Bear (His) Fruit: Goodness & Faithfulness
Galatians 5:22-23 New King James Version
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
I. Bethlehem Community Fellowship exists to elevate and empower sons and daughters to become the place where Heaven touches Earth. We are committed to teaching you how to connect with God, hear His voice, and walk with Him in obedience.
a. To be elevated is to be lifted out of the fallen nature of humanity and into the divine nature of Jesus Christ.
i. The Divine Nature of Christ is revealed in the Fruit of the Spirit
ii. This divine nature is how Jesus endured and overcame temptation, trials, misfortune, suffering, trouble, etc…
b. The Fruit of the Spirit is Foundational
i. Spiritual gifts without spiritual fruit will eventually:
1. DISCREDIT a move of God
2. MISREPRESENT God
3. DESTROY You
c. It’s (His) Fruit
i. Fruit vs Fruits
ii. You cannot bear (His) fruit apart from Him
1. When we abide in Christ, we don’t have to work to develop these 9 characteristics, they all supernaturally, simultaneously, develop within us.
John 15:4 New King James Version
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
iii. Abide/remain in three ways
1. Place – secret place
2. Time – five more minutes
3. Condition – Holy Spirit began the work, He will finish it
II. Goodness
a. agathosyne (G19) Uprightness of heart and life
i. Root – agathos (G18)
1. Of good constitution or nature
2. Useful, salutary
3. Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy
4. Excellent, distinguished
5. Upright, honorable
b. This is why we value HEALTH || TRICKLE DOWN
i. We’re healthy when our thoughts, feelings, and desires reflect God’s. When we care for ourselves spiritually, physically, and emotionally we can influence our communities for the better. Health spreads from the top down and from the inside out.
ii. When are hearts are upright and healthy, our lives are transformed from the inside out and we become useful for God’s purposes.
c. Goodness is an uprightness of heart and a life correctly oriented in relationship to God, making it useful to His purposes and will.
i. When a container is correctly oriented it is useful and can be filled
1. Daycare swimming pool and potted soil analogies
2. Upright hearts don’t try to hide anything, they can be seen into and dug around in
3. Upright hearts can be filled/seeded because they are right side up, making them extremely useful. (treasure in earthen vessels 1 Corinthians 4:7)
III. Faithfulness:
a. pistis (G4102) faith and faithfulness – the character of one who can be relied upon
b. Faithfulness in the bible is recognized often in two ways
i. Its ability to endure while holding onto an assignment and hope for a favorable outcome – in context of time and intensity of circumstances
Revelation 2:10 New King James Version
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
ii. Its ability to result in multiplication
Matthew 25:14-30 & Luke 19:11-27
IV. What do Goodness and Faithfulness PRACTICALLY Look Like in Our Lives?
a. Stewardship
i. Stewardship is the temporary managing of the resources, affairs, and opportunities of another person
b. Every follower of Jesus MUST recognize the TRUTH that they are, and will be judged as, stewards of Jesus’ resources, affairs, and opportunities…
i. All of our resources, relationships, and opportunities
Colossians 1:16 New King James Version
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or [a]principalities or [b]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
ii. Our Spiritual Giftings, Ministries/Callings, Good Works
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 New King James Version
4 There are [a]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works [b]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 New King James Version
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [a]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
Ephesians 2:10 New King James Version
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
c. Everyone receives God’s resource in relation to their ability
i. Kill comparison or comparison will KILL you. Trust and thank God that He has given you exactly what you need and exactly what you can handle in THIS and every season of your life
ii. It doesn’t matter what you start with, it matters how you steward what you’ve been entrusted with
1. What we do with what we receive, determines whether we have manifested fruit that is Good and Faithful or Wicked and Lazy
d. Good and Faithful Servanthood/Stewardship?
i. Goodness
1. Upright of heart and life, a correct orientation of heart and life, toward God, making you useful to His purposes and will
a. NOT a PERFECT heart and life, but one that’s right side up
2. Only when you’re in right relationship, right side up, with the master can you be deposited with His supernatural resources without any spilling out
ii. Faithfulness – reliable
1. Work faithfully (clinging to the assignment and hope for a favorable outcome) at what the Master has given you, up until the His return, and through any circumstances
a. Can you press into the marriage and have hard conversations even when circumstances and feelings are intense?
b. Can you stay the course and continue to show up as a mom or dad, even when it gets tough?
c. Can you be faithful to the assignment God has given you to serve Him, His people, and His purposes no matter the results or lack thereof?
2. Multiply what the Master has given you
a. Healthy Marriages
b. Healthy Families
c. Healthy Finances
d. Inner Healing
e. “Lazy Evangelism”
f. Your finances?
g. Your social influence?
e. Wicked and Lazy Servanthood/Stewardship?
i. Wicked - not TRULY knowing the Master
Matthew 7:23 New King James Version
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
1. “That’s not the God/Jesus I know.”
2. The wicked servant KNEW his Master, we are called to KNOW our Master
3. Wicked servants/stewards have a false view of the Master
a. Harsh, hard, and thieving master
ii. Lazy - wasting time and opportunities
1. Rather hide the resources and give them back
a. FEAR OF FAILURE!!!
2. Should have at least given it to the BANK so that the master could have collected interest
V. The Reward for Your Fruit
a. The Good and Faithful
i. Praise from the Master
1. Well Done, good and faithful servant
ii. Greater responsibilities within His kingdom
Luke 16:10-12 New King James Version
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
iii. Celebration
iv. An increase in kingdom resources
1. He who has, will get more, you can grow bitter or grow as a steward of what God has entrusted to you
b. The Wicked and Lazy
i. Rebuke from the Master
ii. Loss of kingdom resources
iii. Removal from God’s presence
1. This all takes place at the Master’s return. Whether we feel comfortable with the truth or not. We all are, and will be judged as, stewards of Jesus’ kingdom resources.
VI. Our Master IS Returning
a. No one knows the day or hour
Matthew 24:36-51 New King James Version
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [a]heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what [b]hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what [c]hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food [d]in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying [e]his coming,’49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
b. Soon
Revelation 22:12 New King James Version
Jesus Testifies to the Churches
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work
