Fruit of the Spirit or Religious Nuts
Acts 9:26-30

Intro:
Good morning.
We have had sermons in the past on Spiritual Gifts and I hope each of us recognizes the talents we posses and work on developing them for use to God’s glory.

I know it’s not easy volunteering to help with something, but I believe that God will assist you with whatever it is you’re now involved in. God bless each of you for choosing to help the church because the church needs your help. If you’re not involved in anything within the church, let me encourage you so.

In addition to the use of our spiritual gifts there are some acts I want to consider this morning that many would not look at as talents yet some might. We’re going to look at the act of submission and the act of working with our responsibilities.

A chauvinistic husband and his godly wife were preparing to have breakfast when the wife asked, “why do I always have to make the coffee?”
The husband answered, “because you’re the wife, that’s your job.”
The wife replied, “the Bible doesn’t say it’s the woman’s job to make the coffee, it’s the man’s!”
Taken back by this, the husband demands to see where in the Bible it states that he should be the one to make the coffee.
“Well, here it is”, the godly woman replied, “Hebrews!”

I guess the point is, in every relationship in life there are both benefits and responsibilities. For example, living in an earthly family means that we can enjoy certain benefits of care, love and protection. Along with those benefits are also responsibilities for us to provide care, love and protection as well.

I. Relationships. When you think about relationships, every worthwhile relationship is a unique blend of benefits and responsibilities. We know that being a member of the Lord’s church has its blessings and benefits and with those benefits come some responsibilities.
a. Just as we were once born into a family by our physical birth, we, as Christians, have been born again into a spiritual family. God in Heaven is the Christian’s Father! Christ is the Christian’s elder brother! Christians are surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ. These are the Christian’s spiritual family.
b. God in His wisdom knew that it would be difficult for Christians to stand alone. So what did He do? He provided Christians with a family to love them, a family to care for them and a family to protect them as they begin their new life in Christ.
c. We also need to remember that it is God who adds people to His church not man. All the sermons, all the good works or all the stories we ever tell will never make someone become a Christian. These things may help them learn about Christ and make up their mind to think about Christianity, but Acts 2:47 teaches us quite clearly that it is “God who adds people to His church.”
d. Not only does He add us to His church, He places us in a local congregation to help us, guide us and support us in our Christian lives. God would no sooner see a baby abandoned and on its own, than see a Christian cast adrift without the help of a local congregation. Think about the apostle Paul for example. Even in all of his labors as the great apostle to the Gentiles, he can be seen to be associated with a local congregation in all of his preaching efforts.
e. Read with me in Acts 9:26-30 – “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.” So “Paul tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. However Barnabas witnessed about him to the apostles. Barnabas told of what happened on road to Damascus and how Paul had later preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. Paul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”
f. In the passage we’ve just read we find Barnabas making sure that the apostle who had once been a persecutor of the church found acceptance as part of the church. In Acts 11 we find that Paul is brought in to play a part in the successful work of the church there in Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and regularly taught large groups of people. In Acts 13 the Holy Ghost requested that Paul and Barnabas be separated for the work, and they were sent by the church in Antioch on Paul’s first missionary journey.
g. In Acts 14 we find that Paul, on completion of his first missionary journey, gathers the church together and makes a report of his work on their behalf of preaching the gospel to the Gentile world. In Acts 15 we find Paul and Barnabas returning to their preaching ministry in Antioch. In Acts 18 at the conclusion of his second missionary journey, he again returns to Antioch to report to the church further. Paul later is to be associated with the church in Ephesus, for having established it; he worked with that congregation for a period of 2 years and 3 months.
II. Membership - Now you may well ask, what’s the point? The point is that God wants us not just to be part of the church universal, but He wants us, just like Paul, to be a “member” of a local congregation.
a. Why does God do that? Why does He want us to “be a member” of a local congregation? A Christian’s purpose for being part of a local congregation is that they will benefit from the wisdom and leadership of other more mature Christians.
b. Hebrews 13:7 – tells us; “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” Again in Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
c. The Hebrew writer is telling us that spiritual leaders in a congregation are to be honored by Christians. They are given to Christians by God for their benefit. At the same time those very same spiritual leaders have a sacred duty to watch over all the other Christians souls within that congregation, caring for them, as shepherds caring for the flock.
d. I understand that we don’t have any elders here at Chardon, but I believe that one day we will, if it is God’s will. Until that day, it is the responsibility of every mature male Christian in this congregation to guide and care for all other members of the church. God calls us all to humility and commitment to Christ. This is not just for the spiritual leaders but for all the other members too. It is the act of being submissive to your church and its leaders.
III. Commitment - A young man found a new doctor for his 90-year-old mother, whose family physician had died. After the examination the doctor called them into his office, and ignoring the young man’s mother, proceeded to give him the results. His mother took it for awhile then interrupted and said, "Doctor, do you do crossword puzzles?" "Yes, I do," he replied. She then asked the doctor, "Do you do them with pencil or a pen?" The doctor said, "Why, with a pencil!" The young man’s mother said, "Well, I do mine with a pen, so you can talk to me."
a. Who is it better to talk to, the one most closely involved or an interested party? Think of it this way, you don’t have to talk to someone else about being a member of a local congregation; you can talk to God about it. Have you ever wondered why you should “place membership” with the local congregation such as the one here at Chardon?
b. When we use the expression "Placing membership", it is one of those vague expressions that really isn't very useful, unless it's filled out with biblical understanding. When talking to people about “placing membership”, it means that they are being asked to commit to a specific congregation of people to contribute their giftedness.
c. God wants us to be a part of a local congregation so that we can contribute to that congregation's needs and effectiveness as a witness to Christ's redeeming life, death, resurrection, exaltation and coming again. That’s the point Paul is trying to make in 1 Corinthians 12. No Christian is gifted by God to spend their gifts in isolation.
d. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 – “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Paul says that the gifts are given so that "everyone will profit".
IV. Discipline. Another reason why we “place membership” with a local congregation of God's people is to show that we are willing to come under congregational discipline. Congregations help each part of the body to maintain their place and function within the universal body of Christ.
a. This kind of truth is assumed everywhere in the New Testament. In Matthew 18:15-17 - when Jesus is speaking about forgiveness, He says, “… if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. If your brother sins against you, show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. Let’s continue. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Straightforward isn’t it? And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”
b. Thinking about this, how can you bring a person before the church, if they aren’t members of the church locally? In 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 - Paul says, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” Paul is saying you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. One is not even to fellowship, share a meal, with such a person. Then he asks; “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.” Hear that folks? "Expel the wicked man from among you."
c. How could the church in Corinth expel the wicked man if He wasn’t a part of that congregation? Church government letters in Timothy and Titus take it all for granted.
d. That’s why if a Christian from another congregation intends to stay at Chardon for a while, they usually ask us, if they can “place membership” with us while they are here worshipping with us. They are asking to come under the guidance and discipline of the church leadership here at Chardon.
e. Now, please don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not saying that people who haven’t made it known that they want to be a part of a local congregation are not a part of the Lord’s church. They are Christians and they are a part of the Lord’s church universally. They are Christians but if something happened and they needed to be rebuked or disciplined, the congregation is not in a position to do that.
f. The church can’t discipline them because they haven’t submitted to the local congregation’s leadership. The church can’t do anything because they haven’t placed themselves under the discipline of the entire congregation as a whole. It’s not only an act to submit to Christ with your life, it’s an act to be willing to be led by your church and its leaders.
g. That brings me to the final act I want us to take a look at this morning. Having become part of this spiritual family with other brothers and sisters, we need to remember that we have some responsibilities to uphold.
V. Responsibilities - Just what are those responsibilities? As a reminder lets look at Ephesians 4:11-16 – we read; “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
a. Notice how Paul describes the church here. He says the church is like the physical body where each part of the body has a relationship to all other parts. Just as the physical body grows to maturity so also does the spiritual body, the church. We are to grow up spiritually!
b. When someone is baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, that’s not the end, it is just the beginning. Christians are to grow up from being spiritual babies into mature womanhood or manhood in Christ.
c. Remember what Paul said, he said that the spiritual growth of each member has a beneficial effect on all others. In other words when each part of the body is working properly then growth throughout the body occurs.
d. It is here we find our first responsibility. It is the responsibility of every member to build up every other member. You see, the church is a mutual help society! Christians find their help in the church and Christians give their help in the church. We reflect this especially, though not exclusively, in the local congregation.
e. Acts 10:37-38 – “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
f. We all know that Jesus went about doing good, so it should be of no surprise that His followers should do the same, even when we get tired of doing good. Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9-10 – “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.“ [NKJ]
g. Paul says that Christians are to do good to all people, but especially to those who are of the family of believers, especially to the church. It’s our responsibility to help each other out. I’ve got a responsibility to help you and you’ve got a responsibility to help me.
VI. No Divisions - Paul reminds us of another responsibility we have in 1 Corinthians 1:10 - “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
a. Christians are commanded to maintain the unity of the Body of Christ. But why? Why are we to be at peace with one another? Well, Christians are to be peaceable and at peace with one another so that the work of the church can be done properly.
b. Fighting in the church only hinders the work of the church. Paul says there are to be no divisions in the church. That’s why Paul called upon all the members of the church in Philippi to help two women who were fighting.
c. He says in Philippians 4:2-3 – “I beseech Euodias, {ee-oh-das} and beseech Syntyche, {sin-ta-key} that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”
d. We’ve all got a responsibility, not only to help each other but to keep the peace with each other. When Paul is talking about the full amour of God in Ephesians 6, he says in verse 16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Folks, all the arrows of the outside world which Satan throws at us don’t hurt the church as much as the arrows that are thrown from the inside.
e. Another responsibility is found in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 – “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
f. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
g. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”
h. Have you ever been hammering a nail into a piece of wood and miss the nail hitting instead the nail at the end of your thumb? If you haven’t let me assure you the pain just shoots through the rest of your body like crazy. What’s your first reaction when that happens? The first thing that happens is that you take your other hand and hold that thumb, until the throbbing stops and the pain lessens.
i. That’s what Paul says should be happening in the church spiritually. Romans 12:15 - says, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Paul tells us if one member of the church suffers, then all the other members of the church suffer.
j. Also Paul also reminds us that each member is to realize that the functions of other parts of the body are not to be regarded as unimportant or demeaned. In fact Paul says it quite the opposite, didn’t he? 1 Corinthians 12:23 - “The parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.”
k. This is the act of exercising spiritual care and is the kind of thing that should be done in all sound family life.
VII. Bearing fruit. - Finally, the last responsibility we're going to look at is the responsibility of bearing fruit. John 15:1-11 - “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
a. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full”. [NKJ]
b. Jesus uses the figure of the vine and branches and tells us that it is our responsibility as the branches to bear fruit for the vine. Here’s a stern warning for us all, if a branch doesn’t bear fruit, then all it’s doing is drawing strength from the plant. It doesn’t produce what it was intended to produce, which is fruit.
c. Romans 7:4 - “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, even to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” [NKJ]
d. Not only are we to build each other up for works of service but we are supposed to bear fruit. I guess a fair question would be, well, what kind of fruit is this? Remember what we are told in Galatians 5:22-24 - “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.” [Para]
e. It is nothing less than a transformed life. As God is allowed to work within our lives, He produces a fundamental spiritual change. In turn this change encourages other Christians in the local congregation and in the universal church as a whole.

CONCLUSION:
There is a species of animal called a ‘Flying fox’. Members of their suborder are the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as the fruit bats or flying foxes among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia (including the Indian subcontinent), Australia, East Africa, and a number of remote oceanic islands in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. At least 60 extant species are in this genus.
Characteristically, all species of flying foxes only feed on nectar, blossoms, pollen, and fruit, which explains their limited tropical distribution. They do not possess echolocation, the feature which helps the other suborder of bats, locate and catch prey such as insects in midair. Instead, smell and eyesight are very well-developed in flying foxes. Feeding ranges can reach up to 40 miles. When it locates food, the flying fox "crashes" into foliage and grabs for it. It may also attempt to catch hold of a branch with its hind feet, then swing upside down; once attached and hanging, the fox draws the food to its mouth with one of its hind feet or with the clawed thumbs at the top of its wings. They can see the fruit which they are attracted to and literally dive into it and eat it until their hearts are content because they just can’t resist the fruit.

The fruit of the Spirit changes lives, and in turn what that does is attract the world to the power of the gospel. As Christians, we are joined to Christ, and it’s our responsibility to bear fruit for Him. The eyes of the world should see this fruit in our lives and in our homes, so that they too will be attracted to it. When people get a taste of the gospel, they will come back for more.

But we need to remember that when the world looks at us, the world needs to see spiritual fruit not religious nuts. We have seen today all too clearly our responsibility to grow and to help others to grow. We have seen why we need to change and why we need to encourage others to change. We have also seen the need to follow our spiritual leaders and to lead others to greater faith.

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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins… If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

# 605

Reference Sermon
Mike Glover