The Fruit of Goodness

Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
September 4, 2024
Acts 10:36-38, Romans 7:18, Matthew 12:33-35

As we look at the Fruit of the Spirit today; the fruit of Goodness, I would like for us to take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to each of us what good there is around us, and then ask what good can we, as individuals, share with those around us. Pause and Pray.

Now, let’s define Goodness. The Greek word that was originally used in our texts for today is Agathos, which means, to have a character or constitution that will be beneficial in its effect on others. Our text from the book of Acts states that Jesus went around doing good. He was actively engaged in healing and meeting true needs of the people. Our text from Romans 7 has the Apostle Paul crying out: “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out”. Jesus give the remedy for this dilemma in our text from Matthew 12; “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit”. I am finding a connection here with a life verse my Grandson recites; Psalm 1:1-2; “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers”.

Robert Strand reminds us in his devotional Nine Fruits of the Spirit: “ I remind you that fruit is something that grows under cultivation of the Spirit in your life. It’s a process, a daily commitment, a daily discipline, a daily application of the biblical truth. Every day, in some small and sometimes very significant way, we should all be changing into His likeness” (Goodness - pg. 36). You and I are trees planted by streams of living waters when we receive Christ as Lord and commit ourselves to follow Him. If you feel as if you have been uprooted by something, the Master Gardener, the creator and sustainer of all things can transplant and transform you. I know because He has done that for me time and time again. Life has some serious storms that can pull you and me away from His plan, but the good news is He can and He will and He does respond to our request to plant us firmly again and that is sooooo Good!

Amen