“Born of the Spirit’s Action”

Overview

Joy as the Spirit's Fruit

You cannot command someone into joy. A frustrated parent at a crowded theme park can insist, "We spent a lot of money, so we're going to have fun," but the demand itself proves the point: genuine joy doesn't bend to orders. Paul understood this, which is why in Galatians 5:22-23 he doesn't issue a command but describes a harvest: "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." The contrast Paul draws is with the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21—works we produce, in opposition to fruit the Spirit produces in us. And unlike the spiritual gifts, which are distributed variously, the fruit comes as a single package. Where the Spirit dwells, all of it is given. We can even read the list as love (summing up the whole law, Galatians 5:14) expressing itself in eight ways, joy among them.

This protects us from two common temptations. The first is treating joy as something we manufacture—through breakfast routines, breathing exercises, positive thinking, and twenty other self-improvement strategies. Even done perfectly, such efforts cannot produce the joy of Galatians 5, because that joy is fruit, not achievement. The second temptation is hearing joy as a command and accusation: "Why aren't you more joyful?" That pressure tempts Christians to perform a happiness they don't feel, putting on a face rather than receiving a gift. Both temptations exhaust us because both place the burden on us instead of on the Spirit.

How, then, does God give this joy? Not by tweaking us, the way a hobbyist tinkers with an old truck, smoothing a rough edge here and there. God's plan is more radical. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" Galatians 5:24. The language is death language, echoed in Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:19-20, and Galatians 6:14. The flesh is not reformed; it is killed. And in its place, a new self arises—Christ living in us. This is the gift sealed to us in our baptism, where we are washed into Christ's death and resurrection.

Luther captured the daily shape of this beautifully: baptism means "that our sinful self with all its evil deeds and desires should be drowned through daily repentance, so that a new self shall arise each and every day." The old Adam and old Eve are stubborn swimmers, so we return again and again to our baptism, where God keeps killing us with His kindness and raising us up new. Joy of this kind cannot be summoned by willpower or staged for appearance's sake. It comes about by crucifixion—God's work, not ours—and then blossoms in us as the natural expression of a life now hidden in Christ. Receive the gift. Return to your baptism. And the joy will be there, because the Spirit is there.

Transcript

Let's open our Bibles, please, today to Galatians the 5th chapter for our study. 2s

Galatians the 5th chapter. 9s

Several years ago, our family was vacationing at Disney World. 13s

It was a summer day and the park was just absolutely crowded. 19s

It was just packed. 24s

Those pop-up storms, as is known in Florida, were happening. 27s

So it was a typical day there. 30s

It was a wonderful and enjoyable day, but it was crowded. 33s

As we walked along one of the paths, there was a family that had stopped right in the middle of the path. 40s

You could see there were having some type of discussion. 48s

And it didn't look like things were going very well. 51s

As we came closer, I noticed one of the parents turning to the children and saying, 55s

we spent a lot of money to be here, so we're gonna have fun. 64s

Well, I wonder how effective that exhortation was. 73s

Because how is it that you can command someone to be joyful? 81s

How can you command someone to be joyful? 90s

We continue in our 12th part series on Joy and just to recap, 97s

you'll recall that this 12th part series is divided into several sections. 102s

The first section was the Joy of Revelation. 107s

In other words, the Joy that is ours as we hold in our hands and as we study the very word of God. 111s

We move then into the second section of this sermon series. 118s

And that focused on the Joy of God, the Joy of God. 124s

We studied about the Joy of God in terms of the inner trinitarian fellowship. 130s

Jesus' Joy that he was loved by the Father, the Joy that Jesus had in being obedient to the Father. 136s

We also studied about the Joy that was set before our Lord. 147s

That Joy of fulfilling the course for which He had been sent to redeem the world through the cross 153s

and the Joy of the anticipation of returning to glory. 161s

Last week, we took a look at the Joy of God. 168s

The Joy of God expressed in repentance, repentance that gift of God himself 173s

and the Joy that God has delighting in the very gift that He gives. 181s

Well today we move into a third section of this series. 189s

And in this third section of this series, we'd like to focus with you on the Joy in us, the Joy in us. 194s

And I think a perfect place to begin is Galatians the 5th chapter. 204s

So we pick up in verse 22 of Galatians 5. 211s

There the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes this by contrast. 216s

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. 225s

When Paul begins with the bicontrast, it begs the question, doesn't it? 241s

What is the fruit of the Spirit being contrasted with? 248s

Well the answer to that is right before these verses where we picked up in chapter 5, 252s

look when we please at verse 19. 259s

Now the works of the flesh are obvious. 262s

Fornication, impurity, licentiousness, fornication, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, 266s

descentions, factions, envy, drunkenness, curousing and things like these. 277s

Now this is an all-inclusive list here. 284s

Now there is more that can be added. 289s

But the contrast here that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is drawing is the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. 292s

By contrast he says, the fruit of the Spirit is. 307s

There's the second thing I'd like you to grasp. 312s

The fruit of the Spirit is a package. 316s

It comes as a unit. 320s

That's different than the gifts of the Spirit, isn't it? 324s

The gifts of the Spirit, for example. 329s

God, however it pleases him, dispenses these gifts, so some people may have the gift of administration or teaching or mercy, 332s

and on goes the list of gifts that God gives. 341s

But with the fruit of the Spirit, if you are a Christian, you have all the fruit. 347s

Again, verse 22, by contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is. 355s

Here comes the unit. 362s

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 364s

You can really take that unit, and you can divide it into love and eight examples. 374s

Eight examples of how love expresses it, so. 384s

How do we know that? 388s

Jump back up into verse 14 of chapter five. 390s

There, the scripture says, for the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, 395s

you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 401s

Then notice. 407s

The first of this unit of the fruit of the Spirit is love. 409s

And that love then becomes evident. 418s

That love is expressing itself in joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. 421s

So by contrast, with the works of the flesh, the fruit of the Spirit, a unit, 431s

and really it's love, an eight examples, one of which is joy. 437s

So, where's the temptation in association with this expression of the fruit of the Spirit? 445s

This manifestation of love, joy? 459s

Where's the temptation associated with this? 464s

If preparing for this sermon, I came across an article that really peaked my attention. 471s

The article was 20 different things that you can do to bring joy into your life. 478s

So, these are the 20 things. 487s

Eat breakfast, smile, be present, slow down, drink water, take breaks, get up and walk around, write things down, 489s

so you'll be more organized. 506s

Listen, take action, break larger goals into smaller ones. 509s

Have me time, depositives, don't worry, don't be anxious. 517s

Breathe. 528s

Listen to a song, avoid negativity. 530s

Laugh. 536s

Plan the next day, sleep. 537s

These 20 things the article said would bring joy into your life. 542s

But here's the thing, right? 551s

As one looks at this list of all these things to do, 553s

joy becomes something that you are to pursue. 559s

Joy is something that we are to get by doing these things. 568s

You know, we could accomplish all 20 of these things. 579s

And let's just say we could do it perfectly. 584s

Every single day, we have a good breakfast, we're going to sleep well on and on, goes to the list. 586s

Let's say for the sake of argument that we could do all of these 20 things, 593s

just perfectly every day, we would never experience the depth and quality of the joy that's talked about in Galatians 5. 596s

Why is that? 612s

Because the joy of Galatians 5 is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 615s

In other words, it's not something we do to attain it. 627s

No, it's the fruit of it is gifted to us by the Spirit. 632s

So one of the temptations then, when we read about joy, 641s

is we think that the joy here is something that we have to manufacture by what we do. 647s

No, the gracious word is that it is a fruit of the Spirit. 655s

It's a gift. 664s

Here's another temptation. 667s

Another temptation is to turn the joy in Galatians 5 to turn the joy into a command or an accusation. 671s

Now what do I mean by that? 682s

To put it starkly, it would be as if someone says. 685s

The Bible tells you to be joyful, so why aren't you more joyful? 691s

You see, that's turning joy into a command and an accusation, a command and an accusation. 697s

The joy here, the joy here in Galatians 5 isn't command and accusation. 711s

You see, when a Christian hears this word, if they start to think in terms of command and accusation, 719s

the Christian could be tempted to act. 729s

To put on the happy face, because they know that's the way the Christian ought to be, 732s

but the problem is, is the joy isn't genuine. 739s

The joy is simply an act. 744s

The joy isn't that which comes from God and is just naturally expressed, this wonderful gift, 749s

no, the Christian puts on themselves the burden of somehow acting how they think they ought to be. 757s

An acting, acting joyful. 766s

Without it simply being the expression of the gift, well that can become so draining, draining. 769s

No, this joy here is not something which we act, it's not something which we accomplish. 779s

This isn't a command and an accusation, it's a fruit. 788s

Oh, it's a gift of God. 795s

God's giving to us. 802s

So that, how does God accomplish this giving of the gift of the fruit of the Spirit, 809s

and specifically as we're focusing today, joy, how does God accomplish the giving of this? 822s

You my first call? 835s

There was a gentleman, he was a retired, automatic, and he just absolutely loved to work on his truck. 838s

His truck was an old truck. 847s

I mean, a really old truck. 851s

And he was forever fixing something on it. 854s

He was forever, ever tweaking this, or seeing if he could just kind of reform this part. 857s

He was always tweaking and trying to reform his truck. 866s

Our temptation is that we think that all we have to do is tweak ourselves. 876s

All we have to do is a little reform, a little change here or there. 886s

They're going to smooth out the rough parts, and that will make us more joyful. 890s

A little tweak here, a little reform here, and then we'll have this joy. 898s

No. 903s

God has a different plan in mind. 906s

Let's go on into verse 24. 915s

Paul writes, 920s

And those who belong to Christ Jesus, here it comes, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 922s

We read that again. 938s

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 940s

When we study in the New Testament, that word crucified is overwhelmingly associated with Jesus' death on the cross. 953s

It is that gracious, gracious action of God, where Jesus comes, the second member of the Trinity, 967s

comes to die for us to take all of our sin upon him, to pay that sin debt. 976s

God is graciousness, then putting the victory of the cross and the empty tomb with the tangible of the water and washing us in the promises of holy baptism. 986s

It is this beautiful grace of God, the gospel, the good news, that through Christ, the world has been reconciled unto him. 998s

As a Christian, you see, we can live each and every day in the assurance of life abundant by his grace, this side of heaven. 1012s

And that when the day comes in the Lord takes us home, life eternal in his very presence, what a beautiful and gracious gift, overwhelmingly in the New Testament. 1023s

That word crucified is in association with Jesus' attoning death on the cross. 1039s

There are four exceptions. 1049s

Four exceptions. 1053s

The first one is Romans chapter six. 1056s

Paul writes this, we know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, 1061s

and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 1072s

Let's see the second one. 1080s

Let's go to Galatians II chapter, and we'll pick up halfway through verse 19. 1082s

So Galatians II, halfway through verse 19. Paul writes this. 1089s

I've been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. 1095s

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. 1107s

Let's go to the third one. Galatians VI. Galatians VI. Verse 14. 1120s

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. 1128s

And then that fourth example, our text once again, verse 24, and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 1144s

Another way to say crucified is killed, killed. 1160s

And this is not survived. Didn't survive. Listen again, verse 24. 1173s

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 1181s

You see, this isn't reforming ourselves. This isn't tweaking ourselves. 1192s

This isn't making just a little change in our lives to improve ourselves. 1198s

No, this is being killed and being born a new person. 1206s

Look again, at verse 24. 1217s

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 1220s

It's no longer I who live, it is Christ who lived in me. Did you catch that death language? 1230s

I don't live anymore. It is Christ who lives in me. We are grasped by the incredible love of God and then empowered to love and that love results in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. 1239s

I love how Luther puts it. Luther talks about what does what is baptism mean for daily living. 1265s

He says it means that our sinful self with all of its evil deeds and desires should be drowned through daily repentance. 1273s

So that a new self shall arise each and every day. 1281s

It is a daily dying and rising. 1289s

You see, God comes and kills us, kills us with His kindness. 1298s

Kills us with His words of promise, putting to death that old Adam and that old Eve in us. 1311s

And remember as a former professor of mine from seminary said, and that old Adam and old Eve, they're really good swimmers. 1324s

So that's why Luther says, what does it mean daily? 1330s

It means to return to our baptism in repentance. 1333s

So that day after day a new self should arise. 1338s

God keeps coming to us, putting us to death, killing that old Adam and old Eve and raising up that new person, 1341s

that new person manifesting the fruit of the Spirit. 1354s

That family at Disneyland, joy doesn't come about by a command, does it? 1369s

No joy. 1380s

The type of Galatians 5 joy, Galatians 5 joy, doesn't come about by command. 1384s

It comes about by crucifixion. 1394s

The Galatians 5 joy, that joy doesn't come about as a result of our own efforts. 1400s

That's the result of the efforts of God. 1414s

Joy, huh? 1422s

Such joy. 1427s