Peeled - 8

Gentleness

We are examining the Fruit of the Spirit and discovering characteristics of a life changed by Christ.

Here’s what we know about fruit, fruit is never grown overnight, it must be cultivated.

Picture your life like a piece of fruit. When you are peeled is the fruit sweet or sour?

We are peeling back the layers of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Many say “fruits,” however there are not 9 “fruits” of the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit has 9 characteristics, 9 layers if you will. One Fruit with 9 attributes.

These Fruit taken together make up the character of Christ.

Some people try to pick and choose their way through the Fruit of the Spirit. Many pray and ask God to “give” them the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are given. Fruit is cultivated.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Fruit of the Spirit is a description of the character qualities found in Christ.

So far we have examined Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,  Goodness and Faithfulness.

This week let’s examine Gentleness.

KJV – Meekness

Meekness – 4239 praüs (prah-ooce') ADJ. or 4235 praos (prah’-os), denotes "gentle, mild, meek"

Gentleness 4240 praütēs (prah-oo’-tace)  Noun. describes the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.

Praütēs is a quality of gentle friendliness.

In Greek literature praütēs was sometimes used of fake, hypocritical concern for others that is motivated by self-centeredness.

But in the New Testament it is always used of genuine consideration for others.

The Greek language is a precise and expressive language. When they defined a word they also gave the word an illustration.

Praütēs was used in secular Greek writings to describe a soothing wind, a healing medicine, and a colt that had been broken.

In each illustration, there is power under control; for wind can become a storm, too much medicine can kill and a horse can break loose.

To the Greeks, prautes is the definition and word picture of power or strength under control.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary:

“The meaning of praütēs is not readily expressed in English …

Praütēs describes a condition of the mind and heart (Meekness).

Gentleness is more applicable to actions.

Meekness seems to be the better use of the word.

It must be clearly understood that the meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power.

The common assumption is that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord was meek because He had the infinite resources of God at His command.” (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Meekness is not an easy attribute of the Fruit of the Spirit to cultivate.

It’s easy to have counterfeit Meekness/Gentleness.

Those who are easy going or have no ambition or drive are often labeled as gentle or meek.

Gentleness/Meekness have nothing to do with personality.

A person can have a gentle personality but be far from cultivating the fruit of Gentleness/Meekness.

1. Why Meekness?

Matthew 5:5 NIV “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.”

The Greeks characterized meekness as power under control.

For Spirit filled believers, this means living under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Practically speaking, someone who is meek lives free from malice, bitterness, and any desire for revenge.

The best way to understand meekness is through in the context of relationships because meekness refers to how we treat others.

To be meek, implies that we live in submission to God.

Our submission is not a passive submission that shrugs its shoulders and says, “oh well, I can’t do anything about it anyway.”

Our submission is an active submission, willingly choosing to accept God’s ways without murmuring or complaining.

Meekness is not cowardice, complacency, or the willingness to have peace at any cost.

Meekness is not being wishy-washy or indecisive. It’s not shyness, or being an introvert. It’s definitely not just being nice.

Meekness is controlled strength. Having power that is completely surrendered to God’s control.

Meekness is an attitude of the heart in which all of our energies are brought into perfect control of the Holy Spirit.

The person who is meek accepts that everything comes from God.

They not only accept that everything comes from God, they also live their lives with behaviors that demonstrate and reflect gentleness.

Character always precedes conduct.

What we are determines what we do.

Conduct must flow out of character.

2. What about my rights?

2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Our culture says to step on people’s faces before they step on yours, that is how you get to the top. That’s how you become successful!

The real unspoken system is “do to other people before they get a chance to do to you.”

But God says, “that’s not how it works!”

While the attitude of our culture is all about “Assert Yourself And Take Care Of #1”… Jesus had a better idea. He called all of us to LAY DOWN OUR LIVES” in practical ways everyday for other people.

Laying your life down means putting others first. Things like helping around the house, spending time with your family, sometimes going out of your way to meet someone else’s need. Not popping off at someone when you really want to just let him or her have it.

LAY YOUR LIFE DOWN!

Quote from Blue Like Jazz – “If we are not willing to wake up in the morning and die to ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether or not we are really following Jesus.” Pg. 185

Jesus says, you are going to be blessed when you do that.

Matthew 5:5 NIV “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.”

The Greek definition of “Blessed” means, “to be characterized by the quality and nature of God.” It means being so full of God that we begin to take on His nature causing His kingdom to be alive in us.

1 John 3:16 NIV This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

John 15:5, 8 NLT “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

⁸ “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

When we allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate Gentleness in our lives, we are bearing fruit that characterizes the nature and qualities of God.

The Bible teaches that you have the right attitude when you say, “you know what I’m not going to assert my rights.”

Because our society says assert your rights, don’t let people tell you what to do. But Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

That’s why we have to submit to our boss, our parents and teachers, authorities put over us.

Jesus said that the person who wants to be first must learn to be a servant of all.

Jesus says in this culture you’re a blessed person when you swallow your pride and learn to serve other people and put others first.

Remember the Greek word for meekness? Praüs or Praütēs

Watch how Jesus walked and responded, even when He was mistreated and falsely accused.

1 Peter 2:18-25 NLT You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. ¹⁹ For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. ²⁰ Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

²¹ For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

²² He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.

²³ He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

²⁴ He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

²⁵ Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

Jesus didn’t work deceitfully.

He didn’t return insults with insults.

Even though He had more right than anyone to do so. (He created all those who were insulting and mistreating Him.)

Jesus simply prayed and kept His mouth shut.

He continually entrusted Himself to God, knowing that God knew about the insults and unjust treatment.

3. Meekness Modeled.

Genesis 50:19-20 NIV But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Meekness allowed Joseph to look beyond the cruel intentions and murderous plot of his brothers. Meekness enabled Joseph to see the sovereignty of God in all situations.

Because Joseph walked in meekness, he was ready to accept all that God had allowed into His life without bitterness.

As his brothers feared for their lives, for good reason! Joseph was the perfect example of power under control:

The perfect example of meekness is Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

A yoke was a wooden frame that farmers would put on the back of an ox. The yoke went on the back and around neck, joining two animals together, enabling them to work together to carry the load and pull a cart or plow a field.

When we are yoked with Jesus, guess who pulls the load?

Jesus does.

The best way for us to display meekness to the world around us is to be yoked with Jesus. He is the model of meekness.

He promises us that if we take His yoke, we will find rest. By attaching ourselves to Jesus, we find rest in His gentle and humble heart.

This word picture would have been very familiar to Jesus’ audience. In Biblical times, a young ox was commonly yoked to an older, more experienced ox.

The purpose was so that the older ox could basically “train” the younger ox.

For example, when yoked to an older ox, the younger ox could learn the correct pace at which to work and how to heed the direction of the master.

How does this apply to believers today? By being yoked to Christ, we learn to surrender every area of our lives to His will.

Jesus’ yoke is “easy”.

In Palestine, ox yokes were made of wood.

The ox was purchased and measurements were taken for the yoke.

The yoke was then roughed out and the ox was brought back for a fitting. Then yoke was then adjusted so that it would fit well. The yoke was tailor-made to fit the ox.

Our “yoke” is tailor-made as well. We learn meekness as we are yoked with the Master. As we walk with Jesus, we learn to be like Jesus.

Peeled - 7

Faithfulness

We are examining the Fruit of the Spirit and discovering characteristics of a life changed by Christ.

Here’s what we know about fruit, fruit is never grown overnight, it must be cultivated.

Picture your life like a piece of fruit. When you are peeled is the fruit sweet or sour?

We are peeling back the layers of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Many say “fruits,” however there are not 9 “fruits” of the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit has 9 characteristics, 9 layers if you will. One Fruit with 9 attributes.

These Fruit taken together make up the character of Christ.

Some people try to pick and choose their way through the Fruit of the Spirit. Many pray and ask God to “give” them the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are given. Fruit is cultivated.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Fruit of the Spirit is a description of the character qualities found in Christ.

So far we have examined Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness and Goodness.

This week let’s examine Faithfulness.

If you read our text in the KJV it says faith. All the modern translations use the word faithfulness.

In the Greek, the word for Faith is the same word used for Faithfulness.

[Greek] pistis – conviction, confidence, trust, belief, reliance

Pistis is the divinely implanted principle of inward confidence, assurance, trust, and reliance in God and all that He says.

Faith is believing God is who He says He is and He will do what He said He would do.

Faith is you trusting God.

Faithfulness is God trusting you.

Faithfulness is total commitment and loyalty to God that goes against all human reasoning.

Many people say they believe in God, but faithfulness means believing to the point that your belief changes your lifestyle.

Faith is a Gift of the Spirit, but it is also a Fruit that must be cultivated.

Romans 12:3 NKJV For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Luke 17:5-6 NLT The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” ⁶ The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!”

Matthew 17:20 NLT “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

On two separate occasions Jesus makes a reference to “Mustard Seed Faith.” Jesus used a small mustard seed to figuratively teach about the power of faith in God.

It takes small amount of faith on our part to enable God to do mighty things because we believe.

Mark 9:23-24 NLT “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” ²⁴ The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Jesus says believe, and the man says, “Lord, I do believe, help my unbelief.”

Faith must be cultivated.

To cultivate faith, it is helpful first to know the source of faith.

Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1. God is Faithful.

Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. ²³ Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. ²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT I will proclaim the name of the LORD;

how glorious is our God! ⁴ He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!

Psalm 89:1-2 NIV I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

² I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

Psalm 89:8 NIV Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?

You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

Numbers 23:19 NLT God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.

Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV God is faithful who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

1 John 1:9 NLT But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

God is faithful.

He does what He says He will do. He is trustworthy.

He keeps His promises.

2. Cultivating Faith.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Faith is believing God is who He says He is and He will do what He said He would do.

Hope is the God given dream or desire of our hearts. Faith brings the dream to reality.

Hope is confident expectation. Hope is an extension of faith.

Hope is not wishful thinking, it is confident expectation based on absolute certainty.

Hope is a catalyst for cultivating faith.

Romans 4:18-21 NIV Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

As Paul tells us about Abraham’s faith, he paints the picture of Abraham as a hero. And he is! He’s the father of faith!

But Abraham’s faith had to be cultivated!

Genesis 12:1-5 NIV The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” ⁴ So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. ⁵ He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

The object of Abraham’s faith was not the promise.

The promise was the motive for Abraham’s faith.

Abraham’s faith rested on God Himself.

Romans 4:16-17 NIV Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

Romans 4:18-19 NIV Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed … ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith,

Abraham and Sarah didn’t have what it takes to make a great nation!

As time passes by, hope begins to fade.

Genesis 15:1-6 NIV After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

² But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” ⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:19 NIV Without weakening in his faith,

² But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

– “God, You said, but I don’t see how!”

When God says but you don’t see, it’s very hard to hold on to hope.

It’s difficult to keep hope alive when God said and then weeks, months, & years pass by.

³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” ⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ⁶ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

– God showed Abraham the stars, and Abraham believed.

You believe what you behold!

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” – St. Augustine

“When what you see doesn’t match what God said, Focus on what God said.”

If you focus on the facts, the facts will weigh you down.

We face the facts, but we don’t focus on them!

Hope begins to fade when the facts work against you.

Hope begins to fade when you know about the failures.

Hope begins to fade when you don’t feel faith.

Romans 4:18 NIV Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

For Abraham’s faith to be strengthened, he had to have something to push against.

Nothing gets stronger without resistance.

Your faith needs a fight. Your faith needs something to fight against to make you strong.

Romans 4:19 NIV Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.

Faith does not mean not facing the facts.

Hope that doesn’t face the facts does not last!

Abraham had the unique ability to face the facts but keep his faith.

This is the essence of Hope: The ability to face the facts of the things that are against you but keep your faith in the God who is within you.

Fruitful:

Genesis 17:1-6 NIV When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. ² Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” ³ Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. ⁵ No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. ⁶ I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

Genesis 17:15-19 NIV God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. ¹⁶ I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” ¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” ¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

If enough time goes by and that thing you’re hoping for from God doesn’t come to pass, you’ll just take matters into your own hands and do it your way!

Romans 4:18-19 NIV Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed … ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith,

Hope is the God given dream or desire of our hearts.

Faith brings the dream to reality.

Hope is confident expectation. Hope is an extension of faith.

Hope is not wishful thinking, it is confident expectation based on absolute certainty.

Hope is a catalyst for cultivating faith.

Keep hope alive when:

…the situation is going down.

…the facts are against you.

…the world is against you.

…what you see does not correspond with what God said.

Genesis 17:17 NIV Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”

Abraham laughed at God, but he is still called the father of faith!

You don’t have to feel faith to have faith!

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV For we live by faith, not by sight.

What was it that made Abraham useful to God?

Even though the facts, failures, and feelings were stacked against him, he gave glory to God.

Romans 4:18-21 NIV Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Glory – [Hebrew] – kabod – used 376 times – literally means weight

Abraham gave more weight to what God had said than to what he saw.

Give glory to what God said not to what you see.

When what you see doesn’t look like what God said, remember what God said.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

You’re giving too much weight to the wrong things that you’re losing hope.

Put all the weight on Jesus.

Many people who are going through difficult seasons look for a ray of hope; some little sign of change.

Our problem is we LOOK for signs of hope. We want to see something to inspire hope. We want something to believe in!

We say things like, “If I could see things begin to move in the right direction.” Or, “If I could just see a little proof that God is working on my behalf.”

Maybe your thought is, “How do I have hope when time passes by and nothing changes, in fact, the longer I wait the worse things seem to get!”

The problem is, you are searching for visible signs of hope.

Romans 8:24-25 NIV For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Faith is cultivated as we wait patiently, believing God is who He says He is and that He will do what He said He would do.

Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

Hope is giving God glory because of His promise in spite of my current circumstances.

Hope is a catalyst for cultivating faith.

When we Hope in God who is faithful, He begins to cultivate faith in our lives.

Faith when it has been cultivated becomes faithfulness.

Faith is me trusting God.

Faithfulness is God trusting me.

Peeled 6

Goodness

Welcome to our series "Peeled."

We are examining the Fruit of the Spirit and discovering characteristics of a life changed by Christ.

Here’s what we know about fruit, fruit is never grown overnight, it must be cultivated.

Picture your life like a piece of fruit. When you are peeled is the fruit sweet or sour?

We are peeling back the layers of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Many say “fruits,” however there are not 9 “fruits” of the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit has 9 characteristics, 9 layers if you will.

One Fruit with 9 attributes.

These Fruit taken together make up the character of Christ.

Some people try to pick and choose their way through the Fruit of the Spirit. Many pray and ask God to “give” them the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are given. Fruit is cultivated.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Fruit of the Spirit is a description of the character qualities found in Christ.

So far we have examined Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, and Kindness.

This week let’s examine Goodness.

Goodness is perhaps one of the most significant words used to describe God’s character.

1. God is Good.

a.) Goodness is Who God is. God’s Character.

The Hebrew word for Goodness (Chesed) is often translated as mercy or lovingkindness. Lovingkindness is unfailing love.

Chesed means loyal love – it refers to God’s loyalty and faithfulness to His covenant.

1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 34:8 NIV Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

⁵ For the LORD is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures all generations

Exodus 33:18-19 NKJV And he said, “Please show me Your glory.”

¹⁹ Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Exodus 34:5-7 NKJV Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. ⁶ And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

b.) Goodness is What God does. God’s attitude and practice.

Psalm 145:8-9 NKJV The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy. ⁹ The Lord is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works.

Psalm 119:68 NKJV You are good, and do good;

Teach me Your statutes.

James 1:17 NIV Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

God wants us to know Him as the source of all good things, and when He says no, He wants us to trust Him, that He knows what is best. He wants us to learn to take no for an answer instead of taking matters into our own hands.

2. A False Understanding.

Many today have a false understanding of what is good.

Psalm 73 begins and ends with the word good.

Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, had a false understanding of what is good. He writes of his journey to understanding the goodness of God.

Asaph’s misunderstanding of the word good is the same misunderstanding of many people today.

Asaph is describing a season in which he was struggling mentally and spiritually.

His struggle was understanding the goodness of God. Particularly His goodness toward the people of Israel.

Psalm 73:1 NIV Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

To Asaph, this statement was a declaration that those who belong to the Lord would continually receive the Lord’s blessings.

And those who didn’t belong to the Lord would be the recipients of continued difficulties.

   

Psalm 73:2 NIV But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

Asaph admits to his readers that he strayed far off course. He was so far from the truth that he came close to destruction. In his words, “his feet had almost slipped” (verse 2).

He seems to be confessing that he considered giving up the faith and forsaking the way of righteousness, supposing that it was of no real benefit.

3. A Distorted Perspective.

Asaph had a distorted perspective.

His perspective caused him to envy those who were wicked.

He didn’t hate their sin, he envied their success.

A). Envy.

Psalm 73:3-5 NIV For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴ They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. ⁵ They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

As Asaph looked around, all he saw was wicked people with great wealth. He saw people who apparently lived without pain seeming to enjoy the high life, fat with material blessings, always having all they could ever want or need.

What is envy? – RESENTING God’s goodness in someone else and IGNORING God’s goodness to me.

Envy thrives on the idea that “God owes me.”

Envy causes us to look at what others have that we don’t. Then we become jealous of the people who have what we want – beauty, abilities, possessions, etc.

We begin to tell God, “It’s your fault!” “If you’d have taken care of me the way you have taken care of them, I would be much better off.”

Our problem is not really with people whose things we envy. Our problem is with God. Envy has convinced us that God actually owes us something, and our sickness causes us to hold a grudge against God.

Envy begins to grow in our heart when we become jealous because we didn’t get what we wanted but someone else did.

Envy begins to grow in our heart and feeds on our jealousy over others

The real problem with envy is that we are trying to find fulfillment in things that were never meant to bring fulfillment.

We’re jealous because others have things that we think could make us happier, or could make our life easier.

If left unchecked our desires can grow into serious sins.

The longer you cultivate feelings of jealousy, the harder it is to uproot them. The time and place to deal with jealousy and envy is when you notice yourself keeping score of what others have and you don’t.

Asaph was keeping score. And he thought he was losing out!

Psalm 73:3-5 NIV For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴ They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. ⁵ They are free from common human; they are not plagued by human ills.

B. Poor Me!

Not only did Asaph envy the wicked, but he was self-righteous and consumed with self-pity.

Psalm 73:12-13 NIV This is what the wicked are like — always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. ¹³ Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; and have washed my hands in innocence.

Asaph begins to feel that his righteous lifestyle was pointless.

This is where Asaph almost slips into sin! His sin was believing his sufferings were unfair punishments from God.

He is basically saying, “I’ve done everything I am supposed to do. I’ve done everything right, even enduring hardships – for nothing! I’ve done everything right and yet I am still suffering.

Psalm 73:14-15 NIV All day long I have been afflicted; and every morning brings new punishments. ¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.

Asaph’s suffering brought him to the brink of a deadly sin: accusing God of being unfaithful or unconcerned!

When calamity falls on us, when trials come our way or when we are grieving, we must guard our hearts from slipping into unbelief.

According to our human thinking, life should be like this:

If we give everything to God, we should have a clear path to glory, with no obstacles to slow us down or block our way. No trials, no suffering.

Yet the truth is… when you look at trials and suffering through human eyes, they never make sense.

4. Trust God is Good.

What are we to do when our dreams are crushed and die right in front of us? We are to trust God is good.

When it seems those who are evil and wicked have more success and prosperity that we do. Trust God is Good.

A. What changed Asaph’s perspective?

Psalm 73:16-17 NIV When I tried to understand all this,

it troubled me deeply ¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

As Asaph thought about the Lord and all His goodness, he began to realize, “I’m not the one who is slipping, they are!”

To guard our hearts from slipping into the sin of unbelief, we must get alone with God!

James 4:8-10 NIV Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Exodus 33:3 NIV Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

Hebrews 10:22-25 NIV let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

B). The strength of our life.

Psalm 73:23-28 NIV Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

As Asaph waited before the Lord, he began to see the whole picture.

Yes you may be suffering. Yes you're strength may be failing. Yes you are enduring a great battle with many afflictions.

But you’re not alone in your struggles. You have a loving Father in heaven that watches over you.

When Asaph realizes that God is his refuge, he is able to rest. He had almost slipped, but he’d held on.

2 Timothy 1:8-14 NIV So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. ⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

¹³ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Closing:

Now Asaph understands the “goodness” of God in a different way. He has a new definition for “good.”

In verse 1, “good” really meant the absence of pain, difficulty, trouble, sorrow, poor health, or poverty.

In verse 28, “good” means something far better than physical prosperity:

²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Nearness to God is our highest good. 

When God brings suffering and adversity into our lives, our confidence in His goodness should not be undermined. Instead, we should be reassured of His goodness to us.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of Goodness in our lives, we will begin to see others as God sees them.

We will live to let His love live through us.

We will serve others and seek to lead them to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We will live with the purpose of being available to meet the needs of others.

How? Through fellowship, hospitality, benevolence, encouragement, and most of all love.

Have you been testifying of God’s strength in your life? Or have you decided the devil has more power than the Spirit of God who lives in you?

We must get our eyes off of people and focus of the Lord. He is our strength. He is goodness.

He has reasons for everything He allows in your life. He may not always tell you the reason, but He promises to be the strength of your heart through it all.

Psalm 135:3 NIV Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.

You Are Good - Bethel