Giving Goodness
/Update From Your Pastors
Hey Welling Church!
We pray that our latest Wednesday Update finds you well and in good spirits. As we continue our quarantine from home, we know that many of you may be finding yourself increasingly isolated or anxious. We don’t know how long this uncertain time will last or what may happen, but we are reminded of what is written in Psalm 46:1-3.
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
God is present with you now. He is with you during this time of trouble. He is the One we run to in our time of need, and because of this timeless truth, we have nothing to fear in the midst of tragedy, despair, or trials. Even though the earth may give way, our refuge is in God.
We understand that many maybe hurting or afraid, and as Christians, our faith is in the Lord who is our rock, defence, and provider. If you are struggling in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
One of the best ways we can help as a church and serve one another during this pandemic is to pray. We are praying for you and ask that you continue to pray for one another. Your prayers are the lifeline we all need to get us through this lockdown. It's our hope that this pandemic will not leave you with a spirit of fear or worry but will rekindle your need for Him and encourage a spirit of prayer and power throughout our church family — both now and in the years to come.
Let’s pray together and share what God is doing in us during this crucial time.
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Prayer Points
Praise to God for Sally’s mum coming off the ventilator and breathing on her own.
Charlotte’s friend Grace, who has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer, to find comfort in God.
That those in our church would find comfort in fellowship with each other and combat isolation.
Ministry Opportunity
Post a picture of a prayer request or praise this week to the WhatsApp group! Some examples:
You walk by the church building and post a picture of the building with the prayer request that we would meet together inside again very soon.
Post a picture of a family member with the request that they get well from an illness.
Post a picture of your work with the praise that you are thankful for the job God has given you.
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: GOODNESS
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The fifth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Goodness. Our supporting passage tonight is found in the middle of the greatest sermon ever preached. Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” covers a great many things, however the central point of Luke 6:27-26 is simply that we are to love our enemies. It sounds an impossible task to do good to those who hate us, but we are able to accomplish this difficult task through the work of the Spirit. Let’s look deeper at Jesus’ command to good to our enemies.
1. Do Good to Those Who Hate You (Luke 6:27-30)
“27 ‘But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.”
The herculean task of loving those who hate you is the very one Jesus asks of His followers. He does not ask us to do something that He has not already done. The world hated Jesus and yet He died for sins of humanity. Jesus says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Christ gives us several ways in which we can show love to our enemies. We are told to do good to those who hate us (v.27), bless those that curse us (v.28a), pray for our abusers (v.28b), and to resist retaliation (v. 29, 30). How can we hope to do good to those who have done such evil to us? It is only an impossible task if we try to accomplish it without the Spirit. It is not that we are to act as though our enemy has not done evil, but we are to choose to forgive them in spite of the evil acts they have committed. True goodness does not begin with us, but is born by the Spirit. We will experience the benefits of that goodness if we let ourselves be the conduit for it. Show them the same grace that Jesus showed you.
2. Do Good Unselfishly (Luke 6:31-35a)
“31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 ‘If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great,”
The unbelieving world is full of people who love those that love them, do good to those who do good to them, and lend money to those who are guaranteed to pay it back. These acts require no effort and are essentially selfish acts. If this is all we are known for, then we will never stand out to the lost world as children of God. However, if we love those who hate us, do good to those who mistreat us, and lend money without expectation of repayment, then we will exemplify a life of unselfishness. These acts will cause us to be a great testimony for God in the world. Jesus tells James and John that He “28 …came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). How can we do good if we are always #1 in our life? We should strive, as Jesus did, to put ourselves second. Do good, not for what we get in return, but to honour God.
3. Do Good Because God is Good (Luke 6:35b, 36)
“and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
When we do good, especially to those hate us, we prove that we are children of God. He has been kind to the ungrateful, He has loved those who hate Him, and He has shown mercy to those who are ungrateful. Paul writes, “6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Rom. 5:6-9). God is our example and we should live in such a way that proves we are His sons and daughters. The Father has held back the punishment that we so rightly deserve. How can we not hold back our hate and anger from those who have wronged us? Do good because our heavenly Father is good and has done so much good for us.
Questions to Consider
Am I doing good for the right reasons?
Am I loving those who hate me and doing so without the expectation of reward?
Am I reflecting the goodness of God in my life?
