Sermons from September 2021

Most people praise kindness and desire that quality in other people. At the same time, we live in a culture that promotes an it’s-just-business mentality that permits unkind actions against others to further one’s interests. We praise kindness but believe you must ‘look out for number one’. The Bible similarly praises kindness but, unlike our society, it holds kindness as a non-negotiable character for all people, all times, and all situations. Given our culture and the Bible’s different attitudes towards kindness, how are we to understand the kindness Paul wrote the Holy Spirit seeks to produce in us (Galatians 5:22)? This lesson continues to explore the “fruit of the Spirit” Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 and will consider the fifth fruit – kindness – and its place in our lives.

God calls Christians to change their character. He calls angry people to be peaceful. He calls lazy people to be productive. He calls unloving people to be loving. He calls impatient people to be patient. God calls people to remodel their character so that it reflects His own character. That call for character transformation lies at the heart of the fruit of the Spirit Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23, a list outlining features of the character that should define God’s…

The Bible mentions “joy” and “rejoicing” nearly four hundred times. While some of the instances of “joy”/“rejoicing” record people’s responses to their experiences, the volume of references indicates that the emotions represent something more than merely the incidental recording of human feelings. Surveying the Bible’s teachings about joy reveals an emotion inseparably connected to God’s presence and a defining character of the life He intended humans to live. This lesson continues our exploration of the “fruit of the Spirit” Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 and will consider the joy the Holy Spirit seeks to create within the lives of those who dedicate themselves to following Jesus.