Fruity Christians

A Sermon Delivered to All Saints Anglican Church, based on Phil 1: 1-11

As I was doing my research for this sermon, I began to be struck by several phrases: I Phil 1:9, Paul prays that "your love may abound more and more” This reminded me immediately of last week’s reading from
I Thes. 3:12, where the apostle prays that “you may increase and abound in love.”

In verse 10 of Phil. I, we have the admonition to be “pure and blameless”. In I Thes. 3:13, we read the phrase “blameless in holiness”. Then there is the phrase “day of Christ Jesus in Phil 1:6, and the parallel “coming of our Lord Jesus” in I Thes. 3:13.

Additionally, we have “all the saints” in Phil 1:1 and “all His saints” in
I Thes. 3:13.

The last phrase that struck me was “Fruit of Righteousness”: Phil 1:11. This is what ties everything together and links it to the Gospel reading Lk 3:8,9, in which John tells the crowds of people to “bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance”. The Baptist compares people with trees, who must bear good fruit or are cut down.

So, here again are the phrases:
Abound in Love
Pure and blameless
Coming of our Lord
All the saints
Fruit of Righteousness.

As we study the Bible, one way that the Lord speaks to us is by leading us down a trail, sort of like being on a scavenger hunt. We read the Word and listen attentively. We keep our eyes peeled for signs along the way, and as we do, He gives us insight into the Bible and His will for us. Now, I know that these clues have not all come together into a coherent meaning yet, but I hope to begin to show that to you now.

John the Bapist is also very specific to say that doing Justice to your fellow man is a fruit of repentance. Giving to those who don’t have and not cheating people are fruits of righteousness. They come about through Repentance - and John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

But John quickly goes on to tell the people that One greater is coming, one whose sandals he is not worthy to untie. When he comes “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” Luke 3: 16. And indeed later in the same chapter we read how Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” 3:22.

Of course Jesus was completely righteous already, but submitted to John’s baptism in order to ‘fulfill all righteousness’ – and he was Baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Now, here is where we begin to pull it all together:

(Here, I passed out "Fruit of the Loom" thermal shirt packs bearing Post-It labels of each of the 9 fruits of the Spirit. After passing them out, I asked the people who have them what the label said. Some said“Fruit of the Loom”. But then others listed Love, Joy, Peace… etc.)

So what you have in your hands is the Fruit of the Loom… but also the Fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5: 22 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness, Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness and Self Control. John told the people that the fruit of righteousness was to do justly to your neighbor. But here we have a list of qualities which describe the character of one who bears the Fruit of the Spirit.

Significantly, the fruit of the Spirit is not something we can manufacture on our own steam. Going back to Galatians 5 vv 19-21, we see that the ‘works of the flesh’ are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. These are the qualities of the self-centered, flesh indulgent person, namely, all of us. Unless you get some kind of power assist and help from above this list is what you and I act out. This is our Sin nature, our (worse than) beastly self.

Ephesians 5:18 tells us not to be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit – that is to be directed or controlled by the Holy Spirit. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a command in the Imperative voice. Don’t do this, do that. So how do we do that?

Here’s the progression:

1) Repent of your sins. In our liturgy we will soon hear the admonishment, ‘ye who do earnestly repent ye of your sins…”
Turn around and go the other way. That’s what repentance means literally.
2) Be baptized for the remission of our sins. Go down in the water to show that you are dying to sin and are being raised to walk in newness of life, now cleansed of your offenses against God.
3) Bring forth fruit in keeping with Repentance by being Filled with the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus was. Do works of social justice, but also Abound in Love and be Holy, Pure and Blameless – walking in love with God and your neighbor. Bear the Fruit of the Spirit: ( Have the congregation members shout them out.)

If you do this you will show yourself to be one of his Saints, or ‘called out ones’.

Then, when the Day of the Lord comes, you will have a place in His kingdom along with all the other saints who have gone on before us. (Here it is well to know that the Day of the Lord is an “unveiling” (Apokolypsis, Grk.).

And the key to it all is Repenting and being Filled with the Spirit.
When we repent of our sins, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. This is really the Baptism of the Spirit. Every believer has it, despite how Pentecostals use the term. As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is the Life of Christ within you. But you can choose how much you want to be directed and controlled by the Spirit – a little bit, or perhaps not at all… - or you can be like a sailboat, being pushed along by the power of the wind, pneuma, Spirit. Believe me, it’s a lot more fun than trying to do it on your own. And it’s the only real way you can bear forth fruit in keeping with repentance.

So let’s give this a try. In a few moments we’ll confess our sins according to the form in our liturgy. Then after that, we’ll take a few moments to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us and direct us.

So what are the Fruits of the Spirit again?.... Alright. Now go out there and be Fruity Christians! Amen.

{The shirts were collected and combined with other items to be taken to the Barboursville Veterans Home.}