INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• What do you think of when you think of goodness?
• I would imagine that each one of us would have a different idea as to what it is.
• Today, I want us to examine the fruit of goodness.
• Whenever the subject of being good comes up, there are not too many who see themselves as not being good. Is it possible that we are all good, and that goodness is subjective?
• In order for us to answer that question, let us first look at:
• SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. WHAT IS GOODNESS?
• When you think of goodness, what comes to mind?
• Do we think of deeds or actions? Does what you do determine if you are a good person or is there more to it?
• SLIDE #3
1. It is not just “doing” good things.
• If “goodness” is just about doing good deeds, almost everyone would have to be considered a good person. Even the worst people in history have done good things in at some point in their life.
• “Goodness” overlaps kindness in much of its meaning. The tree that is “good” is productive (Matt 7:17); land that is “good” is fertile (Luke 8:8); a “good” employer is generous with his workers (Matt 20:15). This sense of productive generosity is very similar to the useful helpfulness of “kindness.” (College Press Commentary)
• There is more to goodness than what we do, let us dig a bit deeper to see what we find.
• SLIDE #4
2. Uprightness of heart and life.
• Not only does goodness give the thought of “excellent”, “distinguished”, and honorable”, it also includes the idea of uprightness of heart and life.
• What this means is that goodness includes abstaining from every appearance of evil.
• An upright life is an honest one, a life that can be admired.
• SLIDE #5
• Matthew 7:17-18(ESV) 17So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
• True goodness comes from a good heart.
• Goodness can be defined as a “life which expresses itself in always doing what is in the best interest of others. (James Westervelt www.sermoncentral.com)
• Part of goodness includes rebuking, correcting or chastising if it needed. When we think of kindness, this aspect is not thought of, but there are times when for the benefit of another person, we will need to correct, rebuke, or chastise another person.
• SLIDE #6
3. Spirit-created moral and spiritual excellence.
• In a few minutes we will look at why I put “spirit-created” in this definition.
• Moral goodness basically means “conformity to God’s laws and principles.”
• As the Spirit grows in us, we are able to become a better person, we can then more easily do what is best for other people.
• Jesus asks us to do some difficult things.
• SLIDE #7
• Romans 12:20-21 (ESV) 20To the contrary,£“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• As the Spirit grows in you, you will be a different person.
• SLIDE #8
II. WHY GOODNESS IS SO IMPORTANT.
• Why should goodness be so important for us to nurture and pursue in our lives? Let us look at three reasons.
• SLIDE #9
1. We were created in Christ for good works. (Ephesians 2:10)
• Why did God save us? Did He send His Son to die for us so we could just live self-indulgent lives or were we saved for a higher purpose?
• SLIDE #10
• Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
• God has a job for us to do; the job is perform the good works that He has prepared for us.
• How much time do we spend seeking His works verses seeking what we want to do? I know I struggle with the issue of self more than I would like to.
• One of the ways you grow in Christ is to work for Christ. You will not find fulfillment in life working and serving your self. You will find fulfillment in Christ and His work.
• SLIDE #11
2. We are called to imitate what is good. (3 John 11)
• We are called to be Christ-like. That means that we are to try to imitate Christ as much and beyond what we can.
• SLIDE #12
• 3 John 1:11 (ESV)11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
• Doing good is something that God wants us to do.
• SLIDE #13
3. We are called to walk in manner worthy of the Lord. (Colossians 1:10)
• This goes back to being Christ-like. When you give your life to Christ, there is a lot expected of you, there are high expectations.
• SLIDE #14
• Colossians 1:10 (ESV) 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
• God EXPECTS us to be good.
• SLIDE #15
III. WHO DOES GOD CONSIDER GOOD?
• From the street interviews, there did not seem to be a standard for good, people really did not know if they were good, although many of them thought they were, it all seemed pretty subjective didn’t it.
• Let us look at three things that will help us to understand what it means to be good.
• SLIDE #16
1. God is the standard of goodness. (Mark 10:18)
• How do we know if someone or something is good? What standard do we use to determine what good is?
• We go to the standard.
• SLIDE #17
• Mark 10:18 (ESV) 18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
• When you want to tell if you are good, do not compare yourself to your neighbor, compare yourself to God.
• God is the author and standard of goodness. It does not matter how good you are compared to me.
• When people tell me that they are better than people in the church, they are saying they are good enough to go to heaven without being apart of the bride of Christ, the church.
• If you are going to save yourself, you better ask yourself of you are better than God, because He is the gatekeeper. You may be better than me, but that does not matter.
• If God is good, then to be good, you must be a part of His family.
• Goodness is more than just deeds, it is uprightness of life and heart, it is developed by the Spirit within you that you receive when you are immersed into Christ.
• SLIDE #18
2. The one who keeps God’s commandments is good. (Matthew 19:16-17)
• How do you know if you are good? Are you following God?
• SLIDE #19
• Matthew 19:16-17 (ESV)16And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
• Jesus says that keeping the comments is obeying God.
• SLIDE 20
3. The one who uses his talents to glorify God is good. (Matthew 25:21-23)
• In the parable of the talents, the one slave who was deemed wicked by the master was the one who did not use his talents for the glory of his master.
• The other two were praised for using their talent for the master.
• SLIDE #21
• Matthew 25:21 (ESV)21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.£ You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
• Are you using your talents for the glory of God?
CONCLUSION
• Are you a good person? Do you think there is an objective standard by which we can judge?
• We find our true goodness in Christ.
• We can never be good enough on our own, but through Christ, we are very good!
• Are you ready to see what God can do with you?
• Come see the great things He has done!
