“But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

The word for kindness is only used ten times in the New Testament. Of the ten times, six of them refer to the kindness of God toward sinners.

God offers sinners salvation and eternal life purely based on God’s goodness and kindness. There is not one who is worthy of the grace and kindness God offers, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

These verses in Titus summarizes the good news. Salvation is all God’s doing. All that we can do is to receive God’s gift and offer of salvation.

So what’s the big deal?

Simply put, God anticipated our stupidity and foolishness when God chose to save us. When God called us to participate in his kingdom work, God already took into account our stupidity and foolishness!

Isn’t that good news?

I am not suggesting that we go out of our way to prove our stupidity and foolishness. I am suggesting that when we mess up, get right back up and try again to do it better next time. Because God will use even our stupidity and foolishness to accomplish God’s work.

The greatest tragedy is if we were to do nothing with the gift of salvation God has given us.

Even during this pandemic, do your part to share God’s good news in practical and timely ways to those around you. We do this not to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received God’s favor!

So, what can you do today to share God’s good news with the people around you? How can you join in showing God’s kindness in a practical and timely manner?

 

We are going to take a break from the Fruit of the Spirit study for today.

Why?

Cuz, I’m in a bit of a funk. It’s not just today. It’s been days, weeks, a season of funk. I don’t even know how to describe it, but I don’t like it.

• I don’t like this season of pandemic.
• I don’t like that we can’t see each other and worship together.
• I don’t like that when I visit my daughter in Seattle that I can’t give her a hug.
• I don’t like that I can’t get together with my friends.
• I don’t like it.

I don’t like that the numbers are going the wrong direction. I don’t like that there seems to be no end to the pandemic in the near future.

It’s not that I don’t trust God or love God. It’s not that I don’t think God loves me. It’s not that I don’t have hope or joy in all that God has done for us on the cross.

Then what is it? I am not sure. I’ve never been a global pandemic lasting for months before. This is just a funky season.

I want to let you know of a couple of things:

1. There is no doubt that God wants you and his church to grow and thrive during this season. Nothing happening is taking God by surprise so God has given to us everything we need to grow and thrive during this season.
2. Growing and thriving does not equal being “happy” and “giddy.” Growing and thriving is filled with joy. Happy is not the same thing as being joy-filled. Don’t confuse the two. Happiness is an emotion we feel when good things happen.

It would be ludicrous for God to expect people going through trials, sufferings, and persecution to feel “happy” and “giddy” about that. However, God does call us to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). “In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials” (1 Peter 1:6).

Joy doesn’t depend on happenstance. Joy is dependent upon all that God has already done for us in Jesus Christ. Joy is not an emotion but a reality, truth, an outlook we take based on what God has done in Jesus Christ through the cross. It is the ability to remain hope-filled even when difficult things are happening in one’s life.

God doesn’t want us to pretend that things are great when they are not. One of the greatest encouragements to me is that out of the 150 psalms, over 50 are psalms of lament and complaints!!! God doesn’t need us to make-believe we are happy and giddy. God is okay with us not feeling okay when things aren’t okay. But even when things aren’t okay, we can remain joy-filled, hope-filled because our joy and hope doesn’t depend on things yet to happen. Our joy and hope is based on what’s already been done.

And perhaps, this is the most apt description/definition of God’s kindness. That God shows up for us just when we need him and how we need him in the midst of our funk.

Praying for all of you who are in a bit of a funk.

“All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one!” (Romans 3:12).

One of the keys to the gospel is the reality that we are all sinners. And this is one of the greatest sticking points to so many in our modern world. “What do you mean I am a sinner? I am a good person. Just ask anyone. I am not perfect. No one is, but I am a good person.”

The problem with this view of ourselves is twofold:

1. If we are good, we do not need a Savior. We just need to live out our inherent goodness. If one doesn’t need a Savior, the cross of Jesus is irrelevant.
2. This is not at all what the Bible says.

The scriptures tell us a totally bleak picture of who we are:

• “All have turned aside…” (Romans 3:12)
• “There is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one!” (Romans 3:12)
• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
• “There is no one who does good” (Psalm 53:1)
• “There is no one who does good, no, not one“ (Psalm 53:3)
• “There have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no not one” (Psalm 14:3)

That’s the reason why we are told, “You were dead through the trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

There isn’t much a dead person can do. The only hope for the dead is a Savior.

That’s the good news of the Bible. Because God loves us, God sent his Son to die on the cross and pay the penalty of sin. God did for us, in Jesus, that which we could not do for ourselves. This is good news! This is kindness. This is God’s kindness to us.

“There is no one who shows kindness” because we cannot give what we do not have. Only after having received God’s love and kindness for us in Jesus, can we become ones who meet the practical needs of others in God’s way and in God’s time. This is not talking about doing nice things. This is about doing things that show others who God is.

The good news of Jesus Christ is good news because we are sinners desperately in need of a Savior. Amen!