Living on Mission: Faith, Service, and Spiritual Fruit

Let’s pray

Last week we looked at Romans 1:4-7 and in doing so looked at the following truths

In verse 4 Jesus was declared the Son of God

That is important because Jesus was separated from humanity by God at His resurrection

His eternal resurrection proves that He is in fact the Son of God

We also looked at the Spirit of Holiness.....the Spirit of Holiness is indeed the Holy Spirit

We looked at Grace...unmerited favor......getting what you do no deserve

We looked at the obedience of faith.....true salvation always produces obedience through faith

if you missed last week or just want to go back and watch the message again you can do so on our website....cccnevadmo.org or our app just search cccnevadamo wherever you get your apps

This week we dive into Romans 1:8-15.

Lets begin with

Romans 1:8-10

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Romans 1:8–10 ESV

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

Paul in every letter except the letter to the church in Galtia....Galatians...gives thanks for those receiving the letter

He did not give thanks in Galatians because they had defected from the true Gospel which is why he was writing them

Why did he give thanks

their faith

When was the last time you gave thanks to God for someone else’s faith?

When was the last time you told them and thanked them for their faith in person?

As we have seen this far in Romans it is all about your faith and the faith of others

Do you slow down long enough to first notice other’s faith and 2nd be truly thankful to God for their faith and 3rd tell them how thankful you are for their faith

What is your faith?

is your faith genuine?

Most will quickly say yes but is it really

Do you turn to God’s Truth or your version of the truth?

Do you turn to God’s Truth or youtube

Do you turn to God’s Truth or facebook

Do you turn to God’s Truth or tiktok

Take church for example

Do you have to go to church to be saved

nope

Only Jesus saves.....there is nothing we can do to earn that salvation

however if you are saved should you be at church

absolutely

First the Bible says so

Hebrews 10:25

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Hebrews 10:25 ESV

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

not only meeting together but encouraging one another

there are a few that I know about here that do their best to encourage one another to not neglect meeting together

there are many here who do their best to encourage one another when we gather

but it goes beyond that as with most everything with God

the Bible says so and that should be enough but it goes deeper than going to church just because God said so

Jesus loves the church

Jesus established the church

Jesus died for both the global Church all Christians and the local...ekklesia church

If Jesus loves the church....guess what you must also love the church if you truly love Jesus

I hear so many times from people that don’t come to church

I need to recharge

I need to reset

I need to be fed

I am too tired

I am worn out and need sleep

i need whatever excuse you feel best justifies your missing

This isn’t just Sunday mornings.......this is bible study and discipleship groups and so on

I have seen God move in mighty ways when I do things for him

I will never forget my first trip to Men’s Encounter in Lebanon Mo

i went with my dear brothers from Sheldon Baptist and this encounter was different than the one I attended and usually served at

it was HUGE.....back then like 400 or 500 dudes....in fact there were two encounters going on at the same time due to space

So it started with a long drive because the campground used was like 45 minutes to an hour or more from the church we started at

we got down there late.....really late and programing begins that evening

I used to be a night owl but I am old and need my sleep

By the time we got to the dorms to try and sleep it was well past 2 am.....have you ever tried finding you mattress, making said mattress in a room full of sleeping dudes with no light.....i was not very successful

I got that all done and laid down and was just starting to drift off to sleep and my dear brother Josh Lamb is grabbing my foot and is very excited and says i need your help

I jump up and go with him and one of his guys was having a seizure.....he grabbed me because of my first aid training with coaching until a paramedic who was there serving could arrive

The man had seizures and forgot his medicine and the stress of the day caused a seizure....the paramedic got there and treated the man and then something amazing happened

he pulled out his praying oil and we prayed over this man at about 3 or 3:30 in the morning

I got back to bed and slept for about 2 hours that night

but you know what....the next day I was not tired....why because God multiplied that sleep because i was truly serving Him with a pure heart

I say all that to say this

God controls time

God can multiply sleep

God can make you tired or not tired

When you commit to serving God with a pure heart and put Him first He never fails

Excuses keep you from growing and maturing and being where God calls you to be

it is always all about heart condition

If you are coming to church to be blessed

if you are coming to church to check a box

If you are coming to church to try and impress the pastor

if you are coming to church for any reason other than to serve and worship God you will get nothing but physical out of church

but if you come to church to serve God

if you come to church to worship God

if you come to church to fellowship and grow closer to each other and God

He will bless you beyond measure spiritually

Romans 1:11-12

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Romans 1:11–12 ESV

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

I love Paul’s heart

he longs to see them

not to hang out

or drink a few beers

or watch a game

no he longs to be with them to serve them

He longs to be with them to impart some spiritual gift

He longs to be with them to strengthen them

Do you long for fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ

Not just to hang out or to spend time with them but to strengthen them

that is part of why God draws you to the secret place...to give to you the Truth and scripture and insight that you can then bring to others to strengthen them

Today’s society is built upon selfishness

you do you

look out for number 1

get ahead at any cost

view all people from a perspective of what can they do for you and how can you get ahead through this relationship

we have all done it and have all felt it when others have done that to us

that is not what it is all about

Remember two weeks ago Jesus says we are to lay down our lives for our friends

you can’t lay down your life for your friends if you are using your friends

I think a perfect example of this and how to love others.....how to put others first is found in

Luke 10:25-37

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Luke 10:25–37 ESV

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Do you truly put others first

Do you truly put others ahead of yourself no matter the cost

the priest and the Levite......not unlike most Christians today....passed right by....maybe they said a prayer....probably not.....they just kept on keeping on and ignored a dying man

maybe they thought

he might have a disease

he probably chose to be there

he is probably addicted to drugs or alcohol

he was probably panhandling and deserved it

Christians are to be free from judgement in terms of condemnation

we are to judge fruit both in our own lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are lost

that is how we know where someone is at spiritually by judging their fruits.....are their fruits spiritual fruit or worldly evil fruit

Matthew 7:15-20

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Matthew 7:15–20 ESV

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

You must start with you first

are you recognized by your spiritual fruit or your evil fleshly worldly fruit

fruit will be produced

I have said and heard many say look for fruits as if there could be someone with no fruit

Galatians 5:16-24

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Galatians 5:16–24 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

One will produce fruit

either worldly, fleshly, evil fruit from themselves

or

spiritual fruit from the Holy Spirit

You will produce fruit that is not the question

the question is what fruit is being produced

you are to ask God to show you your fruit

examine your fruit

not just actions but the heart behind the actions that reveals the fruit

then you look at fruit in the lives of those around you

your spouse

your kids

your family

your friends

your co-workers

your neighbors

what fruit is present

if someone is lost of course their fruit will be fleshly, worldly, evil....they need the Gospel because they need Jesus

If someone is saved and you see fleshly, worldly, evil fruit they need rebuked....not by you but the Holy Spirit through you using scripture not opinions or emotions

God gave us such a clear definition of fleshly, worldly, evil fruit compared to spiritual fruit

what are you doing with it?

In our story in Luke the priest was unbiblical in many ways

one of them was being a respecter of persons

God is not a respecter of persons

Romans 2:9-11

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Romans 2:9–11 ESV

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

He sees saved and lost

He never sees title

He never sees race

He never sees money

He never sees anything other than a son or daughter covered by the blood of Jesus or someone who is lost and will feel His wrath someday

The Holy Spirit guides us to stop or not to stop but here the Holy Spirit would never lead you to not stop

This man was dying

He was in desperate need of help

The priest showed he hated the man when he kept right on walking

How many times do we see someone spiritually dying and walk right on by?

You see a post on social media where someone is struggling

they are hurting

they are questioning

they are searching

and you just scroll on by

someone else will say something

I will forward it to the pastor he will take care of it

they are just blowing and going and can figure it out

shame on us

Paul longed to go to serve

you should long to be here each and every week to serve

you should long to have brothers and sisters and the lost over for dinner to serve them

I love our Bible studies and discipleship groups

I love to open the Word of God and truly study it with brothers and sisters in Christ

but they are so much more than that.....they are an opportunity to serve one another

will you be tired during the week

ABSOLUTELY but your brothers and sisters are worth putting forth the effort to be with them and serve each other

Romans 1:12

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Romans 1:12 ESV

that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

This is a two way street you come to serve but you will also be served

you will also be recharged

you will also be reset

you will also be fed

by each other’s faith and service!!!!!!

Romans 1:13-15

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Romans 1:13–15 ESV

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Paul says he is under obligation

why is he under obligation to Greeks and barbarians

he is under obligation to God to do what God told him to do

Week 1 we looked at Paul’s conversion....when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus

God was clear to Paul that he was God’s chosen instrument to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles

Each of us who are saved are under obligation to God

Each of us have a mission

Each of us has been uniquely gifted to carry out that mission

Ephesians 2:10

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Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God created you to walk in the works He created beforehand for you to do

You have a mission

You are His workmanship in Christ Jesus....at salvation you receive the Holy Spirit

once you receive the Holy Spirit you receive spiritual gifts

There are many spiritual gifts

all Christians have at least one spiritual gift....many have two some have more than two

I believe these gifts change as God grows you

I Corinthians 12:8-10

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1 Corinthians 12:8–10 ESV

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

This is not a exclusive list of gifts but an example of gifts

God gifts you the abilities needed to walk in your works

carry out your mission

Spiritual gifts are limited unlike the fruit of the Spirit we looked at last week and again this morning

God gives you gifts as you need them to carry out your mission

Paul’s mission was to take the Gospel to the Gentiles

Are you living on mission

Are you carrying out the mission

Are you doing the works that God created for you to walk in

Are you eager to do God’s works

Are you looking for God’s works

Are you designing your life around God’s works

What stands in your way

Invitation