Part 7 - Goodness Series

The Fruit of the Spirit

Part 7 – Goodness

Rev. Bruce A. Shields

First Baptist Church Tawas City Michigan

www.TawasBaptist.org

WELCOME

We are continuing our Series on The Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

This morning I would like to talk about the Spiritual Fruit, or character of God we can develop, called Goodness.

PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT AND UNDERSTANDING

INTRODUCTION

As Gods people we are commissioned by Jesus to preach the Gospel to the entire world.

Jesus has given us our instructions, to make disciples, or followers of Christ, and to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Accepting Jesus Christ and receiving the free gift of Salvation is not the end of our journey in life, but the beginning of our everlasting journey for God.

You see, God has a destiny for you.

The scriptures tell us He knew us before we were formed in the womb.

We have a path God created for us in this life, a destination and purpose while we are here on earth.

And He wants to lead each one of us down that path.

Our Father in heaven, who loves us, has not just given us this duty as children of light, but He has equipped us to do His will.

He has equipped us with Himself.

Greater is He that is within us, than he that is in the world.

This is possible because of the Cross.

Jesus rose from the dead on the same day as the Jewish Feast of First Fruits, which was one of the seven feasts given by God to His people in Leviticus 23 nearly 1500 years before Christ.

This was God’s plan all along, for Christ to rise on the exact day of the Feast of First Fruits.

He gave the Israelites these celebrations to teach of the Messiah, His purpose and His coming.

In I Corinthians 15:20 Christ is referred to as the First Fruits of the dead.

Was this a coincidence?

No, everything God does is for a reason and serves a purpose.

Even if we may not understand what that purpose or reason is.

My Word will not return to me void, but will accomplish what I set it out to do.

It is fitting that Jesus be raised on God’s day, given to the Jews, as the Feast or celebration, of the First Fruits.

God’s people were also told to count 50 days from the Feast of the First Fruits, then have a Feast of Sha Vu Ot, or as we know it, the day of Pentecost.

This Feast of Pentecost to the Jews served as a reminder that God is the source of all blessings, power and authority.

In Esther 8:11-13, Pentecost was the day that the King signed a decree granting God’s people the authority to gather together and defend themselves by any means necessary against all the powers of those who would attack them. This statement was made so that all of God’s people would be ready to defend themselves against their enemies.

The Feast or Celebration of Pentecost served as a reminder that God is the source of all blessings, power and authority.

How fitting for us to receive our blessings, power and authority by the Holy Spirit on this day as well?

After Jesus’ resurrection, He breathed on the disciples, giving them the free gift of Salvation which comes from accepting the risen Lord.

Then He told them to wait for the power from on High that the Father had promised.

Before my understanding of the seven feasts of the Lord and their prophetic meaning, I asked myself, why did Jesus make them wait for the Holy Spirit?

I mean, He was there; they were there, what’s the hold up?

Because, He (the Holy Spirit) had to come on the Day that the Lord had given to the Israelites as one of the seven Feasts, the Day that would serve as a sign to the Jews, the day that celebrated and acknowledged that all blessings, power and authority comes from God alone!

After Jesus rose on the day of the Feast of First Fruits, He met with the Disciples.

Jesus breathed on the Disciples, and said, “receive the Holy Spirit”, and they had received at that moment the free gift of Salvation.

Mending what was broken in the fall; once again, through Jesus Christ and the Cross, man could have relationship with God.

Jesus then told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Helper the Father had promised, so that they would be equipped to do the work that Jesus had given them.

How were they equipped? They were equipped by obtaining God’s character and abilities through the Holy Spirit which gave those blessings, power and authority.

They waited, and on the Day of Pentecost, they received blessings, power and authority from God in heaven, through the Holy Spirit pouring down and covering them.