Sermon Tone Analysis

So far, we have looked at love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.

This month, we are going to focus on goodness.

So far, we have looked at love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.

This month, we are going to focus on goodness.

Goodness is one of those things that we know it when we see it.

We have this inner sense that someone is doing good or doing evil.

Goodness is very challenging to define.

Sometimes it almost feels subjective.

The Hebrew language has 8 different words which could be defined as goodness.

The Greek language has 6 different words which could be defined as goodness.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines goodness as

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GOODNESS—in man is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good.

Goodness is kindness in action.

Goodness is about our words and deeds.

Goodness is when we make purposeful efforts to help others.

An example of goodness is found in how Jesus lived his life.

Jesus went around doing good.

What were some of the good things Jesus did?

1.

We are created to do good.

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Most of us are familiar with the two verses preceeding , but are not as familiar with verse 10.

We were created to do good work that God prepared in advance for us to do.

Before you became a follower of Jesus, before you were even born, God prepared good works for you to do.

It is missing in the translation that I generally use, but the ESV brings out an important concept.

Notice the difference is how the words were translated.

The Greek uses a word that ESV translates “walk”.

The CSB lumps it all in with “for us to do”.

I like the way the ESV translated this because when the Bible says “walk” it is talking about going about your everyday life.

The good works that God prepared for us to do before we even were born are all around us in our everyday life.

2. We are created to do good as we live our daily lives.

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It is not about the heroic.

It is about doing good in the daily course of living.

We will encounter most of our opportunities to do in the course of daily living.

3. We are created to do good at work.

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One of the biggest area of our life where we have the power to do good is in our work.

Most of us will spend half or more of our waking hours at our vocations.

So, if we can’t find ways to do good at work, then we are missing a huge opportunity to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

Ask yourself this question, how can I do good in my work situation?

Are you viewing your vocation as an opportunity to do the good works that God prepared for you in advance?

It your job just a necessary evil to pay the bills?

If so, I would suggest one of two things.

Change your attitude toward your job or change your job.

One of the biggest area of our life where we have the power to do good is in our work.

Most of us will spend half or more of our waking hours at our vocations.

So, if we can’t find ways to do good at work, then we are missing a huge opportunity to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

Ask yourself this question, how can I do good in my work situation?

Are you viewing your vocation as an opportunity to do the good works that God prepared for you in advance?

It your job just a necessary evil to pay the bills?

If so, I would suggest one of two things.

Change your attitude toward your job or change your job.

If you don’t work outside of the home, what an even greater opportunity to do good.

Some of the “chores” might seem distasteful, but I think many people missing the blessing of being able to do good at home.

4. We are created to do good at home.

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The “all” includes those inside and outside of our homes.

Paul told Timothy,

Good works begins at home.

We are doing it wrong if we are doing good for others while neglecting our spouse, parents, or our children.

Stop thinking, “Well, that’s woman’s work.”

Stop thinking, “Well, that the man’s job.”

Start thinking how can I serve my spouse.

How can I do good for my wife?

How can I do good for my husband?

How can I do good for my parents?

How can I do good for my children?

There are many simple things that you can do.

Doing good beings at home.

5. We are created to do good to all.

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The opportunities for doing good are virtually unlimited.

One of the dangers is falling prey to superficial responses to doing good.

We need to be sure what we are actually doing is good and not just pacifying our needs to feel better about ourselves.

We see images on the T.V. and hear stories on the internet and we react, rather than thinking what would actually be doing good for those in the situations.

For example, we hear of someone who has a debt problem and we think “We can fund raise and pay off their debt.”

What we don’t realize is that we could be robbing a person of a growth experience in their life.

Without teaching them sound financial principles, they will be right back in the situation they were in.

One author said it this way,

True goodness is not merely impulsive, but rational and considerate - it will therefore pause, and be at some trouble to inquire what service, and how best may it be rendered…Goodness should be willing to give time, and thought, and patience, and even labor; not mere money and kind words and compassionate looks.

(Bethune)

6. True goodness is not only self-sacrificing, but also untiring.

(Galatians 6:9)

Gal

Consider your gifts, your talents, your vocation, and your circumstances as a special trust from God with which to serve Him by serving others... Don’t look for the spectacular; few people ever have the opportunity to pull a victim from the wreckage of a flaming automobile.

All of us have the opportunity to administer the kind or encouraging word - to do the little, perhaps unseen, deed that makes like more pleasant for someone else.

(Bridge, p. 109)

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