Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 9: The Fruit of Goodness
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
Monday 5:00PM Bible Study
Tuesday Women’s at Lori’s 5:00PM
Men’s on Friday at the church 8:00PM
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
† Love of God
This Series: God’s Spiritual Fruit
Previously:
God’s Spirit with us / in us
The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of Love
The Fruit of Joy Part I
The Fruit of Peace
The Fruit of Long Suffering (patience)
The Fruit of Kindness
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 9: The Fruit of Goodness
SCRIPTURE READING
Galatians 5:16-25
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Both our Flesh and God's Spirit produce fruit.
Good fruit and bad fruit.
Luke 6:43
“No Good tree bears bad fruit, and no bad tree bears good fruit”
We are told in scripture that our righteousness is as filthy rags.
All we do is in our flesh, which is sinful.
Jesus tells us that the only way for us to bear good fruit, which can only come from the Holy Spirit, is through Him.
He is the vine and we are the branch…
The vine sustains and keeps the branch filled with water (Holy Spirit), and in turn the water which flows into the branch, produces fruit.
John 15:1-2
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:4-6
4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
A branch can be part of the vine, and produce no fruit.
These are “cut off” from the vine by the Father in heaven.
Remember the fig tree Jesus saw?
From a distance it appeared it may have fruit because of the leaves.
But upon close examination, it had no fruit…and it was cursed by Jesus.
If we are followers of Christ, we claim to be the branches of the vine Himself.
We HAVE to produce fruit.
I. How is the Spiritual Fruit of Goodness Defined
Webster: A favorable character. Agreeable and pleasant. Virtuous, Right and Commendable. Well founded, true and honorable. Loyal.
Scripture: It is the goodness of God that will lead sinners to repentance and salvation. The quality of goodness is another real powerful quality to have operating through you.
This particular quality has a real drawing power to it.
Not only does the goodness of God draw people direct to Him, but this fruit of goodness operating in a believer can draw people direct to God through the actual believer.
Gale's Example of Goodness
I witnessed many times over the years, Gale showing goodness to others and drawing them in to God.
Through his goodness, sinners followed the path of least resistance, like water.
And through his kindness, found a deeper relationship with God.
REMEMBER: The Fruits of the spirit are GOD'S Characteristics shining through us...therefore, as the scriptures say, "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." - Isaiah 55:11
When we allow God's Spiritual fruit to shine in our lives, it will accomplish something in others lives. That's the point of it.
II. Examples of Goodness from the scripture
Psalm 142:7
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.
Psalm 145:7
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 116:12
How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
People recognize that it is God's goodness that sets them free, and that goodness draws others around, that goodness causes us to sing of His righteousness, that goodness will follow us all the days of our lives...
And we must also recognize that there is no way for us to repay the Lord, for His goodness towards us.
III. Displaying Goodness in our lives
When we allow this Spiritual Fruit of goodness to grow in our lives, and allow others to see it, they get a picture of our God, and it will draw them into Him.
We need to display God's Character of Goodness in our lives to draw sinners to the Lord.
Remember, Webster defines goodness as;
A favorable character - Someone who can get along with most anyone, and is not only likable but approachable.
Agreeable and pleasant - Is not one who argues and fights all the time, or has to be right or get the last word, always has a word of encouragement to lift up rather than tear down.
Virtuous, Right and Commendable - Do people see that you have virtues and morals? Do they see that you are on the side of God, and are quick to do acts of righteousness?
Well founded, true and honorable - Does your yes mean yes, and your no mean no? Do you not only keep your word, but say what you mean and mean what you say?
Loyal - And finally, are you someone that others can count on? Do you stick by their sides and help them through the tough times, or do you turn tail at the first sign of trouble just because times get tough. Giving up on everything until things "cool down" or "blow over"?
We NEED to be the type of person who displays the character of goodness in our lives, and we CAN be this person!
The Word promises this ability to us, and it is available through the Holy Spirit.
We need to ensure that when our will rises up against the things of goodness in us, that we rebuke them, and allow God's will to shine through.
