The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
Course: The Fruit of
the Spirit
Lesson 2
Lesson Title: Love
Text: 'But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law,' Galatians 5:22.
Theme: Love is the main characteristic of a
disciple of Christ.
Introduction:
· Four Greek words describing love:
Eros
- this word is not used in the Bible. It
is associated with passionate, erotic, sexual love. Scripture maintains that this kind of love
between a man and a woman is pure and holy provided it is within the marriage
relationship. Hebrews 13:4 says, 'marriage is honourable and the bed
undefiled'. It is not stained by sin
because it is within the boundaries that God has given. God created sex and placed boundaries around
it. These boundaries uphold the holiness
of God, and protect the family unit.
Storge - 'love of kindred', family affection. 'Be kindly affectioned
(philostorgos) one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one
another' (Romans
Philia - 'having tender affection'.
Love that cherishes the object loved more than anything else. Love between friends, brotherly love, or the
love of a husband and wife. (Matthew 10:37).
Agape -
Christian love. Love that is not
controlled by emotion and led by feelings of affection. It is love that is controlled by the mind and
led by the will. It is the mind of
Christ controlling the will of the believer.
It is love that does not seek a response. It is love that holds no regard to the
'unloveableness' of the object. It
loves the unlovely and seeks nothing in return. See the First epistle of John. It is this love that is the Fruit of the
Spirit.
·
The Fruit of the Spirit is one
Fruit expressing all the aspects of 'agape' love.
1)
Joy
is love rejoicing in all things
2)
Peace
is love trusting in all things
3)
Long
Suffering is love enduring patiently in all things
4)
Gentleness
is love acting kindly at all times
5)
Goodness
is love acting in the best interest to all.
6)
Faith
is love always walking in truth
7)
Meekness
is love serving in lowliness of mind without selfish ambitions.
8)
Temperance
is love restraining having control of our desires and appetites.
Introductory Story: Relationship with
Christ is always characterised by agape love.
· Testimony: In my early Christian experience when I received prayer for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, I was very aware of a tremendous feeling of the love of God.
·
The Baptism with the Holy
Spirit is a baptism of love because God is love. A person baptised with the Holy Spirit will
be characterised by even more love. The
Baptism with the Holy Spirit is associated with the outward evidences of
speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But the Baptism with the Holy Spirit will
always bring a great awareness of the love of God. 'In
the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke he of
the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost
was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)', John
·
Exposition of 1 Corinthians 13 click here
Exposition:
1.
Love is the outward evidence of
discipleship. Love is the new standard of discipleship.
John
·
Love
gives. Self sacrificing love - 'Gave Himself for us'. Given 'exceeding great and precious
promises'. 1 John 3:16-17: Sacrificial giving. Love expressed by giving of ourselves
(v16). Giving of our possessions (v17).
·
Love
serves. 'By love serve one another', Galatians
2.
Love energises. ‘Faith which works by love’, Galatians 5:6.
Work is the Greek word 'energeo'.
It is the energising power of the Holy Spirit. This energising power is necessary in every
area of our lives. 'It is God that works
in us' Philippians 2:13.
·
It
is possible to have faith without love but love is the energiser of faith. 'If I have
faith so that I can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing' 1
Corinthians 13. An effective prayer life requires the energising power of
the Holy Spirit. James 5:16.
·
The
moving of the Holy Spirit in the Church is dependent upon the energising power
of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:11.
Holy Spirit 'agape' love is the energising power of the Christian
life.
·
The
gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit cannot be separated from the fruit of
the Spirit. This is why 1 Corinthians 13
is between chapters 12 and 14.
3.
Love must be the motivation for
ministry. 2 Corinthians
·
Love
of Christ will hold in every circumstance.
Jesus said to Peter 'Do you love Me? …Feed my sheep'. John 21:15-17. Ministry must be founded upon love for
Christ.
List other
motivations for ministry that will not hold:
·
Success
cannot hold everything together because it is undependable.
·
Love
of the honour of men - rulers (John
·
Love
of money - scribes and Pharisees (Matthew
·
Selfish
ambitions
The only
motivation that will reap an eternal reward is love for Christ, 1 Corinthians
13:2-3.
Conclusion: The fruit of the Spirit is the life of God in the believer.
1. Love (agape) must be the description of our character because it s the outward evidence of discipleship.
2. Love (agape) must be our energiser because it is the energising power of faith.
3. Love (agape) must be our motivation for ministry because nothing else will hold everything together. Ministry cannot be held together by any other motivation.
The checklist of love
Is the fruit of love seen in that I am?
1) a rejoicing person,
2) trusting in all circumstances,
3) patiently enduring trials,
4) kind to all,
5) seeking the highest good,
6) fully committed to truth,
7) walking in humility,
8) in control of my appetites and desires.