This week we hear from Cameron Johnson (Director of Student Ministry at Redeemer Church in Bellevue and Bible teacher at Summit Classical Christian School) as we come back to our Fruit of the Spirit sermon series. Cameron talks about faithfulness and how the difference between living faithfully or not is often a matter of the competing desires of our flesh.
KEY POINTS:
- Despite our own unfaithfulness, God is faithful and He is the only one who is and always will be completely faithful
- Paul is fighting for the hearts of the young believers in Galatians, and us, to walk in the freedom that Christ provides
- Those who are in Christ live by the Spirit, which produces faithful people
- We have the ability to please God, but apart from Christ we cannot please God
- What is faithfulness? What does it look like?
- Faithfulness is in our fidelity towards one another (Luther’s definition), expressed as loyalty and dependability in relationship
- Why would we be tempted to not be faithful?
- We face competing, or opposing, desires: the desires of our flesh vs. the desires of the Spirit
- In Galatians 5:19, we see the evident and obvious works of the flesh. We all have, do, and will participate in these works of the flesh until Jesus comes back and makes all things right. And according to this list, we are guilty. But we are free from this list because we no longer live under the law but under grace.
- What will it take to be faithful?
- Walk by the Spirit, who primarily works through God’s ordinary means of grace (His Word, prayer, the Church). This is a moment-by-moment, step-by-step endeavor.
- There are two things that God sees in us when He looks at us:
- that we are in process (the process of sanctification, being made into the image of Christ)
- the finished product, a fully faithful individual for those who belong to Christ Jesus
COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION:
- What are your big takeaways about the virtue of faithfulness and its impact in our everyday lives?
- Cameron talked about faithfulness in the small things. If we only consider faithfulness in the big moments of life, we will not be faithful people. We have to be conscientious of faithfulness in each moment. What are some ways you can be formed in faithfulness in the small things (like eye contact, giving someone your undivided attention, calling someone to see how they are doing…)?
- How can you practice dependence on the Spirit? Remember: by living this out, you are not participating in the works of the flesh. However, doing these things do not make you right with God outside of Christ Jesus.