Nine Fruits: Kindness Series

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Introduction:

Momma and the Toast A Sunday School teacher asked her class if they knew the difference between kindness and loving kindness. One little girl said she knew the difference. She told the teacher that kindness is like when you ask your mother for some toast and she gives it to you, but loving kindness is when you ask your mother for some toast and she gives it to you with butter and jelly on it.

And that’s the way God is. God, in his loving kindness, is an exceedingly generous giver. He doesn’t just give you some blessings, but He gives some blessings with some butter and jelly on it. That’s why the bible says that “He daily overloads us with benefits” David says “He anointeth my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” God says “Bring your whole tithe to the store house and I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out blessings you won’t have room to receive.”

Titus 3:4-5 (NIV)

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth (regeneration) and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Kindness God has shined down on me...

Kindness: Let that shine thru me

Kindness: Jesus shines thru me

John 4

Samaritan Woman

John 4 (NIV)

3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

4 Now he had to go through Samaria.

Now you could say, that geographically Jesus had to go thru Samaria, but the reality is many Jews avoided Samaria at all costs

5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

Everyone needs to receive the light of God

And everyone needs to let that shine thru them

I believe that this Fruit of the Spirit is a key component

To leading people to the Lord

I want to challenge everyone here today

To seek to develop this fruit in their life

And I believe God can and will use you to be a light in others lives

Avoid Traps That Steal Your Kindness

Titus 3:9 NIV But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

There are always traps set

By the Enemy to fall into the wrong spirit

And lose the Kindness that God has put in our Spirit

When dealing with people

There are always traps set by the Enemy

Here for us to become argumentative to a fault

If you’ll notice

Jesus is able to stand on the Word of God

Without falling into the trap of an argument

And maintaining a kind spirit

It is possible to disagree without losing your temper

And being able to confront something while being kind

Remember when Jesus is being tempted in the desert

Satan is tempting Jesus to lose His temper

Trying to take him off track

At one point he even says

“IF thou art the Son of God”

Jesus doesn’t lose his temper

Doesn’t become Argumentative

Doesn’t fly off the handle

Doesn’t get taken off track

“He could’ve said, What are you talking about!?? You don’t believe I’m the Son of God!?? Well here’s this BOOM POW WHAM”

But that’s exactly what the Tempter wanted Jesus to do

He wanted to take Him off track

He wanted Him to lose His temper

Instead Jesus just said

It is written, It is written, It is written

He just stood on the Word of God

Maintained a right spirit about Himself

And therefore avoided the traps of the Enemy to lose his control

#1 Hurdle For Kindness

People Who Are Different Than You

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )

She was surprised

We are different, we aren’t supposed to get along

Jews don’t like Samaritans Samaritans don’t like Jews

Why are you being kind to me?

She brings Gender and Race up

I am a Samaritan, which is in our culture seen as lower class

And I am a Woman, which is seen as lower class