Fruit of the Spirit

Pastor Bill Bush · Aug 17, 2020

The nine attributes listed in Galatians 5 as the fruit of the Spirit are not a to-do list to chase but a single, organic fruit produced entirely by the Holy Spirit. They function as a diagnostic test: when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are absent, the problem is a broken connection to Christ, not a lack of moral effort. Jesus, the true vine in John 15, makes clear that fruitfulness flows inevitably — though gradually — from remaining connected to Him, which means the believer's primary pursuit must always be connection, not performance.

Pastor Mark Collins · Mar 25, 2019

Drawing from John 15, this sermon traces Jesus' vine-and-branches illustration to show that genuine spiritual growth requires more than believing in Jesus — it requires abiding in Him. Abiding means offering ourselves to God, welcoming His pruning Word, and aligning our prayers with His purposes rather than our own desires. That intimate friendship with Jesus produces the fruit of the Spirit and a God-given boldness, but it also makes believers targets of the same hatred the world directed at Christ — a reality confirmed across every generation of Christian history.