We are in week seven of our series Firm Foundation. We're talking about how to find faith and freedom in a deconstructed world where it seems like a culture that is preaching no standards and no absolutes. And so where do you find truth? What is truth? What can you count on? We are looking at a letter that was written 2000 years ago by a guy named Paul who used to persecute Christians gets saved and now is preaching the gospel preaching Jesus, planting churches and writes this letter to a group of house churches in and around the area of Galatia and the people who receive this or people who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. But other people came in and they were trying to add additional rules and regulations to their faith. And so when we've been walking through this letter, there's six chapters in the book or in the letter, we saw that chapters, one and two tell us that the gospel is personal, that the gospel is personal. And we see how the gospel moves in such a, in such a really powerful way. And Paul shares his story and then in chapters three and four, we see that not only is the gospel personal but also the Gospel is powerful that the grace of God is what sets people free is that it's not the works of man, but it's through faith, through God's power, through God's promises that we are saved. And then in chapters five and six, as we are finishing the letter, we see how the Gospel is practical. And last week, we shared in the beginning of chapter five that it is for freedom. Christ has set us free. So freedom is both the verb and the noun. It's what Jesus did. When he died on the cross, he purchased our freedom. But it's also the object or the reason he purchased our freedom. So he he died to set us free so that we could have and enjoy and experience the freedom of the gospel. These today's message actually is the follow up to that. And so if you've not listened to or watched that, I invite you to go back either pod youtube website, wherever you watch and engage with the messages to go back and watch that because they really build off of each other. And so last week, we shared that our freedoms found in Christ is that we are free to live and then we are free to love and that these freedoms give a natural human response. But yeah, John, that's hard. That's difficult. I I wanna follow God but I I still sin. I fall short. I, I wanna do these things. But then I also make all these mistakes. So how am I supposed to live in freedom? That's where today comes in. And so last week, we, we learn of the freedoms that we receive as Children of God. And then today is how do we live in that freedom? How do we respond to the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives? And so if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down that we are called as Christians to cultivate your calling. Not a counterfeit, cultivate your calling. Not a counterfeit speaker, Michael Todd recently put it this way. And so I'm gonna borrow it from him, but I'll give him credit for it. He said, you know what's interesting about counterfeits in whatever industry you might encounter a counterfeit is that a counterfeit produces the same visual, but it cannot provide the same value. So counterfeit looks the same on the outside because it produces a visual. Think Versace, think Oakley Glasses, think Rolex, watch whatever you, whatever you want to picture, it looks the same from a distance, but it cannot provide the same value because it doesn't give you the authentic thing that you're looking for. So today we're gonna see a series of two lists and one list is really the list that the world offers that at the end of the day produces a counterfeit, it might provide a visual on the outside of something that you want, but it does not provide you what you truly need. And then he's gonna follow it up with another list that reaches the, the core craving of the human soul that only God can provide and give life. And so we're gonna see these two contrasted and compared you the counterfeit of the world and then you calling as a Christian and he uses some different words. But you're gonna hear me say this. If you've been around the church for any length of time, is that as Christians, we are called to be spirit led and spirit filled. If you've ever heard me say those phrases before it comes directly from the passage we're gonna study today to be spirit led and spirit filled. Now to go a step further, you're gonna see these two lists, you're gonna see some words used. And so one of the words to describe a sinful heart is the word flesh. Now, I don't know about you, but I do not use that word often. That seems kind of creepy and weird, right? And so I don't want you to be thrown off. If you're not familiar with church, we're reading through and you're just hearing the word flesh. The only thing I can think of when it comes to flesh is it's just a mere flesh wound. But if you get that reference to Monty Python and the holy grail, we can be friends. But this idea is, is kind of weird. But really, what he's talking about is that he's talking about the desires of the heart and specifically a sinful heart that when you're craving something or going after something that as a human, we are selfish at our core. And so the works of the flesh really lead to a sinful heart and the fulfillment of these sinful desires leads to really empty places and, and, and it leads to a counterfeit, but the opposite of that is actually the fruit of the spirit. And so this is a spirit filled heart, the things of God, this is what your soul actually needs. And what's interesting here is that Paul does not say the fruit of the spirit and then the weeds of the flesh, it actually says the works of the flesh because we commit these works. These are the things we do. But at the same time, you cannot force fruit. You can only cultivate it, to cultivate means to prepare for growth, to prepare you think of it for farming, you think of it for a garden. In a sense. I want you to picture this morning a garden for your soul that you are taking care of preparing the conditions so that God can work through your life. If you have had a garden in your life or, or you grow plants that you really don't actually do the growth. What you do is you prepare the soil, you angle it correctly for the sunlight you water, you put in nutrients and minerals that you protect it from animals. Uh Now is the time of year or really from October to Christmas where we see more animals like Javelina. Like I remember uh we were visited last year by some Javelinas who enjoyed the pumpkins um in front of our house there in the fall season. And so sometimes some of us have animals or things that are going to come after your plants or you have squirrels or different animals that might try to come after if you're trying to plant a garden. And so there are things that happen, but even if you do all those things correctly, you are not actually the one growing the plant that God still grows. That. And so what we're talking about today is cultivating the conditions of your heart so that God can transform your life to produce the fruit. And so there's the fruit of the spirit and then there is the works of the flesh and we're gonna see these things compared and contrasted. And you're gonna see that the works of the flesh really is a counterfeit. And while the fear of the spirit really answers our longing and our calling, let's just jump into word the word together Galatians five starting in verse 16. This is what I describe as the battle Paul writes. 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 that you want to do. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law picture. If you will walking down a street and on either side of the street, you have a sidewalk and on one sidewalk, you have the w the really the fruit of the spirit and on the other sidewalk, you have the desires or works of the flesh. Now, you cannot as one person be on both sidewalks at the same time. But what you can do and what we do as Christians and as humans is that we run back and forth, don't we? Look, let's just be real. Some of you already sinned this morning, right? Some of you were sinning all the way to church, right? You got in that argument and we're like, we'll pick this up after church. You come in. How are you doing? Great. How are you? Right? You go home and you're fighting, you're thinking you're saying something or maybe you're not doing what you're supposed to do or you're doing something you're not supposed to do and whether it's a thought it's an attitude, it's an action. Sins of co commission, sins of omission. Let's just be real, let's just be open. We're all kind of messed up. So what happens as believers is that we come over here and we sing Jesus you alone. But then our, our sin kicks in. Right? And we sprint over here and then we do what we want. Then we go to the Bible study. We're like, oh no, God, it's you. OK, love you God. OK. Then we run back here. OK? If you keep going back and forth, back and forth, what happens? You get tired. How many people have come to church today? Tired, right? Paul's offering here a better way. Now he lists the battles that the spirit is opposed to the flesh. The spirit is opposed to the sinful heart that because the spirit really cultivates and, and works and, and, and really provides for the needs of your calling. Whereas the world and the desires and the sinful cravings of your heart lead to a counterfeit and he, he doesn't leave it ambiguous here. He doesn't leave it vague. He actually is gonna give a list of the things of the world. Now, before I read this list, I wanted just clarify something here that as a pastor, as a friend that I read this because I love you. I've seen too many pastors or church people used lists like these as a weapon to judge and hurt other people. See this list s going to hell like that's, that's not, that's not, that's not Paul. Paul's purpose here. I don't want you to hear this list for somebody else right now. All right, we're gonna talk a, we're gonna focus on your tree and your fruit, not somebody else's tree. OK. So, for this morning's discussion, let's just keep your eyes on your own paper for a minute. Does that make sense? Right. Don't we do that though? Right. We read less like, oh, they need to hear this, right? And look, if you disagree with what I'm about to say and what we're about to read together, I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you. And let's have a conversation. OK? If you get mad at what we say here in just a few moments, will you just have a conversation with me? I wanna have a conversation with you on it. And so wherever you stand on the spiritual realm or spectrum, I want you to know that there is space for you at the table and that you are loved and God loves you and let's have a conversation, but it's because I love you that we want to preach what God's word says and this is what I believe and what we believe as Christians provides flourishing and thriving in life. OK. Let's jump into it now that I've been nice. Let's, let's jump into it. We'll see if you're as nice afterwards. OK? Now the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality. Ok. It's just jumping right into it. He has different words here. One of the words even in the context actually is porn where we get pornography. And what he's saying here in these different combinations of things is what scripture teaches continually. Is there any sexual activity side of the context between one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage is sin? That's how God designed life. That's how God created us in the garden. And that, that marriage is really best resembled between mutual submission, between one another out of reverence and submission to God. And that relationship between one man and one woman represents or symbolizes Christ's love for the church and vice versa. And there's a lot of things that fit into this category and we love as, as people to rationalize this. Again, this is not a judgment thing. This is just a reality thing that we like to ask questions. Well, like, where's the line? How far is too far? Uh I'm just gonna tell you if that's your starting point of the question. And I get it and I've been there in a relationship. If that's your starting point, you're kind of already uh lost there. And the reason is the reason people ask the question, how far is too far? Yes, is a question of curiosity. But the point is I wanna go right up to the edge and be I'm good. You know, I don't want to fall into the canyon, but I wanna look down at, you know what I mean? You know, a question I've never gotten in counseling r couples. How much honor is too much, how much service is too much service? You know, how much respect is? Too much respect? Is there too much respect? If there's too much respect, I want to get up to the line. Right. No, the question should be OK. How can I honor God with all that? I am mind, body, soul. And how can I honor the other person? Because sexual craving and, and actions and things at its core is selfish, right? It's reality. We wanna be real. This is like it's God has created you in a way which you want something. But there's context for that. There is calling and there's counterfeit. And so we live in a culture that celebrates everything, do whatever you want as much as you want however you want. And no one can tell you otherwise. But even that statement, no one can tell you otherwise. Where is that coming from? That's an absolute statement. Do you understand that? No one can tell you what to do except for me who just said no one so no standard mattered except for my standard which I just arbitrarily set because I wanted to and don't worry because it'll probably change the next day, right? It's like throwing a dart at a blank board and then drawing the bull's eye afterwards. We win, right. Be great in golf, wouldn't it? You hit the ball and where the ball is and you like, dig a hole around it. Oh, hold on one. Right. That's our, that's what our society does. But what our society teaches is a counterfeit, the way that God designed life, the way that God created life, it find fulfillment. So it's not negating God's not even saying it's bad. What God is saying is that it, what's great and what is good? And what is right is in the context, how I made it and it's for you and it's for flourishing, it's for life. But he continues on. He says o other actions is idolatry. Idolatry is when you put anything in the Gods spot. Imagine if God had a parking space, ok? In your heart, if you park anything else in God's parking space, that's idolatry. Even a good thing. Like your spouse, your kids, your job, your money, it has a, it has a place for all those things. But if you park that in God's spot that becomes idolatry, even church and ministry can become an idol when you expect from Him to do something that only God can do for you. Because if you expect that person, that kid, that job, that place, that money, that whatever to give you, what only God can give you. I'm sorry to break this to you. You will be disappointed. You will, you know, so sorcery, I mean, that actually goes on people that's there is spiritual warfare and battles and demonic forces and things going on. That is a legitimate thing going on in our world today. If we pay attention to it, enmity, strife, jealousy fits of anger rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these and orgies really is beyond just a sexual activity. Could be drug, could be drink. It's really any activity where a group of people gather together for the purpose of sin. And he throws it in things like these in case your, your sin is, I didn't mention your sin on the list. It's also in there says I warn you as I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now you have to read this in context that just right before this, he said it is for CRE uh for freedom. Christ died to set you free. And so when he says this, it's not a question of assurance because all throughout the letter, he's like, look, I'm the worst of sinners. I am the worst. Instead of someone saying he is the worst. Paul is like I am the worst. So I'm not saying if you have sin or, or you struggle with sin that you're not going to heaven. What he's saying is these things do not represent spiritual reality. These things do not represent what God designed you for. And so what he's saying here is that in a way that sinful passions lead to empty places that when you embrace the counterfeit, when you embrace this pursuit of money, it's not that working hard is, is sin. But when you think that through hard work and through an amount of money or through a title or a position that your identity comes from, that's not gonna work, you know, post COVID. What we're seeing now is around the valley. We're seeing some massive commercial buildings that are just sitting empty. I feel like that represents in some people's lives, their heart, this massive building they built and then they realize there's actually nothing on the inside because it won't satisfy if you have taken a drink or taken a drug or, or had something or, or looked at something you weren't supposed to or, or walking down something there or been jealous of somebody else's lifestyle or going through that you've walked through. I guarantee you that while there is a temporary satisfaction of a craving, you were amped up, feeling more empty than you did before because it cannot, a counterfeit, cannot provide the value that you're actually looking for. It can only give you the visual. So the question is, if you're balance something right now, I want you to think again, you're keep an eye on your own paper today. Is this, what's the thing beneath the thing? We often try to address the behavior. But what is the thing beneath the thing? What is the need that you're trying to meet through counterfeit measures? Because until you address that you might be able to have some behavior modification. Yes. Do what you need to do to help, right. Put some boundary uh guard rails in place and guidelines in place. But until you address that you might just replace one thing with another activity and another activity, you gotta go to the heart and say, ok, what, what was I actually looking for there? Right? For some people, their life feels out of control. And so it might be a specific, silent, quiet thing that you're like, oh, I am gonna have control here, right? I don't feel like I'm enough. Well, this person over here is D ming me and, and telling me that I am feels good, everything feels off here. Well, I feel great here. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna drink that. I'm gonna take that. I'm gonna do that and we do these things in private and then we come to church and we're like, oh, I'm great. And so the question as a church, collectively, we have to ask ourselves, are we willing to be humble and honest? We don't like we need to get better church. We need to get better at words like authenticity and vulnerability. The church should be the one place where we're OK to say I'm not OK. Why is it that the church, we tend to beat each other up. Like someone finally steps forward and is honest, it's like I'm hurting and we take that lesson, we go, ah, get them an attack. Right. So, this, this other truth drives me crazy is that, I don't understand really prideful pastors. I get it as humans. We, we long to be proud for stuff, but it really seems like an oxymoron there, doesn't it? But how many religious people have you interacted with in your life where it's like the more they know the Bible, the more arrogant they become, I'm like, that's you don't, not the purpose of the Bible, you know, and, and the more you interact with the grace of God, the more you're able to bestow that on yourself and on others and see that's what Paul is saying here. He's not trying to use this as a weapon. Oh, y'all are going to hell like he's going through. He's like, no, we're, we're all messed up when left to our human desires in our own ways, whether rebellion or religion, it ends in a place of emptiness. It ends in a place of counterfeit and it ends in a place of longing because we cannot overcome our sinful nature by ourselves. But he doesn't leave you. There, he goes, well, we're all doomed. Good luck. Everybody. Now he offers a solution. See you guys, it's not about religion. It's not about this checklist. It's not about these rules, defining yourself by keeping the rules or defining yourself by breaking the rules. It's not about that. I've tried both the good and the bad and the flesh and let me tell you it leads to the wrong place. He then in turn offers a solution. The spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the, the third part of the Trinity God, the Father Jesus, his son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who is the substitute presence of Jesus in the life of every single believer that when you trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, the spirit comes to dwell inside of you that now can provide the fruit and the growth. And I want you to compare these two lists, one had like 16 to 18 different things. And then even at the end said and things like it. But now I want you to notice the difference in tone and feel and emotion in this list verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control against such things. There is no law. You know how I know this is a better list because nobody and I mean nobody as a child growing up. He goes man. I really hope my life is defined by fits of rage. You know, I really hope I'm struggling with some immorality and idolatry and envy and jealousy. I really hope to be super jealous one day. No no one wakes up that way. But even just reading the words of the fruit of the spirit like, oh, that's what I'm wanting. That's what I'm craving. That's what I need. And that can only come from God. Jesus himself says this in John 15. He says that if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. And my father is glorified that you bear much fruit. And so prove to be my disciples said, if you are connected to me, I will produce the fruit through your life, that the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit in your life. That Christianity is not about trying. It is about trusting, it is not about guilt. It is about grace that our identity is a child of God. Yes, sin is an activity, but our identity is secure and God. And so therefore transformation happens when you live from the identity and not for the identity that Jesus, when he died on the cross, we're gonna see this in just a moment. But when he died on the cross, he took care of the penalty of sin. So that now that we have the Holy Spirit in our lives, it takes care of the power of sin. That one day when Jesus returns, he's gonna eventually deal with the very presence of sin. You see that. So when he died on the cross, he took care of the penal for all of sin to fall short of the glory of God. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. So the penalty is no more for those that put their trust in Him. That when you have the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit in your life, that then you receive and have power over sin. So the penalty is removed, the power is removed and one day in heaven, the presence of sin itself will no longer be. So in the meantime, we can see that fruit is visible. Jesus says this in Matthew seven, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves that you will recognize them by their fruits are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit for every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire and thus you will recognize them by their fruits. You get what you plant? That's what he's saying. So what are the conditions? What are you cultivating in your life? Are you cultivating the calling? Are you cultivating the counterfeit? Pastor Tim Keller describes the change found in Galatians five in this way. He says there are four aspects of spiritual growth and if you don't catch all these again, you can download the sermon notes there at Mission grove.info today. But the four components of spiritual growth is number one is that spiritual growth is gradual. It is not immediate. How many of you wish that you saw for a little bit faster in your life or more specifically, how many of you wish that you sell the fruit a little bit faster in your kid's life or your spouse life or your friend's life. It's gradual. It doesn't happen overnight. Some people have this miraculous transformation story and it's awesome. And I love those stories. But I think for most of us, this change process is gradual, isn't it? We still struggle. Can we be open and honest to admit it? Second one is spiritual growth is inevitable. It's inevitable. It will come what God began, he will bring to completion. So if you have somebody, a spouse, a friend, a kid, a coworker or even yourself that you are praying for. Understand this, that what God began, God will finish and we can take courage in that. We have a tree in our backyard that I just learned this year was a lemon tree. I say I learned this year because the tree's been in our yard for eight years and just now started producing lemons. Cool. I didn't know some people have had relationships and you're like, OK, when is this gonna start producing God don't give up hope God's moving. Ok. Third thing we see about spiritual growth is that spiritual growth starts internally. It's internal, you produce fruit of what you are. And so the key is being connected to Jesus, right? If I have a cup of coffee and I spill that cup of coffee, what comes out is not water, what comes out is not soda is not juice, it's whatever's in my cup. So whatever is in your life, whatever is being changed internally will eventually come out. So is it the calling or is it your counterfeit? And then the last one here is that spiritual growth is symmetrical. And what I mean by that is that it grows at the same time. He actually doesn't say the fruits of the spirit. He calls it the fruit of the spirit. So this one fruit has nine components and actually it was just a recent deep dive. I took on the fruit of the spirit that actually saw that when Paul gives this list of nine qualities, he actually gives categories to them. I didn't, I didn't catch that before. Let, let me show it to you. So when it comes to the nine components of the singular fruit, meaning that we are growing and becoming Christ like. So the singular fruit is the picture of Jesus. You're becoming more like Him. There's three components. The first one, the first three deals with your relationship with God, love, joy, peace. God is love. Right? Joy to the world. Why is it joy to the world? Because Jesus is here. So Jesus is joy. I'm and then even in Ephesians, as Jesus Himself is our peace. So all these three components love joy, peace are God himself. They're not circumstance. That means that whatever you're walking through whatever Brokenness, betrayal, or battles you're facing, you can experience right now love joy and peace beyond understanding because it's available through the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus. The second thing we see here is dealing with our relationship with others. Patience, kindness, goodness. Notice when you pray for things, God doesn't just give you patience, give you goodness or give you kindness. He gives you a circumstance in which you need it. How do you grow in patience? Well, you walk through a situation that needs patience. How do you grow in goodness and kindness? You deal with people that are hard to be kind to. This is what it's like to grow in the spirit though that your life starts to reflect this. So patience, kindness, goodness. And then the last three actually deals in the relationship you have with yourself, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. It's interesting that self control is placed at the end because we need it. We we, we know we, you know, you don't even need the Bible to know, you know, you need self control, right? No one's ever said, oh, I'm struggling. I have too much self control. How right? How are you doing? How are you doing? Right? When you, when you look at this, we're gonna end with some scripture. But I wanna ask you this question here. Is that, how does your life look in the mirror of Galatians five? When you compare your life? Now, how much Bible you know? But how does your life look? Does your life reflect the list of counterfeit? Or does your life reflect the fruits of the spirit? And God will always work in your life and will always work with you and you will continue to work with you. So no one's perfect, but it will give you a mirror through which you can see your life and understand that He is working and to offer you hope in this as we wrap up, I want to encourage and finish this passage verse 24 to 25. He writes in there and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires that if we live by the spirit, what he's saying here is if Jesus really died on the cross for you and for me, then your sinful desires died with that meaning that sin no longer has a penalty over you and no longer has a power over you that rather you can claim and walk in and be led by the spirit of God to choose something better. So let us keep in spirit with Him if you, if you were to given a life of freedom, wouldn't you wanna walk in that life of freedom? That's what he's saying here, verse 26. So let us not be, become conceited, provoking one another. Envying one another. Like, don't just be jealous of another person's tree. Your chapter two might look different than someone else's chapter 20 but it's not about that, that you're on a journey, you're on this walk with God and he's working, you know, of all the commands of the Bible. You want to know the most common two, the most commonly two repeated ones. The most common command repeated is number one, fear not, don't be afraid. And the second most repeated command in scripture is remember why? Because as we remember what Jesus did on the cross, as we remember the beauty of the Gospel and we believe it, it overtakes the Brokenness of our world and our lives. And so at its core transformation is not about trying. It's about trusting, it's not about forcing in rules and rebellion. It's about receiving forgiveness, love and saying God, I believe in you change me. So that's what we're gonna do right now. We're gonna take communion as a church family where you pray with me, dear God as we remember what you did on the cross. Maybe we remember all that you are doing now that we need the Gospel just as much today as the day we pray to receive you. And God, if there's someone in here who doesn't know you, who's been trying to live their life for the things of this world and, and have found themselves empty. I pray that we can find meaning and purpose in committing our lives to you, to trusting you as Lord and Savior. God forgive our sins come into our lives. Holy spirit transform us because we wanna see the fruit of your spirit growing in our lives. Not because of what we've done, but because of what you've done and how you're working in us. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for loving us. And we remember all that you have done for us today. It's in your son's name. We pray. Amen.