RECAP
Fruit of the Spirit = The Character of God
LOVE
Everything in the kingdom of God must begin with love.
JOY
PEACE
LONGSUFFERING
LOVE
Everything in the kingdom of God must begin with love.
JOY
PEACE
LONGSUFFERING
KINDNESS
Titus 3:4-5
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (NKJV)
John 4:3-7
He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacobâs well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, âGive Me a drink.â (NKJV)
Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. (NKJV)
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (NKJV)
John 4:9
Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, âHow is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?â For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (NKJV)
If God doesnât divide us by race, culture, social status or gender, we shouldnât let the enemy or the world divide us by them either!
Once the kindness of God has been poured out on you, it ought to pour through you!
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (NKJV)
John 4:3-7
He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacobâs well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, âGive Me a drink.â (NKJV)
Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. (NKJV)
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (NKJV)
John 4:9
Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, âHow is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?â For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (NKJV)
If God doesnât divide us by race, culture, social status or gender, we shouldnât let the enemy or the world divide us by them either!
Once the kindness of God has been poured out on you, it ought to pour through you!
GOODNESS
There is a difference between âdoing goodâ and âbeing good.â
Matthew 7:16-18
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (NKJV)
Jesus was driving home the point that what happens on the inside, is manifest on the outside!
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (NKJV)
Romans 3:10-12
âThere is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.â (NKJV)
Exodus 33:19
Then He said, âI will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.â (NKJV)
2 Chronicles 6:41
Now arise, O LORD God, and come to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may Your saints rejoice in Your goodness. (NIV)
Psalm 31:19
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! (NKJV)
Psalm 116:12
How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? (NIV)
Goodness is holiness in action and it flows from an inward devotion and love for God.
John 2:17
"Zeal for Your house has eaten me up." (NKJV)
Goodness does what is right in every circumstance.
Matthew 7:16-18
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (NKJV)
Jesus was driving home the point that what happens on the inside, is manifest on the outside!
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (NKJV)
Romans 3:10-12
âThere is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.â (NKJV)
Exodus 33:19
Then He said, âI will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.â (NKJV)
2 Chronicles 6:41
Now arise, O LORD God, and come to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may Your saints rejoice in Your goodness. (NIV)
Psalm 31:19
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! (NKJV)
Psalm 116:12
How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? (NIV)
Goodness is holiness in action and it flows from an inward devotion and love for God.
John 2:17
"Zeal for Your house has eaten me up." (NKJV)
Goodness does what is right in every circumstance.
APPLICATION
2 Peter 1:3-4
His 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. 4 Through 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. (NIV)
A transformed life only happens as we surrender to and cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
His 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. 4 Through 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. (NIV)
A transformed life only happens as we surrender to and cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
CONCLUSION
John 15:4-5
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 âI am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (NKJV)
3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (NKJV)
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
-John Wesley
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 âI am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (NKJV)
3 John 1:11
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (NKJV)
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
-John Wesley