Now, if you'll open your Bibles
to Galatians 5, verse 22, I'll read the text again in a few
moments. It takes more than one grace to make a church fellowship a
great fellowship. It takes more than one grace.
There is a fellowship and a spirit here in this church that I have
found nowhere else in the world, not in this country and not in
countries where I have visited. We have had missionaries to come
here from other countries. to say to me before they left,
I wish that I could bring my family, move to Ashland, and
raise my family in the Thirteenth Street Baptist Church. You are
known all over this country as a generous and gracious people,
as a people who love one another, who love the Lord and who love
his gospel. God is with you and you dwell
together in unity. But it takes more than one ingredient
to make this type of fellowship. There are several areas that
must be developed, must be cultivated, several graces that also must
be protected. As I have said so many times,
The fellowship of this church is so good, the emphasis is so
clear, the blessings of God are so obvious, that it frightens
me. Because I am afraid that where
Christ is working, and where Christ is blessing, and where
God is doing a work of grace, that Satan is not going to be
content to leave it alone. And he will attack it. And therefore
this sermon tonight is developed with that in mind. It takes many
graces and many ingredients to make a great church. This is
a great church. But also these graces must be
protected. We must give our attention to
them and we must ask God to develop them further. Now, several things
by way of introducing the message. First of all, and I think this
is the first reason and the primary reason why you are a great people,
and that is we must preach Christ and Him crucified. Brother Charlie
Payne, speaking last Wednesday night from the book of Corinthians,
emphasized this. There's no need for me to reemphasize
it. But we have one message. We have
one gospel. We're like the Apostle Paul who
said, I'm determined to know nothing among you save Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. We're not going to be sidetracked
with Americanism, though we believe in it. We're not going to be
sidetracked with anti-communism, though we're against communism.
We're not going to be sidetracked debating against liberalism or
defending conservatism. We're preaching Christ. That's
our message. And there is no substitute for
the substitute. If Christ is preached, and if
Christ continues to be preached, this will continue to be a great
church. When we take away from Christ, and when we get sidetracked
no matter how important the issue is to us, there is no issue as
important as the gospel. For only the gospel will save.
It is the power of God unto salvation. Churches are built, churches
are grounded, and churches are disciplined by the preaching
of the gospel. Then secondly, and this is an
area that must be emphasized, we must not only in doctrine,
but we must in attitude also bow to the sovereignty of our
God and to the power of our Lord. Now I do not apologize for the
doctrine of sovereign grace. I am what the old-timers used
to call a Calvinist. I believe that the whole of the
work whereby a sinner is lifted from the dunghill and enthroned
with Christ is of the Lord and of Him only. I believe that all
the work in its planning, in its execution, in its application,
in its sustaining power, in its ultimate perfection All of the
work whereby a black soul is washed white and made holy and
without blame, all of that work is of God and of God only. That
man contributes absolutely nothing to the salvation of his soul,
that as Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, we too have
found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Paul said in Acts 20, verse
26, I have kept back nothing that is profitable unto you.
I have not shunned and declared unto you the whole counsel of
God. And I do not apologize for believing
in God's sovereignty, in election, in predestination, in the effectual
particular work of Christ on the cross, in God's preserving
power, and in the saints' persevering grace. And I hope that none of
you will ever be embarrassed to state to people clearly and
plainly, we're not ashamed of the sovereignty of our Lord and
the doctrines of his grace. And a church must hold to that.
I'm not saying that that's to be our one string on the fiddle. Christ is our one string. But
we preach a sovereign Christ. We preach a Christ with authority. We preach a Christ with purpose.
We preach a Christ who cannot fail, who never has and never
will. And then thirdly, we must have
a vision of a lost world, and we must have a burden for those
who know not Christ. If we lose that burden, we'll
lose the presence of the Lord. In Romans chapter 10, if we ever
come to the place where we cannot weep for those who are lost,
if we ever come to the place where we'll say, If they're going
to be saved, they're going to be saved. There's no use to preach
the gospel or pray for them or witness to them or send missionaries.
We can write Ichabod out there on the door because the glory
has departed. We believe in God's sovereignty,
we believe in man's responsibility. And Paul said in Romans 10, brethren,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they
might be saved. And our heart's desire and prayer
to God for these men in the penitentiary is that they may be saved. For
these people in Mexico, these Maya Indians, that they may be
saved. These people in Spain and France
and Ireland and the other places where we have missionaries, our
prayer to God is that they might be saved. And we have a burning
desire and a burden for them and a vision of a lost world.
that must hear the gospel. And I hope that's something,
and I wouldn't hesitate one minute to declare it boldly and plainly,
even at the expense of losing the fellowship of some Calvinistic
brethren. There is no begetting and no
regenerating apart from the Word of God. It takes the Word of
God. The Word is the seed of life.
No man can have life who does not have Christ. It's impossible. Impossible. And therefore we
must preach the gospel. God is the sovereign. He saves
men according to his will and purpose, but God's also the sovereign
over the means, and he has chosen by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. And nobody, but nobody, is going
to be saved unless he hears the faithful gospel of Jesus Christ. And God has permitted us to preach
that gospel. And we pray for open doors. Let
me show you several verses here in 1 Corinthians chapter 16. In 1 Corinthians chapter 16,
listen to this verse 9. Paul talked about in verse 9
of 1 Corinthians 16, a great door, an effectual door, a successful
door, is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. Paul
is saying here that God has been pleased to open a door into new
territory, into new places, that he might go there and preach
the gospel. You know, the Scripture says,
say they're not so many months to the harvest, lift up your
eyes, the fields already are white unto harvest, pray that
the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers. God is sovereign
in this matter of saving and also sovereign in this matter
of sending preachers and opening doors. Let me show you that again
in 2 Corinthians 2, just one page over. 2 Corinthians 2, verse
12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas
to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of
the Lord. God opened the door. God opened
the door for us in Ireland, in France, in Spain, in Mexico.
Turn, if you will, to Colossians 4. Listen to this. In Colossians
chapter 4, verse 2 and 3. He's talking about effectual
doors being opened. And here in Colossians 4, verse
2, Paul says, "...continue in prayer, and watch in the same
with thanksgiving, with all praying also for us, that God would open
unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ,
for which I am also in bondage." Pray that God will open a door. We must be personal witnesses.
I know witnessing is not easy. I know there are a lot of people
who like to argue religion. There are a lot of people who
like to debate denominations. There are a lot of people who
like to debate doctrine. But as much as we possibly can,
we need to set forth a personal example and a personal witness
the people of this church who believe the gospel. Invite men
and women to hear the word of God. Invite them to come to the
services. Be a personal witness. It's like
one man said he liked that definition I gave of witnessing. It's one
beggar telling another beggar where he got bread. That's witnessing.
Just one beggar telling another beggar where he got bread. I'm
not asking you to try to convince someone of your doctrine. But
invite them to come and hear the gospel and tell them what
God's done for you. Tell them what God has done in
your life and in your heart and who it is that saves and just
leave it there. And then we must be faithful
and loyal to our calling. The scripture says, I was glad
when they said to me, let's go to the house of God. Upon the
first day of the week, let every one of you lay by and store as
God has prospered in you. Forsake not this assembling of
yourselves together, but exhort one another. Where two or three
are met together in my name, I am in their midst." It's important
to be identified with the gospel of Christ and with the people
who believe the doctrine of Christ. It's important to be identified. But all of these things will
be of no profit. Now, you see, I've brought out
four things here that are important. Number one, to preach the right
message, the gospel. Secondly, to have the right doctrine. and the attitude toward God's
sovereignty and God's power. Number three, to have a missionary
vision, a burden for the lost, a concern that men hear the gospel. And number four, to be faithful
to the services, loyal to your calling, faithful in your giving,
providing these radio messages and missionaries. But all of these things will
be of no profit It's like Paul when he said, though I speak
with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I'm
nothing. Though I give my body to be burned
and my goods to feed the poor and have not love, profiteth
me nothing. If I have faith so that I can
remove mountains and understand the prophecies and have not love,
I'm a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. All of these things will
be to no avail and no profit unless these things be true,"
right here in Galatians 5.22, the fruit of the Spirit. The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. This is the semen. that holds
the different shaped stones together. You're all different shaped stones,
you're different personalities, you have different talents, you're
different members of the body of Christ, and these fruits of
the Spirit are the cement that hold all of these different shaped
stones together. These fruits of the Spirit, this
is the fence that keeps out the wolves of division. This is the
fence that keeps out the beast of discord. This is the sheet
music that enables all the different instruments to play together
in harmony. This is the cloak which covers
a multitude of infirmities and hides all our failures, the fruit
of the Spirit. This is the most important ingredient
of all right here. If you have this, you'll have
the other. If you have the other without this, Paul said, you're
nothing. And it profits you nothing. So I want us to look for just
a few minutes briefly but carefully at the fruits of the Spirit and
ask God to manifest them in the pastor, manifest them in the
people, to literally saturate our fellowship with these graces
that it may be a continual example and blessing to all who know
us. These areas cannot be taken for granted, cannot be taken
for granted as a whole. or as an individual. One individual
lacking in the fruit of the Spirit can destroy a fellowship. I've
seen that happen. First of all, he gives us this
word. The fruit of the Spirit is love. Now true love is the motive for
all good. For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son. Christ said, if you love me,
you'll keep my commandment. Love is the motive for all good.
If we love one another, we'll pray for one another. If we love
one another, we'll forgive one another. If we love one another,
we'll assist one another, because the labor of love is an easy
task. While you hold Galatians 5, turn
over to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. Now this is a
startling scripture here, but it is God's Word. In 1 John 3
verse 14, love is the proof of discipleship and it's the proof
also of hypocrisy. Now watch this, the absence of
it is the proof or indication of the absence of grace. He says,
we know, 1 John 3, verse 14, that we have passed from death
unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not
his brother abideth in death. Whoso hateth his brother as a
murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding
in him, hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid
down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for
the brethren. In other words, true love is an indication of
discipleship. The absence of love is an indication
of the absence of grace. So this is the first fruit of
the Spirit, love. Now let's look back at the second
one quickly. He says joy. Joy. Now two things are meant here
by this word joy. First of all, joy here means
a glad heart. a glad heart which is produced
by faith in God's love. I rejoice in the Lord. I praise
God. Turn to Romans chapter 14. I praise God for His grace. I
praise God for His mercy. I praise God for every spiritual
blessing and every material and physical blessing. This is the
joy in my heart because of what God has done for me. In Romans
chapter 14, verse 17, For the kingdom of God is not meat and
drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Look at Romans 15, 13. Now, the God of hope fills you
with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through
the power of the Holy Ghost. This joy here, first of all,
has a twofold meaning. First of all, it's a glad heart. It's a spirit of rejoicing that's
produced by faith in God's love and by confidence in God's grace
toward us. We praise the Lord for his grace
toward us. Now here's the second reference. This joy is also, and this is
something that most of you have, and some of the rest of us ought
to cultivate it a little better. This joy is also a lightheartedness. and a cheerful attitude toward
other believers, and a cheerful attitude in the presence of other
believers. This is a joy, just like we're
talking about loving one another. Well, this is in these characteristics
of a believer. We're talking also about expressing
joy over the fellowship and the presence of other believers.
It's the opposite of that old cold severity of Phariseeism. Have you ever watched people
who are trying to impress each other with their piety? I have. Have you ever been around people
who are trying to impress other people about how holy they are,
and how pious they are, and how righteous they are? They have
a coldness. They have a severity. It is like
the bondage of legality. They're trying to impress someone
with their stern countenance and with their pious look that
they're holy. But that doesn't impress anybody.
That just does the work of Satan. But when we are happy, and when
we rejoice in the Lord, we also have a cheerful attitude toward
one another. And that's what he's talking
about right here. He's talking about not only joy over the grace
of God, but joy over the very privilege of being together.
I'm glad to see you. I look forward to seeing you.
Now here's the third fruit of the Spirit. Now, joy and peace
are usually connected. You notice those scriptures?
I'm not going back and reading them again. I just read them
in Romans 14 and 15. Joy and peace were together.
They were together. The Spirit of God will produce
a peaceful harmony among brethren by producing a sense of harmony
with God. If a man's right with God, he'll
be right with you. If he's out of sorts with God,
he'll be out of sorts with you. If a man has joy in the Lord,
he'll have joy in his brethren. If a man has peace with God,
he'll have peace with his brethren. Now that's so. When we have a
complete trust in the grace of God, it quells those disturbances
of passion and temper and impatience and fretting over outward things.
If the inward things are settled and calm and at peace, then the
outward things are going to be that way too. So joy and peace
go together. And we're talking about peace
with God and peace with one another. Cultivate it. Encourage it. Seek it. Do all within your power
to keep it. And then the fourth fruit of
the Spirit is long-suffering. Now this does not mean a patient
waiting for good things to come. But this is a patient bearing
of present trials. We're talking about present things,
love, joy, peace, and long-suffering right now, under present burdens,
under present trials. This is talking about being quick
to forgive. This is talking about being slow
to anger. This is talking about being slow
to judge and slow to discipline. In 1 Corinthians 13 it says,
Love suffereth long. It puts up with a whole lot.
And that's talking about a present condition and a present burden
and a present trial. It's long suffering. That's the
fruit of the Spirit. To be able to forgive, to be
able to be slow to anger, and quick to forgive. And then the
next word is gentleness. What is that? I look this up
in several places and I'll give you the best definition that
I find, I have found today, of gentleness. Gentleness. And this is the definition. This
is a sweetness of disposition. This is courtesy. in words, in
gestures. You know, sometimes you can not
say anything, but you can look and offend and wound people as
much as if you'd said a whole lot. So gestures, this is to
be courteous in word, in gesture, and in action. This is an imitation
of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was gentle and who was kind. True love will not deliberately
wound or hurt its object, but true love will treat others gently,
tenderly, and kindly. We need to learn to handle the
human heart with care. It's easily wounded. Gentleness, that's the fruit
of the Spirit, gentleness. And then the next word is goodness.
What else can come from the good spirit of God but goodness? He
who does a good work of grace in the heart inspires those who
are objects of that work to do good things for one another.
Oh, there are a lot of people who respond to a call for help,
but goodness goes about doing good willingly and uncalled for. Isn't that something? They're
those who respond, if you ever need me, call me, and they'll
come if you call. But goodness goes about doing
good willingly and uncalled for. That's a willingness to serve.
Goodness. Christ went about doing good. And then the word faith comes
up. Faith is a fruit of the Spirit.
Now this is both faith and faithfulness, and I believe it must be put
that way because it's right here in the middle of characteristics
of a believer. A believer will love others,
a believer will rejoice in others, a believer will be at peace with
others, a believer will suffer long unkindness and so forth.
He'll be gentle, he'll be courteous, he'll be good, and he'll be faithful. Faithful. Now, as I said, it
has two meanings. First of all, faith in God. We
know that. Faith in Christ. That's the gift
of God. That's the fruit of the Spirit.
That's the working of the Spirit. Our actions as individuals and
as a church spring from faith. What we do, we do by faith. We
live by faith. But this also is faithfulness. And that is that we can be depended
upon. We will not desert our calling. We will not desert our fellowship. We will not desert what God has
led us to do. We're going to be faithful. We're
going to be faithful. Whatever the difficulty, whatever
the problem, whatever the trial we encounter, we're going to
be faithful. And then meekness. What is meekness? What is humility?
Here's a definition from Dr. John Gills, body of divinity. What is humility? Well, number
one, true meekness or humility is
a man thinking the worst of himself and the best of others. True
humility is not envying, but rejoicing in the blessings of
others. True humility is ascribing all
that I have to the grace of God. I don't deserve it. True humility
is a willingness to receive instruction and also rebuke. True humility
is patiently bearing all injuries done to me, real or unreal. True humility is submitting quietly
to the afflicting hand of God. True humility is not seeking
great things for myself. True humility is subjecting all
of my human reasons to divine wisdom. And then last of all,
the word temperance. Now here's an area that's difficult
for all of us. Did you know that we're usually
extremist? We usually go overboard. Isn't
it so? We're usually either very mad
or very glad. That's right. We're extremist.
We either eat too much or not enough. We either misuse liberty or we
become too legalistic. We're either on the mountaintop
or we're either in the valley. Most difficult thing in the world.
We're either too hard doctrinalists or not enough. We're extremists. The pendulum just can't find
the middle. It's got to swing one way or
the other. And it's got to swing hard. That's how we make enemies.
That's why our religion appears to many people to be so ridiculous. It's because we are extremists.
We need to learn temperance in all things to the glory of God.
In whatever we eat, whatever we drink, whatever we wear, whatever
we do, do it for the glory of God. Let's quit being extremists. Let's learn something about temperance,
about Christian liberty, about talking. We either joke too much or not
enough. at talking, dressing, the places
we go, the things we do, the company we keep, do it in a manner
in which Christ Jesus the Lord shall be glorified, in which
others might see us and see Christ in us. You can see Christ in
a glad countenance much better than you can in a bitter countenance,
but there's a time to be sad, there's a time to be glad, there's
a time to rejoice, there's a time to weep. And we need to learn
templates for the glory of God. You see these fruits of the Spirit. That's the cement that holds
the stones together. That's the sheet music, Avon,
by which all these different instruments—we're all different,
but we play the same tune if these things are present in our
hearts. We play in harmony. If these things are not true,
we can't get in harmony. This is it right here. And I'm asking God, if he'll
make these things true of me and true of you, it's impossible
to predict what he may do here. And here's what I see. I see
a Now God's not going to bring his children into a cold, dead
church. He has some sheep. Jack Huddle's
always saying, I believe the Lord's got some sheep out there.
But I believe he has two. But he's not going to bring them
in a fold unless that fold's able to feed them, unless they'll
find the right kind of fellowship. You're not going to let your
children be born and put in an icebox. You won't put them in
an incubator. You want him to come under a pastor's leadership
who's following the gospel, under the fellowship of a people who
love each other and who will welcome that sheep and nurture
and understand it and sympathize with it and take care of it and
recognize its weaknesses and bring it up in the things of
the Lord. We need to pray about these things
and seek his leadership. Lord, you come and lead us in
a closing hymn, if you will, please, sir. Let's sing 393.
393. Let's stand, please. Take my life and let it be consecrated,
Lord, to Thee. Take my hands and let them move
at Thee, Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for
thee. Take my lips and let them speak,
filled with messages for me. God of my good I withhold, God
of my good I withhold. Take my love, my God, Thank you for watching.