Fruit of the Spirit: Love | Resources
Sermon Text: Galatians 5:16–24
“I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Discussion Questions
1. Is love intentionally first on the list?
2. Define love as it is used in verse 22.
3. How does our world define love? How is God’s definition of love different from the world’s definition of love?
4. How will we know when we see this type of love produced in our lives? When have you seen it?
5. Are there any people in your life right now for whom you need God to produce this type of supernatural love?
Memory Verse
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:7-8 (CSB)
Devotional
Love: It’s one of the most misunderstood words in American culture today when compared against how the Bible uses the term. People can use the phrases, “ I deserve to do what I love,” “I love visiting this vacation spot,” and “I just don’t love you like I did before.”
What are the common threads in those phrases? First, they’re self-centered. Second, they’re based on changing emotions.
In Galatians 5, the first fruit of the spirit is love. Love is the headwaters from which the other characteristics come. Whereas our culture likes to make love about us and our own happiness, the power of the Holy Spirit flips that upside down. Only through the Holy Spirit can we experience that true love is not about ourselves but others. Only through the Holy Spirit can we understand that true love is not about changing emotions, but it’s grounded in sacrifice.
How did God display love? John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son…” (NET). How did God love? He sacrificed. He gave. He didn’t sacrifice for His own happiness or emotions; he did it for our sake.
Many of us may know 1 Corinthians 13 as the “Love” chapter. If you read it closely, the description of love is embedded within a discussion about spiritual gifts to build up the church body. But again, the words used to describe love are consistent: they’re others-focused and grounded in sacrifice.
As Christians, we don’t love because it’s easy, but because God calls us to love others just as Christ loved us. We don’t love in our own strength but in the power of the Spirit. Participating in that kind of love has eternal significance and will enable you to fulfill God’s purposes for your life.