Becoming Produce People: Living by the Spirit
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, and happy Father's Day to all the men here today. It's wonderful to see you all prioritizing worship over other activities. For those watching online, thank you for joining us. Today, we have a special gift for all the men—a pocket knife, a small token of appreciation.
I recently returned from a mission trip to Tanzania, where I witnessed the incredible work of the Timothy Initiative. This organization is dedicated to spreading the gospel to the farthest reaches of the world, fulfilling the Great Commission. We visited several new church plants, met passionate local pastors, and saw firsthand the transformative power of the gospel. One particularly moving story was about a young man named Jacob, who was destined to become a witch doctor but found Christ and is now a pastor. This trip reminded me of the early church in the Book of Acts, and it was a privilege to see God's work in such a tangible way.
Today, we conclude our series on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:16-23. The passage teaches us that we can either live by the flesh, which leads to negative traits like hatred and anger, or by the Spirit, which produces love, joy, peace, and other beautiful qualities. Our natural inclination is to live by the flesh, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can bear the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit is not something we can produce on our own; it requires the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.
I used three types of fruit to illustrate different kinds of people. The first type is the "plastic person," who looks good on the outside but is empty inside, much like the Pharisees Jesus criticized. The second type is the "peel person," who consumes spiritual nourishment but doesn't share it with others, becoming spiritually obese. The third type is the "produce person," who lives out their faith and shares the fruit of the Spirit with the world.
God calls us to be produce people, living lives that honor Him and sharing His love with others. This requires humility and a willingness to let the Holy Spirit work in us. As we wrap up this series, I pray that we all strive to be produce people, bearing the fruit of the Spirit and making a positive impact on those around us.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of the Holy Spirit: Living by the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, and other beautiful qualities that we cannot achieve on our own. Our natural inclination is to live by the flesh, but the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome this default mode and bear spiritual fruit. [01:04:22]
2. Authenticity in Faith: The "plastic person" looks good on the outside but is empty inside. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their outward religiosity but inward emptiness. True faith requires authenticity and a genuine relationship with God, not just external appearances. [01:08:01]
3. Sharing Spiritual Nourishment: The "peel person" consumes spiritual nourishment but doesn't share it, becoming spiritually obese. We are called to share the fruit of the Spirit with others, not just keep it for ourselves. Our faith should produce visible, practical outcomes. [01:14:49]
4. Living Out Our Faith: The "produce person" lives out their faith and shares the fruit of the Spirit with the world. This requires practical application of what we learn, not just head knowledge. True Christianity involves both knowing and doing. [01:17:43]
5. Humility and Surrender: To stop being a plastic or peel person, we must humble ourselves and surrender to God's work in our lives. This involves recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. [01:10:35]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[40:46] - Tanzania Mission Trip Overview
[42:29] - Journey to Dar es Salaam
[43:51] - Timothy Initiative and Church Plants
[45:31] - Baptism and Graduation Ceremonies
[47:10] - Stories of Transformation
[49:16] - Jacob's Story: From Witch Doctor to Pastor
[51:35] - Generations of Faith
[53:30] - Praying for Rochester Hills
[55:50] - Prayer for Healing and Comfort
[01:02:46] - Galatians 5: Fruit of the Spirit
[01:06:03] - The Plastic Person
[01:11:28] - The Peel Person
[01:16:11] - The Produce Person
[01:19:57] - Becoming a Produce Person
[01:22:41] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Galatians 5:16-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
2. Matthew 23:25-28: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
3. James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the two ways of living described in Galatians 5:16-23, and what are the outcomes of each? [01:03:31]
2. How did Jesus describe the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28, and what was His main criticism of them? [01:08:01]
3. According to James 1:22, what is the danger of merely listening to the word without acting on it? [01:14:49]
4. What are the three types of people described in the sermon, and what characterizes each type? [01:06:03]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Paul emphasizes that the fruit of the Spirit cannot be produced by our own efforts but requires the Holy Spirit? [01:04:22]
2. How does the story of Jacob, who was destined to be a witch doctor but became a pastor, illustrate the transformative power of the gospel? [49:16]
3. What does it mean to be a "plastic person" in the context of the sermon, and why is this type of faith criticized? [01:08:01]
4. How can being a "peel person" lead to spiritual stagnation, and what does James 1:22 suggest as a remedy for this? [01:14:49]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you might be acting like a "plastic person," focusing on outward appearances rather than inward transformation? How can you address this? [01:08:01]
2. Think about the spiritual nourishment you receive. Are you sharing it with others, or are you keeping it to yourself like a "peel person"? What practical steps can you take to share your faith more actively? [01:14:49]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of humility and surrender to God's work in our lives. What specific areas of your life do you need to surrender to the Holy Spirit? [01:10:35]
4. Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.) that you struggle with. What specific action can you take this week to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others? [01:04:22]
5. How can you ensure that your faith produces visible, practical outcomes in your daily life? Share one specific way you plan to live out your faith this week. [01:17:43]
6. Reflect on the story of Jacob and the transformative power of the gospel. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear about this transformative power? How can you share this message with them? [49:16]
7. The sermon mentioned the importance of praying for our community. How can you incorporate prayer for your local community into your daily routine? [54:45]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of the Holy Spirit
Living by the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, and other beautiful qualities that we cannot achieve on our own. Our natural inclination is to live by the flesh, but the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome this default mode and bear spiritual fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is not something we can manufacture through our own efforts; it is the result of the Holy Spirit's transformative work in our lives. When we surrender to the Spirit, we begin to see these qualities manifest in our actions, thoughts, and relationships.
The Apostle Paul, in Galatians 5:16-23, contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. He emphasizes that living by the flesh leads to negative traits like hatred, anger, and jealousy, while living by the Spirit results in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This transformation is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, enabling us to live in a way that honors God and blesses others. [01:04:22]
Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to live by the Spirit? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you overcome these challenges today?
Day 2: Authenticity in Faith
The "plastic person" looks good on the outside but is empty inside. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their outward religiosity but inward emptiness. True faith requires authenticity and a genuine relationship with God, not just external appearances. It is easy to fall into the trap of focusing on how we appear to others, but God looks at the heart and desires a sincere and authentic relationship with us.
In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for being like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dead bones and uncleanness on the inside. This powerful imagery reminds us that God values inner transformation over outward appearances. Authentic faith involves being honest with ourselves and with God, allowing Him to work in our hearts and transform us from the inside out. [01:08:01]
Matthew 23:27-28 (ESV): "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are more focused on outward appearances than on genuine faith? How can you cultivate a more authentic relationship with God today?
Day 3: Sharing Spiritual Nourishment
The "peel person" consumes spiritual nourishment but doesn't share it, becoming spiritually obese. We are called to share the fruit of the Spirit with others, not just keep it for ourselves. Our faith should produce visible, practical outcomes that bless those around us. It is not enough to simply receive spiritual nourishment; we must also be conduits of God's love and grace to others.
In James 2:14-17, the Apostle James emphasizes that faith without works is dead. Genuine faith should result in actions that reflect God's love and compassion. As we grow in our relationship with God, we should also seek opportunities to share His love with others, whether through acts of kindness, words of encouragement, or sharing the gospel. [01:14:49]
James 2:14-17 (ESV): "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: How can you share the spiritual nourishment you have received with someone in need today? What practical steps can you take to live out your faith in a tangible way?
Day 4: Living Out Our Faith
The "produce person" lives out their faith and shares the fruit of the Spirit with the world. This requires practical application of what we learn, not just head knowledge. True Christianity involves both knowing and doing. It is not enough to simply understand biblical principles; we must also put them into practice in our daily lives.
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish builders. The wise builder hears Jesus' words and puts them into practice, building his house on a solid foundation. The foolish builder hears the words but does not act on them, resulting in a house built on sand that collapses when storms come. This parable illustrates the importance of living out our faith through our actions, ensuring that our lives are built on the solid foundation of God's Word. [01:17:43]
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV): "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
Reflection: What is one biblical principle you have learned recently that you can put into practice today? How can you ensure that your faith is reflected in your actions?
Day 5: Humility and Surrender
To stop being a plastic or peel person, we must humble ourselves and surrender to God's work in our lives. This involves recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. Humility is essential for spiritual growth, as it opens our hearts to God's guidance and correction.
In James 4:6-10, the Apostle James urges believers to humble themselves before God, resist the devil, and draw near to God. He emphasizes that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Surrendering to God's work in our lives requires us to let go of our pride and self-reliance, trusting that He knows what is best for us and will lead us in the right direction. [01:10:35]
James 4:6-10 (ESV): "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to humble yourself and surrender to God's work? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform you from the inside out today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The Scripture teaches that there are two basic ways that we can live according to the passage of Scripture. We can be driven by the flesh. Which comes out of that, you know, hatred and anger, envy, all those wicked things. Or we can be led by the Holy Spirit, which shows up as love, joy, and peace. And all those beautiful things that we just read. And unfortunately, our default mode, what comes naturally for us, is to live by the flesh. That's our default mode. So if we want to overcome that default mode, and to live the beautiful, beautiful kind of life, then we're going to need supernatural help. In other words, like we've said every week, the pole of sin is strong. But the living Christ is stronger. So open yourself to His Spirit, and you will bear His fruit." (59 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You see, if you want to be a produce person, it all starts with Jesus. It begins with him when he starts from the inside. When you ask him to become your Savior, he comes into your life. And then the Holy Spirit, from the inside out, will become produce person. Here's the question for you. What are you? Maybe you're here today, you're a plastic person, or you've got the game down. on the inside, you're empty. Maybe today you need to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Humble yourself." (51 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You see, we're not to produce this and just eat it. See, there's a lost and dying world that needs the fruit. They need to see your fruit. But some of you sit and you eat. It becomes spiritual. You're spiritually obese. In fact, some of you say, man, I feel so tired. I feel like I'm dragging a barge, spiritually speaking. I don't know what's wrong with me. I go to 25 Bible study a week. Right? I listen to Kayla from sunrise to sunset. And I just feel, I just feel so full. You're not plastic, by the way. You're the peel people." (52 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, verse 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. And by the fruit, you will recognize them. Jesus said our faith should produce visible, practical outcomes. He said don't sit, soak, and shower. Man, when I was in Africa, the faith of believers, man, they were so evident. You see the joy in their face? I mean, they're seen everywhere. We're walking through the village. We're singing, going to a baptism. I mean, they're singing as they're going to church. They're singing as they're leaving. I mean, they're just evident of not being peel people. So don't be a peel person. It's not for your self-conception." (47 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The way you live should always honor and please the Lord. By the way, that's a great question. It's the way that you live, not just on Sunday, but on Monday. It's the way that you live that should honor and please God. That should honor Him. And you've got to ask that question to yourself. But what you hear, what you hear about what you do, about what you listen to, does it honor? Does it please the Lord? And then he said, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better." (47 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "We get to our destination, and it's kind of hilly where we're staying, and about the Smoky Mountains, size mountains, and beautiful landscape, and we get there, and the next day, we visit churches, you know, we go and see these new church plants that just started, you know, by the organization that we're working with, and we go and see these new church plants, and we go and see these new church plants, and we go and see these new church plants, and the organization that we're partnering with is called the Timothy Initiative, and they are just doing some incredible stuff, not just in Africa, but really, in the unreached countries of the far side of the world, the uttermost, you know, the far reaches, the Timothy Initiative, they want to fulfill the Acts 1-8, we figured out Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, they want to get to the far reaches of our planet, with the gospel, and so we go there to see what they're doing, their plan, their strategy, and seeing, you know, nationals, Africans, coming to know Christ, and then they turn around, get trained, they've got a two-year training program, teach them if they're interested in being a pastor, they would train them to be pastors or church planters, and then within two years, they're out there, back to their villages, starting churches." (89 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "I met Pastor Alex, man, this guy's one of the sharpest dressed African men in all of Africa, he's got nice black shiny shoes, I mean, polished, I mean, this guy was, you know, Mr. GQ, okay, I mean, this guy is it, and I'm talking to him, and he was sharing me a story, you know, one of the, one of the leading, well, first of all, Tanzania is 17% of believers, 17% of the population, the number one religion is paganism, witchcraft, it's very prominent, you know, and I when you get to Dar es Salaam in some of the bigger cities, it's more Muslim, so there's a, there's a different pocket, but when you get out of the city and out into the villages, it's pagan demon, demon worship, and, and, and Pastor Alex was sharing a story of a man that he came across, and his dad, this man's dad, was the leading witchcraft, or the witch doctor, Tanzania, he was famous, and he had passed away, and, and, and the young man, young man, the father who passed away, the witch doctor, was assumed that he would become the next witch doctor, the, the witch doctor of Tanzania, and so they, they would tie his body, the dead, dead father, the dead witchcraft, or the witch doctor to the son, they would tie them up for seven days, for seven days it was tied to his dead body, for the purpose of the transfers of power from the dead body to his son, and then after that happened, he had to do something that it's unfathomable, unfathomable in the way we think, and what we could even imagine, that he had to sacrifice his entire family, his wife and kids, and that's just, well, it's just unheard of here, so this young man named, we call him Jacob, Jacob, it's his real name, but Jacob, and Alex had come across Jacob, he had been drinking, grieving, because he had to do the thing that he didn't want to do, but he didn't have a choice, well, he had a choice, but in his mind, he didn't have a choice, well, Pastor Alex talked to him, over time led him to Christ, and now somewhere in the middle of Tanzania, Jacob is not a witch doctor, he's now a pastor, that can only be by the grace and mercy of God, so these guys right here, they're just doing it, just getting it done." (218 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I saw the book of Acts unfolding in ways I've never seen before. It was an amazing experience. Thank you, church, for letting me go and to bring you that report of what God is doing, what God is doing on the other side of the world. And so Galatians chapter 5, we started the series 10 weeks ago, 9 weeks ago. And so, Galatians chapter 5, verse 16 to 23. And I don't have time to read all of this, but I wanted to look at verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against such things. There is no law. And the Scripture teaches that there are two basic ways that we can live according to the passage of Scripture. We can be driven by the flesh. Which comes out of that, you know, hatred and anger, envy, all those wicked things. Or we can be led by the Holy Spirit, which shows up as love, joy, and peace. And all those beautiful things that we just read. And unfortunately, our default mode, what comes naturally for us, is to live by the flesh. That's our default mode. So if we want to overcome that default mode, and to live the beautiful, beautiful kind of life, then we're going to need supernatural help. In other words, like we've said every week, the pole of sin is strong. But the living Christ is stronger. So open yourself to His Spirit, and you will bear His fruit." (103 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You know, the world is dying for some fresh fruit that's coming out of your life. You say, how do you become a produce person? I'll close with this. Paul prayed this, and he said, this is my prayer. Ready? It's on the screen. This is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge, in depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes. Here's the key. It comes through Jesus Christ, through the glory and praise of God. You see, if you want to be a produce person, it all starts with Jesus. It begins with him when he starts from the inside. When you ask him to become your Savior, he comes into your life. And then the Holy Spirit, from the inside out, will become produce person." (80 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You see, knowledge without application is condemnation. It's not enough to just know it. We've got to live it out. And God's calling us to be produced people. He wants us to get it out. And people need us. People need us. And as you walk out in this world, He wants you to take the fruit and it out. Here, you can have an apple. The Honeycrisp. Good apple. I'm going to have an orange. Who wants a banana? Who wants a banana? Oops. Someone wants a banana. You know, this is what we're called to do. Not to self-consume. You want something? What do you want? You want an apple? Apple? There we go. All right. I have to find an apple. By the way, I got that from Nino's. You know it's good. We're all stressed. Isn't it? This one here. You can have an orange. Oh, somebody wants something. There you go. She wants a banana. Okay. There we go. You want a banana. Look. This is what God." (73 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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