The Evidence of Change
Galatians 5:19-23 – 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things as I warned you before that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.
SERMON TITLE: “THE EVIDENCE OF CHANGE”
1. FRUIT IS THE EVIDENCE OF THE SUBSTANCE
Matthew 7:16-17 - 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.
Galatians 5:19-21 - 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things as I warned you before that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
2. TRANSFORMATION IS REVEALED THROUGH THE FRUIT THE SPIRIT PRODUCES
Galatians 5:22-23a – 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
Matthew 3:8 - 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.
1 Corinthians 3:16 - 16 Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
3. TRUE CHANGE BEGINS WITH KNOWING LOVE
1 John 4:8-11 - 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice, for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
Hebrews 10:23 - Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.