Fruit Of The Spirit: Kindness Series

-Tonight, we are continuing our series on the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

-We have looked at joy, peace and patience

-Tonight we are going to look at kindness

-The Greek word here is “chrestos” which appears in the NT 10 times and is translated in the KJV 4 times as kindness, 4 times as goodness, 1 times as good and 1 times as gentleness (as here)

-We will use the translation of the word as kindness as most other translations do

-We have chosen literal fruits to symbolize the Spiritual Fruit

-Joy was symbolized by the lemon

-The kiwi symbolized the fruit of peace

-The coconut symbolized the fruit of patience

-I have chosen the strawberry to symbolize kindness

-The Alpine Strawberry is said to be the sweetest of all the fruits

-Though as small as a pea

-There is an old adage that says "the smaller the gift or the service, in certain circumstances, the greater the evidence of love."

-Kindness is often commanded in scripture for God’s followers

-Ephesians 4:32

-I Corinthians 13:4

-Colossians 3:12

-II Peter 1:5-7

-Remember: This fruit is wrought by the working of the Holy Spirit

-Our job is to make the ground fertile for it and to give it a ripe environment to grow in.

I. Kind People Echo The Kindness Of God

-Psalm 31:21

-Psalm 117:2

-Titus 3:3-5

-We are kind to others because God is kind to us

-Kindness can be separated from God about as much as hamburgers could be separated from McDonald’s

A. His kindness is shown through His mercy

-Not getting what we deserve

B. His kindness is shown through His grace

-Getting what we do not deserve

C. His kindness is shown through His compassion

-Getting what we could not obtain on our own

-This is “weeping with those who weep”

II. Kind People Are People Of Action

A. Kind in what they speak

-Or don’t speak

1. Topics they discuss

2. Prayers they pray

3. Words they use

a. Cursing

b. Derogatory language

-Racially based

-Nationality based

-Politically based

-Denominationally based

B. Kind in what they do

1. Even though it can be costly

2. Even though it could be time consuming

III. Kind People Look For Those To Be Kind To

-And they need kindness as well

A. Those in need

B. Those who cannot repay

IV. Kind People Are Kind To All Types Of People

-ILL: The Good Samaritan

A. Social status is meaningless

B. Gender is meaningless

C. Race is meaningless

D. Spiritual status is meaningless

-This is the best kind of evangelism

V. Kind People Point To The Source Of Their Kindness

-The Greek word for “kind” is “chrestos”

-The Greek word for “Christ” is “christos”

-I am told that in the first century the Christians were so kind that many did not know whether they were “followers of Christ” or “followers of kindness”

-We must not be satisfied to just have people know we are kind

-Matthew 5:16

-If our kindness does not draw others to God, then our kindness is not one of the Fruit of the Spirit

CONCLUSION

-The fruit of the Spirit is kindness

-Let’s allow God to plant and grow that fruit in us in great measure