KINDNESS

1. UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL KINDNESS STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDING GOD.
The Luke 15 story of the Prodigal Son
• Notice the heart of the father:
o Toward the younger son, he is full of compassion (kindness). He ran to his son and embraced him.
o The father celebrated the son’s repentance. He gave mercy and restored his son to himself.
o Towards the older son, the father went out and pleaded with him, “My son you are always with me and everything I have is yours.”
o The father is loving, kind, and patient, wanting to celebrate with the older son, the return of his younger brother. We see the fruit working together.
• The Father’s heart desires reconciliation. He does this through showing kindness and compassion—He is a peacemaker.

2. WHY IS KINDNESS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD?

Romans 2:4 (NIV) Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

• Out of God’s kindness, He is holding back His judgement in order to give people an opportunity to turn to Him in humility and to repent.
o His kindness leads to repentance. It is a bridge conveying God’s mercy and compassion.
o When we treat others with kindness, we represent the very heart of God, shining the light of Christ to a dying world.
o Kindness causes people to stop and think—to ask “why is this person so kind to me?”

3. TRUE KINDNESS IS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Galatians 5:22 (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

o Kindness is a supernaturally empowered orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return.
o It’s a choice and is available to all Christians through the Holy Spirit.
o Notice that the fruit are linked together. Without love, we don’t care, and without care, we aren’t kind.
• Kindness is not always the same as being nice.
o There are a lot of nice, even patient people… up to a point.
o Nice often says, “I will be nice to you because I want something back from you.”
o Our world wants nice as long as it suits us.

Ephesians 4:29-32 (ESV) 29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

o If your heart is hard on the inside, and yet you act nice and polite on the outside, you are not acting in Christian kindness.
o When we are tenderhearted, we are easily touched by a situation. It’s like having a bruise or cut, that when touched, you feel pain.
o When kindness calls for forgiveness, we are to forgive the way Jesus forgave us.
Galatians 5:16 (ESV) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

o We don’t always feel like being kind, especially when we are offended. Like love, kindness is an act of the will. It’s a choice to walk it out and a determination to choose God.
o Kindness acts regardless of your feelings when it is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
o It’s important to remember God’s part, our part, and their part.

4. HOW SHOULD WE PRACTICE KINDNESS?

Proverbs 3:3 (ESV) Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck…

• Write them on the tablet of your heart—how?
o Cultivate a heart that desires change. Keep a repentant heart.
o Pray for His empowerment. Pray for fruit.
o Look for opportunities to be kind.
o Practice kindness going into a situation.
o There is a cost—kindness often costs you your pride!
o Empathy—joining someone where they are with a spirit of kindness.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV) 4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

• Without love, there isn’t true kindness.

SELF-REFLECTION:
1. Do you act nice, or are you kind?
2. When you’re bumped, what comes out of your heart?
3. Who can you practice kindness toward who may not be easy to love?
4. Who will you ask to hold you accountable to practice kindness in difficult situations?

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
Passages to consider: Romans 8:5-11
Icebreaker: What has been your experience with random acts of kindness?

1. In what ways did the sermon encourage or challenge you?
2. Read Romans 2:4 and Ephesians 2:4-7. What do these passages tell about God’s kindness?
3. Talk about how you have seen and experienced kindness in your life.
4. Kindness has a component of meeting real needs in godly, timely ways without harshness. Where are places that you, your friends/family, or your small group could practice intentional kindness?
5. Read Romans 8:5-11. How is it going letting your mind and thoughts be more controlled by and focused on the Spirit? A) What helps? What’s hard?
6. What is God showing you about the fruit of the Spirit? In what ways are you responding to what He is showing you?

Try it! This week, plan some intentional acts of kindness. Share your experience.

Passages to prepare for next week, Cultivate! Week 7, Goodness
This week, read Ephesians 5:1-20.
As you read, ask yourself these questions:
• What is the passage saying about God, mankind, and how the world works?
• What do I learn about myself from this passage?
• What response does this require of me in my thinking, believing, and doing?