GOODNESS

REVIEW: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…

THE VISION “We will reach the world for Jesus Christ one person at a time.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
THE MISSION “We will create Biblical disciples in relational environments.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
THE PROCESS “We will make disciples who make disciples of Jesus.” Share, Connect, Minister, Disciple (SCMD)

BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF GOODNESS1

agathosune: goodness
Original Word: ἀγαθωσύνη, ης, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: agathosune
Phonetic Spelling: (ag-ath-o-soo’-nay)
Definition: to do good

Usage: intrinsic goodness, especially as a personal quality, with stress on the kindly (rather than the righteous) side of goodness.

Galatians 5:18–24 (ESV) 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

A story of goodness, with stress on the kindly (rather than the righteous) side of goodness:

John 7:53–8:11 (ESV) They went each to his own house, 1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
• A beautiful example of goodness with a stress on the kindly! This is a Spirit-produced goodness that meets human needs and avoids human harshness.

Continue to cultivate…

2 Peter 1:3–9 (NIV84) 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

He makes a way!
“What a cheap, across-the-counter commercial kind of Christianity that says, ‘I was in debt, and Christ came and paid that debt.’ Sure, He did, but why emphasize that? ‘I was on my way to hell and Jesus stopped me and saved me.’ Sure, He did, but that is not the thing to emphasize. What we need to emphasize is that God has saved us to make us like His Son. His purpose is to catch us on our wild race to hell, turn us around because He knows us, bring judgement on the old self and then create a new self within us, which is Jesus Christ.”
– A.W. Tozer, The Crucified Life

Romans 2:1–4 (NIV84) 1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Romans 15:13–14 (NLT) 13I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 14I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.

QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
Passages to consider: Romans 8:5-11;

Icebreaker: What makes a good burger or sandwich?
1. Share what was impactful to you from the sermon.
2. Read Psalm 23 and Exodus 33:18-19, 34:5-7. What do these passages tell us about God and goodness?
3. Who or what comes to mind when you think of goodness? How would you describe goodness?
4. When it comes to goodness, how do you relate to it? (Draw from things shared in the sermon.)
5. Read Luke 10:25-37. What stands out about the Samaritan? A) What did doing good cost him? B) What tensions or challenges may he have felt? D) When is easy to do good? Where is doing good challenging?
6. What conversations do you want to have with the Holy Spirit or others about this fruit in your life?

Try it!
1. Memorize Philippians 4:8.
2. Look for ways to extend goodness in your workplace, home, and community this week.

Passages to prepare for next week: Cultivate! Week 8, Faithfulness
This week, read Proverbs 3:3; Psalm 1:3; 3 John 1:3; and Matthew 23:23