INTRODUCTION

1. The ministry of the Messiah-Servant

a) Refreshing to study

b) Reflection needed

c) Revival of the heart and mind

2. One of the most outstanding features of the Messiah was His life

a) His character

b) His consistency

 

FLAWS IN THE HUMAN NATURE

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles Walk, in the futility of their mind,

18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God,

because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Ephesians 4:17-19

1. The futility of the mind

2. The darkened understanding

3. Alienation from the life of God

4. Ignorance

5. The blindness of the heart

6. Past feeling (caring)

7. Given to pursuing unclean things

 

THE CHARACTER OF THE MESSIAH-SERVANT AS A CONTRAST

2He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench;

He will bring forth justice for truth. Isaiah 42:2-3

1. The Messiah will not be given to crying out

2. He will not raise His voice in anger

3. He will not be loud

4. He will not break a bruised reed

5. He will not quench a smoking flax

6. He will bring forth justice for truth

 

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;

and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [d]adultery, [e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past,

that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21

1. The battle between the flesh and the Spirit

2. The works of the flesh are evident and they will hinder us badly

3. The works of the flesh must be resisted strongly

 

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26

1. The challenge is to bear the fruit of the Spirit

2. The flesh must be crucified

3. The way to a victorious Christian life is to walk in the Spirit

4. What it would take to succeed

a) Commitment

b) Consistency

 

CONCLUSION

1. The Example of the Lord Jesus Christ

a) Our Instruction

b) Our inspiration

2. The Encouragement we can find

a) In the promises of the Lord

b) In the power of God

c) In the person that we can become as we seek to walk with God