Kindness Series

KINDNESS

The Fruit of The Spirit (Part 7)

Galatians 5:22-23

• Galatians 5:16-25 (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:

Tony Campolo tells about an incident that happened to him on his way into work. Walking the sidewalk pathways of downtown, Tony would often pass by a number of homeless and transient people. From time to time, they would make requests for money; generally, he ignored them.

One day a bag lady, whom he had seen before in his mad dash to get from point A to B, shuffled out of a donut shop with a steaming hot cup of coffee. Their eyes met and Tony forced a smile. Putting down her coat and bags she called out, “Hey mister, would you like a sip of my coffee?”

Now if you were Tony how would you respond? Keep waking and ignore her? That’s what Tony did, or at least he started to. A half a block away, he turned back around and said, “Hey lady! Yes, yes I would like a taste of your coffee.” She held out the cup with her dirty hand; he took the cup and swallowed what had to be the most delicious cup of coffee he had tasted in a long time.

“Isn’t it good,” she said.

“Yes it IS GOOD! and thank you. By the way, why did you offer me your coffee?”

“Because it was so good, I thought someone might like to share it with me and enjoy it too.”

A small, yet simple act of kindness from a stranger interrupted Tony Campolo’s walk to the office. Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes, yet regardless of how big or small we all appreciate a kind act. This morning we are going to focus on “THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS . . . KINDNESS.”

The fruit of the Spirit is OF THE SPIRIT and

not the saints. Kindness is born of the Spirit; human energy or effort does not naturally produced kindness; it comes from God. Yes, people can be kind apart from God, but their kindness is impure and incomplete.

 The Kindness of God - What is God’s kindness like?

• Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Who is it that God is drawing to Him with loving-kindness, the righteous? No! God’s loving kindness is given to those who have rebelled against the Lord and turned away from Him. God is kind to the wicked.

• Luke 6:35 (NIV)

Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back . . . because [God] is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Jesus doesn’t tell us to love our friends and treat them nicely. He says love your enemies! Why? Because that is what God is like; we are to follow His example. God is kind to the ungrateful—those who take God’s kindness for granted and don’t give it a second thought—and the wicked—those who turn their back upon God and despise Him.

Notice how Matthew expresses the kindness of God in the parallel passage of Jesus’ teaching.

• Matthew 5:45 (NIV)

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

The kindness of God does not discriminate! God does not treat His enemies differently than He does His friends. God shows His enemies kindness in order to win their friendship, as Paul told the Romans, “God’s kindness leads to repentance” (Romans 2:4 NIV).

God’s kindness is without limit. Kindness breaks down barriers and boundaries. Kindness opens the door to the fullness of God’s love and fellowship. Kindness takes in the objectionable and critical; it welcome those filled with bitterness and resentment. Kindness even takes in us!

• Ephesians 2:7 (NLT)

God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.

We who believe show others the riches of God’s incredible kindness. God offers His kindness to those who do not deserve it and us regardless of how the recipients of His kindness respond.

The fruit of the Spirit is kindness. Jesus said as we are connected to Him we would bear much fruit. Remember that apart from Christ we can do nothing! Separated from Jesus there is no fruit (See John 15:5).

 Kindness Illustrated – The Good Samaritan

Jesus show us what the kindness of God looks like as it is expressed in our lives. THE FRUIT OF KINDNESS DEVELOPS AND MATURES TO BE GIVEN TO OTHERS.