ÿþ <html> <head> <title>Welcome to First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, AR,  A Christian s Character; the Spirit s Fruit Part 8: Self-Control </title><!--- July 4, 2010 --> <meta name="description" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. First Church, First Methodist, Methodist John Wesley, Methodist, United Methodist Youth, United Methodist women" /> <meta name="keywords" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. 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The focus of our study has been a list of nine character qualities in Galatians 5:22-23 that Paul loosely called the  fruit of the Spirit. Taken together, they form a picture of the character of Jesus Christ, the kind of character the Holy Spirit is committed to producing in us. Lets say them together one more time: <b> The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. </b> I hope by now that you understand that the point of this sermon series has not been to put the responsibility on you to go out and cultivate these things by yourself, but rather to point out that these are things that will develop in us naturally as a result of God s Spirit working in us. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Today we are coming to the final quality: self-control. For some of you it may bring to mind painful memories of diets that have come and gone, of unfortunate words that were spoken in anger, of running shoes sitting quietly in our closets. So much could be different if we just had self-control! </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Long before Paul, the ancient Greeks believed that one of the highest human ideals was self-control, the ability to master one s desires so that you could then be free to enjoy them rather than be enslaved to them. In fact, self-control was number one on their list of human virtues. Socrates considered it to be the foundational human virtue because, in his opinion, you couldn t develop any of the other virtues if you were constantly overcome by your own passions and drives. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Given the important role that self-control played in Greek thought at that time, it s interesting that in Paul s list of character qualities self-control is not first but last. I don t think that s by accident. Unlike Socrates, Paul didn t see self-control as the foundation for all other virtues. In fact, Paul didn t have much confidence in anything that began with  self. Whether it was self-righteousness or self-reliance or self-improvement, Paul knew that any attempt on our own to control self would likely end in failure. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Paul understood that it takes more than just will power to develop lasting self-control. Like all the other fruit of the Spirit, self-control develops as we allow the Spirit of Christ to transform us from the inside out. That is why Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Tim.1:7, <b> God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self control. </b> Christian character begins with love, joy, peace, patience, and all the rest. When those qualities are functioning, the foundation is laid for self-control, which I think is why it comes at the end of the list. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> We have looked all summer at Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit. Now, on this last week of the series, listen to the next two verses (vs.25-26): <b> Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. </b> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Here is what I want you to see in that. In God s eyes, your sinful nature has already been put to death. As Paul said in 2 Cor 5:17-18, <b> If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! </b> We don t have to be ruled by our old passions and habits the way we once were. We can change! What is more, God has given us a new nature - a new Spirit - that now permeates every bit of our body and soul and will give us new desires, passions, and goals. Please understand: God s Spirit does not rule by force. We don t have to change. We don t have to do what God wants. Even as a Christian we can decide to remain self-centered and a bit out of control. However, the Holy Spirit in us has a better plan for us. He wants us to have self-control. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Listen to how Paul talked about self-control. In 1 Cor.9:24-27 he said, <b> Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.</b> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Do you hear what Paul was saying? Anyone can enter the race of life, but not everyone is going to be a winner. Some are going to run around aimlessly, getting nowhere, never reaching their potential. Paul said he was going to take control of his life and passions and habits so that he could win and not be disqualified. He realized that he needed self-control if he was going to accomplish anything of real importance. Equally important, Paul also realized that the best way to get that self-control was to stay connected to God. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> It s no different with us. We don t want to be running through life aimlessly; we should be running to win. God wants to involve us, to train us, to help us get control of our life. God willing, with the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit who gives us the fruit of self control, we can master our life. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Let me say this another way: There is no excuse for us as Christians to continually do things we know are wrong and then try to justify those actions by saying we couldn t help it; that s just who we are. That may indeed be who you were, but your sinful nature has been crucified! You are a new creation. Now it is time to let the Holy Spirit help us get our tongue, our temper, our thoughts, or anything else that is dragging us down, under control. This is the self-control that Paul says the Spirit is working to impart to us. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Friends, I believe that God s Spirit within will help you and me have control over all areas of our life. For instance, I ve seen that <b>people with self-control know how to master their emotions.</b> They consistently do the right thing even when they don t feel like it. Going on, <b>people with self-control watch their words and restrain their reactions.</b> They respect the power of words and use them wisely. Whether from temperament or training, people with self-control have developed a long fuse. They don t quickly lose their cool or fly off the handle. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"><b> People with self-control manage their money.</b>They have learned to live on less than what they make, and they invest the difference. Part of that includes generous investing in Kingdom purposes. <b>They also manage their health.</b> They take care of themselves - body, mind, and soul - and they re not afraid to get help when they need it. When guided by the Spirit of God, self-control helps us manage all of life. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Now, if I was simply talking with you today about starting a new self-improvement program, you d probably be ready to give up now and go home. However, as I said all summer long, this is not a self-improvement sermon series. We are talking about character qualities that only God s Spirit can develop in us. The more of my self I let God control, the more self-control God will give me. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Who has control of your life right now? As I close this entire sermon series, I want to invite you to let the Spirit of Jesus Christ have control of your life, inside and out. The result over time will be the fruit of Christ-like character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. </font></p> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <TABLE width=800 border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <TR bgcolor="#d8d2d8"> <TD width=800 valign="baseline" bgcolor="#d8d2d8" align=right> <!--- beige F2F2E6 ----> <font face="verdana" color="#000000" size="1"> This site designed and maintained by <a href="http://www.hipdogwebdesign.com">HipDog Web Design&reg;</a><br> Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.</TD> <TD width="19%">&nbsp;</TD> </TR> </TABLE> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>