Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 100
• Hymn — O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (#708)
• Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 17 & 18
• Hymn — Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (#599)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Prayer of Illumination
• Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:1-10
• Sermon
• Hymn — Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (#529)
• Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26

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Sermon Title: The Fruit of the Spirit — Goodness

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

I. Goodness Derives from God

A. Goodness flows from God's own character and nature; the Spirit does not produce goodness ex nihilo but conveys it from its divine source

• Psalm 34:8 — "Taste and see that the Lord is good"
• Psalm 100:5 — "The Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever" — a refrain repeated throughout Israel's history

B. God's goodness is supremely displayed in sending his Son

1. Peter summarizes Christ's earthly ministry in Acts: "He went about doing good"
2. All Christ did — loving the unlovable, healing the sick, restoring the broken — flowed from his selfless goodness for others
3. The cross is the climax of God's covenantal (hesed) goodness; Christ died for our good because he is good

C. Romans 8:28 — "All things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose" — God is the fountain and headwaters of all goodness

II. Goodness Is Distinct in Believers

A. There is a common-grace awareness of goodness in all people as image-bearers, but it falls short of true Spirit-worked goodness

1. Even an avowed atheist may be motivated to serve the poor — yet her motivation was how it made her feel; when the feeling fades, the goodness fades
2. "Be good for goodness' sake" is absorbed into culture, yet without a grounded definition of what goodness truly is

B. Spirit-worked goodness is distinct because it encompasses the whole person — body and soul

1. The world's goodness, at its best, seeks to relieve affliction and make this life more tolerable (George Bethune)
2. Christ's physical healings were real but also pointed to a deeper spiritual need — he had authority both to restore sight and to forgive sins
3. The office of deacon exemplifies whole-person care: a spiritual office addressing physical needs for the purpose of spiritual well-being

C. Bethune outlines several further distinctives of true goodness in believers:

1. It is not mere sentiment — it is active
2. It is not merely impulsive but rational and considerate — requiring time, thought, patience, and labor, not only money and kind words
3. It is self-sacrificing — it may cost us something beyond surplus money and time; it may hurt
4. It is untiring — Galatians 6:9: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up"

III. Goodness Dispenses Broadly

A. Galatians 6:10 — "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone" — goodness is to be dispensed widely across all relationships and contexts, limited only by honest evaluation of opportunity

B. Do good to your enemies

1. We ourselves were enemies of God, yet he showed goodness toward us by sending his Son
2. Romans 12:14-21 — bless those who persecute you; repay no one evil for evil; if your enemy is hungry, feed him; overcome evil with good

C. Do good in your community

1. God has placed each believer at a particular time and place for a particular purpose
2. Start small — get to know your neighbor, ask questions, identify needs

D. Do good in your work

1. Whatever your vocation — office, home, restaurant, classroom — you are surrounded by people with real physical and spiritual needs
2. Use every opportunity to encourage with words and deeds and to point to Christ

E. Do good in your family

1. The home is the training ground for Christian virtues
2. Practice goodness with spouse, children, parents, and siblings — it is both the hardest and the best place to cultivate this fruit

F. Do good to the church — and especially so (Galatians 6:10)

1. Christ has a special concern for his church; he gifts his people to carry one another's burdens
2. Satan loves to sow seeds of bitterness, discord, and jealousy within congregations — be vigilant against this
3. Continue and increase in love, generosity, and hospitality toward one another

G. Closing exhortation: When tempted to give up, remember God's never-ending goodness toward you in Christ — while you were still his enemy, he did good to you for the great benefit of your soul