Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Introduction:
Momma and the Toast A Sunday School teacher asked her class if they knew the difference between kindness and loving kindness. One little girl said she knew the difference. She told the teacher that kindness is like when you ask your mother for some toast and she gives it to you, but loving kindness is when you ask your mother for some toast and she gives it to you with butter and jelly on it.
And that’s the way God is. God, in his loving kindness, is an exceedingly generous giver. He doesn’t just give you some blessings, but He gives some blessings with some butter and jelly on it. That’s why the bible says that “He daily overloads us with benefits” David says “He anointeth my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” God says “Bring your whole tithe to the store house and I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out blessings you won’t have room to receive.”
Titus 3:4-5 (NIV)
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth (regeneration) and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Kindness God has shined down on me...
Kindness: Let that shine thru me
Kindness: Jesus shines thru me
John 4
Samaritan Woman
John 4 (NIV)
3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria.
Now you could say, that geographically Jesus had to go thru Samaria, but the reality is many Jews avoided Samaria at all costs
5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"
Everyone needs to receive the light of God
And everyone needs to let that shine thru them
I believe that this Fruit of the Spirit is a key component
To leading people to the Lord
I want to challenge everyone here today
To seek to develop this fruit in their life
And I believe God can and will use you to be a light in others lives
Avoid Traps That Steal Your Kindness
Titus 3:9 NIV But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
There are always traps set
By the Enemy to fall into the wrong spirit
And lose the Kindness that God has put in our Spirit
When dealing with people
There are always traps set by the Enemy
Here for us to become argumentative to a fault
If you’ll notice
Jesus is able to stand on the Word of God
Without falling into the trap of an argument
And maintaining a kind spirit
It is possible to disagree without losing your temper
And being able to confront something while being kind
Remember when Jesus is being tempted in the desert
Satan is tempting Jesus to lose His temper
Trying to take him off track
At one point he even says
“IF thou art the Son of God”
Jesus doesn’t lose his temper
Doesn’t become Argumentative
Doesn’t fly off the handle
Doesn’t get taken off track
“He could’ve said, What are you talking about!?? You don’t believe I’m the Son of God!?? Well here’s this BOOM POW WHAM”
But that’s exactly what the Tempter wanted Jesus to do
He wanted to take Him off track
He wanted Him to lose His temper
Instead Jesus just said
It is written, It is written, It is written
He just stood on the Word of God
Maintained a right spirit about Himself
And therefore avoided the traps of the Enemy to lose his control
#1 Hurdle For Kindness
People Who Are Different Than You
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )
She was surprised
We are different, we aren’t supposed to get along
Jews don’t like Samaritans Samaritans don’t like Jews
Why are you being kind to me?
She brings Gender and Race up
I am a Samaritan, which is in our culture seen as lower class
And I am a Woman, which is seen as lower class
Why are you being kind to me?
What’s interesting to me is that Jesus never even addresses this
He changes the subject and doesn’t even answer
The question of Gender and Race
You know why? B’c this is a trap of the Enemy
God didn’t create a gender greater than the other
He didn’t create a race of people greater than the other
He created us all the Equal
We are different but we are Equal
Don’t let race, culture, social status, gender
Don’t let any of those things
Trip you up from showing Kindness toward someone!
If you are a Dr and I work for minimum wage
We are all are precious in God’s sight
If you are American and I’m from halfway around the World
We are all precious in God’s sight
I think the children’s song says it right
We are all precious in God’s sight
And if we are all precious in God’s sight
I have to realize that every single person I come into contact with
Rich or poor, Man or Woman
They are a soul who has an Eternal Destiny
And therefore why wouldn’t I be able to show them Kindness!?
IF God loves them I can love them!
If God loves them, I can be kind to them!
#2 Hurdle For Kindness
Isolation
Isolation Illustrated
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"
Now Jesus may really have been thirsty but...
Jesus knew where he was going w/this conversation
He could’ve gotten his own drink
But he initiated this conversation so that He engage her
And let His light shine into her life
You know you can engage anyone in conversation
I’ll tell you how, you talk about their favorite subject
Well, what is their favorite subject
Your favorite subject is you
You love to talk about your kids and grandkids
You love to talk about your house, your car, your job
You love to talk about your hometown, your hobbies
Some people if you begin to ask them about them
They will talk and talk and talk and they won’t stop
God can and does Divine Appointments all the time
If you are sensitive to what God is doing
And if you allow the Fruit of the Spirit to come thru
So let’s continue following this conversation...
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
Once you’ve opened up with people, once you’re talking
Once they share their story,
1. Talk About Your Story
This is something that cannot be refuted
You know what....
God picked me up
Turned my life around
Now I have love, joy, and peace in my life
I can’t explain it all but I’m telling you its real
You just have to try this for yourself
Thats something that can’t be argued
... Go down to the Police Station, they’ll tell you
My family will tell you, I’m changed
My wife will tell you, I’m changed
Talk about your story
And show kindness into their life!
2. Talk About Eternal Life
13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Everyone has a God-Shaped void in their life
Everyone wonders about Eternal Life
Once you begin to open this up
You can’t exhibit kindness in any better way
You begin to share with them the promises of God
There is no better way to show kindness
3. Talk About Sin
Talk about sin
Talk about sin and its destruction
There are some churches that never want to talk about sin
The problem with that is that Jesus talks about sin
And sin is what destroys us
Sin is what separates us from God
The problem is not talking about sin,
but its the way you talk about it
16 He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
17 "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.
Sin was this woman’s need
It’s okay to talk about sin
But its how you talk about sin
We can say something that Jesus couldn’t say
Listen, I am a sinner too
Paul said alot of times, I have been the worst sinner
Its a lie from the enemy that we as Christians believe
we are better than other people
Thats not the way it is
We have just received the Grace of God in our life
Jesus didn’t condemn them
But forgave them and told the woman caught in adultery
Who is condemning you now? I’m not condemning you
Where are your accusers?
Neither am I accusing you
Go and sin no more!
4. Talk About Jesus
25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
I am the Messiah!
She finds out Jesus is the Messiah
and her life is changed radically
And once you come into contact w/Jesus the Messiah
Your life should be radically changed
She goes on to tell the whole city
Come and meet a man
Who knows all I ever did
She didn’t say it exactly this way
But from the text you can draw this out
Come meet the Messiah
Who knows all I ever did
But He’s forgiven me and He still loved me!
And now my life is changed
Why don’t you come and meet this Messiah with me!?
Once the Kindness of God has been poured out on you
It ought to pour thru you!
Once the light of God shines on you
It ought to shine thru you!
Thats the Fruit of the Spirit of Kindness!
