Galatians 5:13-26 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵ If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. ¹⁶ Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

Do not use your freedom for self-indulgence. Do not let your Christian joy in Christ be used to be away from others, at odds with others. This text does not mention anything about Christ's death. That has been said already. This tremendous and well-known text reminds the Galatians, and us, that it is possible to crawl back into selfish thinking. When we put ourselves, our needs, our problems, our desires, our goals into the center, we expect everyone to fit their world around ours.

What the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit. Think about that. We are not freed completely from our fleshly, sinful desires. Sometimes they will show up as the works mentioned above - filthy, angry, grudging, distrustful things. Sometimes they will show up as stand-offish, arrogant, high-minded, self-centered things. We do not escape from such. We can do nothing but turn such "works" over to our Risen Lord who promises to take away their power.

Worship is not the time to get lectured about works. It is to be sprinkled, washed, even doused with the power of the Risen Lord. Notice the text speaks of fruits. No sign on the wall about what to do, like at the swimming pool. The thrust comes from within, within our new heart, fed by the Triune God when we hear the Word and receive his sacraments - no other way! Sometimes the Bible speaks of the heart as a container that overflows. If ours is empty, we turn inward, sucking for life. But when we are filled, we turn outward to bear the fruits of faith as we carry each other on our hearts. These are not goals, but realities. This text is powerful!

How do you hear these words - "gather together to be fed"? Are they works (you say I have to go to church, Sunday School, etc.) or are they fruits of faith (the Spirit fills me when I worship Him and the Son and the Father to live out what he equipped me to do and be)? Your response will tell you about your own relationship with Christ. He yearns to fill our hearts so that love, joy, etc. overflow. Resisting finally can turn our heart to crumbling stone. May the Lord move us to yearn for hearing that Good News and for the joy of living out our Christian life at Emmaus. Amen.

In Christ our Lord and Savior,
Pastor Thomas Trapp