The fruit is of no benefit to the tree. Two things fruit does:
1. Provides nourishment for others passing by, a blessing to others.
2. Produces new trees by holding, protecting, carrying the seed!
Love, patience, gentleness, etc. is for someone else!
Spiritual gifts of words of wisdom, knowledge, even interpretation are for someone else!
Motivational gifts of mercy, encouragement, teaching, etc, are for someone else!
The reason for the gifts is not so we can do church better but:
1. so we can help others and
2. so we can help someone else find Jesus!
Jesus gives THE reason for all of this in Acts 1:8.
One thing that works is generations reaching their own generation. But it’s not about age so much as it’s about life experience.
Let’s look at two impromptu sermons in scripture: Acts 2:14-31 and Acts 17:22-41. There is a big difference between Peter’s message in Jerusalem to a mostly God-fearing Jewish crowd and Paul’s approach in Acts 17 to a “believe-what-you-want” Athens.
We are increasingly living in an Acts 17 world and an Acts 2 message won’t connect. We must have an Acts 17 message to reach an Acts 17 world!
How to reach your friend?
Pray for their soul, for their heart to be open
Be open yourself
Do whatever it takes!
We will do anything short of sin to reach people who don’t know Christ.
Craig Groeschel
Church 29:11 