP N OT E Question: Since love “fulfills the law,” why do you think God bothered to give us the other commandments?

Would it have been sufficient for us to simply be told to love our neighbor, without any additional instruction on how to do that?

God Proved His Love

or feelings like eros, nor limited to family relationships like storge or philia; rather, it is based on a choice of the will. It is like a marriage covenant, because vows John tells us in his first letter that since God’s very are made that are based on our will, not our emotions. nature is love, if we don’t have love in our hearts, we If I say, “in sickness and in health,” and “for richer or don’t know God (see I John 4:8). And, further, we should poorer,” I understand that I am choosing to be with this love others due to the fact that God loved us first, even person whether it brings good or bad to my life. I am though we didn’t deserve it (I John4:19). making this choice with my will, not my feelings.

When Moses was giving the people instructions for their entrance into the Promised Land, He reminded them that All four types of love are valid and good within the it was because God loved the people of Israel, and made right context, but agape love stands at the pinnacle. covenant with their ancestors, that He brought them out Consider the conversation Peter has with Jesus after of slavery and sent them to this land of milk and honey. the resurrection of Jesus (See John 21:15-19). Jesus goes (Deuteronomy 7:7-9) Thus, even in the Old Testament, apart with Peter, and begins with a question: “Peter do God’s expectation that His people would love Him was you love (agape) me? Peter responds, “Lord, you know grounded in His first showing love to them. that I love you (philia).” Then, the same words are used again. The third time, Jesus changes his words: “Peter, As Jesus spoke with Nicodemus, he showed him that God’s love was the whole reason for his coming: “God do you love (philia) me?” Peter uses the same word again so loved the world that he gave his son [to die for sins], (philia). Jesus is giving Peter a three-fold confession to and whoever believes [has faith] in him as Messiah will cancel out his three-fold denial. He wants Peter to have live eternally rather than perish for their sins. (See John agape love for him, but he is willing to start with the 3:16) At his last Passover with the disciples, Jesus said philia love of Peter. Eventually, when Peter lays down that his “new commandment” for them was to love his life as a martyr, we can conclude that he attains to each other the same way that he had loved them, and by this others would know that they were his disciples. agape love for Jesus just as Jesus had for him.

(See John 13:34) The lesson for us is that God expects from us the highest form of love, but will take us at the level that we are Later, John restates this same point in a different way. available. His expectation is, thus, that we will grow in He tells his readers that the proof of how much God our love for God to the point that we move from philia loves them is found in the fact that Jesus came and made an “atoning sacrifice” for their sins. (I John 4:11) to agape at some point in our spiritual journey.

Paul similarly says that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) The point is quite clear: since God showed such incredible love to us, we should love Love Throughout Scripture each other the same way.

We should not make the mistake of saying that this kind Thus, love is the very nature of the God we serve, and of love is reserved only for the New Testament. In the Jesus is the greatest model of what that love looks like. days of Moses, God shared his expectation with regards to love with Israel in the so-called Shema (the Call to Worship of Israel): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your God’s love for us is more than just words; Jesus showed might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) This kind of love leaves his love through his actions. In the same way, Christians nothing out – you love God with your whole being. It are to show their love in practical actions. In 1 John, we are reminded that we are meant to help others if we is the baseline for a relationship with God. are practicing love, with our deeds and our truth-telling.

Later, in Leviticus, we see a second love expectation. (I John 3:17-18) Love of God results in our seeing to the Moses tells the people of Israel that they are to “love needs of people who suffer. Jesus laid down his life [their] neighbor as they love themselves.” (Leviticus for us, so we should respond to the needs of the less 19:18) When asked which of the Laws is the greatest, fortunate because of the blessing we received from Jesus quotes from these two passages (Matthew 22:37; Christ. “How does God’s love abide in anyone who Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). Thus, Jesus tied the principles has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in of love for God and love for neighbor together as one, need and yet refuses help?” (I John 3:17) In other words, Christ died for us though we didn’t deserve it, and we adding: “On these two commandments hang all the should help the less fortunate in imitation of Christ. law and the prophets.”

However, we are reminded by Paul that simply helping In Romans 13, Paul echoes Jesus by saying that “love of others is not the same as loving them. In I Corinthians neighbor” fulfills the whole Law. He notes that when we 13, the “Love Chapter,” Paul gives a list of things we love our neighbor, we don’t break the Commandments, can do, and yet they have no moral value due to our such as “don’t steal” and “don’t kill.” Thus, love that lack of love: “If I give away all my possessions, and if does not wrong our neighbor fulfills the Law. I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not

Christians Show Their Love

have love, I gain nothing.” (I Corinthians 13:1, 3) This is the message of the Prophets of Israel so long ago – we can do things that imitate the works of Christians, but it is the love of the Christian that makes the works genuine and true expressions of Christ.

Loving the Unlovely At this point, we must push into an area that is more challenging to us as Christians: How do we remain loving if there are those whom we hate or who hate us?

John doesn’t give us much room to argue with him. You cannot love God and hate people at the same time – it is impossible to the Christian. If you hate anyone, you do not have the love of God in you – it is simple as that.

In his first letter, John gives us the reason that this is true. If we hate someone, then we are, by definition, a murderer. (1 John 3:11-17)

as sinners, Augustine says that God loves us for what He sees that we will become, not for what we are at the present time. He loves us as sinners, not so that we will remain in our sin, but so that we will give up our sin. What is true of God’s love for us in our sin, is true of our love for our enemy. Listen to Augustine’s logic. “That he was made to be a man is the act of God; his hatred of you, his malice against you is his own. And what do you say in your heart? ‘Lord, have mercy on him: forgive him his sins: put fear in him, and change him.’ You love in him, not what he is, but what you would have him to be; and thus, when you love your enemy, you love a brother. Therefore, the perfection of love is the love of an enemy, and this perfect love consists in brotherly love.”3

To review, we have seen that our love is grounded in God’s love for us. Like Jesus, we are to put our love into action through serving the practical needs of others.

The culmination of this kind of love is to love an enemy, We have heard that before from Jesus, in his Sermon on not simply by putting up with them but out of a genuine the Mount. He said that the person who hates another faith that an enemy can become a brother or sister, just has already murdered that person in his or her heart. as God loved us when we were His enemies and made Again, the Law is broken first in the heart, and then us into sons and daughters. in our actions. To truly hate someone is to wish their destruction or death, and thus, we have no love for them at all. Thus, John makes it clear for us: “You can’t hate your brother or sister and say that you love God. How can you love a God whom you have not seen, if you can’t love a brother or sister whom you do see?” Finally, we should note that when we love God completely, there are certain things that we can expect to be true.

(I John 4:20, my translation) From here, it is a short step to the most controversial • First, if you love God, “all things work together for good.” (Romans 8:28) This does not mean that part of this lesson: Christians are required to love nothing bad can happen to us, but rather that, everyone, even their enemies. I realize that it is rare with God’s help, we will turn that bad thing into to truly “hate” someone else – we likely have varying something beneficial to our life. degrees of hatred that manifest themselves at times.

The people hardest to love are those who could be • Second, we can be sure of the fact that God is classified as enemies: they either don’t like us, or we always with us. Paul promises us that we can don’t like them. never go far enough that God’s love will not be present. As he puts it, “nothing can separate us Let’s make it clear, the founder of our religion put this from God’s love.” (Romans 8:35) It is the same principle forward early on in his ministry. In the Sermon mindset of the Psalmist in Psalm 139: “Everywhere on the Mount, Jesus taught: “But I say to you, love I go, God’s Spirit will be right there.” By definition, your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, if God is love, then wherever we go, God’s love so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; will be right there with us. for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrigh- This means that under any and all circumstances, we teous.” (Matthew 5:44-45) Jesus goes on to say that are victorious, or, as Paul puts it: “more than conquerors” even pagans can love the people who love them, but in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:37) This is why Paul can Christians should have a love that is radically different write in this same chapter that even death has “lost its from anything possible from an earthly perspective: we sting.” What power does death have over those who should love like God (Matthew 5:48). are promised eternity when they breathe their last Around 414 AD, St. Augustine began a series of homilies breath? Victory is promised here or hereafter – when on the book of 1 John. In describing God’s love to us Jesus breathed the words “it is finished,” he meant it!

The Promises of Love

Application Idea: Where do you find yourself expressing love the best? Take the time to analyze what makes this love so special, and what you do to manifest this love. Ask the Lord to make this be the way that you love everyone, even the persons that are hardest to love in your life.

3 Augustine, Eighth Homily – I John 4:12-16. See John Leinenweber, Love One Another, My Friends : St. Augustine’s Homilies on the First Letter of John (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2009).

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GROUP NOT E Question: What is the difference between hating someone, and having someone as an enemy? Can you be an enemy of someone, and not hate them?

What do we want to happen if someone is our enemy?

Lesson Three: The Fruit of Joy

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Summary: In this lesson we will be looking at the fruit of joy. We will consider how joy is achieved, and how it should look in the life of the believer. We will also pursue the question of how a person can have joy in the midst of a world that is definitely not set up to make it easy for us.

Lead-in Questions: 1.

Is there a difference between joy and happiness?

2. Is it possible to have joy in the midst of sorrow? How? 3. Is joy an emotion or a state of being? Explain.

4. What would a person be like who had this fruit evidenced in their life?

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A Sign of Something More

Question: Have C.S. Lewis was a convinced atheist as a young man, but you ever had there was always something that tickled his brain about moments of the concept of God. After many years of questioning inexplicable joy the existence of God, he was finally converted to the like those that C.S. belief in the existence of a personal God at the age Lewis described? of 31. Let’s hear how he describes this experience at When, where, and Oxford University: “You must picture me alone in that how often?

room at Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.”4.

This was not, however, Lewis’s conversion to Christianity.

On that evening, Lewis was simply giving in to his belief that a personal God existed who expected and deserved to have his commitment and service.

explain how it was that he became convinced of the existence of Christ Jesus, personal salvation, and of the truths of the Christian tradition. For him, the basis of this remarkable change lay in the presence of moments of unexplainable joy in his life that made him aware that there was something or someone standing outside time and space who deserved his complete trust and commitment. This presence he came to believe was God. Though absolutely capable of forcing our hand, this God chose to give humanity the opportunity to choose for itself whether to follow or deny His reality.

For Lewis, joy looked like a pattern of individual moments, happening at random times, in which he suddenly felt an incredible sense of something greater; something mystical; something unexplainable that touched him well beyond the realm of his intellect and rationality. Lewis was, at the same time, both drawn to and repelled by this sense of the infinite and supernatural. Though he had traveled down many paths intellectually that led him away from Christianity, he could not shake the fact that there was something (or someone) out there reaching out to him. It took time, but when he converted to Christianity, Lewis became one of the greatest defenders of the faith who has ever lived. Not only did he defend all comers in debates held before the gathered students at Oxford, but his writings became some of the most beloved additions to Christian libraries throughout the world.

All this happened because Lewis experienced moments of joy in his life. His conversion story alone should make us curious as to the meaning of the word “joy” as we find it in the list of the various fruit of the Spirit.

The final step of his conversion came a little later, and So, let’s begin our search for the true meaning of this is equally provocative in its description. On September enigmatic, three letter word, “joy.”

28, 1931, Lewis, his brother Warnie, and some friends decided to go to visit the zoo. Lewis sat in the sidecar of Warnie’s motorbike, and what happened next is vintage Lewis. “When we set out I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and when we reached One of the dilemmas of preachers and theologians is how the zoo I did. Yet I had not exactly spent the journey in to isolate the meanings of words. Terms like “joy” have thought. Nor in great emotion. ‘Emotional’ is perhaps the such a wide range of usages that it becomes difficult to last word we can apply to some of the most important get a handle on its essence. For example, do joy and events. It was more like when a man, after long sleep, happiness represent the same thing? If not, is joy an still lying motionless in bed, becomes aware that he emotion, or a state of being that is beyond emotion? is now awake.”5 The dictionary definition of the word includes a variety Lewis wrote the book, Surprised by Joy, in an effort to of meanings, many of which overlap with the idea of

The Definition of Joy

4 C.S. Lewis, Surprised By Joy: The Shape of My Early Life (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1955); ch. XIV 5 Surprised By Joy, ch. XV

happiness. We often think that to have joy is to be happy.

So, we often use them interchangeably as we try and express our state of mind. However, though obviously related, most people in the fields of academics and mental health see joy and happiness as distinct from one other.

of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.” (Psalm 43:4) It is the relationship with God that fills him with joy. In a similar sense, in Psalm 51:12, the writer asks God to restore to him “the joy of his salvation.” Our very salvation brings to us a sense of joy that builds us up. So, the Old Testament writers seem to understand that joy is attached to a right relationship with God, and it is a state of being that exists continuously.

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For example, in the online magazine, Psychologies, one writer expresses the difference this way: “Joy is more consistent and is cultivated internally. It comes when you make peace with who you are, why you are and Jesus emphasizes the same thing when he told his how you are, whereas happiness tends to be externally disciples, “I have said these things to you so that my triggered and is based on other people, things, places, joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” thoughts and events.”6 (John 15:11) There is something in our relationship with Christ Jesus that creates in us a deep-seated sense of Glory Dy, a writer for Christianity.com, has a similar joy, and we can receive this joy by paying attention to point of view when she writes: “Happiness is merely the teachings of Christ. external, fleeting, and is only achievable on earth. Joy, on the other hand, is internal, selfless, sacrificial, and a spiritual connection with God.”7

In the Catholic Exchange, we read that “‘Joy’ suggests a more complete, ecstatic, consuming passion than mere happiness. In short, ‘happiness’ can be described as an emotion, while ‘joy’ is more properly related to a state of one’s being.”8 The common message that we get from reading these three different points of view is that happiness is tied to circumstances and emotions, whereas joy is a deep-seated state of being that defies the circumstances or context in which I reside.

So, how does joy show up in Scripture? Is there a pattern that we can follow if we pursue the use of the word “joy?” There are four ways that joy is used in scripture across both the Old and New Testaments.

We will look at each one in turn, and then try to make a final assessment as we close this lesson.

1. Joy as a State of Being

In Acts, being filled with the Holy Spirit is connected to joy. In this case, Paul and Barnabas are in Antioch, and have had good success in sharing the message of Christ with the people in the city. However, the Jewish leaders in the city stirred up “the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city,” to begin persecuting them. As a result, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet towards the city, and left to do ministry elsewhere. Luke (the writer of Acts) tells us, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:50-52) So, even though Paul and Barnabas had to leave the city because of persecution, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and as a result they were full of joy.

2. Joy as a Result or Reaction A second way that Scripture describes joy is as a response that bubbles up out of us. Think of it like our reaction to something that startles us. An example might be when I walk around the corner and almost run in to someone. That moment of excitement comes from being startled. The Scripture indicates that there are times that the sheer majesty of God, or our sudden elevated awareness of the grandeur of the faith, can elicit a response of joy.

Let’s begin with the fact that joy represents a state of being in Scripture. As such, it goes deeper than surface emotions or a circumstantial sense of well-being. To have joy is to have a rock-solid foundation of strength at the core of our being, and to be full of calm assurance in The Psalms demonstrate this sudden sense of excitement. the presence of trials and difficulties. The person who “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship has become a Christian is endowed with a deep sense the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with of rightness and confidence that is not easily explained, singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made but simply exists. Of course, the normal occurrences of us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of life will occupy much of our attention, but from time to his pasture.” (Psalm 100:1-2) Here, the Psalmist is joyous time we become aware that everything is in the hands because of his awareness of the greatness of his God, of a deeper power, and so all is well in the universe. and worship spontaneously happens. It is that sense of As Christians, we know that this awareness originates God’s greatness that causes the psalmist to call for us in the God who made the Heavens and the Earth, and to make a joyful noise. Psalm 35:9 likewise proclaims, who has chosen to make personal covenant with us. “Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his Let’s look at a few examples from Scripture that may deliverance. All my bones shall say, ‘O Lord, who is like enlighten us on this inherited state of being called joy. you?’” Here the experience of God’s salvation causes In Psalm 43 the writer says, “Then I will go to the altar joy to erupt as it were from the writer’s very bones.

6 https://www.psychologies.co.uk/joy-vs-happiness 7 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/what-is-the-difference-between-joy-and-happiness.html 8 https://catholicexchange.com/the-difference-between-joy-and-happiness

GROUP NOTE Question: Have you ever had a moment when you considered yourself both unhappy and yet joyful at the same time? Describe the situation.

We hear this same sense in Mary’s response to the angel In his letter to the Romans, Paul expresses this thought who comes to tell her that she is going to have a child repeatedly. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of who will be savior. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NIV) Joy here with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from is a core element of Christianity, to the same degree now on all generations will call me blessed; for the as “righteousness” and “peace.” Later in the letter, Paul Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is reiterates the same theme when he writes: “May the his name.” (Luke 1:46-49) Mary’s joy comes from the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, honor of being chosen by God her Savior to be a servant. so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Her awareness that she is not worthy is sufficient to Holy Spirit.” (Romans. 15:3) Joy, peace and hope go make her cry out in joy. This is also the sentiment of the together, and are the natural result when the power of angel who delivers the message of the birth of Jesus the Holy Spirit is manifested. Peter also notes that even to the astounded shepherds. “The angel said to them, though his readers can’t see Christ, they have chosen ‘do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news to love him and believe in him, and the result is that of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day they are filled with the “indescribable and glorious joy” in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the that comes with having the “salvation of their souls.”

Lord.’” (Luke 2:10) Joy comes from being aware that (1 Peter 1:8-9).

God has entered the world in the birth of the Christ, John says that he becomes “full of joy” when he hears G RO UP N OT E who is humanity’s Savior. that his children in the faith are continuing to “walk in Romans 12:15 In Luke’s gospel, we are told that Jesus sent out his the truth.” (III John 1:4) Thus, joy comes not only from teaches us to followers to do ministry on his behalf, giving them the the exercise of our own faith, but also from seeing the “weep with those power to heal and cast out demons in his name. When faith passed on to the next generation. who weep,” but they returned, Luke records their reaction to their it also tells us to “rejoice with those experience: “The seventy returned with joy, saying, 4. Joy in Suffering, Trials, who rejoice.” ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’”

How often do you Their joy comes as a result of knowing that the power and Tribulations experience joy of God is at work in and through them.

One of the unique ways that the Bible addresses joy is by through focusing Finally, Paul’s letter to the believers at Philippi opens linking it with suffering, trials, and tribulations. Although on the joy of others? What are with these words: “If then there is any encouragement this idea seems counter-intuitive, it is a cornerstone ways you could in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in of the Christian journey. God wants us to become the become more the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my kind of Christians who are not adversely impacted by aware of sharing joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same life circumstances that go wrong. the joy of others love, being in full accord and of one mind.” What will in the Body of make Paul’s joy complete is the coming together of the Jesus taught this in the Beatitudes in the Sermon on Christ? Philippian Christians in complete unity. He wants them the Mount. He explains that his followers should expect to be on the same page, and to have the love of true to receive persecution if they continue as his disciples. servants of Christ to one another. If they will do this for Nevertheless, he portrays this persecution, not as a source of sorrow, but as a spring of joy: “Blessed are him, he will have true joy. you when people revile you and persecute you and Thus, joy starts as a foundational state of being, but utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. then overflows from the spontaneous response that Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, we have when we become aware of the greatness of for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who our God, His relationship to us, and His presence with were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12) us in the oneness of the Church.

Jesus says that we should rejoice because, if we are persecuted, it will prove that we are good representatives 3. Joy as an Exercise in Faith of Christ in the world. If they persecuted the righteous prophets who spoke God’s world, we can be sure A third way that the Scriptures talk about joy is as an that they will also persecute us if we represent God’s exercise of faith. The Psalmist proclaims that studying word faithfully. Moreover, if they put Jesus to death, the laws of God will result in the increase of joy in our lives. “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the then they will certainly persecute us because we are heart,” he says. (Psalm 19:8) Similarly, another Psalm his followers and representatives. The reason this is a relates joy to recalling the testimonies or stories of God source of joy is the promise that we will be rewarded found in the Bible: “Your testimonies are my heritage in heaven. Though the World may temporarily revel in forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” (Psalm 119:111) the suffering of the believers, Jesus says his followers This is evident in a metaphorical way in the book of should take heart in the knowledge that, eventually, Jeremiah: “Your words were found, and I ate them, their pain will be turned into joy. (John 16:20)

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and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.” (Jeremiah 15:16) By ingesting words and lessons of God, which are the source of faith, we find ourselves full of joy.

This is what happened to the Apostles. When the authorities arrested and punished them, they took joy in the fact that they were suffering dishonor on account of their association with the name of Jesus. (Acts 5:41)

Paul compliments the Corinthian church because, in the midst of their afflictions, they still had the joyfulness to be generous with their finances. (II Corinthians 8:2) His point is that God can not only bring us joy in the midst of affliction, but also can turn that affliction into an opportunity for mission. In a similar sense, the writer of the book of Hebrews compliments his readers for having a relationship with the Lord that is so strong that they even accept the confiscation of their properties with joy. (Hebrews 10:34) The loss of property or freedom is insignificant compared to the greater reward of God’s favor and, eventually, heaven.

Similarly, Paul tells the church at Colossae that he is praying for the Christians in that city to be “strengthened with the power of God” so that they are prepared for whatever they may face. He encourages them to “joyfully give thanks” to the Father who has granted them the honor of sharing the “inheritance of all the saints in the light.” (Col. 1:11-12) He wants them to realize that the eternal inheritance is of such great value that their temporary trials are not to be feared.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians indicates that the Holy Spirit helped them receive the Word in the midst of affliction. His encouragement to them is to endure hard times here on earth by keeping an eye on the glory to come for them when Christ returns (I Thessalonians 1:6-10).

The last point to be made here is that we can have joy in times of trials because of the transformation the trials

bring about in us. As James puts it: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) James is saying that when we are stressed in our afflictions or trials, we grow in endurance and become able to handle even more difficulties. Ultimately, these trials will cause us to grow into mature believers, if we remain strong in our faith.

Paul echoes this same sentiment in his letter to the Romans. “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5) Peter likewise writes, “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.” (I Peter 5:10) Here we have three leaders of the Early Church teaching the same principle: Don’t waste your troubles—take the trials and bad situations to heart as opportunities to grow in your faith toward spiritual maturity.

What a great challenge for us to live out in our daily lives and to model for our Christian brothers and sisters, so that they can have hope in their own personal hard times!

APPLICATION IDEA: This week, conduct a search for joy. Don’t look for things that make you happy (temporary and related only to emotions); look for what touches your soul with a deep sense of God’s presence and joy.

Focus on whatever you find, and devote time to giving thanks to God for this free gift.

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GROUP NOT E Question: Have you ever felt that you were unfairly treated or ignored due to your Christian faith?

Would you share it with the class?

Did you experience joy during that experience?

Explain how you felt, and what you learned from it.

Lesson Four: The Fruit of Peace

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Summary: To understand peace, we will need to look at what peace looks like on the world, national, and local level; but more importantly, we will be looking at scripture to see what peace looks like in our personal lives.

How is peace seen in the life of the everyday Christian? Is it visible to the non-believing bystander? How can we maintain peace when the world around us is better described as chaos and confusion?

Lead-in Questions 1. Are peace and war compatible? How? 2. Can you have peace personally when the circumstances around you are anything but peaceful? How? 3. Jesus declared to his disciples “peace be with you” both before and after his resurrection. What do you think that he meant by that, considering what happened to them later?

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The Importance of Peace

Question: Will there ever be Peace is a word that is much in demand these days. universal peace Considering the things that have happened in our society in our world – is with regards to murders, riots and violent acts, more it even possible? and more people are calling out for peace among the Why or why not? races, the cities, and even the nations.

Of course, humans have been longing for peace throughout history. If you grew up in the ‘60s then you will remember the two-fingered Peace symbol that became popular. In democracies, we seek for peaceful ways to protest but sometimes fall short of that ideal. In government, we often hear about peace talks, and sometimes we will justify war in the name of seeking peace.

peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:8) Although Solomon is more noted for peace treaties and building plans during his reign, he was certainly familiar with wars, since his father, David, spent most of his life fighting against enemy nations or threats to his throne.

Jesus, on the other hand, teaches: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called Sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) With the injustice of Roman domination evident everywhere around him, this would have been astonishing to his original Jewish hearers. Christian leaders down through the centuries have struggled through the question of if and when there is still a “time for war.”

The “Just War” View Clearly, God does not sanction injustice in any form. All too often, the propaganda behind human wars simply hides motives of selfishness, greed and pride that God opposes. However, some suggest that there is such a thing as a “Just War,” a war that is on the side of justice. Gleaning from a number of writers on just war theory, here is a summary of the qualifications usually considered necessary for a war to be just:

1. First, it must be an action in response to a clear injustice perpetrated against an innocent and under-protected people. Nazi Germany’s aggressive and At the start of his teaching Jesus included the “peace- unprovoked attacks against various European countries makers” as part of his formula for the blessed life. Near like Poland, or Pol Pot’s annihilation of over a million the end of his earthly ministry, when Jesus appeared Cambodians, would be good examples of actions that to the frightened disciples after his resurrection, his warrant war as interventions on behalf of the innocent. words were “peace be with you.” Clearly, peace was 2. The decision to go to war must be the last resort after important to Jesus. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Paul all other means of defending, protecting, or resolving lists “peace” as one of the various fruits that we find in the treatment of the innocent have failed. the life of the believer filled with the Spirit. The peace that Jesus spoke of and imparted to his followers is 3. The degree of force applied must be no greater now available to us through the life of the Holy Spirit. than is necessary to stop the injustice. In the time of the Crusades, on some occasions the Crusaders catapulted the heads of defeated enemies back into A Time for Peace their city to dishearten their opponents. Even if the war To begin with, let’s look at peace on the larger scale—the itself were just, such actions would not be sanctioned since they were beyond the force necessary to achieve question of war and peace between nations. the task of peace.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon lists a set of opposites that make up the seasons of life: “A time to laugh and a time 4. The war should end if, at any time, the unjust perto cry; a time to be sad and a time to dance,” and so petrator decided to cease their hostilities and unjust on. Towards the end of the list, he includes “a time for actions. After war, just restitution should be required love and a time for hate, a time for war and a time for to the degree of the value of damages done by the

offending party. These limitations ensure that the goal of war is not revenge or profit, but only the restoration of justice.

Proponents of Just War Theory cite Old Testament precedents of just war. For example, Abraham goes to war against five armies that have captured his nephew, Lot to rescue him from slavery. The wars of King David were generally against those who had been aggressors against Israel.9 Just War Theory must be understood in the broader context of God’s commands and laws for the people of Israel that indicate God’s overarching concern for the poor and needy. God gave detailed instructions on how to make sure that the poor were provided for and protected from oppression. In the period of the prophets, the whole people of Israel were warned that they would be punished by going into exile, in large part due to their unjust behavior with regards to the poor.

Just War proponents would argue that if a group is poor or weak enough to be taken advantage of by their enemies, then God would expect the righteous to come to their aid.

The Non-Violent Response Counterbalancing these arguments are the teachings in the New Testament with regards to our own personal mistreatment. Rather than follow the Old Testament rule of equality in retaliatory justice (“an eye for an eye”), Jesus clearly states that his followers are to allow themselves to be mistreated (“turn the other cheek,” “go the second mile”)10 rather than to aggressively respond to unjust treatment. (Matthew 5:38-42) Counter-culturally, he tells his listeners that they must “love their enemies” and that they should “pray for those who despitefully use them.” (Matthew 5:44) It would have been shocking enough if Jesus told us to do nothing in response to our enemies; how much more so when he tells us to go beyond this and actually do good to those who do harm to us!

We would be tempted to think that Jesus is exaggerating and does not mean his teachings literally, if he had not put them into practice himself. No one could have been more innocent than he was when he was put on trial, falsely accused, cruelly beaten, and unjustly executed.

No one could have been more capable than he was of responding with a “Just War,” by calling on the legions of angels to come strike down his enemies. Yet Jesus willingly endured the cross for you and for me.

Again, we would be tempted to suppose that Jesus alone could fulfill this teaching, but that it is impossible for “ordinary humans.” Yet Jesus explicitly tells his

followers they are to “take up their cross and follow him.”

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Justice and Mercy We cannot exhaust the debate about Just War or NonViolence in this space. However, every Christian should recognize that God calls us to a radically different view of peace than the world around us. Those who believe in strict non-violence must wrestle with what it looks like to respond to God’s call for justice for the poor and weak.

Those who believe in Just War must wrestle with the seriousness of Jesus’s demands that we love our enemies.

If we settle for easy answers to these questions, chances are we are just going along with the culture around us, rather than truly hearing the teaching of the Bible.

GROUP NOT E Now, however, we need to shift our gaze from peace between the nations to the much more practical and personal question of peace between individuals, and peace within our own hearts.

Question: Have you ever felt peace in a certain place or situation (perhaps on a vacation) but then immediately losing your “peace” when you Most of us have used the phrase “peace of mind” before. returned to evFor example, I might take out a life insurance policy that eryday life? How will ensure that my family will be taken care of upon my do you think we death for my own “peace of mind.” Or, I might ask my can better carry son to call me when he gets to his destination after a “peace of mind” long trip for my “peace of mind.” “Peace of mind” is a with us wherever we go? state of being free from anxiety or worry.

A Character of Peace

Peace is also associated with quiet. Perhaps you have been hiking through the woods and have come upon a pool of water or a beautiful clearing, and exclaimed, “It feels so peaceful here.” In this case, we are expressing the idea that peace means an absence of chaos; a sense of order and quiet; a calmness that helps us relax and be restored. Thinking again of the fruit of the Spirit, we must ask: Is it necessary to find a peaceful environment to experience this kind of inner quiet and calm, or is it possible to generate from within?

God’s Nature is Peace First, we should recognize that peace is one of the character traits of God. We should reflect the same kind of character exhibited by the God we serve. The New Testament almost takes for granted that God is a God of peace. It is often expressed in an almost casual way, such as in salutations in letters. For example, as Paul is closing his letter to the Romans, he writes, “May the God of peace be with you all.” (Romans 15:33) Likewise, at the end of the letter to the Thessalonians, Paul offers a blessing to the people, and prays that the

9 Theocratic Wars—those directly ordered by God through Moses and Joshua for the conquest of the Promised Land—fall into a separate category that we will not attempt to address here. For those interested in further reading on the subject, we recommend: John Walton and J. Harvey Walton, The Lost World of the Israelite Conquests (IVP Academic, 2017); Dr. Lawson Stone, Violence in the Old Testament, Seedbed Seven Minute Seminaries videos, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hotJ7p0f9I. 10 Paul picks up on these themes when he says it is an embarrassment to the witness of the church when Christians sue other Christians rather than simply allow themselves to lose money rather than divide the church (1 Corinthians 6:1-8).

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“God of peace” will sanctify them so that they are pure. an authority figure, whether it was a parent or a coach (I Thessalonians 5:23) As he reaches the end of his or mentor, we were willing to take chances, knowing second letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells the people that they walked alongside us, and would have our back. to live in peace with one another, and the “God of The writers of scripture portray just such a trusting peace and love” will be with them (2 Corinthians 13:11). relationship with God. Isaiah, for example, recognizes To the Philippians, he writes that, if they will follow his that peace begins with the Lord, and only a firm trust teachings, then the “God of peace” will be with them in His providential care will give to us peace of mind.

(Philippians 4:9). From these Scriptures we see that He puts it this way: “Those of steadfast mind you keep peace in the church reflects the core character of God. in peace – in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an The Mission of the Messiah is Peace everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4) This attitude of trust is also found in Psalm 3:5, where David writes about his To carry this further, the characteristic calling and mission experience while running away from those who wanted of the Messiah is to bring about peace. In Isaiah, for to kill him: “I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for example, notice the list of traits that describe the coming you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.”

Messiah: “For a child has been born for us, a son given In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he makes it clear that to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is peace of mind is only possible when we make a connection named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting with our Lord, and offer to him our troubles and difficulties.

Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Later in Isaiah, we “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer are told that Christ’s mission would be to bring about and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be peace for human beings: “But he was wounded for made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) When we are our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon willing to release our anxieties and concerns into the him was the punishment that brought us peace, and hands of God, and to have an attitude of thanks, even by his bruises we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) before we are able to see answers, then God’s peace

Question: Sometimes we say that we are giving our cares over to God but then we The angels who announced the birth of Jesus expressed still continue to this same sense to the shepherds: “Glory to God in worry. How can a the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those person learn how whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14) After telling Joseph that to truly release Mary was pregnant miraculously through the Spirit, the their anxieties into God’s hands? angel states, “She will bear a son, and you are to name

pours down into our lives, and we find release.

Paul says that the peace that results from this prayerful mindset has a powerful effect on our whole being. As he explains to the Philippians, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 4:7) This peace becomes a protective barrier for our (Matthew 1:21) These passages make it clear that the mind and emotions.

Messiah has come to bring redemption to the world, and central to the concept of redemption is peace with God.

Peace and Believers

In the letter to the Ephesians, Christ is described as our sacrifice and the bringer of peace: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought Peace should not only be a state of mind for the near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his individual believer who trusts in God, but it should also flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken characterize the body of believers as a whole. Though down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. the Church was not fully formed while Jesus was still He has abolished the law with its commandments and roaming the countryside of Palestine, he recognized ordinances, that he might create in himself one new the importance of having peace among his followers. humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has to deal with the disciples might reconcile both groups to God in one body through debating about who was the greatest among them, and the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.” gives them the example of a little child to illustrate the (Ephesians 2:13-16) Peace is a reconciling of relationship humility that he wishes them to have. He directs them with God. Because of the work of Christ Jesus, we now through this humility to be at peace with one another. are back in relationship with God, and we are free from (Mark 9:50) the sin that broke the relationship in the first place. As This is the same point that Paul is making in I Corinthians Paul writes to the Romans, “Therefore, since we are when he discovers that the members of the church are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our lining up in cliques based around different leaders in Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained the church like Paul, Peter, and Apollos. He chastises access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast them for creating divisions in the body of Christ, which in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2) take away their peace. Like Jesus, he links their lack of peace to pride and calls them to return to humility.

(1 Corinthians 1:10-31). Likewise, Paul tells the Ephesians Peace Begins with Trust to “lead a life worthy” of their calling through humility, Scripture teaches that individual peace begins with a gentleness, patience, forbearance and love, through proper attitude of trust towards the Lord. This is not which they will be able to maintain unity together in rocket science – as we were growing up, if we trusted the “bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

The peace between Christians becomes the basis on which they can work towards peace in the broader community. Paul tells Timothy, for example, that the community of faith should be in prayer for their leaders, and especially for the secular rulers, “so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity,” but they must do this in unity with one another, “lifting up holy hands without anger or argument” (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 8) In like manner Paul tells the Roman Christians that they should not seek vengeance on others but instead, “so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:17) We are responsible as Christians for doing our part to be at peace with all people. Even if peace is not possible, we are told to treat our enemies with kindness, and leave them to deal with God’s wrath at the end of the age. Paul concludes: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) The writer of Hebrews repeats this theme with the admonition to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

(Hebrews 12:14) Here, he connects peace with holiness as two primary traits of Christian community, showing us the importance of peace to the witness of the Christian population to the non-believers living all around them.

Thus, the natural role of Christians in society is that of peacemakers. They are responsible for generating, as far as possible, a visible model of how the Kingdom of God operates in a lost world. As Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, those who are peacemakers will be recognized as the “sons of God,” children who are like their Father. (Matthew 5:9) The Prophets foretell that when God restores Zion, and judges the nations, they will all “beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) This is the ultimate purpose God has for the world that He created – a place where war is non-existent and all nations bow the knee to God. By modeling that peace here and now, the Church gives the world a glimpse of the Age to Come.

Peace in Times of Turmoil Our final consideration is how peace strengthens us in times of difficulty. As Jesus prepared his apostles for the difficult days ahead of them on the night of his betrayal, he comforted them with these words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do

not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) He does not promise them that this peace will exempt them from troubles; in fact, he assures them that troubles are coming. “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace.

In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:32-33) God does not promise that Christians will avoid the ups and downs of life. From time to time the Lord performs miracles that bring us out of troubles, but more often He strengthens us to go through the midst of the troubles with His peace. In a time of plague, drought, or natural disasters, Christians are impacted just as severely as non-believers, as we have seen in the pandemic. The amazing thing is that Christians are not at the mercy of these disasters; they have the Holy Spirit living in them and walking along with them through the crisis.

That is the reason that we are able to say that we are “more than conquerors through him who loved us,” so that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-38) Peace begins with trust and ultimately overcomes all things through the love of God!

Practicing Peace Let’s end with a couple of practical points. First, Paul notes to the Corinthians that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (I Corinthians 14:33 ASV) Confusion either in our minds or between groups of believers should be a red flag that we have become disconnected from the Lord. So, if we are not in peace yet, we need more of Jesus.

Second, just as we saw in the lesson on Joy, we should expect that tests and trials are necessary in order for our peace to reach full maturity. “Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) Discipline, or difficulties allowed by God, produce endurance and maturity over time, and these relational elements end up creating the “peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

The holier we become, and the closer to Christ we get, the more the fruit of peace will become evident in our Christian experience.

APPLICATION IDEA: Reflect on whether any areas of your thought-life are marked by confusion, anxiety, or lack of peace. Make a conscious decision to present your cares to the Lord and trust in Him to provide you with peace of mind. Then, decide where you can become a peacemaker in your sphere of influence (the people that you have relationships with; those who trust your leadership). Actively seek ways to create peace with a conscious sense that you do so on Christ’s behalf.

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GROUP NOT E Part of what led John Wesley (founder of the Methodist movement) into a true relationship with Christ was observing a group of believers who were praising God in the midst of a literal storm at sea. How does it affect our witness to the world if Christians do not exhibit peace during the “storms” of life?

Lesson Five: The Fruit of Patience

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Summary: In this lesson we will take a look at the issues surrounding the fruit of patience. We will define what patience is, and why it is in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. We will look at patience both from the perspective of church life and the individual life lived in the Spirit. We will also look at ways that the scriptures describe patience, and how we can become more filled with this valuable fruit.

Lead-in Questions: 1.

Why is patience so hard to master?

2. If you had to pick the one area in life that tries your patience the most, what would it be?

3. Why do you think patience is a part of the fruit of the Spirit? Why is it valuable to a Christian?

4. Can a person increase their patience, or is it a fixed part of their personality? If so, how?

G RO UP N OT E Question: Who is the most patient person that you know? In your opinion, how did they become that way?

can place my order for a restaurant online without even having to go stand in line for a table. I have access to instantaneous information through search platforms. I can order a book or refrigerator from an online store and have it delivered to my house in 2-3 days. With my cell phone I can do business, find information, connect to friends and colleagues around the world, and stream hundreds of channels of entertainment without ever leaving the confines of my own home.

The end result of all this technological advancement is a massive case of impatience. We expect everything right now, so when we must wait, we are put out. Moreover, this technological avalanche leaves us with less “empty space” to be quiet and reflect; we are connected every single moment we are awake and active. Watch people Patience seems like such a minor issue to be in a list and you will notice how often they pull out their phones of spiritual traits, and yet, if we really think about it, and begin scrolling through social media in moments patience plays a central role in the life of every human when they used to have to simply wait. We cannot being. It doesn’t matter whether we are outgoing or tolerate the idea of any moment that is not in use. introverted, impatience is going to raise its ugly head at some point. Nor does it matter how weak or strong Without any practice at being alone with our own you are in the other individual fruits of the Spirit; we all thoughts, we tend to become anxious or angry when we will struggle with impatience at some point. Let’s look must be disconnected from the Web. This ability to be instantaneously connected has created an environment at some illustrations. in which impatience can flourish. Instant gratification How many of us have secretly chafed while standing naturally works against the quality of patience, and in line with our buggy to check out at the local grocery patience is closely connected to irritability and anger. store? Here we are with 10 items, just like the sign says, and the person ahead of us has 100 items, and they And yet, here in Galatians 5, patience is listed as one can’t find their credit card. To make matters worse, of the Fruit of the Spirit. If patience is an important they also need to run back and pick up one item that enough trait to be included in the list, then we want to they forgot. We might get a little impatient at that point! see if we can understand why.

Patience in an Instant World

Or, how many times have we been in our car, and in a hurry to get to a meeting, when we manage to hit every single traffic light just as it is turning red? The feeling that rises up in those moments is not that of patience, I suspect.

Patience Defined

In the New Testament, there are three primary Greek words that describe the personality trait of patience. For In fact, many of us have literally lost the “joy of the Lord” the purposes of pronunciation, I will give the words in because of some situation that caused us to lose our their transliterated form (the way we would say them): patience. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t take a whole lot hupomonay; makrothymia; and anexikakos. All of them to make this spiritual fruit go rotten. Impatience can are used to express the same concepts, but some have completely rob us of our Christian peace, joy and love. a more intense sense to them.

Why has patience become such a difficult thing to maintain in our lives? It could be argued that patience is in shorter supply at this time in human history, precisely because this is the most technologically advanced age. Never before have we been able to produce results faster due to the advantages given to us by machines and robots. I

1. The word that is most often translated as patience is hupomonay. It literally means “to remain under” and it expresses the idea of constancy and steadfastness in the face of difficult life circumstances. This trait is most often seen in that person who cannot be swayed from their purpose, and who remains

loyal to their faith and piety. The word can also be translated with the words like “perseverance” or “endurance.”

2. The second word that is used is makrothymia. It literally means “taking long to get hot.” This word reflects the spirit of someone who perseveres patiently in the midst of continuous misfortunes and troubles. In addition, this is a person who remains patient when they receive offenses and injuries from others. The verb form (makrothymeo) is often used to express the way that God responds to those who have rejected Him. It even references the fact that God defers punishing sinners in the hopes of their eventual repentance.

3. More rarely, a New Testament writer will use the word anexikakos. It literally means “holding up under evil.” The idea is “someone who patiently endures wrongdoing towards them.”

God Is Patient What should be clear to us by now is that all the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 are character traits found in God’s own nature. Because the Spirit of the Lord dwells within believers, these traits of God show up in them as well. God has revealed to us what patience looks like in the way He acts and thinks, and we can imitate Him because we share His nature in Christ.

In the Old Testament, God’s patience is reflected in His fairness of judgment towards the sins of His people.

We see many examples of this in the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness found in the book of Numbers.

In one such passage, we see Moses interceding before God on behalf of the people of Israel and we get an inside view into the patience of God. The background story is that, as the people of Israel begin to approach the Promised Land, Moses sends out twelve spies to take a look and bring back a report on what they find. They come back raving about the wonderful provisions that are available in the land.

However, they also report that there were many war-like nations in the region, and even giants. Ten of the spies conclude that the inhabitants are too powerful, and they should not try to possess the land, while the other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, assert that the God of Israel is powerful enough to give them victory. After all, He just used amazing miracles to deliver them from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Unfortunately, the people of Israel fall in line with the majority report which counsels them to abandon their plan of entering into the Promised Land, and so bring down God’s displeasure upon their heads.

In response, God tells Moses that He is going to wipe out these hard-headed, faithless people, and start over with a whole new group of chosen ones.

Moses pleads for God to have mercy on the people of Israel, even though he agrees that they have continuously complained and groaned about their circumstances throughout their journey. He acknowledges that God has

cared for them continually and that they are ungrateful and foolish to continue to doubt God. Nonetheless, he pleads with God to relent from His anger, and to rethink his decision to destroy them.

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Moses calls upon God’s nature as a merciful and patient God. Listen to how he reminds God to look at Israel from the position of His own nature: “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion…

In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:18-9, NIV) God’s patience is shown through being “slow” to become angry, and full of “enduring love” leading to a willingness to forgive sin. This doesn’t mean that the guilty go free from punishment, but it means that if they repent, He will remain in relationship with them.

God’s Patience Means Salvation What we believe about the nature of God affects the way that we relate to Him. If we think of God as a Being who is ready to strike us down any time that we make a mistake, then our relationship with Him will be characterized more by fear than love. If, on the other hand, our conclusion is that God truly loves human beings, and has our best interests at heart, then we find it far easier to believe that God is doing all in His power to help us in our life circumstances. When we see evil in our world, we don’t conclude that God does not care, but rather that God is waiting to get as many sinners to come “into the fold” as possible before bringing judgment.

Peter explains to his readers that God has the “long view” of history, and is in the business of bringing salvation to all those who are lost: “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.” (2 Peter 3:8-10) God’s time frame is much longer than ours, so when we think that God is delaying an answer to His promises, we are not looking at the issue from His transcendent perspective. God might answer our prayer or fulfill His promise 500 years from now, and still be within the framework of “one day” from His point of view. The apparent slowness with which God operates is based on the spiritual results (salvation of souls) that He is hoping to achieve. Judgment will not be delayed forever, but Peter emphasizes that repentance is available so that no one has to perish.

Paul likewise tells Timothy, “Jesus Christ came into the world to give salvation to sinners.” He then identifies himself as the worst sinner of the lot, and makes the point that his conversion is evidence of the “perfect patience” of Christ Jesus in saving sinners. (1 Timothy

GROUP NOT E Question: Do you think of God as patient? Why or why not?

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1:12-16) To Paul, his conversion is an example of the lengths that Christ will go to bring us to salvation. If God shows patience to such a terrible sinner as himself, then we should have faith that none of us is beyond saving, and that God is patient as he reaches out to us.

The fact that God is so patient does not mean that we should delay our response to his calling. We have no way of knowing what our next moment will be like, or when Christ will return, thus removing the opportunity for decision. It does mean that God seeks after the hearts of non-believers, and that He is delaying his wrath and judgment in hopes that more will come to know him. A core belief of Methodism has been the concept of free will – that God will not coerce us into belief; we are free to choose for ourselves. At the same time, Christ Jesus longs for us to come into relationship with him. “Listen!

I am standing at the door, knocking;” he says; “if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you G RO UP N OT E and eat with you, and you with me.” (Revelation 3:20) Question: What kind of responsiPatience and Christ’s Return bility does God’s patience put on The yearning for a final resolution to everything is seen the Church? If God is delaying in many different ways within scripture. In the Psalms, His final judgment for example, the righteous but poor and oppressed are to bring more called to have patience in the face of persecution and souls to Christ, prosperity among evil ones. The distressed people of what should we God are told to wait on the Lord because He knows be doing? their situation. They are encouraged to trust in (wait

on) God because one day God will bring judgment on those who prosper in their evil ways: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes…For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in [wait upon] the Lord will inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:7-9, NIV)

active in working for the Kingdom of God. On the one hand, we see the evil in the world, and we experience the pain and sadness of life, and we want God to fix it right now – we want His wrath to come down on the evildoers of this world. However, Christ in his infinite love delays the “Day of the Lord” so that we can partner with Him to bring about a greater harvest of souls for God. We cannot see Christ visibly in the here and now, so our trust must be based on the Word of God and His promises. The writer of Hebrews tells his readers, “And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrew 6:11-2) In other words, the delay in God’s judgment could tempt us to become “sluggish,” like a sleepy person dragging through their day, or a person who has overeaten and just wants to take a nap. However, the patience we have in trusting the promises of God motivates us to continue to pursue our mission, especially as we meditate on past saints who endured patiently and saw God’s promises fulfilled.

Consider the attitude of the young Jesus who was left behind at the Temple because he was hanging out with the priests and rabbis and challenging their knowledge.

Remember his answer to his concerned mother: “Didn’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

(Luke 2:49) Jesus was only 12 years old when he said this. Although his public ministry did not begin for another 18 years, he clearly saw it as his job to patiently prepare himself for God’s calling on his life. Shouldn’t we imitate him – behind the scenes, while there is time, preparing for the age to come by patiently working to bring in the harvest of souls all around us?

In the New Testament, this general promise of God’s future judgment is tied specifically to the coming of Similarly, Paul cautions the Thessalonians to stay away Jesus. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells his followers that from “idle” believers, and offers the example of his they will experience persecution until his coming but own hard work. “For you yourselves know how you that, “in their patience (endurance)” they will “gain their ought to follow our example. We were not idle when souls.” (Luke 21:19) Similarly, in Romans 8, Paul reveals we were with you…On the contrary, we worked night that the whole Creation is “groaning” for a makeover, and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be hoping for the day when our final salvation is revealed a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do in Christ. Hope is never based on what we see; it is a not have the right to such help, but to offer ourselves product of our faith. “But if we hope for what we do not as a model for you to imitate.” (1 Thessalonians 3:6-9) see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:25) Our Our calling as believers is not to sit idly speculating faith requires patience because the end of all things about when Jesus will return, but to be busy working has not yet come. We must believe that there is a world on behalf of the Kingdom of God while there is time, waiting for us after this age that is far better than the and to be patient as we wait for the coming of God’s present, and it is being prepared for us by Christ. In the Kingdom here on earth. meantime, our hope enables us to remain patient until Christ brings it about; thus, hope, faith, and patience James likens it to the farmer waiting for his crop to grow up. Just as it takes early and later rains to ensure the are inseparably connected. harvest ripening, and the farmer must wait on them to come, so we must be patient and expectant, and have Patience and Evangelism faith that the Lord will soon return. (James 5:7-8) The rains are God’s part; the sowing and the reaping are Patiently waiting for Christ does not mean that we sit and do nothing in the meantime. On the contrary, ours. Like Jesus, we must see that “the fields are white patience for God’s promises motivates us to be more to the Harvest, and the workers are few.” (John 4:35)

Patience within the Church

add that this cannot be done without first establishing a loving relationship with them.

We have seen that patience is part of God’s character, Paul counsels Timothy to be confront wayward believers: and it frames the big picture of our evangelistic mission “Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time until Jesus returns. Now, let’s shift our focus to the is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and enday-to-day function of patience within the local church, courage;” but he is to do this “with the utmost patience the expression of the Body of Christ. The Apostle in teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2) Remember the third Greek Paul expected the churches connected to him to word for patience, anexikakos? Paul uses it in this letter have patience as a primary characteristic. In particular, to warn Timothy that he shouldn’t be “quarrelsome,” but, church leaders must show patience toward the young, rather, a good teacher, who is “patient” (anexikakon, holding up in the face of evil or opposition), correcting immature believers, to unify the Church. even his opponents with gentleness.

Paul instructs the Ephesians that, as they put off their old, pagan way of life and put on their new life in Christ, they will mature into a life “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2) We have seen patience as a trait of God, of the Church The earliest copies of the New Testament in Greek had as a whole, and of spiritual leaders; now let’s look at no punctuation, so the comma between “patience” and patience as a character trait of the individual believer. “bearing with” one another is inserted by the translator As noted earlier, the Fruit of the Spirit should begin to to help us make sense of it. However, we could equally mark the very nature of the Spirit-filled Christian. As we translate it “bearing with one another with patience.” continue to grow in our faith, each of the fruit will begin In other words, put up with others as long as it takes to blossom and ripen and become more visible in the for them to mature. everyday experiences of our lives. But, how does this Sometimes those in the Church with more Bible knowl- character trait of patience show up in a person’s life? edge think they show maturity by demanding that others Paul tells the Colossian believers to choose, as an act catch up with them. But Paul is showing the opposite: of their will, to “clothe” themselves with a number of The truly mature are those who are able to patiently spiritual traits, including patience. “As God’s chosen instruct those who are slower or weaker. The end result ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with comof this patience is that the body of believers, from the passion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” weak to the strong, are bound up together in unity. We (Colossians 3:12) He fleshes this out in this way: “Bear are followers of “one Lord;” we have “one faith;” we with one another and, if anyone has a complaint experience “one baptism;” and we serve “one God, who against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord is above all, and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:5) has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (3:13) The What a great challenge Paul gives to those of us who patient person will show forbearance and forgiveness, have been working at our faith for decades – it is not all about us; it is about the body of believers as a whole, because that is how God treated them—not how they deserve, but out of love and mercy. Every time that we and our unity under the power of the Lord. pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say those very words: “forgive Paul likewise encourages the mature among the us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who have Thessalonians: “And we urge you, beloved, to admonish trespassed (sinned) against us.” (Matthew 6:12 KJV) the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) He In the so-called “Love Chapter” (I Corinthians 13), Paul says the same to the Galatians: “If anyone is detected links patience with genuine love. “Love is patient and in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit kind.” (13:4) He goes on to say, “love is not envious should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on care that you yourselves are not tempted.” (Galatians its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not 6:1) This is a teaching worth noting. How often do we, rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears as mature Christ-followers, find ourselves irritated and all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures impatient with young believers who seem to run from all things.” (13:4-7) Although describing love, these traits one crisis to another? Though we have likely found are arguably the ways that we demonstrate patience. ourselves in positions of rebellion at some point in our Patience is how love works over time. own lives, when we are older in the faith, we sometimes So, we see here that patience is indeed one of the give ourselves more credit than we deserve. Here Paul primary fruits found in the Spirit-filled life. It is intimately reminds us not to get too big for our britches – the intertwined with all traits that bind the body of believers most important thing that we can do is raise up the next together in love. Patience is not only to be the way that generation into maturity and, eventually, leadership. you and I learn to live every day, but it is the attitude

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Patience as a Trait

At the same time, he uses the word “admonish” to describe how we deal with these individuals. This tells us that it is possible to take a strong stand with people while also patiently building them up. We need only

that we need to take as we try to help others grow up in the faith. Thus, the challenge is to grow the body of believers up into maturity – challenging them, confronting them, being patient with them.

GROUP NOT E Question: How are we able to challenge believers who need to grow in maturity, but don’t seem to be making any movement in that direction? Is this the role of the leadership of the church, or is it the responsibility of the members to seek out the less mature to mentor?

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Paul’s closing words to the church at Rome pulls all these thoughts together. He writes, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness [patience] and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness [patience] and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Romans 15:4-6) Here we have all the dynamics of our study linked together. In the first line patience is linked with scripture and hope, and then patience and encouragement are linked to lead us to unity together under Christ. All of this comes together for the one purpose of glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. May this become a reality in the Church!!

APPLICATION IDEA: Imagine yourself in the future after the return of Christ. All of your day-to-day irritations have ended, and all of your tears of sorrow have been wiped away from your eyes. All evil has been judged, and nothing remains but unending joy in the presence of God. From this future vantage point, ask yourself: Who do you want to be with you on that day? What are you doing now to reach others with the good news of Christ so that they can repent of their sins and enter into the joy of the Lord? How are you, as a mature Christian, patiently instructing and encouraging younger Christians so that they, too, will bear fruit for God’s eternal harvest? Finally, ask yourself how this eternal perspective on what really matters in life might change your moment-by-moment attitude towards the little things in life that tend to make you impatient. Then ask the Holy Spirit to renew the fruit of patience in you, as it is in Christ!

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Look for Part 2 of our study, covering the remaining fruit of the spirit, coming soon at frazer.church/sustain.