Adorned With Fruit — Alan Martin

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, it would not be right for us to assume that we could do anything on our own that we could produce the revelation of Your truth. We thank You that You've given us a mind to study.

We thank You that You've left us the written record of Your Word. We thank You for some of the tradition that has been handed down to us from Your apostles and those that have loved You and served You after them.

But with all of that, You're still beyond us unless You Yourself make Yourself real. And to You Yourself, give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation of Yourself. We are unable to truly know You in the sense that You desire.

And because You want, You said that the type of worshippers You seek are those who worship You in spirit and truth. We ask for the help of Your Spirit. We ask that the ministry of Your Spirit would minister the revelation of who You are through Your Word, through preaching, through teaching, and through the understanding that only You can give while preaching is taking place.

We pause and we make a distinction. We know that there are men who speak, but You are the one who gives wisdom. Men don't give it. Men can speak. You can make a life. Men can study, but You turn that study into useful, blessed wisdom.

And so we ask for that. We ask You to show Yourself, reveal Yourself through Your Word this morning so that we can worship You both in spirit and in truth, not just now, so through experiencing You in this corporate instruction, exhortation, teaching, and preaching, through that we'll be affected and able to walk with You in a way that is different in another degree of glory the rest of this week.

We ask this according to Your will in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen. Here in 2 Corinthians 3, read with me from verse 4 and on. It says in verse 4, Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God, not that we are competent to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Competence Through the New Covenant

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. What letter is He talking about? The law. And what does the law do?

It condemns, it kills. And the law is about 80 negative. Thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, and twice there's two thou shalts. You shall love the Lord thy God with all thy soul.

You know, that's there. And you shall honor your father and mother. Two things you should do. And really, in that, if you did those two things, the thou shalt nots wouldn't be necessary. Because the Bible says, Paul taught us that love does no harm to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The law is good, but there's something better than law. You know, we have brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and now we have a better-than-law. And the better-than-law is Jesus Christ. He brought a new covenant.

A covenant not based upon what thou shalt, but what you can. Now it's not what you should not do. Now it's I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. The law, Paul said the law is not made for good men.

And we weren't good. And the law, the Bible says, Paul says, and he goes into great detail in Galatians, that the law was put into effect so that the whole world might be held accountable and that every mouth might be silenced.

And through the law, men recognize what sin is. But the law falls short in an area. The law does not bring power to carry out its injunctions. So sinners were left with a law that they could not possibly fulfill on their own.

Christ brought something better. A new covenant. The covenant of the Spirit. And what does the Spirit do? The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. And that's why we want to talk about the Spirit. Now turn with me to Galatians.

Living by the Spirit Rather Than Under Law

And I know some of this will be reviewed to you. Galatians chapter 5. Excuse me for leaving you short. Galatians chapter 5. Now the law told sinners what not to do. Did it stop sinners from doing it? No.

The law couldn't stop sinners from sinning. But look at this in Galatians chapter 5, verse 16. So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature of the flesh.

But look at verse 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, what are you not under? You're not under the law. Now you stay right there. Don't leave from there in Galatians, but listen to this. Why are we not under the law?

Paul made it very clear. I'm reading from Romans 7. You don't need to turn there, but I'm going to read from Romans 7, the first part of the chapter. Do you not know, brothers, for I'm speaking to men who know the law, that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?

For example, by law, a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she's released from the law of marriage, so then she can marry another. So this is verse 4 of that same chapter.

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ. That's why you're not under the law. You died to the law through the body of Christ, and it says, so that ye might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

Now, are you going to bear fruit living in the law? No. What you're going to bear in the law is death. But if you come to the place where you've died to the law and you belong to Christ, fruit should begin to be manifested in your life.

The Fruit of the Spirit as the Fulfillment of Christian Life

What fruit? Bear what fruit to God? Are you still in Galatians? What fruit should be being born in your life? There it is. The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self-control.

And then it says, what's the very next thing it states after it mentions what kind of fruit should be being manifested in our life? You don't need a law when a person is being filled with love. That person doesn't need to be told what not to do.

That person won't harm another. Love does no harm to his neighbor. When a person is being filled with love, he is respectful, he is kind, he is considerate. Paul describes what love is in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. And when Christ is living inside a person in you and I, and His Spirit is working in us, we are being filled with the love of God. And the love of God doesn't need to be told, don't do that.

You can love as much as you want. The joy of the Lord is your strength. The peace of Christ will guard your heart and mind and keep you from being anxious. And this is the fruit that we need to be displaying in our life.

This is God's will in the New Covenant. And this is one aspect of truth I'd like to talk about this morning, how having the manifestation of this fruit in our life is one of, now hear me, one of the most powerful ways to witness to our world.

It is necessary at times to witness to the world by exposing what they're doing wrong. But there is a way, being filled with Christ, you are so manifesting the fruit of the Spirit that your life convicts sinners.

You convict them by the manifestation of the Spirit at work in your life. And I want to show you this, just to see it in a couple of places. First look with me in 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 3. Now, 1 Peter chapter 3 addresses all of us as wives.

Now do you all follow me? How are we all wives? That's right. All of us are the bride of Christ. So every one of us needs to learn how to be this kind of wife. So this is a generic term here. This is about someone married to another.

And if we are joined to Christ, we are His bride. So look with me in the instructions here. And I'm going to switch to my little Greek interlinear here for some additional help. Read with me from the first of the chapter.

Winning Others Through Conduct and the Fruit of the Spirit

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the Word... And that's the idea. Maybe some of your versions say, this do not believe, but it's even if some disobey the Word as it says in the Greek, they, without a word, may be won.

And the Greek word for here comes from may be gained. You may gain them. You may win them. Without a word, how can they be gained without a word? By conduct. What conduct? When they begin to watch the fruit of the Spirit manifesting itself in your life, it's the loudest message you'll ever preach.

When they begin to see this, it is dynamic. Go on down with me and let's read. What's the first thing it says? When does this happen? How are they won by your conduct? What does it say in verse 2? When they do what?

When they observe. The Greek word here is having eyewitnessed. That's how you realize your family, your friends, are eyewitnessing your walk. And when those who are eyewitnessing your walk, when they see the fruit of the Spirit being manifested in your life, they'll be won.

They'll be won eventually. We can't make a guaranteed blanket statement in that, but I should probably put it this way. That is the best chance you'll have of winning. That is the best sermon you'll ever preach is when your life is manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

And you know how this same word, having eyewitnessed, was used in 2 Peter. Look at 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 16. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory and Transformation

Now what happened? What are they talking about right here? Verse 17, For he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mount. And what do we usually call that mount? The mount of transfiguration. In the Greek, it's actually metamorphosis.

They literally saw Christ metamorphosize into glory. And when they witnessed this, they saw and knew God had come into oneness with Jesus Christ right before their eyes. You know where else the word metamorphosis is used?

It's be ye not conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be metamorphosized by the renewing of your mind. When you and I begin to be metamorphosized by the renewing of our mind, we begin to be literally transformed from a carnal man to a spiritual man where the fruit of the Holy Spirit is being manifested in our lives.

Love, joy, peace. Those eyewitnessing us, those in our lives watching this transformation from a carnal man to a spiritual man, mature and full of virtue because he's living in the power of Christ and in the reality of Christ, they're going to recognize God lives in this person.

They have something more than an empty religion. It's real. This is a reality. That's what they'll see. That is the most effective sermon we could ever preach. Now, if you're still there in 1 Peter, go back to 1 Peter 3.

You were in 2 Peter, weren't we? Back to 1 Peter 3. Let's see how this works for us wives. I think you're going to appreciate this. I sure did it this morning in my own contemplation of it. Verse 3. Do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel.

Inner Adornment and a Well-Ordered Life

Rather, let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves being submissive to their own husbands.

Now, what's he saying? Now, this verse is often used to preach against makeup and against gold and wearing gold and don't braid your hair. Ladies, I'm going to assure you that's not where we're going this morning.

But let me explain what he is saying here. The Greek word for your adorning comes from the word cosmeo. And that's why some people get that idea. You know what, cosmeo is the basis for our word cosmetics.

But what is that saying? The Greek word cosmeo means to order, to fashion in an order and to arrange. This is how ladies make themselves physically beautiful. They order things. They order their hair a certain way.

They order their face a certain way. They order their eyelashes. They order their lips. They order their color. And it creates beauty, but it compares nothing to a person who's ordering their inner man, who's putting their inner man in order, putting love, putting joy, putting peace, putting patience, putting kindness.

When that kind of order is being arranged, it's a hidden beauty to man, but it is precious in the sight of God. And it will win an unbelieving spouse. Because that kind of order, any lady can do this, you guys.

Anyone can do that. It takes the power of Christ to manifest the fruit of the Spirit on a regular basis. That takes God. And look what it says. That's what it's saying here in the latter part of the verse.

Verse 5,. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God, that's how they ordered themselves. They manifested the virtue of godliness. And that's what we remember them for. How many of you right here in this room have stood at a casket weeping, saying meaningless things.

Emotions come. An impact is made when they witness a godly saint who manifested the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their life. That's being well ordered. Your mouth is ordered. You know what it says of a virtuous woman?

It says the law of kindness is in her mouth. When your speech is ordered by the Holy Spirit, when your attitude is ordered by the Holy Spirit, when the way you react is ordered by the Holy Spirit, you know what they're going to see?

They're going to see a knockout gorgeous spiritual person. They're going to see someone virtuous, godly, holy. And that's not easy to do. You can't do that by standing in front of some mirror. You do that in the presence of God, being filled with the Holy Spirit.

That's when you do that. And that kind of thing is just so rare in the earth. And this kind of thing makes the biggest impact. And there's one thing particularly of the fruit of the Spirit, and it's listed number one.

What is the number one, the first thing mentioned? That's right. Love is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned. And this was a sweet meditation. I hope I can get through this right now. Because I couldn't get through it this morning with dry eyes.

The Prodigal Son and the Transforming Power of Love

But I went to a familiar passage to see this, the power of a godly life. And for some of you, this is going to really be a message of hope for you to hang on to. Turn with me to Luke 15. You're familiar with this parable, starting in verse 11 of chapter 15.

Then he said, A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and journeyed to a far country. And there he wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land.

And he began to be in want. Then when he joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed the swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate.

And then Jesus uses an incredible statement here to set you up for what the Lord wants to show us. And no one gave him anything. And as he was sitting there, full of hunger, no one giving him anything, it began to dawn on him.

And the very next thing says, when he came to himself, and picture this with me if you will, sitting there realizing, no one, no one cares about me, no one, I'm starving, no one cares about me. Suddenly, suddenly, he saw his father.

And he remembered how his father treated his servants. And it slapped him in the face that his father cared for everyone. No one gave him anything. His father made sure everybody was taken care of. And it says, he said, I'm going to get up.

And it did not say, I'm going to get up and I'm going to go get some food. He said, I'm going to get up and go to my father. My father cares. My father, look, that's when hope revived in him. That his father had so much compassion that even though he had wasted everything he had, he realized he had never even seen the heart of his father till right then.

He grew up in it, and he took it for granted his whole life. But there in his condition, for the first time, he saw the compassion his father lived in. He saw a man filled with the love of God. And he wanted to go home.

So he gets up, and he goes to his father. He's decided he's going to tell him, I'm not worthy. I've sinned against heaven and against you. And if you understand the Greek word for I'm not worthy, here's what he's saying.

The Greek word for worthy comes from the word axiom. We get our English word axle from it. You know what an axle is? It's equal. It's worthy. It ties them together. What he was saying is, I am not all the same plain as you.

I totally live for self. I totally get all of my concerns. I wasted them on me. And you live your whole life, Father, to bless others. I'm not worthy. I'm not on the same plain as you. I'm not worthy to be called your son.

I squandered it all on myself. And all you ever do is live to take care of others. But he had his hope in the fact that the way his father treated even his servants, he had hope, hope that his father would receive him if he just agreed to live as a servant.

I know I'm not worthy to be a son anymore because I'm not like you. But if you'll just take me back as your servant, just let me live that way. I'll be content. Because then at least, he knows his father will care for his servants.

So he gets back home. And you know the story. While he was yet a long way off, the father saw him coming and he ran. The son just thought he knew his father was a compassionate man. He didn't really give his father much of a chance to say anything because he began right away to say, Father, I've sinned against Heaven and You.

I'm no longer worthy to be Your son. Stop. Bring the best robe in my house and put it on my son. Kill the fatted calf. If this son thought his father was compassionate, if he thought he knew how compassionate his father was, he came in that little bit of a glimpse.

His father blew him away. He showered love on this young man. I can guarantee you this young man was never the same again. What did Jesus say? He whom I have forgiven much. What? He loves me the most.

And you know, do you see the picture of how powerful it is when we simply do what every single one of us can do? Every single one of us can be filled with the love of Christ and be this kind of a witness in the world.

Isn't that what Jesus said? All men will know You're My disciples? By what? By the love You have, one for another. It didn't say they're going to know it by your doctrine. It didn't say they're going to know it by the name You have on Your building.

One thing is very clear because you cannot love like Christ unless Christ is living in you. And that's the best sermon you or I will ever preach is when the fruit of this Spirit is producing this kind of love in us.

Being Filled With the Holy Spirit

Now, how do you get this? Let me tell you how simple it is. You get this by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Is being filled with the Holy Spirit for preachers? Is being filled with the Holy Spirit for missionaries?

Is being filled with the Holy Spirit for apostles? No. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is for ordinary human beings so that we can manifest the supernatural fruit of Christ living in us. Paul told the Ephesians always be being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Always be manifesting this kind of ordered, godly, virtuous beauty in your life. And when you see this kind of power, when those who are the eyewitnesses to your life, when they see it, they're going to see someone who has metamorphosized from who they were into a saint.

Into a saint. And they may not post your name on some billboard, but emblazoned on their heart would be your walk. Your walk is emblazed on their heart. Because they've seen what's happened in your life.

May the Lord do that. That's the purpose of church, y 'all. It's not empty, dead religion. That's the purpose of church. It's coming and encouraging one another to experience this reality. This is the reality God wants for us.

It's not for some great preacher or some missionary or some apostle. It's for us. And this is what He wants us to walk in. Father, we thank You for Your help in opening Your Word to us. And many of us today have seen a glimpse of what You're calling us to.

And we're grateful that when You call us to something, You provide everything that's needed for us to walk in that calling. And so here today, I know there are brothers and sisters right now joining with me in their heart.

We ask You, Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Continue to transfigure us. Let people around us see us metamorphosize from who we are into the image of Your Son. Let them see what You're doing through Your Holy Spirit at work in us.

Let them see the complete transformation so that they can be one, so that they will be drawn to You. We know this is Your will. You Yourself said if we ask anything in accordance to Your will, we know we have that which we have asked.

So thank You, Father. Actually, we thank You for Your mercy in even bringing us to the place to show us what Your will is. Because truthfully, Father, You know on our own, we're quite content to live in the ditch when You've designed us to live on the throne with You.

But Lord, bring us to our senses. Every one of us here, cause us to wake up every bit as much as that young man woke up. And let us see Your love, Your great love for us. And let it have its same effect in us that it had on him.

This we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen. Yes? While they shout His name, can you play that?

Wow. It's been a long time since I've done that.