July 6, 2014 | Fruit of the Holy Spirit | Goodness

Welcome to "THE NATHAN REPORT"!

What a day and what a wonderful week. I hope all our readers are blessed, we pray for all your wellness. 

Okay, as usual we started off our service with Prayers and usual Praise and worship. Here is the playlist:

1) Come, now is the time to worship - Brian Doerksen

2) Great in power  - Hillsong United

3) I stand in awe - Mark Altorogee

4) How great is our God - Hillsong United

A great playlist followed by a powerful prayer, offerings and announcements. Followings are the list of announcement:

- There will be a Christian books exhibition at Rathode Memorial Methodist Church hall on 10th, 11th and 12th of July. Exhibition will start from 10 AM onward.

- From today till 12th of this month, Pastor Vivek Dindorkar along with five Church executives will be visiting 16 Churches across Maharashtra. Please uphold this program in your prayers for safety and success of the mission of encouraging congregations as well as their pastors.

As you all know, we are having a theme at our Church. This is a continuation of the series, "The fruit of the Holy Spirit". And today we will be talking about "Goodness".

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Goodness is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is very close to kindness. 

We have a cross reference:

- Galatians 6:9-10, "9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Bible encourages us to need the strength to do good. According to various dictionaries, various meanings of goodness are followings:

- Attraction.

- Futile.

- True.

- Conforming to standard.

- Pleasant.

Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It's a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as "uprightness of heart and life." Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous.

Goodness is one thing that we need to put to action. If we are filled with Holy Spirit, we will not be guided by the flesh, but God. Our eyes will be open and we can see the needs of community, society etc. and also our hearts will be moved in doing so. 

Someone with agathosune will selflessly act on behalf of others. Confronting someone about a sin demonstrates goodness. So do giving to the poor, providing for one’s children, visiting the sick, volunteering to clean up after a storm, and praying for an enemy. Expressions of goodness are as varied as the Spirit is creative. When we say giving, we think of helping with finances. But there are many other needs. Needs of deliverance, finances, health, spiritual etc. But the ultimate need is having "Eternal Life." A person led by Holy Spirit can be a great giver as well as a humanitarian. 

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Illustration: Pastor mentioned some long time ago when he used to travel to one of the Bible college in Maharashtra, it used to take 8-9 hours to reach. Later there were developments by government and now it takes about 4 hours to reach by personal car. He mentioned that urges takes over us sometimes and we wish there would have been some helicopters to ever reach earlier than 4 hours. 

Goodness is not a quality we can manufacture on our own. James 1:17 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." This certainly includes a life characterized by goodness. In letting the Holy Spirit control us, we are blessed with the fruit of goodness.

Normally we say I am good and we compare ourselves with others. We talks about things such as, "I am better than him", "He talks too much". "He is irritating" etc. According to early Jewish traditions, the word "good" was only used for God. At times for us, certain things makes us good, but God is inherently good. So, whatever comes from God is good. Yet we sinned against God, he gave His only son. God is good, all the time.

We have a reference:

- Romans 3:10-12, As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;    no one does good, not even one.”

There is a story from a Bible about The Rich Young Man in Matthew 19:16-26. Here it is:

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Christ knew that covetousness was the sin which most easily beset this young man; though he had got honestly what he possessed, yet he could not cheerfully part with it, and by this his want of sincerity was shown. Christ's promises make his precepts easy, and his yoke pleasant and very comfortable; yet this promise was as much a trial of the young man's faith, as the precept was of his charity and contempt of the world. It is required of us in following Christ, that we duly attend his ordinances, strictly follow his pattern, and cheerfully submit to his disposals; and this from love to him, and in dependence on him. To sell all, and give to the poor, will not serve, but we are to follow Christ. The gospel is the only remedy for lost sinners. Many abstain from gross vices who do not attend to their obligations to God. Thousands of instances of disobedience in thought, word, and deed, are marked against them in the book of God. Thus numbers forsake Christ, loving this present world: they feel convictions and desires, but they depart sorrowful, perhaps trembling. It behoves us to try ourselves in these matters, for the Lord will try us.

We have two more references:

- Psalms 14:3, "They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one."

- Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

HOW CAN WE EXPRESS GOODNESS?

1) By forgiving one another.

Galatians 6:9-10 says, "9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Many excuse themselves from the work of religion, though they may make a show, and profess it. They may impose upon others, yet they deceive themselves if they think to impose upon God, who knows their hearts as well as actions; and as he cannot be deceived, so he will not be mocked. Our present time is seed time; in the other world we shall reap as we sow now. As there are two sorts of sowing, one to the flesh, and the other to the Spirit, so will the reckoning be hereafter. Those who live a carnal, sensual life, must expect no other fruit from such a course than misery and ruin. But those who, under the guidance and influences of the Holy Spirit, live a life of faith in Christ, and abound in Christian graces, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. We are all very apt to tire in duty, particularly in doing good. This we should carefully watch and guard against. Only to perseverance in well-doing is the reward promised. Here is an exhortation to all to do good in their places. We should take care to do good in our life-time, and make this the business of our lives. Especially when fresh occasions offer, and as far as our power reaches. Only Holy Spirit can help us. 

2) Express goodness by encouraging one another.

Ezekiel 3:21, "But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."

Acts 11:24, "For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord."

The first preachers of the gospel at Antioch, were dispersed from Jerusalem by persecution; thus what was meant to hurt the church, was made to work for its good. The wrath of man is made to praise God. What should the ministers of Christ preach, but Christ? Christ, and him crucified? Christ, and him glorified? And their preaching was accompanied with the Divine power. The hand of the Lord was with them, to bring that home to the hearts and consciences of men, which they could but speak to the outward ear. They believed; they were convinced of the truth of the gospel. They turned from a careless, carnal way of living, to live a holy, heavenly, spiritual life. They turned from worshiping God in show and ceremony, to worship him in the Spirit and in truth. They turned to the Lord Jesus, and he became all in all with them. This was the work of conversion wrought upon them, and it must be wrought upon every one of us. It was the fruit of their faith; all who sincerely believe, will turn to the Lord, When the Lord Jesus is preached in simplicity, and according to the Scriptures, he will give success; and when sinners are thus brought to the Lord, really good men, who are full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, will admire and rejoice in the grace of God bestowed on them. Barnabas was full of faith; full of the grace of faith, and full of the fruits of the faith that works by love.

If we notice the time during Paul and Barnabas, people rejected Barnabas but he stood by Paul. He never bragged about achievements of Paul or himself. The word Barnabas itself means "Son of encouragement".

3) Express goodness by giving.

Romans 12:6-8, "6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

Acts 10:2, "A devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God."

Hitherto none had been baptized into the Christian church but Jews, Samaritans, and those converts who had been circumcised and observed the ceremonial law; but now the Gentiles were to be called to partake all the privileges of God's people, without first becoming Jews. Pure and undefiled religion is sometimes found where we least expect it. Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart, it will appear both in works of charity and of piety, neither will excuse from the other. Doubtless Cornelius had true faith in God's word, as far as he understood it, though not as yet clear faith in Christ. This was the work of the Spirit of God, through the mediation of Jesus, even before Cornelius knew him, as is the case with us all when we, who before were dead in sin, are made alive. Through Christ also his prayers and alms were accepted, which otherwise would have been rejected. Without dispute or delay Cornelius was obedient to the heavenly vision. In the affairs of our souls, let us not lose time.

Here at Te River of Life Assembly, our Church started with 6 people. We had rented a hall in the basement for the Church service. From first month we started supporting the body of Christ which includes other Churches as well as pastors, and God never failed us. The initial rent was about 1500/- INR, and amazingly, we never had an offering lesser than the rent. We at times equalized the rent with the offerings, but Lord never let us fall. Today by HIS grace and mercy, moreover with his fruit of goodness, we are able to support 19 Pastors and few widow believers. 

We are blessed only when we give out to the Lord, even when we are short of money.

Cal Thomas once wrote, "Love talked about is easily ignored. But love demonstrated is irresistible." Jesus not only talked about love & kindness, but He modeled it for us, too. 

True religion is helping others. Its not just having quiet time with the Lord, but also taking one step more. When we say, "We love you", we must put these words in actions as well. We as a community can help financially, talent-wise, mentally and more over spiritually.

Illustration: There is this story about a family who used to sit together every evening at their dinner table. Father always used to pray before the meal and used to ask, "Jesus, come and be our guest." Their young son noticed this for few days and one day he asked, "Father, you always ask this prayer, but I have never seen Jesus coming to our home." Father replies, "We can only wait my son." One day boy notices that even though his father prays and invites Jesus, but there is no space for Jesus to sit or any utensils or vessels kept to offer if Jesus comes. So boy asks his father to keep an extra plate, since Jesus will be coming today. As they started having their meals, there was a knock at the door, son suddenly ran toward the door and opened it. He saw a poor old man, who stood at the door. His father asks from inside, "Whose that son?", replied the boy, "Jesus did not come, but sent poor old man." Upon hearing this, his father was moved. He suddenly stood up and asked his son to invite the poor old man and make him comfortable on the dinner table and give food. After the meal, the poor old man was also moved and asked why was this hospitality? Father introduced the old man to Jesus and told about the death upon the Cross for our sins. Before leaving, the old poor man had accepted Jesus as his Savior. Praise God for this!

Missionary Stephen Grellet once wrote, “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."

There is another great example of Elisabeth Elliot whois a Christian author and speaker. Her husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca (now known as Huaorani) of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband. Returning to the United States after many years in South America, she became widely known as the author of over twenty books and as a speaker in constant demand. Elliot toured the country, sharing her knowledge and experience, well into her seventies. What she did was a great example of being filled by Holy Spirit. We recommend her book, "A Lamp Unto My Feet: The Bible's Light For Your Daily Walk". 

Post sermon, we had "Holy Communion" session with a beautiful hymn played by the worship team in the background.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus - Robert Lowry

Here is a quick look at our communion table.

Post communion, we had a powerful closing prayer followed by a meet and greet session. 

We need to learn to be good with one another even as God has been good with us through Jesus Christ & as He has offered Him as a sacrifice for all our sins. We give you the opportunity to respond to His love this morning.

We encourage all of you to pray with us:

God of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish in us all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord who is alive with with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Thank you for giving us the ability to demonstrate your goodness Father. Please bestow grace on us today to manifest Your Goodness in the world. 

With your most precious and gracious name we ask, Amen!

We hope you enjoyed today's service. See you next Sunday. God Bless!