The Fruit of the Spirit is Goodness

April 15, 2023 by Pastor Andrew Marttinen

The Fruit of the Spirit is Goodness

Acts 10: 34 -38

It is spring. Fruit trees are starting to blossom. Blossoms will give way t o the goodness of the tree's fruit.

Galations 5

Goodness and mercy are angels. Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." To follow: to pursue.

Agathos, Agatha, Agnes mean goodness, good in character and constitution. Agatha was the most popular girl's names between 1941 and 1945. It's popularity has been declining every year since. 

Goodness is out if style. 

Good is not as valued as aggressiveness. Goodness is seen as an old fashioned style.  Gordon Sinclair, news commentator, once wrote "if you are not controversial, you are nothing". 

Today it is more important to be nice than to be good.  

A nice car or a good car? A nice doctor or a good doctor? A nice spouse or a good spouse? A nice sermon or a good sermon?

Agathos refers to physical goodness. Good ground, good tree, etc. Moral goodness, pleasing, honourable.

God is good. God is zealous for goodness.

Should we be good or do good? 

How do we measure goodness? How do we measure the goodness of God? Goodness is love in action. Love with a hand to the plow. Love with a burden on the back. Love in His footsteps. 

Psalm 100:5 "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (NIV)

Be salt and light. Salt brings out the goodness of everything it touches. Be light that dispels all error and darkness.

Do good - Be Good

Acts 10:38. Jesus went about doing good with hands on activity. He did good at the bedside, not arms length giving, but personal involvement. 

Are you seeking your own comforts?

How do you reach people?

By touching, a point of contact / a point of context. 

What are your points of contact? In person. Through the phone. On a computer screen. 

Only 4% of the world's animals are purely wild, and not influenced by man's actions. 

God cares for the weeds. Caring can even be being a good steward to this world. 

What is most important? Your background? Your beliefs? Your actions?

Will goodness become a battle ground?

In an Italian city there was a Grecian Maiden statue. A little girl was full of fear. She saw the maiden statue. She went home and washed her face. She came back to see the statue over and over again. She changed her clothing. She changed how she stood. Over time she transformed her appearance and her inner attitude.

Do we conform to to the goodness of Jesus Christ? Is it a daily application?  Every day do we change our likeness to be like Him? 

Progress has ups and downs. This is normal. Romans 7:18: "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (NIV). Romans 8: 1 "...Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus".

Those who do good, do not always recognize it. We tend to focus on the past, see what we do not do or have not done, and not see what we actually are dong. Little things can help others. Little things can be a ministry. 

Psalm 23

John 16

Change is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Goodness is like a creed. People don't generally read the Bible, but they do read us.