Being in a Doing World (Linton Hall Sermon)
October 26, 2025
How are you BE-ing?
Acts 17:28 NIV – “For in him we live and move and have our being…”
The Doing Culture: Your doing flows out of your being.
Luke 6:43-45 CSB – “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”
Luke 6:43–45: Root and Fruit
1. The Tree Imagery points to Moral & Covenantal Symbolism.
2. The “Good Tree” and “Bad Tree” depict our inner BE-ing.
3. The fruits and roots reveal our inner BE-ing.
4. Identity Revealed by Conduct.
5. The fruit corresponds to what’s stored inside.
6. The nature of the root determines the quality of the fruit.
7. Transformation takes time.
Root and Fruit: Actions reveal our true identity in Christ.
How Do We BE in Christ?
- Be dead to self and alive in Christ.
- Be true to God not yourself
- Be repentant
- Be in His Word
- Be obedient
Root and Fruit: We are not trying to be right – we’re trying to be righteous.
Isaiah 40:13 – Who has known the mind of the LORD?”
1 Corinthians 2:16 – For, Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Philippians 2:5 NIV – In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Luke 6:46-47 CSB – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house
was great.”
Foundation and Future: Your identity isn’t built on circumstances but on Christ.
Before we can do the works of Christ, we must be the work of Christ.
Who is influencing your BE-ing?
Psalm 101:2-3 NEHB – “I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart. I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me.”
Borrowed Faith: Who is in your inner circle?
Walking Blamelessly In Integrity: Character shapes our private and public lives faithfully.
BEING: Our Identity in Christ
Understanding who we are in Him
- Belong to God’s family
- Embody His love and grace
- Imitate Christ’s example daily
- Nurture our spiritual growth
- Glorify God in all things
RAISE: How We Live It Out
If you are “BE-ing” in Christ, this is the fruit you will bear.
- Resolve to renew your mind.
- Absolve others with grace.
- Involve community in life.
- Solve problems with wisdom.
- Elevate your purpose in Christ.
Rooted in Christ
Our identity shapes our mission and purpose.
When we’re rooted in Christ (BEING), we’re raised in His likeness (RAISE).
Rooted → Raised.
Identity → Impact.
Being → Doing.
Be the work of Christ.
Abide Before You Act
