The Orchard
A Presentation/Coronation
based on the Fruits of the Spirit
by Peggy Cook
SW District Promoter
“If you don’t want to reap the fruits of sin, stay out of the orchard.” I read this quote in a book recently. I began to think of the wages of sin. Then my next thought was about the opposite of the fruit of sin, the fruit of the Spirit. This list of fruit is found in Galations 5:22-23, “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” We can change a couple of the key words in this quote and have an important directive for Christians. “If you want to reap the fruits of righteousness, stay in God’s orchard.” God’s Holy Word is the orchard in which we must be constant reapers if we are to gather the fruit of the Spirit.
Tonight I will associate each one of these fruit with one of the GMA Steps and the particular area of Christian maturity they must learn about. We will hear of the step requirements each girl is expected to accomplish in the GMA program. But, we can all see where we need to apply these same verses to our own life in order to bring forth the fruit of righteousness.
Isaiah delivered this same message to the children of Israel in Chapter three, verses ten and eleven, when God told him, “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”
As we talk of fruit tonight, examine your own life to see in which orchard you have been dwelling.
Hymn: Open My Eyes, That I may See
Maidens: The Fruit of Peace
The first step A GMA studies is centered around the plan of salvation. The verses each girl memorizes helps her to accept the fact that she is a sinner and in need of salvation. Many of the girls that begin this step are saved before they complete the work. Those who were saved before they began the step learn the correct order to present the verses to an unsaved friend so they may be saved. These girls grow to be wise in their understanding of the lost condition of the world. They can rejoice with James when he said in chapter three, verses seventeen and eighteen, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” What greater peace can a
person hope to have beside the peace of knowing you are saved? (Present the Maidens)Lady-in-Waiting: The Fruit of Goodness
The lessons of this step are about the characteristics of a Christian. After a girl is saved, she needs to know what God expects her to do in her life to show that she is a child of God. Matthew 12:33 says, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is know by his fruit.” The tree in this verse means your life. What kind of character will you show to the world? Will the world see the fruit of goodness or the fruit of sinful selfishness? (Present the Lady-in-Waiting)
Lady: The Fruit of Longsuffering
This third step in the GMA program has a theme of seeking Christ and giving up worldly possessions that may hinder the production of the fruit of the Spirit. These girls learn the difference between earthly riches and heavenly riches. Sometimes these lessons are hard to apply to their life. Many times a great deal of patience and longsuffering must be called upon to make it through the pressures of the world to conform to its standards instead of God’s standards. Proverbs 8: 17-19 says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.” Examine your life to see if anything is standing between you and a closer fellowship with Christ and reaping His fruit for your life.
Princess: The Fruit of Faith
In this step the girls study God’s Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter eleven and a study of the Baptist Doctrinal Statement. These girls are beginning to look outside themselves for role models to imitate in their Christian growth. If they don’t find a good example in one person they will quickly turn to another. Jesus gives us an example of an empty life in Luke 13: 6-9, “He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” Don’t let Jesus have to uproot your life in order to cause you to bear fruit for Him. You never know who may be watching you to be the example they want to emulate. Don’t let their faith in you be crushed by a senseless act of disobedience.
Queen: The fruit of Love
When the girls reach his level in the GMA work, all their lessons take them to a more advanced level of devotion and commitment. The Queen step begins with a thorough study of the life of Christ. Their love for him is deepened as they study again of His great love for them and what He did for them on the cross. The girls become more dedicated to bringing forth fruit to honor Him. We have a reminder of His love for us in Romans 7: 4-6, “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Jesus was our deliverer and we repay Him in our own feeble ways by showing our love to Him by being a witness for Him. (Present the Queens)
Regal Queen: The Fruit of Joy
In this second queen step the girls study the life of Paul and his missionary journeys. They learn what it means to be faithful in witnessing even if we don’t see a person saved. Just knowing that we have planted the seed of salvation can still be a joyous occasion when the one we have witnessed to in the past is saved. Jesus told his disciples, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth,” John 4: 35-37. We can have great joy when a friend is saved, knowing we had a part in that person hearing the gospel message. (Present the Regal Queens)
Imperial Queen: Fruit of Meekness
This step directs the girl’s attention to a greater obedience to God. They learn that no matter how much they plan to do for God if they are not obedient to His leadership, He will not always bless their efforts. We must be totally obedient to His will in our lives. Jesus taught His disciples in John 15: 4-5, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Our meekness can demonstrate the power of God to save all who will come to Him. (Present the Imperial Queens)
Superior Queen: The Fruit of Gentleness
We serve Christ by serving others. The lessons in this step focus attention to the fact that we must be dedicated servants of Christ. We must be willing to sacrifice ourselves and our means to serve others with a Christian gentleness that the world can’t show. Paul commends the church in Philipi for their gift of support to him in Philippians 4: 15-18, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.” Our gentle treatment of others in their time of need will show the love of God that many are searching for. We can win the most stubborn will to a life of gentleness by our example. (Present the Superior Queens)
Sovereign Queen: The Fruit of Temperance
The final step in this long road of Christian growth teaches reverence to God and to His Word. Each girl learns to depend on God’s Word for leadership and direction in her life. A Christian life must be a life of discipline and temperance. Jesus told his disciples that they way to live a full Christian life is to keep His commandments. John 15: 8-10, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” We can only keep His commandments and live a life of temperance if we know what those commandments are. We learn them by reading His Word.
“If you don’t want to reap the fruits of sin, stay out of the orchard.” We began tonight with this quote and we have read many scriptures about how to dwell in God’s orchard, His Word, to learn how he expects us to live. However, if we should take a wrong turn and end up in sin’s orchard, we can be sure God will not let his child remain there for long. The Hebrews writer reminds us in chapter twelve, verse eleven, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” God may need to prune a branch in order for it to bring forth the fruit of righteousness that He desires to see in each Christian life.
In closing, I want to read a scripture that Paul wrote to the church at Colosse to let them know how proud he was of them. I want each girl to know how proud we are of you in finishing your Forward Steps. Colossians 1: 3-6, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and know the grace of God in truth:”
Closing Hymn: Breathe on Me
Other hymns that can be used with this program:
Trust, Try, and Prove Me
To The Work
Near to the Heart of God
Search Me, O God
I Am Resolved