The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

1
The Fruit of the Spirit Kindness
2
The Fruit of the Spirit

• Gal 522But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
  joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
• ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????????????
  ??????????? ???????????? ??????? ????????
  ??????????? ????????????? ?????????????
  ?????????????? ???????? ?????????
• All start with Love
• Kindness starts in the heart and is translated in
  thoughts, words and actions.

3
Kindness of Speech

• "The tongue of the righteous is choice silver
  the heart of the wicked is worth little"
  (Proverbs 1020).
• "The lips of the righteous know what is
  acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is
  perverse" (Proverbs 1032)

4
Kindness

• Kindness usually costs no money.
• It may take the sacrifice of time and energy.
• It may require the discipline to be thoughtful
  of others' needs and to make the effort to act.
• How much is required
• to cultivate smiling?
• to pay a visit?
• to say a word of encouragement or comfort?
• to show friendliness by warmly and sincerely
  shaking hands?

5
Epitome of Kindness

• The Lord Jesus Christ is the epitome of kindness
• did many good things to the unfortunate
• cared for the poor and suffering
• did nor ridicule the weak, or belittled the
  simple minded or those burdened and heart laden.

6
Kindness of the Shepherd

• "I am the good shepherd and I know My sheep,
  and am known by My own" (Jn 1014).
• "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me"
  (Psalm 234).
• A rod and a staff caring, guidance, safety.
• A lifesaving act to his herd incorporating the
  young, the middle aged, and the elderly.
• Herd may be comprised of a pure or mixed bred,
  ram or lamb, sickly or healthy, straying or
  obedient, submissive ones.
• Nonetheless, the rod and staff symbolized
  kindness, caring and comfort to all of them.

7
Kindness of the Servant

• "So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to
  Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me
  more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord You
  know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Feed My
  lambs'" (John 2115).
• Do works of kindness...
• feed the hungry
• minister to the sick, handicapped, terminally
  ill
• remember the neglected and forgotten
• care for the homeless
• love the despised
• transmit the Lord's love and kindness

8
Kindness of the Master

• Hemorrhaging woman
• Who by the Jewish law was condemned as unclean
• For twelve years was labeled as an outcast
• The Lord's kindness inspired her to overcome all
  obstacles and reach out and touch the hem of His
  cloak.

9
Kindness of the Master

• The blind man
• He could not see the commotion
• Could he discern the voice of the Lord, among
  all the other voices?
• He recognized and relate to a kind voice
• "So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be
  brought to Him. And when he had come near, He
  asked him, saying, 'What do you want Me to do for
  you?' He said, 'Lord, that I may receive my
  sight.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Receive your
  sight your faith has made you well.' And
  immediately he received his sight, and followed
  Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when
  they saw it, gave praise to God" (Luke 1840-43).

10
Kindness of the Master

• Preventing the stoning of a woman
• But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground
  with His finger, as though He did not hear.So
  when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself
  up and said to them, He who is without sin among
  you, let him throw a stone at her first. (John
  86-8)
• Saving the despicable sinner
• Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, Look,
  Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor and if
  I have taken anything from anyone by false
  accusation, I restore fourfold. And Jesus said
  to him, Today salvation has come to this house,
  because he also is a son of Abraham (Lk 198-9)

11
Gods Kindness

• Despite the Israelites' manifold sins after their
  rescue from Egypt, He continued to provide food,
  water and protection all the way into the
  Promised Land.
• Once in the land, they continued their
  provocations for about another seven hundred
  years.
• All the while He provided for them so abundantly
  that Israel became a very wealthy, albeit
  ungrateful, nation.

12
Gods Kindness

• For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor
  were they faithful in His covenant. But He, being
  full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and
  did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned
  His anger away, and did not stir up all His
  wrath for He remembered that they were but
  flesh, a breath that passes away and does not
  come again. (Psalm 7837-39)

13
David Shows God's Kindness

• Following the death of Saul and his sons
• Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is
  left of the house of Saul, that I may show him
  kindness for Jonathan's sake?" "Is there not
  still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may
  show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the
  king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is
  lame in his feet." Now when Mephibosheth the
  son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to
  David, he fell on his face and prostrated
  himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he
  answered, "Here is your servant!" So David said
  to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you
  kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and
  will restore to you all the land of Saul your
  grandfather and you shall eat bread at my table
  continually." Then he bowed himself, and said,
  "What is your servant, that you should look upon
  such a dead dog as I?" (2Sam 91-13)

14
David Shows God's Kindness

• David's heart
• I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after
  My own heart (Acts 1322)
• Responsibility to perform acts of kindness
• He did not forget his and Jonathan's oath or
  their love for each other
• There is no indication that anyone prompted
  David's inquiry.
• The request came from his own heart, motivated
  by his faithfulness to his friend and his
  caring nature.

15
David Shows God's Kindness

• Unconditional love and kindness
• Davids undeserved persecutions at Saul's hand
• He could have held a grudge in order to feel
  justified in retaliating, or spat curses against
  any of Saul's heirs.
• It was expected to kill off any potential
  claimants to the throne.

16
David Shows God's Kindness

• He speaks of showing the "kindness of God" to
  Saul's house, elevating his motive to an even
  higher plane as a precursor of Jesus
• But love your enemies, do good, and lend, and
  you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind
  to the unthankful and evil. (Lk 635-36)
• David used God as a pattern for kindness
• He recognized that he had received undeserved
  mercy and kindness from the hand of God

17
The Fruit of the Spirit Kindness

• Kindness starts in the heart and translated in
  thoughts, words and actions.
• Costs no money, but may take the sacrifice of
  time and energy
• The Lord Jesus Christ is the epitome of kindness
• The Good Shepherd
• The healer
• The Forgiver
• A servant must be kind like his Master 'Feed My
  lambs'