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[size=large]The Fruit of The Spirit is Kindness[/size]
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering" (Colossians 3:12, NKJV)
[size=x-large]W[/size]hen Paul illustrated how love behaves, patience came into his mind first: "Love suffers long" (1 Cor. 13:4, NKJV). Immediately after patience, he wrote that love "is kind," showing that love and kindness so belong together that without kindness no act is truly done in love! Patience, we saw, is love forbearing. Kindness, on the other hand, implies a more active expression of love. Often patience might be manifested by doing nothing; kindness, in contrast, is manifested by what we say and do and, more important, by how we say it and do it and, even more important, why we say and do it. Kindness is not beyond the reach of any, although it may take the sacrifice of time and energy. Kindness is a verb that reveals itself in numerous ways. And like its close cousin "love," kindness contains incredible power; it is a witness in and of itself of what our God is like.
Jesus clearly illustrates in the Sermon on the Mount the kindness and goodness of God. Read Matthew 5:43-48 and answer the following questions: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(1) To what high standard is Jesus calling us here?
(2) What reason does Jesus give for calling us to this standard?
(3) Notice Christ's use of the word perfect in verse 48. What is the meaning of perfect here, and how can the use of the word here help us understand what it means to be perfect like "our Father in heaven" is perfect?
God's gracious gifts are just that, gracious gifts. They are unearned and unmerited by all human beings, all of whom have willingly sinned against Him and either ignored or neglected Him. In this sense the greatest sinner is in the same boat as the holiest saint: Neither deserve the kindness and goodness that God gives to us all. With these verses, Jesus is calling us to be "perfect," even as perfect as God. How so? By loving our enemies, by praying for those who mistreat us, by being kind to those who have not been kind to us. This is how Jesus defines being "perfect." Try to and imagine what our church would be like and what our homes would be like were we to die to self enough so that we actually could live this way! We would have a power and a witness against which the gates of hell could never prevail. What's the only thing stopping us? Nothing but our sinful, vengeful hearts, which, more often than not, cause us to act like "publicans." What painful and deep changes must you make if you are going to follow Christ's words in these verses?
Before we can pass on God's kindness to others, what must we first recognize? See Luke 7:47. "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering" (Colossians 3:12, NKJV)
[size=x-large]W[/size]hen Paul illustrated how love behaves, patience came into his mind first: "Love suffers long" (1 Cor. 13:4, NKJV). Immediately after patience, he wrote that love "is kind," showing that love and kindness so belong together that without kindness no act is truly done in love! Patience, we saw, is love forbearing. Kindness, on the other hand, implies a more active expression of love. Often patience might be manifested by doing nothing; kindness, in contrast, is manifested by what we say and do and, more important, by how we say it and do it and, even more important, why we say and do it. Kindness is not beyond the reach of any, although it may take the sacrifice of time and energy. Kindness is a verb that reveals itself in numerous ways. And like its close cousin "love," kindness contains incredible power; it is a witness in and of itself of what our God is like.
Jesus clearly illustrates in the Sermon on the Mount the kindness and goodness of God. Read Matthew 5:43-48 and answer the following questions: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(1) To what high standard is Jesus calling us here?
(2) What reason does Jesus give for calling us to this standard?
(3) Notice Christ's use of the word perfect in verse 48. What is the meaning of perfect here, and how can the use of the word here help us understand what it means to be perfect like "our Father in heaven" is perfect?
God's gracious gifts are just that, gracious gifts. They are unearned and unmerited by all human beings, all of whom have willingly sinned against Him and either ignored or neglected Him. In this sense the greatest sinner is in the same boat as the holiest saint: Neither deserve the kindness and goodness that God gives to us all. With these verses, Jesus is calling us to be "perfect," even as perfect as God. How so? By loving our enemies, by praying for those who mistreat us, by being kind to those who have not been kind to us. This is how Jesus defines being "perfect." Try to and imagine what our church would be like and what our homes would be like were we to die to self enough so that we actually could live this way! We would have a power and a witness against which the gates of hell could never prevail. What's the only thing stopping us? Nothing but our sinful, vengeful hearts, which, more often than not, cause us to act like "publicans." What painful and deep changes must you make if you are going to follow Christ's words in these verses?
Before we can pass on God's kindness to others, what must we first recognize? See Luke 7:47. "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
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