Galatians 5:22-23a gives a list of the fruit of the Spirit. The qualities listed there are the evidence of a Christian life. It is no coincidence that love is at the top of the list. Some believe that the other eight qualities listed are all under the heading of love.
Donald Grey Barnhouse puts it this way: “Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long-suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love’s touch. Goodness is love’s character. Faithfulness is love’s habit. Gentleness is love’s self-forgetfulness. Self-control is love holding the reins.”
Let’s always do our best to see that this fruit is evident in our lives. And let’s always remember that love is the key.
Some of the greatest stories you will ever read are found in the Bible. Think about the Old Testament stories: Creation, the fall of man, the great flood, the tower of Babel, the adventures of the patriarchs, the Egyptian captivity, the plagues, the exodus, taking the Promised Land, and the exploits of the kings and prophets.
Then consider the great stories recorded in the New Testament: the birth of Christ, the miracles of Jesus, the parables that Jesus told (including all-time favorites like the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan), and the remarkable experiences of the apostles and the early church.
These are just some of the biblical stories that many of us have heard all of our lives. We learned them in Sunday school. Our parents taught them to us. We have read and re-read them many times. Hopefully the timeless truths taught in these stories have become ingrained in us and have helped form us into the people that God wants us to become.
The great stories of the Bible are critical to our Christian life. These stories lead us away from paths that lead to destruction and steer us along the road to heaven. These great stories from God’s Word not only teach us about God and his wonderful plans for us. They also give us hope in a world that is desperate for hope. They inspire us to become all that God has created us to be. These stories encourage us to take action and to, somehow, become a part of God’s Big Story to save mankind through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Let’s not underestimate the power of great stories. Great stories tell us of a great God who does great things for his people. Great stories remind us of the great power God gives to those who believe in him. Great stories inspire ordinary people to do great things for the Lord and his kingdom.
So, let’s read these stories over and over again. Let’s share these stories with others as we try to win people for Jesus. Let’s use these stories to encourage other Christians as they face difficulties in their lives. Let’s apply the lessons of these stories as we help other believers grow in their faith.
Warren Buffet had this to say about his hiring practices—“We employ decent and talented people—no jerks.”
Buffet’s principle for seeking employees could be applied to how we look for workers in the kingdom of God. Paul said something similar to Timothy, although he did not use the “j-word”. In 2 Timothy 2:2, he writes, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
This is a very important Scripture concerning how we must spread the gospel and make disciples for Christ. The task is far too important to be entrusted to unreliable people. We need to be seeking those who are serious about their faith and encourage them to use their influence to teach others about salvation through Jesus and living the Christian life.
A seminary professor once spoke about a trip that he took to the Holy Land. One of the most impressive sites that he visited was an ancient prison that is thought to be where the apostle Paul was once imprisoned. While we can’t be sure that this is true, the prison was at least very much like the one where Paul stayed.
The prison was nothing like modern-day prisons in the United States. There were no cots; prisoners slept on the floor. The cells were dark and cold and damp. The government provided no food. A prisoner had to count on the benevolence of others, perhaps family or friends, to bring them food. The food was shoved through a small opening in the cell. On the floor of the cell was another small opening that served as the toilet. Cells were often overcrowded, sometimes to the point where it would be impossible to sleep without brushing up against a fellow inmate. If a prisoner had done something that was gravely offensive to the authorities, he might be put in an inner cell, one that was even darker, and was equipped with stocks and chains that bound the prisoner more tightly, and much more uncomfortably.
These were the conditions that Paul endured when he wrote some of the letters that he penned to the churches. Knowing that context gives extra meaning to what Paul wrote about such matters as maintaining our joy no matter what circumstances we might face, the freedom that we have in Christ and, of course, suffering for Jesus.
As they exited the prison, the professor and one of his travelling companions were overcome with emotion. One cried out, “I have suffered so little!” The other added, “It has cost me nothing!”
These statements were exaggerations, of course. No one, whether you are a professional or a lay minister, serves Christ without suffering in some significant way. Jesus says that life as his disciple consists of self-denial, sacrifice and opposition from many. He says that the world will hate us and persecute us. Truth is, those who follow Jesus will have to endure suffering.
What the visitors to the prison were trying to express was that they had suffered relatively little in light of what Paul had suffered. We should not take lightly the demands of discipleship and the cost of following Jesus. However, we must keep it in perspective. When we compare our suffering with that of Paul and the heroes of the faith described in Hebrews 11, the wounds that we suffer for Christ seem slight in comparison.
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.”—Philippians 1:29.
Abraham Lincoln was trying to make a point, but the person he was talking with was stubborn and unconvinced. So Lincoln tried another angle. He said to the fellow, “Well, lets’ see now. How many legs does a cow have?” The disgusted reply came back, “Four, of course.” Lincoln agreed, “That’s right. Now, suppose you call the cow’s tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?” The indignant man retorted confidently, “Why, five, of course.” Lincoln came back, “Now that’s where you’re wrong. Calling a cow’s tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg!”
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32.
A story is told in Spain of a father and his teenage son who had a relationship that had become strained. It got so bad that the son ran away from home. His father, however, began a journey in search of his rebellious son. Finally, in Madrid, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in the newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.”
The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office 800 Pacos showed up! They were all seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers.
That story may be entirely fictional, but the truth is, there are a lot of people who are seeking forgiveness from their heavenly Father. Thankfully, through Jesus, that forgiveness is available!
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 2:1-2.
A lady was escorted to a wedding by her twenty-four-year-old bachelor son. He appeared to be unaffected by the ceremony until the bride and groom lit a single candle with their candles and then blew out their own. With that he brightened up and whispered, “I’ve never seen that done before.” She whispered back, “You know what it means, don’t you?” His response: “No more old flames?”
I suppose the young man was partially right, but there is so much more to a successful marriage than renouncing old relationships. It takes more than that to ensure that love’s flame will continue to burn bright. Married couples must never take each other for granted, but they should try to fan the flames of their love every single day.
“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”—Ephesians 5:33.
Two brothers who were known for being thrifty saved their money for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Holy Land. Arriving at the Sea of Galilee, they discovered that it would cost them fifty dollars each to cross the lake by boat. They protested the price, exclaiming that they could take a similar boat ride in their home town for just a few dollars. The guide replied, “Oh, but this is the sea that Jesus walked on!” The brothers quickly retorted, “No wonder he walked, seeing the prices you charge for a boat ride!”
“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”—Matthew 14:25-27.
One of the best-loved stories in Scripture is the one Jesus tells in Luke 15—the parable of the prodigal son. In fact, this is one of the best-known stories ever told in the history of mankind. It is a remarkable message of the love that God has for people.
While we tend to focus mainly on the son who had left home, Jesus informs us early in the story that the man had two sons. To ignore the emphasis on the second son is to perhaps miss the main point of the story altogether.
The younger son asked to receive his inheritance early. This was an extremely uncommon request. Even more uncommon was that the request was granted.
The son soon gathered up all that he had and departed. He left behind nothing that would tie him to his previous life on his father’s estate. He set off for a faraway country and squandered his wealth in wild living. Then a famine occurred, and he began to be in need. He was so desperate that he hired himself out to feed pigs, an especially detestable job for a Jewish person.
He finally came to his senses and decided to go back to his father, confess his sin and ask to be hired as a servant. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and ran to meet him. He welcomed his wayward son home with a hug and a kiss. The father gave his son a royal welcome and decided to celebrate with a party.
We often conclude our study of the parable at this point, but remember, this is a tale of two sons. When the older son came in from the field, where he was faithfully carrying out his responsibilities, he heard music and dancing. So he questioned one of the servants, and learned that his younger brother had come home and that their father had ordered a celebration.
The older brother was in no mood to celebrate. Instead of experiencing joy at his younger sibling’s return, he became indignant. His angry response to his father betrayed an attitude of self-righteousness and a lack of appreciation for everything that his father had provided him over the years.
The father showed compassion to his older son, just as he had when the wayward son returned. He pointed out to his older son that he had always had access to wonderful blessings in their home. The father insisted, “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (v.32).
Jesus finishes the story here, leaving it open-ended. We don’t know if the wayward son who returned home lived a life that was a proper response to the grace that he had received from his father. We don’t know if the older son relented and joined in the celebration of the return of his lost brother. We are simply left to consider the application of the story to our lives.
Most of us can see similarities in our own lives to each of these two brothers. We have had times when we did not appreciate what God has provided for us. Instead, we went our own way and didn’t come to our senses until we found ourselves in our own particular self-made pigpen. When we did decide to come home to our Father, we experienced his abounding grace, love and forgiveness.
Most of us can also see some of the older brother’s sin in our own lives. We may not have ventured out into the world of wild living, but as we went through the motions of performing our duties for our Father, we allowed ourselves to become self-righteous, unappreciative of what we have and hard-hearted toward our brothers and sisters.
In this tale of two sons, we are challenged to live a life that is a proper response to the grace that God has shown us in Jesus. And let’s remember that we must also extend his grace to those who have repented and returned to him.
At the age of twelve, Robert Louis Stevenson was looking out into the dark from his upstairs window. He was watching a man lighting the street lamps. Stevenson’s governess came into the room and asked what he was doing. He replied, “I am watching a man cut holes in the darkness.”
This is a wonderful picture of the Christian’s task as we share God’s light. We are people who are busy cutting holes in the spiritual darkness of our world.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:14-16.
Jesustrek 