Goodness Series

Introduction:

• Internal battle we face as believers: Will I allow Jesus Christ to be the Master of every area of my life?

o School

o Dating life

o Career

o Finances

o Leisure

• Ultimately those battles come down to what I understand about God’s goodness. When I see God’s goodness with 20/20 vision, when I see God’s goodness as He longs for me to see it, then I won’t have any problem allowing Jesus to be the Master of every area of my life.

Defining God’s Goodness

Dictionary: moral excellence, kindness, generosity, benevolence

In OT, translates the Hebrew words tov and tuv: refers to that quality in God that causes Him to deliver people, bless them and store up future gifts for them. It implies a sense of delight in the giver and the gift.

A.W. Tozer:

The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy, and His unfailing attitude toward all moral beings is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes total pleasure in the happiness of His people.

Chip Ingram:

God is soft of heart and swift with sympathy toward you. He doesn’t hold grudges. His arms aren’t crossed. He’s not…the cosmic policeman waiting to point out all your felonies and even your misdemeanors…God is divinely and positively disposed toward you. He takes holy pleasure in your happiness. He is not down on you because you live in a fallen world; he is for you in the midst of it.

How does God reveal His goodness to us?

• Through natural blessings

o The order and beauty of the world we live in – we often take those things for granted.

o Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise that celebrates God’s goodness through his created order

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Psalm 145:7-9 (NIV)

Read the last line again. Who is included in all? We are…twice. There is nowhere in the universe we can go where we are out from under God’s goodness.

o Every corner of your world and every part of your day can remind you of God’s goodness if you take the time to look for it – every mountain, every tree, every flower; every relationship, every job, every moment.

• Though specific deliverance

o Psalm 107 – God rescues us because he is good

o Illustration: Earthy fathers

o He may not respond every time, at least not the way we want Him to. He doesn’t always respond in the same way. But God acts because He is merciful and good.

o God wants us to turn to him in times of trouble because he longs for us to know him and trust Him. He wants to bless us generously.

• Through his Son

o Undeserved goodness He gives to us

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)

What Jesus did on the cross demonstrates how valuable we are to the Father. If we could ever grasp just how precious, important, desirable and deeply loved we must be for God the Father to allow His Son die to rescue us, it will dramatically transform our lives

o Promise of future blessings

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 (NIV)

God’s goodness at the cross reminds us that not only has God already been good to us, but He is also committed to being good to us in the future.

If some paid a million dollar ransom to free you from a kidnapper, do you think you’d have to worry about who was going to buy lunch the next day?

o His unique role as Creator and Mediator between God the Father and His creation

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.

James 1:17-18 (NLT)

All of God’s promised goodness comes to us through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

How are we to respond to God’s goodness?

• Repent of our unbelief and ingratitude

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?