Why Trying Harder Won’t Make You More Like Jesus

Описание: Sermon: Bearing Fruit - 02/08/26

In this message from the Marks of Discipleship series, we turn to Galatians 5 and the familiar description of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The central question is simple yet profound: What does it truly mean for a disciple of Jesus to bear fruit?

The Apostle Paul writes to believers who have discovered freedom in Christ—freedom from the law, freedom from striving to earn righteousness, freedom from bondage to sin. But Paul immediately warns them not to misuse that freedom. Grace is not a license to indulge the flesh. Forgiveness is not permission to live selfishly. True freedom leads not to self-indulgence, but to transformation.

Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. The works of the flesh—jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, immorality, discord, and the like—are self-centered and destructive. They turn us inward and diminish our humanity. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit restores us. These qualities are outward-facing and life-giving. They reflect the character of Christ and bless those around us.

This contrast reveals something important: spiritual maturity is not measured by religious activity, but by the fruit evident in our lives.

One of the key themes of this message is the difference between forming ourselves and being formed by God. In Western culture, we are conditioned to believe that with enough effort and discipline we can accomplish anything. It is tempting to apply that mindset to our spiritual lives—to assume that if we try harder, pray longer, attend more, or discipline ourselves more strictly, we can manufacture Christlike character.

But spiritual formation is not self-improvement. If we could transform ourselves, what need would we have for Christ? We cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit through effort alone. We can produce the works of the flesh—but the fruit belongs to the Spirit. Spiritual formation is the work of God.

So what is our role? Cooperation.

God has chosen to partner with us in the process of transformation. Our responsibility is not to manufacture fruit, but to cooperate with the Spirit’s work. This cooperation takes shape through the spiritual disciplines—worship, prayer, fasting, solitude, Sabbath, and other practices that interrupt the normal rhythms of life.

These practices do not change us on their own. Fasting does not create holiness. Worship attendance does not automatically produce joy. Prayer itself is not the transformation. What changes us is encountering God. The disciplines create space for that encounter. They remove us from distraction and position us to hear the Spirit.

Transformation happens in that encounter. When we step out of the noise and into God’s presence, something shifts. Just as we must move closer to hear someone speaking in another room, we must sometimes step away from our normal pace to clearly hear God. The Spirit is not silent—we are often just distracted.

When we meet with the Lord, fruit begins to grow naturally. It cannot be forced or faked. Others often see the change before we do. A life shaped by the Spirit begins to display love instead of anger, patience instead of irritation, gentleness instead of harshness. The fruit is evidence of a healthy root.

Jesus reminds us that a tree is known by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit. The visible evidence of what is happening internally will eventually appear externally.

The fruit of the Spirit is not for personal display; it is for the sake of others. Love strengthens relationships. Peace calms anxious spaces. Kindness heals wounds. Faithfulness builds trust. Self-control protects others from harm. The Spirit forms us not just for ourselves, but for the world around us.

Ultimately, bearing fruit is the mark of a disciple. Not because we are impressive or disciplined enough, but because we are connected to the vine. As Jesus says in John 15, apart from Him we can do nothing. When we abide in Him, fruit becomes the natural outcome.

The call is simple: stop striving to manufacture change and begin cooperating with the Spirit. Make space. Listen. Encounter God. And trust that as He forms you, your life will bear much fruit.