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Friends:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
 

As the Holy Spirit works in our lives, our character is transformed. In the areas of our lives where we once held onto sin, which reflects our human nature, we can now possess the fruits of the Spirit and reflect God’s character.

One of the fruits of the Spirit is goodness. So, what does this mean, and how can it be applied to our lives?

Growing up, we were often told to “be good.” Maybe this looked like helping your mom with the household chores or getting good grades in school.

I think the true meaning of the word “goodness” is commonly overlooked, though. Goodness is action; it’s not something we do only for the sake of being virtuous.

When we strive to be “good” only for our own benefit, it is not truly goodness that we possess. In Greek, the word goodness, “agathosune,” means “an uprightness of heart and life” (Thayer & Strong, 1995).

When we act out of true goodness of the heart and reflect the fruit of the Spirit, we are obedient to God’s commandments and seek the benefit of others. Our actions come from a place of selflessness, and we place the needs of others before our own.

Does this sound familiar?

The life of Jesus Christ is the perfect example of goodness, as He died on the cross for the sins of humanity in order to give us the gift of eternal life. His ministry and sacrifice is an example of God’s goodness toward mankind. After all, the term “gospel” means “good news.”

Peter, a disciple of Jesus, talks about the goodness of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

In addition, Jesus is called the “good shepherd” in Scripture, because He laid down His life for His sheep.

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Top 3 things to know for this week of July 8th:

  • Clothes Closet this Saturday, 10-11:30, volunteers always welcomed! Clothing donations of all sizes and kinds also needed. 

 

  • Property Work Day- In preparation for the Bishop's visit come to church Saturday, July 20th, 9-12 A.M. Donuts and coffee and fellowship as we spruce up inside and out! All are welcomed.

 

  • Bishop Gafkjen will preach and preside in a Joint Worship service with Faith Lutheran Sunday, July 21st, at 10 a.m. here at St. Andrew’s. A luncheon to follow,( please sign up).

 

Please prayerfully consider a donation to an endowment fund in the Bishop's honor to help future leaders of the church! There are envelopes on the table in narthex.

 

Pastor Doug Givan