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And it's always been a real joy to be in this place. However, I want to tell you about a very wonderful welcome that I had recently when I arrived at Providence, Rhode Island. I went up to minister at Buttonwood's Gospel Chapel's annual conference at Warwick. I had been there two years before with Professor Tom Taylor, and, uh, was looking forward to a renewed visit with a friend there. I'd also been there about a year ago for a week's special meeting. I knew the man whose home I was staying, and as I emerged from the airport, sure enough, he was there to meet me.
There was a lady standing a little bit in front of him, and I thought, now this is not his wife, I'm sure of that, but she was smiling at me, and I thought, well, she obviously knows me, and I should know her. So I smiled back. She came rushing up to me and flung her arms around my neck, hugged me and kissed me, and said how glad she was that I'd come. I wished so much that I'd just been able to know her name at that point. Then suddenly she disappeared, and, uh, my host came up to me, and I said, oh, by the way, who was that lady that greeted me? He said, I've no idea at all. I've never seen her in my life before.
Now, of course, my wife wasn't with me, so I was in real trouble that day. Well, I confessed when I gave my first message at the conference that afternoon, one of the brethren in that assembly wrote a poem. I'm only sorry that I forgot to bring it with me, but he wrote a poem concerning this event. And in the closing meeting of the conference, I asked him to come up to the platform and read the poem which he had written. I assured the friends there that I wasn't used to that kind of welcome. Just quite like that. I said that I was quite sure that when I returned to Washington, D.C., that I would recognize the lady who would be greeting me, and there'd be no further problems because I knew my wife was going to be at the other end.
But as I said to the friends there, I found the air up in Rhode Island particularly embracing. Now, this morning we were looking at Galatians chapter five, and shall we return again to this portion of scripture? Galatians chapter five and reading at verse twenty two. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith or faithfulness, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law. No regulations have to be imposed, no restraint has to be enforced in respect to these Christian characteristics.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. May the Lord bless to us again this reading from his word. As I mentioned this morning, it is my purpose in bringing a message from this section of the book of Galatians to speak particularly of the fruit of the Spirit in relation to the person and work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have never approached this subject in this way before. I have normally brought a message in respect to the application of this teaching to the life of the believer.
But when I was meditating on this portion of scripture a little while ago, the Lord directed my thoughts to the fact that really we were looking at the life of Christ. That what we have in these nine characteristics or attributes really represents Christ-likeness. And if this is so, and I believe it to be so, then I felt it was right and proper that we should consider the life and work of Christ as we contemplate these nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit.
Now, this morning we dealt with love as we see it in the Lord Jesus Christ. We noted how he loved the people, and how that love was demonstrated in so many different ways. One way that I didn't mention this morning was when Peter had failed so greatly in denying his Lord. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and that was not a look, I told you so, I knew that you would fail. Remember the warning I gave you, Peter, that this was going to happen?
Oh no. It was a look of the utmost tenderness and infinite love. And that is what broke the heart of Simon Peter. Then joy, as we observed it in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, because his life was filled with spiritual joy, and it is in Christ that we find the secret and source of all true joy today. Peace. The Lord Jesus Christ was the personification of peace.
For Paul says he is our peace. Paul also tells us that he made peace by the blood of his cross, and that he came and preached peace. We noted the difference between having peace with God and experiencing the peace of God. My peace, said the Lord Jesus, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. And then we concluded with a few words on the subject of long suffering. Well, that is really what it means.
Patience, even if provoked. Love suffereth long and is kind. And now we move to number five, gentleness, or more correctly, kindness. The Lord Jesus Christ was a true gentleman in every sense of the term. He always behaved himself in the most gracious and most becoming way.
Never was he rude, harsh, or unkind. I was thinking of John chapter four in relation to the kindness of Christ. First of all, we see his kindly interest in that chapter. He must needs go through Samaria because he had a kindly interest in that woman who needed his help so greatly. This was a meeting by divine appointment.
And I believe, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, if we are trusting in him with all our hearts for his divine guidance, he will arrange meetings for us by divine appointment. If you have read concerning the life and work of Sister Abigail, Mrs. Luff, lived for so many years in Buffalo, New York, you will know that in each contact she made, it was a meeting by divine appointment.
The Lord directed her to people who needed the kind of help that she was able to bring. One of the most encouraging features of our work at the Washington Bible College has been to see how the Lord has arranged that our students meet other young people who have deep spiritual needs. And as they recount these incidents again and again of how the Lord helped them in witnessing to others and in leading other young people to Christ, it is obvious that the Lord went before them and set up that appointment.
He must needs go through Samaria, his kindly interest. But then his kindly introduction is also in evidence here, for he asked a favor of this woman. He said, will you give me a drink? He did this in the most polite and courteous way. So at once, she was surprised. She could not understand how he, a Jew, should have anything at all to do with her because she was a woman of Samaria.
And then, as we read on this narrative in John chapter four, we see his kindly instruction. He said to her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. First of all, the Lord secured her attention. Then he secured her interest. Then we note how her desire is expressed.
Lord, or sir, give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to drink. Then we see how conviction came about. Go call thy husband. Sin was revealed. Then comes the moment when Christ revealed himself to her as the Messiah. But in his approach, and in all that he said to her, we see the kindness expressed in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The next word is goodness. In Mark chapter seven verse thirty seven, we have a testimony concerning the works of the Lord Jesus Christ. The testimony is, he hath done all things well. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the creator, did all things well, for everything that left his hand was perfect and complete. When he came here as a man amongst men and worked as the carpenter in Nazareth, we are assured of the fact that everything that he made was made perfectly and completely.
No one would ever have to return to that workshop and complain about the workmanship of the Lord Jesus Christ as the carpenter, because he did everything in a perfect way. Later on in his public ministry, as the healer of man, the sick people who were brought to him were made perfectly whole. The blind were made to see immediately and completely. The lepers were totally cleansed of their disease.
The lame were made to walk perfectly. Everything that the Lord Jesus Christ did as the healer was done in a perfect way. As the provider of the needs of the people, we note again that it was done completely. When he fed the five thousand, there were twelve baskets of fragments left over because everyone had had more than enough to eat. In the feeding of the four thousand, there were seven baskets of fragments left over, again proving the adequacy of the provision of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
No wonder they could testify he has done all things well. But oh, beloved friends, as the Savior, we can take up the strain and say, and above the rest, this note shall swell. My Jesus has done all things well, because at Calvary he gave his life for us as a complete sacrifice to God. He finished the great work of our redemption, and when he saved our souls, praise God, he did a perfect and complete work.
First John one and seven says, the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from all sin. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in chapter ten verse fourteen declares, he has perfected forever them that are sanctified. And so we rejoice in this testimony to the goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one of whom it was said he went about continually doing good, healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. Then we have the word faith or faithfulness.
The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, and as I've said already here, I personally believe it was the Apostle Paul that wrote this letter. When I get to heaven, I'm going to say to him, you did write the epistle to the Hebrews, Paul, didn't you? And I'm expecting them to say, yes, I did. One of my students says, and if he says no, who will you ask next? I said, I hadn't thought about that because I'm so sure that it's Paul. In Hebrews three verse one we read, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
I believe we see the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ in the will of God which he accepted. In John eight verse twenty nine, we have his own words. I do always those things that please the Father. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to do the will of God, and he did it fully and completely. So that we see his faithfulness in the will of God, which he accepted. Then we see his faithfulness in the word of God, which he acknowledged.
During his temptation in the wilderness, in the confrontation with Satan, he used the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, as he declared three times over, it is written. And right after that event, when he visited Nazareth, as he did twice during his public ministry, when he got up in the synagogue to read from Isaiah chapter sixty one, you will note how carefully and accurately he communicated divine truth.
He read the early part of that chapter, and he stopped right in the middle of a sentence. He stopped at a comma. It was the acceptable year of the Lord, and there he closed the book because the day of vengeance of our God had not yet come. Our Lord Jesus Christ handled the word of God in a most spiritual and skillful manner, and the people were amazed as they heard him expound the word that day.
We remember so well, after his resurrection, that walk to Emmaus. Oh, how I would have loved to have been one of these two disciples. They could say, did not our heart burn within us while he walked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures. Faithfulness in the word of God which he acknowledged, and faithfulness in the work of God which he accomplished. In John nine verse four, it is recorded concerning him that he said, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day.
The night cometh when no man can work. You will remember that on that notable occasion when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, that that man of the Pharisees said, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no one can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with thee. Nicodemus did not know too much, but he knew that Jesus Christ had come from God and that his works fully manifested their divine origin. One of the great witnesses to the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ was the fact of his miracles, which he performed amongst men.
And John tells us that the very reason which he wrote that book was that through these signs or miracles, people might believe on Christ, and that believing they might have life through his name. The three great words in the Gospel of John are signs or miracles, belief, and life. The miracles were given so that men might believe on Christ, and that through believing on him, they might have life through his name.
Faithful amidst unfaithfulness, amidst darkness, only light. Then number eight is meekness. We must never confuse meekness with weakness, because meekness is the direct opposite of weakness. Meekness has been correctly defined as strength under control. Moses is presented to us as the meekest man who ever lived, and he was one of the greatest and strongest leaders of men.
But as we think of the Lord Jesus Christ, we remember his words as recorded in Matthew eleven twenty nine when he said, Take my yoke and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. When the Apostle Paul was writing his second book to the Corinthians, in chapter ten, verse one, he makes an appeal on the basis of the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
I believe we see meekness in our Lord Jesus, in his fulfilling the word of God. In Matthew chapter twenty one, we have his triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. This is normally the message that is brought on Palm Sunday. Matthew twenty eight verse four says, concerning this event, all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.
That was the prophet Zechariah. The prophecy is in Zechariah nine verse nine, saying, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek and riding upon an ass. So that we see his weakness, his meekness demonstrated in his fulfilling the word of God. Thy king who is meek. Then in facing his accusers, we observe again his meekness. As he stood there before the high priest and was taunted and tormented, we note there strength under control.
He did not retaliate. He did not try and vindicate himself, but he was the meek son of God. Then, as he stood before Pilate, Pilate could not understand the silence of the Savior. Pilate was puzzled and perplexed. He was thinking of every possible way to try and rid himself of this responsibility, but he could find no fault in the Lord Jesus Christ. He could ask the question, what is truth?
And there stood before him the one who had said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And as the Lord Jesus Christ appeared before King Herod, although again his men of war set him at naught, although they so cruelly treated him, yet he did not show any sign of annoyance or revenge, but in facing his accusers, we behold the meek and lowly Lord Jesus. And then, dear friends, in forgiving his enemies, as he was being nailed to that cruel cross, his prayer was, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
All the meekness that ever characterized our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And finally, self-control. We see self-control expressed in his service. In Mark chapter ten verse 45, immediately following the time that the mother of James and John had come to him and said, now I want my sons to sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your coming kingdom.
The other ten disciples were very angry about this, and the Lord Jesus used this incident in order to teach a spiritual lesson. He was most kind and thoughtful as he replied to that mother who wanted the best for her son. The Lord Jesus Christ said in that context, for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.
There was never any thought on the part of Christ of claiming any authority or superiority, because we note his humility and his constant self-control. Never at once did he assert himself, for he laid aside the insignia of his majesty. Although, dear friends, he never ceased to be what he always was, the Son of God, and although he never will cease to be what he became, the man Christ Jesus, yet we rejoice tonight as we think of that one who was ever and always in full control of himself and of every circumstance that he ever faced.
It was expressed in his service. It was expressed in his submissiveness. In Matthew twenty six verse thirty nine, as we see the Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, it says, and he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. In anticipation of the fact that the Holy Son of God was to be made sin for us, as he contemplated the impending separation from God his Father, there came this expression of his desire that if it were possible at all that this could be avoided, then he
would wish it so. But then we see his own interests and desires being completely set aside when he declared, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Then, dear friends, we observe his self-control as it was expressed in his sacrifice for sin. Peter, who was always anxious to be involved in doing something, and he went into action to defend his Lord when these men came to take the Savior.
Peter, who had acted rashly in cutting off that servant's ear, then watching the miracle performed by the Lord as he restored it again. Immediately following that event, the Lord Jesus Christ could say, Matthew twenty six fifty three, Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels.
More than seventy two thousand angels could have immediately been put at the disposal of Christ for his defense against man. But instead of making that request, he went all the way to Calvary in order that he might put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself. This becomes particularly meaningful to us as we remember the challenge which he brought to his disciples in Luke nine verse twenty three when he said, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up the cross daily and follow me.
My dear friends, we have been looking at the Lord Jesus Christ, the matchless Son of God, the perfect man amongst men. It is surely the desire of all our hearts tonight, as believers in Christ, that we should follow his steps, that we should become more like our Lord Jesus Christ. If there is one thing more than another that every Christian should desire, it is surely Christ-likeness, that others may see Christ living in me and learn to love him too.
And as we read those nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit, and behold the Lord Jesus Christ, shall we not decide and determine as his followers to become more and more like him in all that we do and say? May it be so for his name's sake. Amen. Shall we sing hymn number four hundred twenty one?
Fill all my visions, Savior, I pray. Let me see only Jesus today. Though through the valley thou leadest me, thy fadeless glory encompasses me. Fill all my vision, Savior divine, till with thy glory my spirit shall shine. Fill all my vision, that all may see thy holy image reflected in me. This is a hymn, but it is also a prayer. Shall we pray it as we sing it? Four hundred twenty one.