Paul wrote “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The story of Namaan in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings can help us understand what this means.
Jesus taught by his words and actions that giving to the poor and needy was of top importance. Yet, when Mary poured a whole jar of super-expensive perfume on his feet in a most unseemly display of outlandish love and gratitude, and Judas objected on the grounds that the money could have been given to the poor, Jesus defended her. How are we to understand this seeming contradiction?
God made a promise to Abraham, then to his son Isaac. Then, when Isaac’s son Jacob was running for his life after cheating his brother out of his birthright, God made the same promise to him. What can we learn from Jacob about God’s promise to us, and about what should be our response?
“Giving as Good as You Get”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons
The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and it grow in us through the presence and working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is not a collection of fruits, but rather part of one larger fruit, like the segments of an orange rather than a bunch of grapes. Pastor Ryan gives a deep dive into these segments in this series from the winter of 2025.
“Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Self Control is the last part of the fruit of the spirit, and the only one that is not part of God’s character. God does not need self control because He is not tempted to do things he shouldn’t. Still, self control grows in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
“Being Fruitful: Self Control”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons
God is gentle as our good shepherd. Jesus too. Pastor Ryan gives examples of both and talks about how we can show this trait in our interactions with others.
“Being Fruitful: Gentleness” by Pastor Ryan Emmons
God is good. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell us this. Goodness is often associated with kindness (last week’s fruit), the ultimate example being Jesus becoming human and enduring humanity’s evil in order to re-unite us with God. But goodness is larger than kindness. God is completely holy and righteous, with no trace of evil, in all he does and says. The cross symbolizes how God can take something intended for evil and turn it into a source of blessing, something that we also see in the story of Joseph. This is very good! God gives us his Holy Spirit so that we can also be good and do good, as the Spirit leads and works in us.
Sorry, but there is no recording of this sermon. You can read the sermon in Pastor Ryan’s sermon notes (not a transcript).
Argyle Road Baptist Church 