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?
Romans 2:4 (NKJV)
The purpose of God’s goodness is to lead us to repentance. Aren’t you glad that God draws us to Himself with goodness and not threats?
o If you never committed your life to Jesus Christ, then God wants His goodness to lead you to the point where you say to God, “I’m sorry that I haven’t recognized all the goodness in my life that has come from you. I’m sorry for my all my sin. I want to turn my life around and make Jesus Christ my forgiver and the master of my life.
Prayer
o But even if you’re already a believer, repentance is still necessary. Our lives tend to get infected with discontentment and thanklessness. God gives us nine and we want ten; he gives me 99, I want 100. No matter what God does for us, we always want just a little bit more.
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
God’s goodness needs to lead me to the point where I say, “God, I’ve been thinking wrongly about life. I’ve focused on the things in my life rather than the Giver of all good things. Help me to turn my life around and be thankful because I recognize that everything I have comes from you.
Prayer
• Rest in His goodness when we encounter adversity
Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.
Psalm 31:19-20 (NLT)
Every one of us face situations that are out of our hands. A loved one lies suffering or dying. We lose our job. A husband or wife is unfaithful. Our kids rebel.
When those situations come, we need to understand and rely on God’s goodness. We know that God is powerful and that he can reach into our lives and change our circumstances, but that is not always God’s good plan. But we are called to rest in His good ness anyway. We need to recognize that whatever comes into our lives has come through hands that are kind, cordial and benevolent. We don’t always understand all the specifics of God’s will, but we can be assured of his great goodness that he has stored up for us.
• Risk stepping out in faith like never before
When we believe God is good, it will enable us to take the risk of actually living by faith. For those of you who are believers, you took a risk when you trusted your entire life to Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. I don’t think there is any way you can take that kind of risk unless you believe that God is good.
The life of faith is a life that is constantly filled with risks.
Illustration: Selling my business to go into full time ministry.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 84:11 (NIV)
Sun = source of energy and power
Shield = protection
If you do life God’s way, he promises that you’ll never miss out:
o In your relationships
o In your work
o In your finances
o In your sexual life
o In your spiritual life
A.W. Tozer:
The greatness of God rouses fear within us, but His goodness encourages us not to be afraid of Him. To fear and not be afraid – that is the paradox of faith.
