THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE

CLICK ON THE LINK THAT FOLLOWS FOR A VIDEO OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON PRESENTED BY DR DEREK MORRIS OF THE LAKE FOREST CHURCH

http://media.forestlakechurch.org/content/media/2010q101-09-fruit-spirit-love

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”
(1 Cor. 13:13, NKJV).



God Is Love
Bob Collins, Nairobi, Kenya
Sabbath afternoon
Introduction
1 John 4:8, 16

The town of Gilgil, in the rift Valley of Kenya, was the home of British colonials. It is north of Nairobi and has a population of about nineteen thou- sand people. economic activity in Gilgil consists mainly of medium-level busi- ness enterprises and of mining diatomite, “a powdery, non-metallic mineral composed of the fossilized skeletal remains of microscopic single-celled aquatic plants called diatoms.”1 agriculture contributes little to the local economy, as most of the land in this part of Kenya is arid and infertile.

The letters and the order in which they appear in the name Gilgil can be thought of as an anagram.

Gilgil is further known for the following tragic story: “alice de Janzé (1899–1941), also known as alice de Trafford, was an american heiress who spent years in Kenya as a member of the Happy Valley set of colonials. She was connected with numerous scandals, including her attempted murder of her lover in 1927, as well as the 1941 murder of Josslyn Hay, the earl of erroll in Kenya. Her tempestuous life was marked by promiscuity, drug abuse, and several suicide attempts. She died of a self-inflicted gunshot in 1941.”2

Ironically, the letters and the order in which they appear in the name Gilgil can be thought of as an anagram for the following: God Is love, God Is love. This week, we are studying love as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which we are to develop as we grow in Christ. We shall see, from the subsequent subtopics of our lesson, that this love is central to our Christian character as we grapple with sin. The subtopics for this week’s lesson show us that Godlike love is an essential element of the Holy Spirit’s fruit. Given that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trin- ity (John 4:24), God is, therefore, also love. To learn how you can develop the fruit of love, be sure to read each daily article of this week’s lesson.
____________
1. IMa-europe, “What Is Diatomite?” Wikipedia, http://www.ima-eu.org/fileadmin/downloads/minerals/
Diatomitefactsheet.pdf (accessed November 12, 2008). 2. IMa-europe, “alice de Janzé.” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alice_de_Janze (accessed



A Fruit of the Spirit
George Otieno, Mbita Point, Kenya
Sunday
Evidence
Gal. 5:13

The Holy Spirit, the Third Person in the Godhead, is our Teacher, Instruc- tor, and Comforter. God requires that we, as His children, live an honorable life free from sin. Such a life gives Him glory. To help us live this life, He gives us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit enables the believer to develop many excellent qualities. One of these is godly love. Where there is this type of love, there is peace, tran- quility, and joy. If love had not been part of the fruit of the Spirit, the other fruit would not exist, for godly love encompasses all the other fruit.

Paul warns that a lack of godly love can make us behave like wild animals.

Paul spread the gospel during his ministry to the Galatians, and he worked hard to explain to them the fruit of the Spirit. Galatia was a roman province in asia with non-Jewish inhabitants. They were uncertain whether or not to fol- low Christ. Many of them believed that observing the law of Moses was the key to becoming a Christian. However, Paul refuted that belief and convinced them that only faith, accompanied by good works, could make one a true Christian.

In today’s society, we can witness a number of cases in which the lack of godly love has led to horrible destruction. Take, for example, rwanda in the mid-1990s, Iraq in the early 1990s and again in the first part of the twenty-first century, and even my home country of Kenya in 2008. The absence of godly love leads to hatred, destruction, and death—all of which Satan delights in.

In Galatians 5:15, Paul warns that a lack of godly love can make us behave like wild animals, the results of which he enumerates in Galatians 5:19−21. However, in verses 22−24, he outlines the Spirit-grown qualities that are the complete opposite of the qualities that sin develops.
let us remember that Paul was not addressing the Galatians alone. He was laying a strong foundation for true Christians for generations to come. There- fore, we, too, are responsible for exercising godly love. Such love is the first step in developing a Christlike character.

REACT
In what ways do you serve as an agent of godly love in your school, church, community, and country?




Faces of Love
Tony Philip Oreso, Nairobi, Kenya
Monday
Logos
Deut. 6:5; Matt. 5:43–48; 7:12; 22:35–40; Luke 10:25–37; 1 Cor. 13:4–8

Today, people think that love means many different things. We love certain foods. We love certain sports. We love a certain color or favorite piece of cloth- ing. However, the Bible defines love quite differently.

We need the love of God and the support of friends and family in order to excel.

Love for the Creator (Deut. 6:5)
During His earthly ministry, Christ had many encounters with the Phari- sees, who were always looking for ways to trap Him. One day, they asked Him which was the greatest commandment. rather than argue with them, He re- ferred them to the law that was given to their ancestors when Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy. review Deuteronomy 6:5. This was the voice of Christ, through Moses, to the Pharisees. The Pharisees’ failure to heed the voice of God through His messengers caused them to grow in hatred toward Christ. love for our Creator must engulf our minds and hearts, lest we become like the Pharisees who considered themselves teachers of the law, but who failed to acknowledge the greatest of all laws.

What does it take to love God with all our hearts and minds? “Man is for- bidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god.”1
Our love for God should be consistent with the principles provided in the Decalogue. read how 1 Corinthians 13:4−8 outlines this love. The Pharisees took none of this into account. even now people are more concerned with their personal interpretations of love. They neglect the true love due their Creator, which involves keeping His commandments. read John 14:15.

Love for Your Neighbor (Matt. 22:39; Luke 10:25−37)
The Ten Commandments are in complete harmony with one another. Taken together, they highlight the importance of the relationship between humans and God, as well as the relationship between humans. The commandments urge us to love God and our fellow humans. read leviticus 19:18. These were the same words Jesus spoke to the Pharisees when He declared the greatest of the commandments—love for God and love for humans. Human coexistence implies interdependence. We cannot succeed without one another. We need the love of God and the support of friends and family in order to excel. The story of the good Samaritan (luke 10:25−37) asks an important question: Who is my neighbor? Christ told this story to illustrate that we should help people in need, and that it doesn’t matter if such people do not belong to our family, school, church, or town.

Love for Your Enemies (Matt. 5:43−48; 7:12)
In order to attain the perfection characterized by our Father in heaven, we need to adopt His point of view. at the foot of the cross, the ground is level for everybody. There, all have equal opportunity. read Matthew 7:12. This law urges each of us to develop godly love, which “does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6, NIV).

When we show love to those who hate us, we go beyond the boundaries of selfish love to love the way God loves. “In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture of Himself and His mission. Man had been deceived, bruised, robbed, and ruined by Satan, and left to perish; but the Saviour had compas- sion on our helpless condition. He left His glory, to come to our rescue. He found us ready to die, and He undertook our case. He healed our wounds. He covered us with His robe of righteousness. He opened to us a refuge of safety, and made complete provision for us at His own charges. He died to redeem us. Pointing to His own example, He says to His followers, ‘These things I com- mand you, that ye love one another.’ ‘as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.’ John 15:17; 13:34.”2

REACT
1. Of the three facets of love discussed above, which one have you failed to observe?
2. Whom do you consider your enemy? What can you do to show that person godly love?
3. examine yourself to discover what takes away your love for God. What can you do to rid yourself of these things?
4. When did you last act like the good Samaritan? What prompted you to do
so? Be prepared to share your story in your Sabbath School class.
____________
1. Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 305. 2. The Desire of Ages, pp. 503, 504.





Love in Action and Truth
Esther Aoko, Kendu Bay, Kenya
Tuesday
Testimony
1 John 3:18

“Man’s destiny will be determined by his obedience to the whole law. Supreme love to God and impartial love to man are the principles to be wrought out in the life.”1

Such love requires that we recognize the magnificence of our Creator and walk according to His divine laws. Impartial love implies selfless service to our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to our enemies. Christ told a story to illustrate this point.

“He persuaded himself that the case was no concern of his.”

“In journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, the traveler had to pass through a portion of the wilderness of Judea. The road led down a wild, rocky ravine, which was infested by robbers, and was often the scene of violence. It was here that the traveler was attacked, stripped of all that was valuable, wounded and bruised, and left half dead by the wayside. as he lay thus, the priest came that way; but he merely glanced toward the wounded man. Then the levite appeared. Curious to know what had happened, he stopped and looked at the sufferer. He was con- victed of what he ought to do; but it was not an agreeable duty. He wished that he had not come that way, so that he need not have seen the wounded man. He persuaded himself that the case was no concern of his.”2

The most important aspect of this story is the lack of concern shown to the sufferer by the levite and the priest. “Both these men were in sacred office, and professed to expound the Scriptures. They were of the class specially chosen to be representatives of God to the people. They were to ‘have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way’ (Heb. 5:2), that they might lead men to understand God’s great love toward humanity.”3

In our time, we are called to practice the type of love as required by the Spirit of God. The levite and the priest heard Jesus teaching about love, but they did not prac- tice what He taught. Similarly, we often have misinterpreted the word love. However, “the love of God in the heart is the only spring of love toward our neighbor. . . . ‘If we
love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.’ ”4 ____________

1. The Desire of Ages, p. 498. 2. Ibid., p. 499. 3. Ibid., pp. 499, 500. 4. Ibid., p. 505.





What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Joash Oketch, Nairobi, Kenya
Wednesday
How-to
1 John 4:18

I remember well the day someone brought us word that our mother, who was traveling, had died. This unexpected news was a bitter pill to swallow as we wondered how we could ever face the world without her. Hours later, we learned that the news was based on mistaken identity. However, it became difficult for us to erase the feelings and thoughts which had developed in our minds as a result of this incident. We sought counseling to help us return to a normal state of mind. all of this because of the love that exists between our mother and us!

When we grow in godly love, our words will encourage others.

But what about godly love, the fruit of the Spirit? as Christians, we should know what constitutes this love. Following are some of the areas in which we will grow as we begin to understand and experience firsthand this fruit of the Spirit.

Actions (1 John 3:18). Godly love transforms our actions from worldly behavior to a more Spirit-led way of conducting life—with hope, faith, and patience that never fail (1 Cor. 13:7). Godly love will inspire us to love even our enemies the way Jesus loved His enemies, and it will urge us on to do good works for those in need.

Words (Eph. 4:29). Words can both destroy and build. When we grow in godly love, our words will encourage others and lift them to God.

Relationships (2 Cor. 5:17). Paul wrote to the Corinthians that growing spiritual fruit entails a change of being, a transformation of lifestyle, whereby old things are phased out as new things take over (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, the love of the Spirit helps us to walk away from harmful relationships and to develop healthy relationships with people who will help us draw closer to Christ.

REACT
1. In what areas of life do you need to have more godly love?
2. How can genuine love help us with daily life activities such as dating, studies, and household budgets?



Love Beyond the Borders
Flora Kurema, Kakamega, Kenya
Thursday
Opinion
1 Tim. 1:5

God has not changed the Ten Commandments. They remain unchanged from the time He gave them to the Israelites. They stand immutable against the forces of evil. In 1 Timothy 1:5, Paul writes that “the goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (NIV). Here the word commandment refers to the commission Paul gave to Timothy in verse 3. However, we can say that the goal of the Ten Commandments is also love—love for God (the first four commandments) and love for others (the last six command- ments). The commandments affect us on a personal level, calling on each of us to exercise love from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. Most of us know that it is always easy to love those who are within the circle of our influence. These may be family members, relatives, and friends. However, most people also know that extending godly love to our enemies is quite difficult.

The commandments affect us on a personal level.

The Bible teaches that if we want to truly witness for Christ, we should “not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9, NIV). loving one’s enemy is an exercise that requires a lot of sacrifice; but with God’s help we can do so. We want to follow in the footsteps of Christ, who was our Pioneer in this exercise.

“The contemplation of the love of God manifested in His Son will stir the heart and arouse the powers of the soul as nothing else can. Christ came that He might re-create the image of God in man; and whoever turns men away from Christ is turning them away from the source of true development.”*

Our main goal as Christians is to exercise our faith in Christ with a sincere heart, so that we can be doers of the Word, and not hearers only (James 1:22). The only way to love God is according to His Word. When we extend godly love to family, friends, neighbors, and even our enemies, we can do so only in ways that are detailed in Scripture. May God help us all.

REACT
1. Can you love your enemies without forgiving them? explain your answer.
2. If you were to choose between God, yourself, family, friends, neighbors,
or enemies, whom would you love first, and why?
____________
*The Desire of Ages, p. 478.




All You Need Is Love
Sergio Torres, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
Friday
Exploration
Rom. 13:10
CONCLUDE

“all you need is love” are the words to a well-known Beatles’ song; and it’s true, love is all you need. However, it’s often quite hard for us to accept that truth, because we understand that love is not natural to our sinful human na- ture. The apostle Paul wrote that “love is the fulfillment of the law” (rom. 13:10, NIV). Thus, when you love, you are fulfilling (obeying) the law. We express our love for God by how we express our love for our neighbors, our enemies, our friends, and our family.

CONSIDER
• Memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:4–8. • Praying 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 for seven days and journaling changes you see
in your relationships with others as a result. • reading some of Pablo Neruda’s 100 Love Sonnets and writing a paragraph
on his definition of love. • Joining Prints of Hope, a service agency that sponsors a project called “Dress
a Child.” Check out their Web site at http://www.dejandohuellas.org. • Volunteering in an aIDS out-patient clinic for at least a month. • Teaching english to immigrants in your community. your local public li-
brary most likely will have information on how to get started.

CONNECT
Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash the Power of Authen- tic Life in Christ (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 2006); Mother Teresa, No Greater Love (Novato, Calif.: New World library, 2002); Dick Tibbits, Forgive to Live and the Forgive to Live Workbook (Orlando, Fla.: Florida Hospital Publish- ing, 2009).