Week 39 God's Fruitful Purpose
“Most Christians do not have fellowship with God; they have fellowship with each other about God.”
Paris Reidhead
Today’s Passage
19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:19–26 (NASB95)
Background
Quotes are summarized from Wikipedia. Passage summaries are from Biblehub.com by Jay Smith, with permission. Scripture comes from LOGOS software under license.
Quote-Paris Reidhead (May 30, 1919 - March 23, 1992) was a Christian missionary, teacher, writer, and advocate of economic development in impoverished nations. Reidhead was born in a Minnesota farming community in 1919. When in his late teens, he committed himself to a life of Christian service.
In 1945, Reidhead took an assignment with the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM), surveying and analyzing indigenous languages in preparation for evangelistic and educational efforts near the Sudan-Ethiopia border. His proficiency in tribal languages was noted by his contemporaries.
A spiritual crisis during this period - as he described two decades later in what is probably his best-known recorded teaching, “Ten Shekels and a Shirt” left Reidhead with the conviction that much of evangelicalism had adopted utilitarian and humanistic philosophies contradictory to Biblical teaching. The end of all being, he came to believe, was not the happiness of man, but the glorification of God. This theme would recur throughout his later teaching.
Passage-The book of Galatians is a Pauline Epistle (letter from Paul). It was written by the Apostle Paul about 49 A.D. prior to the Jerusalem Council which had taken place in 50 A.D. This quite possibly could have been Paul’s first letter. The key personalities of this book are the Apostle Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Abraham, Titus, and false teachers. Paul writes this book to deal with the problem of circumcision and Jewish legalism toward Gentile believers.
Opening Statement
This week’s quote feels harsh, but perhaps not in light of the definition of the word “fellowship”. What does it mean? Relationship, friendship, companionship? It is a give and take rather than a passing understanding or only a one way interaction.
Ask: What is “God’s Fruitful Purpose”? What is God’s purpose that we are supposed to be fruitful in?
Point: The unspoken follow up question is, Does God actually have a purpose for His children? Yes, I believe He does. Please read the following:
26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:26–28 (NASB95)
Ask: God does have a purpose then. Is it important that you and I know what that purpose actually is?
Point: I contend it is not necessary for us to understand what God’s purpose is. Only that He has one.
Ask: How do we know if we are doing the right things if we don’t know what God’s purpose is?
Point: We don’t need to know what the destination is. We just need to know we are on the right path to the right destination. Please read the following:
14Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:14–15 (NASB95)
Ask: What does that previous passage have to do with knowing if we are on God’s path to His purpose?
Point: If we are walking in the truth, we are walking God’s path and the Bible tells us what the truth is. Please read the following:
15“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.
16“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
John 17:15–17 (NASB95)
Ask: If the truth is God’s path leading us to His purpose, that we don’t know, how do we know we are successfully walking that way?
Point: The answer is in Today’s Passage. Please re-read Verses 24-26 from Today’s Passage:
24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:24–26 (NASB95)
Ask: Verse 25 is the key, but what is “the Spirit” listed there twice?
Point: The Holy Spirit, but also Jesus, and God. Please read the following:
7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Romans 8:7–9 (NASB95)
Ask: What does it mean to “live by the Spirit”?
Point: It means to live by prayer asking the God to guide us through His Holy Spirit to understand how to follow Jesus’ example better. Please read the following:
22Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
24“He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
25“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.
26“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 14:22–26 (NASB95)
Ask: The Holy Spirit is going to lead us and teach us through the Word of Truth that is God’s Word in the Bible, so how do we “walk by the Spirit” as verse 25 tells us?
Point: By following, being obedient to, and pursuing the things the Spirit reveals as following Jesus. Please read the following:
18“As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19“For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 17:18–21 (NASB95)
Ask: Is the answer to the opening question contained in the passage above?
Point: Yes, in verse 21. Please re-read verse 21 from the above passage.
Ask: Is there another way to say what Jesus commands in verse 21, ‘…so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”?
Point: Yes. Please read the following:
1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,
2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
2 Corinthians 4:1–7 (NASB95)
Closing Statement
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels” is an excellent analogy for placing the Good News of Christ Jesus in simple, ordinary human beings. We are fragile people, prone to breaking, prone to having flaws. Sharp blows from outside us can break or shatter us spilling the contents, but that’s also a good analogy concerning the Gospel. Those things that shatter and smash us, that reveal our weaknesses can become powerful messages that transport the hope of Jesus to other “earthen vessels” like us. Those other vessels, empty and alone, are looking to be filled or maybe avoid being shattered like we were. Filling them with hope is a great way to strengthen the inner walls and help resist the assaults of the world as they too try to draw strength from a Risen Lord just like we do.
Tasks for the Week
Task 1 Reflect on your life and where you make time for God to guide you.
Task 2 Spend time in prayer this week. During this specific prayer time do nothing more than asking God to walk with you and guide you.
Task 3 Write as much or as little as you are led to write in your journal about how much or how little “fellowship” you have with God in your life.
Definitions
All definitions come from Dictionary.com
All Greek entries are from James Strong as listed in the LOGOS software attributed as WORDSearch 2020
Fellowship
[fel-oh-ship]
noun
1. The condition or relation of being a companion or peer.
We all belong to the fellowship of humankind.
2. Friendly relationship; companionship.
the fellowship of father and son.
Synonyms: intimacy, society, friendship, camaraderie, comradeship
3. Community of interest, feeling, etc.
4. Communion, as between members of the same church.
5. Friendliness.
6. An association of persons having similar tastes, interests, etc.
7. A company, guild, or corporation.
8. Education.
1. The body of fellows in a college or university.
2. The position or emoluments of a fellow of a college or university, or the sum of money they receive.
3. A foundation for the maintenance of a fellow in a college or university.