March 17 Sure Fruit

John 10:40-42 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in th at place many believed in Jesus.
 
FOR some time, we’ve been reading about the ruling Jews’ unbelief. Their opposition to Jesus makes one’s soul weary, doesn’t it? Why was it so difficult for them to know and understand Jesus? Especially as they saw his miracles and heard his teachings, could they not conceive that God was made flesh, Immanuel had come down?
   Some are that way, and they will never believe. We can be frustrated at such antagonism toward God. But it will do no good. More appropriately, we should grieve their lack of understanding, pray for their eyes to open and hope for their salvation. Our role is to love God and love one another. We must be of the Holy Spirit, bearing his fruit in all circumstances.
   Keep in mind Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. The apostles and early missionaries such as Philip, Priscilla and Aquilla had struggled mightily against unbelief. Paul writes elsewhere of his immense physical suffering and his spiritual grief. His response is not to be frustrated but to live in the Spirit’s power. In this way he encourages us all to demonstrate God’s fruitful living, so others will be saved.
   He goes on to encourage us with Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  
   The apostle Paul did not invent this process. He followed Jesus. Our Lord has been called a demon and accused of capital crimes against God. Still, he stayed in the Spirit’s power. He demonstrated the fruit of God’s power. Patiently and lovingly our Lord continued to be kind, good, faithful, gentle and controlled. As a result, he moved from the temple mount to the wilderness where John the Baptist had preached. There in the wilderness, as he did for Israel out of Egypt, God came to reveal himself. People believed and called on the name of the Lord.
   We can learn much from the Lord, his missionaries and his apostles.
 
Prayer: Teach me, Spirit, to live in your power, not my weaknesses. Amen.