The Fruit of Goodness

Happy Sunday. I want to begin by thanking you for watching. I talked to a friend from Florida this week that I didn't know he was watching, and I thank you, wherever you are. I also want to thank my wife, Jeannie, for all that she does behind the scenes. Couldn't do this without her.

Today we continue in our study of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 and 23. These fruit that we are looking at should all be present in our lives. We can't pick and we can't choose, and as we grow in Christ, we will see all of these qualities in our lives. I think John the Baptist said it best in John 3:30 when he said about Jesus, "He must increase, and I must decrease." That's what happens when we mature as Christians: Jesus comes to the forefront in our lives, and, well, we take the back seat.

Today we get to fruit number six, goodness. Some translations use the word generosity. There's some confusion because the Greek word used here for fruit number six is only found in the Bible. The word's not in secular Greek writings. It seems to have been coined by believers to express the goodness seen in the believers that was so much deeper than the world experienced.

Today the word goodness is, well, fairly boring. I remember as a child my parents would tell me to be good. Perhaps I was at home alone and they were to go out for a few hours, and as they left they would say, "Now be good." When they got back home, they would ask if I'd been good, and I would say yes.

Now, truth be told, I wasn't really good. I just wasn't bad. I just didn't do anything, maybe watched cartoons. I didn't bake cookies for a neighbor or clean the gutters of a shut-in. I didn't raise money for missions.

The fruit of goodness means much more than not being bad. It means doing for others. It means being godly in a practical way. It's likely that one of the first Bible verses you learned was from John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave." He gave.

Hopefully that helps you understand the meaning. It also likely helps us understand why some virgins use the word generosity. This goodness is only from God. Paul wrote about the struggle from our old lives to our new lives when he said this in Romans 7:18. He said, "For I know that nothing good dwells within me, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it." With God's help, Paul changed and led a life filled with goodness.

John 15:5 should also help us understand. Jesus put it this way. He said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." The point is that this fruit is only from God, as are all the other fruit, by the way.

So what does this fruit look like? I love it when I see it. Years ago in Indiana, our church started an Easter tradition. We reenacted the crucifixion on Good Friday. The production was called Sound of the Nails, and it grew and grew, and it was very well done. Still is to this day.

Over a hundred people would be in costume, and we had Jesus and the disciples and Mary and Roman soldiers and Pilot and a host of others. Our people were volunteers. They built sets and made costumes and spent hours and hours telling the story of Jesus. They gave up their time and their talent and money because of goodness and generosity. And because of that goodness and generosity, those folks grew the kingdom of God, because goodness points to God.

Have you ever been at ground zero of a natural disaster? If you have, you know that churches send out teams after teams after teams of volunteers. They cut trees and re-roof houses and clean up and feed orphans and build homes and build churches. You name it, they do it. God's good examples are there. They're bearing fruit that only God's people can.

Goodness is, to me, the glue that holds churches together. When goodness is missing, trouble comes. Over the years, I've had people hand me money to give to someone in need, and it's often done with the stipulation that the giver remain anonymous. I love that. It's fun to watch: no hidden agendas, no ulterior motives, just genuine goodness.

Years ago in Mississippi, our church was asked to host a funeral service for a man that lived overseas. He had grown up in our little town and was to be buried there. He was well known internationally, and many folks came from all over to the service. Our church family rolled out the red carpet. People brought food for the guests to have a meal after the service.

People came to be greeters and help in any way they could. Most of our volunteers had never even met the man who had died. Everything went well, and when it was all over, I was sitting at my desk in my office when a young couple from another state stuck their head in and to thank us for everything. They were very grateful for everything our folks had done. Our folks went above and beyond.

I'll always remember what they said to me. They said, "We would join this church if we lived closer." The fruit of goodness can be shown in many ways, and churches need it, and our lives need it. The fruit of goodness always points to God.

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said to all of us, "Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." I am so thankful for the goodness that I have seen. It proves to me that there is truly a God. Bless you as you bear the fruit of goodness.

Pray with me. Lord, our lives have been changed by the fruit of goodness, and it is our prayer that the goodness and our lives will change others, not for our sakes, not for our glory, but for your sake, for your glory. Let our lights shine. In Jesus' name, amen. God bless.