Hope Sabbath School: Lesson 12 - Living by the Spirit (3rd Qtr 2017)

[Music] welcome to Hope Sabbath school an in-depth interactive study of the Word of God if you ever wondered what it really means to live by the spirits we're gonna study that important topic today in our series on the gospel in galatians and i'm excited because we've not only got a great team here in the studio but one of our teams Stephanie's going to teach today I know it's gonna be a life-changing study we're always happy to hear from you our hopes Abbey school members around the world you can write to us at SS hope at hope TV org you know brings us encouragement to see the way the Holy Spirit is impacting your life through a study of God's Word here's a note from Daniel in Ghana now we have some guns on our team I don't if we have anyone today from Ghana right but Daniel writes and he says I love hope Sabbath school it's interactive and it helps me to contribute when we have a discussion at my church with the help of Hope Sabbath school I now understand the true meaning and purpose of Bible study at church it's interactive isn't it want to share our insights the impact it has on my life is so great well Daniel if we did the program today just for you and for your family and friends there on the Kumasi campus in Ghana you're studying it would be worth it and we're glad that you're sharing God's Word that those there - Jerry writes from Illinois in the United States I've got a few folks from the United States here Jerry says I'm an elder and a Sabbath school teacher and I use the outline from Hope Sabbath School which helps me to teach my lesson effectively what Jerry has discovered is you can go to our website hope TV org slash hope SS you can download the same outline that Stephanie will be teaching from today it's the same outline that we all have and you can start an interactive Bible study in your community so would encourage you to do that Jerry's downloading it he says I'm inspired by the radiant smiles that light up the faces of the hope Sabbath school team Thank You Nicole for smiling you know body language is important isn't it if you say God loves you and you're frowning they don't believe you yeah the joy of the Lord in our hearts oh so you thank you for noticing he also says I'm really inspired by the way that Jason reads the scripture now we all know Jason and I have to tell you he reads it like it really matters doesn't he so we've been challenged today by JIRA to keep doing that I've now adopted the same way inspired by the Holy Spirit when I read the Word of God well Jerry that I will pass that message on to Jason he'll be encouraged to know that he's certainly not trying to bring any attention to himself but to let the word of God be heard one last note from Prakash X I've got two more Prakash was born in India but he lives in the UK in fact he lives in my home town where I was born Bristol he says greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus I'm following hope Sabbath school every week and it helps me contribute to my Sabbath school class as a teacher why we're getting more teachers aren't we I hope I enjoy hope Sabbath school and I know most of you by name I wish if anyone from your class would like to be my friend in Jesus well I'd like to learn more well I want to tell you we all want to be your friends but if we send emails to everybody that wrote to us it would be a full-time job break ice thanks for writing to us from Bristol in the UK and thanks for shining for Jesus sharing the Word of God that's two teachers so far right here's a third email from Edson and Giselle in South Korea that they're not originally from South Korea but they're teaching there and Edson writes and says my wife and I have been watching hope Sabbath school for a few months now this quarter my wife was asked to be a Sabbath school teacher in her group and I recommended to her - what's your program as a great supplement for her class thank you for hope Sabbath school keep doing this program till Jesus comes amen well it is our prayer that Jesus would come soon we've recorded about 450 hours of programming on Hope Sabbath school and I'm always excited when people go to our website what's the archives because there's so much in-depth interactive study of the Word of God there in fact if you missed anything in this series on the gospel in Galatians great series pointing us to Jesus as our all-sufficient Savior and then living in the spirit we're living by the spirits we're gonna talk about today go to our website and you can watch the entire series right there while you're at the website download the mp3 file for our theme song the sheep music it's called I have been crucified with Christ I no longer live but Christ lives in me it touches my heart every time I sing it I want to invite you to sing it with us right now I [Music] I [Music] [Music] I do not says [Music] for if righteousness [Music] you know I hope I never get used to singing that song that the Son of God loved me and gave himself for me isn't that amazing put your name there and go hallelujah he loved me and gave himself for me and Stephanie I noticed we talked about living by the spirit we're living because of all that Jesus has done for us and he's living in us amen let's study that together let's do that let's bow our heads for prayer dear Heavenly Father thank you so much for having given your life for us I pray that your Holy Spirit would be with us to guide us and direct us as we study what it means to live by your spirit may our lives be changed as a result of this study in Jesus name Amen amen so in this series we have talked about freedom in Christ that was one of our studies in this series today and we're going to take it a little further and we're going to talk about what it means to live by the spirit and the impact that it will have not only in my life but as a an outreach to those around me because we don't we're not walking this life alone right so let's take a look we're gonna pick up in Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 looking out walking in the spirit and puah if you would start our study off with that verse and see what we can learn sure I'm reading from the New King James Version Galatians 5:16 I say then walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh all right so is that a command or is it a promise or is it both I think it's both okay why do you think it's it's both because this is something that got desires of us but at the same time it's saying if you walk in the spirit then you will not you know want to do these things of the flesh it's kind of like follow this and this is what will happen it's a promise yes anyone else who wanted to share yes it kind of takes that this power that comes when we decide when we decide to do this then there's power that that comes upon us to do even more than that great we could do it on our own so that would be the promise right the power that he's supplying he's giving us a directive walk in the spirit and then you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh and he provides the power to do that yes yes it depends on your relationship if you don't have a connection with Jesus it just looks like a commander may be an impossible command if you have the connection with Jesus you do see it as a promise because the Bible says if we're in Christ we're new creation so I think it's a wonderful thing to say well really that can happen in my life because of a living connection with Jesus yes thank you for sharing that it does make a difference what the relationship is doesn't it so when I when we think about walking in the spirit or walking by the spirit what do you think that looks like let's go to Romans chapter 13 and verse 13 and Gary if you would read that for us Romans chapter 13 and looking at verse 13 let's see what it looks like there to walk in the Spyder spirits okay and I'll be reading from the New King James Version Romans 13 verse 13 let us walk properly as in the day not in revelry and drunkenness not in lewdness and lust not in strife and envy and then in verse 14 it also talks about putting on the Lord Jesus Christ which is the same as us putting on Christ or putting on that new man that new creation that Derek spoke about let's go to Ephesians chapter 4 the Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3 so we're not to live in envy and strife right Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3 and then 17 as well who would have has that Jonathan would you read that for us thank you are we reading from the New Living Translation therefore I a prisoner for the for serving the Lord beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling for you have been called by God always be humble and gentle be patient with each other making allowance for each other's faults because of your love make every effort to keep yourselves united in the spirit binding yourself together with peace and would you read verse 17 for me as well all right verse 17 with the Lord's authority I say this live no longer as the Gentiles do for they are hopelessly confused so what have we learned so far that this walking in the spirit what does that look like what have we learned so far long-suffering what else meekness lowliness patience unit is different from the way we used to live it's easy to compare so well I'm not like that but it's actually different from the way we used to live yes and that was found in verse 17 right it's I think I see it in the whole theme but but even in the promise do this and you won't fulfill whatever the the desires of my flesh are in the old way of living are gonna be superseded by the spirit in me wow that's a promise this is talking about power here friends yes Gary I was just gonna add it it looks like living or walking like Jesus walked while he was here on earth I mean he had that unity that peace that self-control but yeah I think walking or walking in the spirit you're going to look like Jesus walking in the Bible how he lived his life very good Jonathan yeah it struck me how it seems like so many of the things are talking are in a sense of community how all the different things it's like I make allowance for each other and it's about love it's about all these things it's not an individual walk it's it's this picture of God working in us and through us plural and that's important yes and one more testimony and the first verse where it says walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called so we're called to something there is a vocation that's pretty good place that the Lord is guiding us to anything here follow these steps follow me yes joy would you read a verse for us in Colossians chapter 1 verses 9 and 10 actually two verses there and it's also talking about walking worthy as well as similar to what we're seeing here and then once you're finished reading those verses I have a few questions for you one being well for all of us one being is there any potential to return to the lust of the flesh go ahead in Colossians chapter 1 verses 9 10 from the King James Version and it says for this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that he might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God so where we heard in the first verse that we read that walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts thereof is it possible to return to the lust of the flesh what do you think I see it as every time they're talking here is this a more like they're walking so it's easy to walk backwards you know it's easy to to trip if you're not watching where you're going it's easy to fall to the side or so it kind of it just makes me think yes you can easily turn around or look back and go the other direction instead of walking forward and letting the Spirit of God lead you it's a choice we make isn't it Jamie I once heard someone put it this way we can't eat for tomorrow it's the same with the Holy Spirit we have to ask for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit every day to stay connected so that we can you know resist the natural tendencies of our you know our sinful body yes Andrey you wanted to say I was just going with what Jamie said we we have a natural tendency because of the way we come up in this world and and we sometimes we forget that choice is the Monkeywrench of the universe and so the bible encourages us in the book of matthew the exact scripture someone else will know the exact scripture that talks about the narrow path and the broad path and sometimes we think that on the narrow path there is no there's like you don't see any temptation but as you're on that path temptation can be off to the left and to the right but we keep our mind stayed on God and we're able to you know traverse that path but at anymore anyone we lose sight like Peter when he was walking on the water he stopped looking at Christ and he began to sink we too can return to the left of the lust of the flesh by being distracted which i think is what Jamie was saying it's keeping our eyes focused on who the one that has the power to bring us freedom joy Stephanie it's almost seems as though there's a recipe here that you know where that he's to pray without ceasing so that you're filled with all with them and then in verse 10 so that you might walk worthy of the Lord and you know in good work and increasing it's almost as though there's a recipe here to follow so we're praying we're seeking wisdom we're asking for his will and then we're being fruitful so I'm gathering from what you're telling me is that the old temptations don't go away when you've surrendered your life to Jesus why is that poor yeah I believe one could be that the fact that we're still living in a world full of sin and temptations and practically speaking every day of our life were exposed and bombarded with you know the temptations especially for with our generation that we live in with the media everywhere we go on social media over the internet over television were exposed to temptation all the time and I've heard a preacher put it this way in in certain countries there's this disease called malaria and it is carried by a mosquito so when when a person is bitten by mosquito then the person will have that disease malaria that person can be treated using medication from the doctors right but after the after the person is healed the person cannot simply say hey I'm free from malaria forever no why because there's no lifelong vaccine or vaccination against malaria as soon as the mosquito bit see again bites here yes then you have the same disease so what can you do protect yourself from the mosquitos by cleaning your area your surrounding or applying you know medication or whatever you can do to protect yourself so in the same way just because we have been saved by Jesus we cannot simply say hey I am free I can no longer go back to saying no we have to constantly submit ourselves to God surrender that way to you know win over the temptations and make that choice because temptation let's let's be clear on that that is not sin right because Jesus was tempted we're going to talk about that but without sin right I think it's also important Stephanie he's writing to the Saints in Christ so that recipe or the way to live is not to try to save yourself right you know and it's in the spirit or by the spirit that's what we're studying about today so it's so easy for us one of the ways we go back is not to bad things but to faulty thinking you know tried to do all of this and we take our eyes off Jesus the Bible says is the author and perfecter of our faith amen so he's writing to Saints in there right I mean that is he believes there in Christ but if they take the rise off I was in an airport one time the children were running on the on the People Mover you know but they were going the wrong way well if you stop moving you go backwards that's kind of like life you know unless you're moving forward in the spirit I don't think there's a static Christian position if we stop moving forward in the spirit we go backwards so we have to keep our eyes on Christ right thank you that's right all right very good so how many how many of you have felt that temptation may be increased after you gave your life to Christ or maybe you haven't felt that way Jonathan I think temptation increases each time you try to say to God like Lord I want your your ways I want your truth and you learn something new it's like oh and so there's always just this challenge like are we going to choose God's ways or not so I mean I think it's the very nature of making a change in life is everything else around you kind of conspires to pull you away from it yes and I'm not that great at sports so offense and defense I get confused sometimes but it seems that when we when we turn our focus to Christ and we desire to you know we ask for his spirit to be in our life we the enemy then goes on the offense the attack basically highlights the the former things that that basically literally is in our flesh and we talked about an earlier lesson that about the way that we're made of physiologically if we feed that pathway it's gonna get stronger so the devil tries to bombard us now to try to keep feeding that one and so you know that that's where that you start feeling like that temptation is all around you and you have to even more so stay focused so there is a great controversy as induction let's look at the next few verses in Galatians chapter 5 and we'll be looking at verses 17 through 21 and Marianela would you read that for us Galatians chapter 5 verses 17 through 21 we're taking a look at this controversy I'll be reading from the New King James Version for the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish but if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law now the works of the flesh are evident which are adultery fornication uncleanness lewdness idolatry sorcery hatred contentions jealousy outbursts of Wrath selfish ambitions dissensions heresies Envy murders drunkenness revelries and the like of which I tell you beforehand just as I also told you in time past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God Wow I think that covers pretty much everything right we're seeing the works of the flesh there and we also note in verse 17 that the spirit and the flesh are contrary to each other let's go over to Romans chapter 7 and look at verses 14 through 24 and Andrei if you would read that for us Romans chapter 7 verses 14 through 24 Romans chapter 7 verses 14 through 24 and I'm reading from the New King James Version and it says for we know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin for what I'm doing I do not understand for what I will to do that I do not practice but what I hate that I do if then I do what I will not to do I agree with the law that it is good but now it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells in me for I know that in me that is in my flesh think good dwells I for to will is present with me but how to perform what is good I do not find for the good that I will to do I do not do but the evil I will not to do that I practice now if I do what I will not to do it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells in me I find that a law that evil is present with me the one who wills to do good for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members Oh wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death thankfully we don't stop our study there are you with me right because there is a struggle going on right so how would you counsel someone who is struggling to be freed from the works of the flesh Andre wants to say something and then Derek let there go for well I'm just thinking you know we all know we may stumble but it says people who practice this I think we need to be very careful you know if we say well if you sin do you might as well just give up on Jesus Jesus died to save sinners and the Bible says if we confess our sin we're not making an excuse but in fact it says if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves you know so there are gonna come times for whatever reason the stress of the day or some challenging situation I may speak an unkind word or I may act in the way that is not appropriate but but that's not my regular practice now I'm not saying I should excuse that I should run to Jesus and say please fill me with your spirit and and live in me but I think I think what he's addressing here is people who are just allowing that sinful nature to control them to control them yeah and it could happen if you just stay on the people move are going backwards you're going go backwards with it that's right well you know at verse 23 something stood out here to me and said but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members and then it goes on from there and I remember you know paraphrasing the Bible where it says by beholding we become change now that's a biblical principle talking of Christ when he returns etc but the devil knows this as well and so he ever places before us the things that the temptations we talked about so there's this very prominent moviemaker in Hollywood I don't want to call the name but he was on a talk show where he revealed that he was molested as a child by both men and women and so he said he is he now struggles with homosexuality and he said he said but I don't want to live that lifestyle and so he but he said but my body betrays me and when I see this Munir I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind he does in his mind he doesn't want to go down that path but his body responds to the stimulus because as a child that's that's this first stimulus he was he was given and and so his body response to it went his flesh response to it even when his mind wants to go counter to it and so how can we overcome that as Derek said pastor Derek said by beholding we become trains we have to begin to feed in another direction that's right so what kind of counsel would you give to someone who is struggling to find that freedom from the works of the flesh I'll give you a verse are you ready Romans chapter 8 and we'll do verses 1 through 4 and Jamie would you read that for us Romans chapter 8 verses 1 through 4 and see what the Bible says can provide freedom the New Living Translation advises so now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus Christ and because you belong to him the power of the life-giving spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death the law of Moses wasn't able to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature so God did what the law could not do he sent his own son in the body like the bodies we sinners have and in that body God declared an end to sins control over us by giving his son as a sacrifice for our sins he did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the spirit so what is the answer go ahead Jonathan I think this is good because there's a lot in there and I think it is really kind of it's kind of a progression that really starts with and ends with the good things I mean I hear it saying you start with the foundation that there is no condemnation that God's not here to condemn you God wants to give you forgiveness and that that's the kind of a starting point for being able to turn our lives around is to realize that accept that and then to go on from there to say to realize yes it may be tempting to now than now you have to be good and all these things of your own works but that's not gonna work and it doesn't work that way we're all tempted - we all have tempted it doesn't work and so now instead we have to say ok it is Christ who came and lived out that law and offers it to us as a gift and we identify by faith and allow this new birth that he this new reality this holy spirit - for him to plant that in us by faith so that's the new creation right now yeah walking by the spirit being created from the inside out incidentally what does that lead us to believe if it's if we're a new creation a creator creator at work and that's so important because so easy to go back and think about what I should be doing instead of saying I need to keep focused on Jesus this the language that you shared from Romans about no condemnation and the new life reminded me of when Jesus said to the woman cast at his feet no condemnation go and sin no more but she's going now with a living relationship with Jesus yeah it's totally different freedom that's true freedom isn't it Lourdes I believe it's so important to know what the character of God growing up I I as a little girl I used to have the picture of God being punished sure like if you behave bad he will punish you so we tried my best to do to be a good girl and of course if I do so if I did something bad I will be afraid that God will punish me but getting to know God more now I realize he's a loving God yeah he hates sin but he loves me having the right picture allows me to he has I'm like I'm sick I'm I need help but you're just the same way y'all got to a doctor to heal you I will go to him just the way I am because I don't want that I don't want to do the bad things that my is my flesh or the things that my body wants to do but I can come to him the way I am but having the right picture of God that he will not he doesn't hate me that this he doesn't want to hurt me because I'm a bad girl but he loves me he was the best thing for me and I can come to him having the right picture helps so much in the relationship amen beautiful thank you so much for sharing that as we look to our next question I want to ask this and I know that we've kind of covered this already but how would you respond to someone who says if you've completely surrendered to Christ you wouldn't experience any desire for the bus of the works of the flesh can you give me one biblical character just one and this is one that we all know how about Jesus yeah Jesus okay let's turn to Matthew chapter 316 I was hoping you would agree with me Matthew chapter 3 verse 16 and Nicole if you would read that for us when you get there Matthew chapter 3 verse 16 okay Matthew 3:16 from the New International Version says as soon as Jesus was baptized he went up out of the water at that moment heaven was opened and saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him all right so was the spirit Holy Spirit on in Christ absolutely it was it right because the Greek in in John 1:32 it talks about abode that means to stay to remain and that's talking about the same experience we don't have a chance to go through the entire next ten verses in Matthew 4 but do you know what's in those verses Jesus was tempted can you tell us just a synopsis of what's happening there well according to according to the the description that Matthew gave Jesus was led by the spirit to the wilderness and and the devil came and tempted him offering him different temptations and but Jesus defeated them all the temptation by saying it is written it is written so by using the Word of God as his weapon Jesus won the war so is that something that we can use why do we listen to scripture songs and and put the Word of God in our minds right yes so let me ask you this when we look at Galatians chapter 5 verse 24 we'll turn back over to galatians chapter 5 verse 24 and let's see Jonathan would you read that for us all right I'll be reading from the New Living Translation but the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control there's no law against these things those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there so what do we see in this passage we see contrary to the works of the flesh we see the fruit of the Spirit we're going to going to come back to that but the last verse that was read in manses and they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections in lust why is it important to crucify the flesh why do you think that's how we're gonna get the Spirit of God to you know Jesus Christ he was crucified for our sins and so now we can come to him and ask him to help us we can bring our sins to him and they can be crucified at the cross and he can give his victory over that amazing thought maybe everybody else knew it but the way to deal with darkness in your life is not to try to get the darkness out of you can you tell us thank you way to deal with darkness in your life is to invite the light of the world into you and and I think the evil darkness sin perishes in the presence of Jesus amen and I know people are trying to try and they come with tears and they say I've tried to get this darkness out of my life and you can't do that that's right but when you invite the light of the world into your life what happened yeah I I think those things are just they disintegrate they do it's not my battle you know it's like Jesus I can't fight this battle it's kind of what like Lourdes would say but if I allow Jesus to fight the battle well the the victory is already once things already defeated amen somehow we need to remind him that he's defeated right well I don't even we talked to Jesus Saint tempts us and we say listen you talk to Jesus I'm gonna stay with Jesus amen yes absolutely Andre in and of ourselves fighting darkness is above our pay grade we're no good at it and when you look at Ezekiel 28 I believe it is where it talks about Lucifer trying to place his throne above the Most High and iniquity was found in him you start realizing that they that created a downward spiral in Lucifer in Lucifer's life and so when we took ahold of and even Adam they ate from the tree that downward spiral began because we tried to take a hold of a power that was not ours to control and so I love what you said let go I invite the light into your life and that will eradicate the darkness and the light is a person yeah you know because New Agers could say oh yeah and that could be evil forces absolutely right yes I'm asking Jesus the light of the world to come in yes and and that that's the other thing I'm not just trying to get darkness out and keep it empty because I know that's very dangerous but I can't even get the darkness out without the light of the world coming and infiltrating our lives filling me yes by his spirit that's right oh yeah and then we'll go to joy the question was why is it necessary to crucify the flesh I think one of the answers could be we need to make that decision we need to make decision make a stand you know make a stand every day and in relation to the previous verse that we read about Jesus I think we can also tie into this saying that baptism is also a form of making that decision to crucify the flesh you know to say that I have made the decision I have made the stand to submit myself to God and to crucify my flesh to the cross as Jesus died and then when I'm baptized into the water just like Jesus died on the cross and then Jesus rose again I'm risen from the water from my old life of sin that I have crucified with a new life now so I think we have to make that decision to choose to follow Jesus amen and Paul you you're thinking about Romans chapter 6 right it's not a beautiful chapter and if you have a chance to study that I encourage you to do that joy you had a comment I was thinking of a time when I was younger and I went camping and it was all so dark and I'm afraid of the dark and there's only one way for you to be able to see you have to have a light there's literally only one way if not you don't see anything and so if Christ is in your life he lights up your life he's illumination he's the one that sheds light on the things that need to be fixed in the areas that you need challenge and things that need to where you need to mature and so there yes you're right and leave it vacant you have to fill it with Jesus and that's where prettiest thing about the choice it is the choice but it's not the choice to fight the battle right we've tried that why Jesus to be Lord of all yes and in James it says to surrender life and then the devil flees essentially yes so we were looking at Galatians chapter 5 and we looked at 22 to 24 right verses 22 to 24 and there was a list of the fruit of the Spirit is there a fruit a specific aspect in that list that you feel the most need for in your own life yeah there's no one thing and and that's you know why it talks about the fruit because justice how fruits have nutrients you know it's a full package that comes along with it so which one do I need I just need the fruit get all the nutrients as it grows up and matures into you know the right characteristics think of the island where I was conceived Jamaica there's certain times of the year when certain fruits are in abundance like mango there's a mango season and I don't know how many of you love mangoes but and during that season that's pretty much the only food I eat and because you know our bodies will crave certain things certain nutrients and etc so it's like there may be certain and maybe there's some people don't like this we're but certain seasons in our lives we're certain fruit of the Spirit is in abundance and and maybe even God is trying to to bring us closer into alignment with that fruit of the Spirit I don't know but that's just a thought they're looking at you know and that same concept you know I've always wondered about the fruit of the Spirit rather than fruits because there's nine listed and and I think how dangerous it would be to say well I want to be loving but I don't be patient or I want to have joy but I don't want self-control this fruit salad fruit salad this fruit comes when the spirit comes so why don't choose well I'll take patience but I'm really not interested in you no self-control or gentleness and I think Andre is right that the spirit knows the particular deficits I think we really need them all that it may need some more at a certain season like you said then others agree yes all in one day if I'm hungry I need patience the children are slow I need peace to get them out the house to school on time so it's it's a it's a holistic thing that the Lord is giving us and he wants us to become his children and to live with him and and have that complete relationship with him amen Julianna I was going to say it's interesting how nature gives us visual examples I think of oranges I think of pomegranate there's many different fruits that are a fruit with several parts that you can look at an orange and and you have the different slices but they make the one fruit pomegranate was actually used as a symbol in the Old Testament to represent the oneness with the diversity because of all of the different little pieces inside the pomegranate so it's interesting how there's the lessons in nature for us just even about this so I have to tell you that my answer to that question was really love can I tell you why sure because I don't think that I love people like Christ does he gave his life for everyone I don't have that and so I was always thinking about that I was I thought well it is kind of listed as first so maybe we should dig a little deeper in that I like us to take a look at just one well two verse is in John chapter 13 and then will go on and and discover what it how do we reveal the fruit of the Spirit so John chapter 13 verses 34 and 35 and Gary are you there would you be able to read that for us okay I'll be reading from the New King James Version John 13:34 and 35 a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you and that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another Wow is that a tall calling or a high calling it is is it your promise it is it is a promise go ahead well no it's like if you love me you will keep my committee as you know once I have the relationship with Jesus all the things he asked me to do or a promise right you know my human perspective I go with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible that's right that's right mhm did I see a hand yeah well you know when I look at the fruit of the Spirit I've come to recognize them as supernatural powers as we talk about Christ doing these things in us when we surrender ourselves surrender ourselves without him without his Spirit we cannot do these but when when we allow him into our lives into our lives then then these III I dare say that we start to realize that in him these things are not difficult to do and you know Christ tells us that we must be like little children in order to enter the kingdom and God made love so simple that even a child can master it but the older we get we seem to lose the master so we definitely need the supernatural power to become like children again and love one another let me ask you this Andre mm-hmm is it because little children trust so much and somehow our trust is on what we see and what we feel and not on trusting the Word of God absolutely I believe that you know we walk by faith and not by sight but as we get older we start walking by sight and therefore fair and and all these other things take and hate and all these and then we start dealing with the let the lust of the flesh those things start seeping in and taking over and like for instance love is a universal language joy is a universal language peace is a universal language if you speak Russian and I speak Chinese if I'm patient with you we don't have to say a word so let's find out how we produce this fruit I'm going to say one thing you can and I know you don't have to be Greek or Hebrew to understand all of the Bible but this is the word agape loved yes and that's the love that says God so loved the world this is that this special kind of love when it speaks about God is love yeah so I think there is love in the world which is Jen genuine affection the Bible talks about that finet or that filial love right but agape love is a gift Amen God God's love is poured into our hearts that's 5:5 so I want to come back to it's supernatural you know I can be kind of loving to my family but not the kind of love that God wants that's supernatural it is yeah John chapter 15 one of my favorite verses and Juliano would you be able to read for us verses 1 through 8 and then 16 sure and I am reading from the New King James Version I am The True Vine and my father is the vine dresser every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that bears fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine neither can you unless you abide in me if anyone does not oh excuse me I am the vine you are the branches he who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing if anyone does not abide in me he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned if you abide in me and my words abide in you you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples and verse 16 16 you did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you alright so what is the key here and I think we've been talking about it haven't we go ahead Jonathan it just strikes me I mean last last lesson we talked about freedom and one that struck me was just how when we have this experience when we have the trust and we take this promise that God can come and give us the freedom from self freedom from this desire to this inability to step out into to live the life of love I mean the God can give us this to us so to me it's just it's just amazing promise that it's not about me it's it is that God can come and can give give me this new life and and have his love in me yeah I think the key word is abide yes that relationship that constant daily relationship with God as long as we abide in Jesus we will bear the fruits not because we can by ourself but because Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives in us we will bear the fruit beautiful thank you I just wanted to say if someone is listening to this and they haven't had an experience with Christ and they haven't chosen to accept cry some that Christ lived in them the beautiful thing about the last verse we read it says in John 15:16 says you did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit so if somebody is listening right now and they feel like they've never had that experience we want I like to make that personal invitation for the person to know that Jesus chose them Jesus chooses us individually wherever we are in our lives and he he's going to because He first loved us and and then may you open up your heart and accept him and let him bear that fruit and God has a plan for each person's access me he does you know that would I mean this is a kind of a gardening image isn't it yeah it's a branch being grafted in it's literally not saying just know Jesus or about him be near him it's saying allow the life of Jesus to flow through you that's a radical thought that's surrender that's a choice but then just like allowing the light in dispels the darkness the life of Jesus flows through us that's living by the spirit it's a very intimate picture and it's not something that I manage you know I'll let you go here Jesus but not here it's a total surrender to that let the life of Jesus flow through me and that is a miracle it's a miracle yes I have several hands but he's great go ahead joy and for the person who there are some people who have had the experience but there are some people who have to have that experience despite what has happened to them or in spite of what has happened and God is saying that in spite of what has happened I choose you you know it so that because sometimes loving is challenging depending on who you're being called to love sometimes having peace beyond the understanding is difficult because you really don't understand why certain things have happened and yet still God is saying I have chosen you hmm despite what has happened and I call you to bear fruit this same fruit you can in my bag by faith through Christ it is the victory that we have in Jesus isn't it to overcome those past experiences and our own past life right and again a choice we make that choice let's go to the last few verses that we'll look at in our study today Galatians chapter 5 and we'll look at verse 16 again that's where we started our study and also verses 25 and 26 and Gary do you have that would you read that for us sure Galatians 5 verse 16 yes and I'll be reading from the New King James Version I say then walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh in verses 25 and 26 if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit let us not become conceited provoking one another envying one another all right so this is present tense right and it's it's admonishing us not to be conceited why should I say why should we not be become conceited when we're walking in the spirit we read it remember John chapter 15 verse 4 why can you tell me about not abiding in him it's about abiding in Jesus right and I'm thinking of the song it says Christ I no longer live Christ lives in me so if anybody gets glory it's the Savior that he did the impossible in in a frail person like me amen amen yes Shawn no just gonna say you know there's a certain aspect of being conceited and we're talking about the plan and abiding in Christ you don't necessarily necessarily see the leaves of a plant turning to one another going on better than you or whatever okay I mean it sounds silly but they're not doing that that's because all the leaves are turning to the light so the moment you're not facing the light the moment you're not grafted in and trying to absorb all that God's giving you then you know you're a dead branch at that point in time like thank God that he does all of this for us he he shows us how to turn to him and how to accept his light in his word and how to abide in him thank you one last comment go ahead well I'm seeing three other words here built into these three let us not become conceited so that's like do not become proud provoking one another that's like judging one another and envying one another being jealous of one another and it's like it's warning us this is all of this is through Christ in Christ and we when we look at our life and we realize that it can it doesn't happen automatically for all you know some maybe somebody in one day they turn from their ways but other people struggle and I heard this term where they took the word habit and they said if you take away the the letter H you still have a bit if you take away the a you still have bit if you take away the B you still have it but if you take away the I you have a T and it resembles the cross of Christ and we always remember no matter what we're struggling through we must turn to him so that freedom that we have in Christ allows us to walk by the spirit what a blessing thank you for studying and thanks so much for joining us in our study today our time is gone but I just want to pray will not only know about living by the spirit but actually live by the spirit let's pray father in heaven thank you for challenging us today thank you that all of your word to us is a promise in Christ may we accept all that you offer us because of your great love for us say yes to you and live by your spirit in Jesus name Amen thanks for joining us for hope Sabbath school today such a journey not to bring attention to ourselves but to bring honor to Jesus are saved you go out and live by the spirit be a blessing to those around you [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause]

Channel: HopeSabbathSchool

Views: 18,742

Rating: 4.7677422 out of 5

Keywords: seventh-day adventist, hopesabbathschool, hope sabbath school, Bible study, Jesus Christ, gospel, religion, christianity

Id: FpEN2tBh6QY

Length: 58min 29sec (3509 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 10 2017