The new commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us is not just about mimicking His actions but about being deeply connected to Him. This connection is akin to being grafted into a vine, where Christ is the vine, and we are the branches. His love flows through us, not as a result of our human effort, but as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. This divine love is transformative, enabling us to love others in a way that reflects Christ's love for us. It is a call to allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, producing love that is genuine and selfless. [01:56]
John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the love of Christ through you today? How can you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in showing this love?
Day 2: Walking in the Spirit's Freedom
Walking by the Spirit involves more than just following a set of rules; it is about living in the freedom and power that the Spirit provides. This journey requires us to be led by the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and align our lives with His work. It is a call to live beyond the constraints of the law and embrace the transformative power of the Spirit in our daily lives. By doing so, we experience true freedom and the ability to live out our faith authentically. [06:07]
Galatians 5:16-18 (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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel bound by rules or expectations? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to lead you into greater freedom today?
Day 3: Aligning with Christ, Not Human Leaders
Jealousy, strife, and division often arise when we align ourselves with human leaders rather than with Christ. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul reminds us that all things are ours in Christ, and we are heirs of the universe. This understanding should free us from the need to boast in human leaders and instead boast in the Lord. By aligning ourselves with Christ, we find unity and purpose, avoiding the pitfalls of division and rivalry. [14:56]
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 (ESV): "So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are placing more trust in human leaders than in Christ? How can you shift your focus to align more closely with Him?
Day 4: Sowing to the Spirit
Sowing to the Spirit means investing our lives, actions, and attention in the things of the Spirit, trusting that God will bring growth and fruitfulness. The Spirit is at work, plowing the furrows of our lives, and we are invited to join Him in this work. This involves planting seeds of love, joy, peace, and patience, rather than seeds of division and strife. By doing so, we participate in the Spirit's transformative work in our lives and the lives of others. [09:14]
Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV): "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
Reflection: What seeds are you currently sowing in your life? How can you intentionally sow seeds of the Spirit today?
Day 5: The True Nature of Our Work
The day of judgment will reveal the true nature of our work, whether it is gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and stubble. This calls for humility and reliance on God, recognizing that He is the decisive cause of any good in our lives and ministries. It is a reminder to build our lives on the foundation of Christ, ensuring that our work is aligned with His purposes and will stand the test of time. [21:00]
1 Corinthians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward."
Reflection: What aspects of your life and work are built on the foundation of Christ? How can you ensure that your efforts are aligned with His eternal purposes?
Sermon Summary
In today's reflection, we explored the profound depth of the new commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us. This commandment is not merely about imitation but about connection. It is about being grafted into the vine, which is Christ, and allowing His love to flow through us. This love is not a mere human effort but a fruit of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5. We are called to walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit. This spiritual journey is not about adhering to the law but about living in the freedom and power of the Spirit.
We also delved into the issues of jealousy, strife, and division within the church, as addressed in 1 Corinthians 3. These issues arise when we align ourselves with human leaders rather than with Christ. Paul reminds us that all things are ours in Christ, and we are heirs of the universe. This understanding should free us from the need to boast in human leaders and instead boast in the Lord. The call is to sow to the Spirit, which means investing our lives, actions, and attention in the things of the Spirit, trusting that God will bring growth and fruitfulness.
The metaphor of sowing to the Spirit challenges us to consider what we are planting in our lives. Are we sowing seeds of love, joy, peace, and patience, or are we sowing seeds of division and strife? The Spirit is at work, plowing the furrows of our lives, and we are invited to join Him in this work. Ultimately, the day of judgment will reveal the true nature of our work, whether it is gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and stubble. This calls for humility and reliance on God, recognizing that He is the decisive cause of any good in our lives and ministries.
Key Takeaways
1. The new commandment to love as Christ loved is about connection, not just imitation. We are grafted into the vine, Christ, and His love flows through us as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. This love is not a human effort but a divine work within us. [01:56]
2. Walking by the Spirit involves being led, bearing fruit, living, and keeping in step with the Spirit. This spiritual journey is about freedom and power, not adherence to the law. It is about aligning our lives with the Spirit's work. [06:07]
3. Jealousy, strife, and division arise when we align with human leaders rather than Christ. We are heirs of the universe in Christ, and this understanding should free us from boasting in men and instead boast in the Lord. [14:56]
4. Sowing to the Spirit means investing our lives in the things of the Spirit, trusting God to bring growth and fruitfulness. The Spirit plows the furrows of our lives, and we are invited to join Him in this work. [09:14]
5. The day of judgment will reveal the true nature of our work. This calls for humility and reliance on God, recognizing that He is the decisive cause of any good in our lives and ministries. [21:00] ** [21:00]
What does it mean to "walk by the Spirit" according to Galatians 5:16-25, and how is this concept expanded upon in the sermon? [02:35]
In 1 Corinthians 3, what issues does Paul address regarding jealousy and division within the church? How does this relate to aligning with human leaders? [04:19]
How does the metaphor of the vine and branches in John 15:1-5 illustrate the concept of connection rather than mere imitation in the context of the new commandment to love? [01:56]
What are the contrasting outcomes of sowing to the flesh versus sowing to the Spirit as described in Galatians 6:7-8? [07:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the sermon explain the difference between imitating Christ's love and being connected to Him as the vine? What implications does this have for how we love others? [01:56]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that jealousy and strife can manifest in a church setting, and how can aligning with Christ rather than human leaders help mitigate these issues? [04:19]
The sermon discusses the metaphor of sowing to the Spirit. What practical steps might this involve in a believer's life, and how does this relate to the concept of spiritual growth and fruitfulness? [09:14]
How does the sermon interpret the day of judgment in relation to the quality of our work and reliance on God? What does this mean for our daily lives and ministries? [21:00]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on your current spiritual journey. Are there areas where you are trying to imitate Christ without truly being connected to Him? How can you deepen your connection to the vine this week? [01:56]
Consider a situation in your church or community where jealousy or division has arisen. How can you contribute to resolving these issues by aligning more closely with Christ rather than human leaders? [04:19]
Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that you feel called to cultivate more intentionally. What specific actions can you take this week to sow seeds in that area? [05:39]
Think about a recent decision or action in your life. How can you ensure that your choices are led by the Spirit rather than the desires of the flesh? What steps can you take to align more closely with the Spirit's guidance? [06:07]
Reflect on the metaphor of sowing to the Spirit. What are some practical ways you can invest your time, energy, and resources in spiritual growth and fruitfulness? [09:14]
How does the understanding that all things are ours in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-23) change your perspective on personal needs and desires? How can this perspective free you from boasting in human leaders? [28:07]
Consider the day of judgment and the quality of your work. What changes can you make in your life and ministry to ensure that your efforts are aligned with God's purposes and will stand the test of time? [21:00]
Sermon Clips
I argued that from the text in 1 John 2:9 where he says it's new because the light is already shining in the world, and therefore the idea is that the kingdom has come and the glory has come and God is at work in the world and you now are part of that newness of God's sweep in the world. [00:01:19]
Love by the power that flows through the connection with divine, let's call him this time the Holy Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit the desires of the spirit are against the flesh for these are opposed to each other. [00:02:53]
Where I'm going in this devotion is through Galatians 5 and establishing this connectedness that we have with Jesus and with the spirit so that all of our loving is not ours but his through us. Where I'm going with that is over to First Corinthians 3 where the issue is envy and strife and jealousy based on choosing favorite leaders. [00:04:00]
The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against such things there is no law and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit. [00:05:32]
Do not be deceived God is Not mocked for whatever one sows that will he reap for the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from his flesh but the one who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life. So what is sow to the spirit like you got a bag of seeds what's that what are the seeds? [00:07:28]
My best shot is to say that the Holy Spirit has attitudes and behaviors that he means for us to be alive in and be fruitful in and he plows that Furrow and we should throw the seeds in there we shouldn't throw them over there we should throw our the seeds of our life the seeds of our attention. [00:09:19]
I Brothers could not address you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh as infants in Christ why what's the problem I fed you with milk not solid food for you were not yet ready for it and even now you're not ready for you're all still of the flesh for while there is jealousy and strife among you. [00:13:40]
What then is Apollos what is Paul servants through whom you believed as the Lord assigned to each so what's the argument there you're boasting you're lining up behind slaves that's the word servants and if you have been one to Christ through them or received any blessing through them it is because the Lord sovereignly chose. [00:15:49]
According to the grace of God given to me like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it so I looked at the candidate at this point and I said I've built here and you will build you you build well okay however that's not the main point here I laid a foundation. [00:18:31]
Each one's work will become manifest for the day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done if the work that one has built on the foundation survives he'll receive a reward if anyone's work is burned up he's talking about how you build on the foundation. [00:19:26]
So let no one boast in men so he's still there he's still handling Paul cus APS this is the issue in the first three chapters of Corinth divisions um Circ iring around teachers that are threatening through jealousy and envy and strife to destroy the church and now he's given his final argument why you shouldn't boast in men. [00:27:44]
Most of our grumbling most of our complaining most of our jealousies envies and strife are owing to the fact that we don't believe what we have we don't believe how rich we are how stunning it is to be saved what it means to be a child of the Living God not an employee not a slave but an heir. [00:30:02]