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Church Family, Lord willing, on 
the 1st Sunday in February we 

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will resume our normal MO of 
working through one book of the 

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Bible at a time. 
Most recently we have been in 

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the New Testament with first 
John, second John and 3rd John 

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and I. 
Just to give you a little prep 

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time, if you'd like to read 
ahead, we will resume 1st Sunday

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in in February, which I think is
the first where we left off in 

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the book of Genesis. 
Now some of you be like, whoa, I

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don't even remember that. 
That was back in the spring of 

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2021. 
We preach Genesis one through 11

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and we're going to pick back up 
in chapter 12 and work our way 

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to the end. 
If you'd like to get ahead and 

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read ahead, that's what we're 
going to be. 

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That first book of the Bible 
contains so many 1st and 

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foundational fundamental truths 
for life is how God designed it 

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to operate for us and His will 
and His people. 

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And so we'll be returning there 
as we're working our way through

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the Old Testament book there of 
Genesis to come for the month of

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February, for the month of 
January. 

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Rather, we're going to do 
something just a little bit 

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different for four weeks. 
And what I'm doing is many of 

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you've heard the saying from a 
man by the name of Henry 

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Blackaby, There's a lot of truth
in this statement. 

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He says if you want to know the 
will of God, then look around 

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you see what God is doing and 
join him. 

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Well, you look around our city, 
our county, our community, and 

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you see God working in all sorts
and all kinds of ways. 

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One of those ways is a way that 
I've been privileged to also 

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join in. 
And it was actually originated 

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or instigated, if you will, are 
launched by our local Bartow 

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Baptist Association and our own 
David Franklin member here and 

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local Director of missions here 
in our county and community in 

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our city. 
And it's an effort that has been

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adopted by our Bartow County 
schools that they've been 

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implementing really going back 
about six years and then most 

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recently this most recent school
year calling their Bartow Cares 

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for You or Bartow Relational 
Values Campaign. 

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And what this is, y'all is an 
adoption of some of the one 

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another's of Scripture. 
You know, those love one 

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another, bear with one another, 
serve one another, encourage one

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another, forgive one another. 
You've got all these one 

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another's in Scripture that are 
commands for us as believers for

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how to do life, how to do life 
in a way that honors God and 

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bears fruit for the Kingdom of 
God. 

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Well, the school system has 
realized they need some help 

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helping their student staff and 
administration do life in a way 

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that brings flourishing, which 
the Bible is all about. 

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And so they can't quote the 
book, chapter and verse, but 

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they can adopt the values. 
In fact, for the 20252026 school

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year, they've adopted 4/4 that. 
They are bringing in leaders 

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from the faith community. 
They're bringing in pastors to 

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Bartow County Schools to train 
the the the teachers and 

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administration in these four 
things one at a time. 

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I had a chance to be at Woodland
Middle School and spend all day 

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with every member of the 
teaching faculty teaching and 

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training on the truth of 
practicing gratitude. 

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Now, I couldn't name chapter and
verse, but guess what I was 

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doing? 
I was conveying biblical truth. 

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Amazing, right? 
And back to our kind of verse 

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for the anchor verse of these 
four weeks, Isaiah 45, eight. 

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What would it look like to reign
righteousness for God to reign 

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righteousness in our city, 
county and community? 

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Well, one way, it would look as 
if pastors were invited into 

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public schools to talk about 
Bible truth. 

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Hallelujah, right. 
So I'm going to go next in a few

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weeks and talk about hope in the
same school and others are doing

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the same all from elementary to 
high school. 

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So the four words, the four one 
another's in this year's 

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campaign are kindness, 
gratitude, hope, and 

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forgiveness. 
Kindness, gratitude, hope and 

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forgiveness. 
What we're going to do for the 

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next 4 weeks is just take these 
one at a time out of this idea 

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that what if righteousness were 
to reign? 

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What if God were to open up the 
heavens? 

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What if God were to expand and 
do more of what he's doing and 

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allow the church to have 
influence and allow us to 

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demonstrate and teach and talk 
about and show righteousness 

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behind doors. 
We may normally never have an 

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opportunity to have it in your 
workplaces and in the schools 

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and in businesses, in the 
streets and communities and you 

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name it. 
What if God were to open up the 

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heavens? 
Then we kind of need to know 

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what righteousness should rain, 
what that rain should be, and 

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what it should look like. 
And these are just 4. 

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There's so many we could name, 
but we're going to walk through 

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one at a time. 
Kindness, gratitude, hope, and 

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forgiveness right out of what 
the Bible says about these 

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things. 
Now, by the way, if you weren't 

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in the first service, I had 
Doctor Clint Terza, the Bartow 

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County school Superintendent 
with me that I interviewed. 

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But obviously we have what we 
have as a failure to communicate

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because he didn't know we had a 
second service so we had to 

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leave and could not be 
interviewed for you guys. 

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So anyway, I asked him, hey, 
what's the origin of these 

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things in this campaign? 
How did they choose these 4 

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words and what are the results 
they've they're seeing? 

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And I can't say it as good as he
could, but basically they deal a

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lot of their students they deal 
with in the classroom have 

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trauma they've experienced 
outside the classroom, right? 

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And that trauma leads to being a
barrier to learning. 

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But guess what happens when you 
start exposing people that have 

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experienced things that don't 
allow them to flourish, but when

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they get exposed to the truth 
that does allow them to 

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flourish, like kindness and 
gratitude, hope and forgiveness.

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Guess what it does to those, 
those, those traumas in their 

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lives? 
It starts to bring healing. 

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The truth will set us free. 
And next thing you know, he gave

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a statistic report about how 
basically their incident reports

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of trauma that they deal with 
with students to try to overcome

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barriers to learning have 
dropped in half since they've 

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started this campaign of 
allowing the biblical truth and 

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righteousness of scripture to be
brought in behind the doors in 

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public school settings. 
Amazing, right? 

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Let's take the first one, 
kindness together #1 If you 

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follow along in your notes, What
is kindness? 

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Well, kindness is literally 
mentioned hundreds of times in 

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the Bible, both in the Old 
Testament and in the New 

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Testament. 
A definition would be usefulness

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or helpfulness. 
It's not simply though an 

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attitude, y'all? 
Kindness is an action. 

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It is something that you do. 
It's not something that just 

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crosses your mind. 
It's not something that you just

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look like. 
It's actually something you 

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implement in your life through 
your hands and your feet and 

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your words and your doing. 
It is literally, if you want to 

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fill in the blank, the act of 
being beneficial to others. 

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It is the act of being 
beneficial to others. 

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Now #2 kindness is from God 
because God is kind. 

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And this is where we're going to
start seeing what does the Bible

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have to say about this 
definition of kindness of being 

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beneficial to others. 
We're going to see here kindness

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is from God because God is kind.
What I'm talking about is that 

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there's one and only one 
ultimate and sole source of 

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kindness, and that is God 
Himself. 

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If you don't have your Bible 
open, open it to Psalm 103 

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because Psalm 103, the 1st 14 
verses are about as clear and 

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comprehensive description of the
kindness of God you will find in

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all the Bible. 
I'm not sure it's humanly 

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possible to truly capture the 
kindness of God in human 

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language, but Psalm 103 does 
about as good a job as you could

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ever expect. 
Listen to the words of God's 

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kindness in 1/03 of the Psalms. 
Bless the Lord, O my soul and 

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all that is within me. 
Bless His holy name. 

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Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 
forget not all His. 

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Here's a keyword. 
Say that out loud. 

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Benefits. 
Remember, the act of kindness is

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the act of being what to others,
beneficial to others. 

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Here's how God is acted 
beneficially towards you, 

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towards me, and every single 
person. 

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Here it is, Bless the Lord all 
my soul, and forget not all His 

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benefits. 
Who forgives all your iniquity? 

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Who heals all your diseases? 
Who redeems your life from the 

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pit? 
Who crowns you with steadfast 

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love and mercy? 
Who satisfies you with good so 

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that your youth is renewed? 
Like the eagles, the Lord works 

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righteousness and justice for 
all who are oppressed. 

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He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the people of 

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Israel. 
The Lord is merciful and 

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gracious, slow to anger, and 
abounding and steadfast love. 

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He will not always chide, nor 
will He keep his anger forever. 

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He does not. 
This is a big one. 

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He does not deal with us 
according to our sins, nor repay

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us according to our iniquities. 
For as high as the heavens are 

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above the earth, so great is His
steadfast love towards those who

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fear Him. 
And as far as the east is from 

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the West, so far does He remove 
our transgressions from us. 

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As a Father shows compassion to 
His children, so the Lord shows 

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compassion to those who fear 
Him. 

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For He knows our frame. 
He remembers we are dust. 

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God is kind and God's supreme 
act of kindness, never forget 

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was in descending of his one and
only Son for the forgiveness of 

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sins for those who would trust 
in Jesus for salvation and 

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eternal life. 
Let me just go ahead and ask 

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you, have you received the 
greatest kindness of God who is 

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kind and the sole source of all 
kindness? 

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Because by faith, there's been a
moment in your life when you 

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receive Jesus for the 
forgiveness of your sin. 

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Let me listen. 
Let me let you listen to what 

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Titus chapter 3 three verse 3 
through 6 says. 

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For we ourselves for once 
foolish, disobedient. 

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Now listen, I got saved when I 
was a nine year old boy. 

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But I could tell you so much of 
this was true of me then. 

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Lord knows what would have been 
true of me had I been saved nine

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years after that, or nine years 
after that, or nine years after 

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that. 
Given enough time as a Sinner, 

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we manifest all these things. 
For we ourselves were once 

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foolish, disobedient, LED 
astray, slaves to various 

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passions and pleasures, passing 
our days in malice US and envy, 

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hated by others and hating one 
another. 

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But when the goodness and loving
kindness of God appeared, our 

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Savior appeared. 
He saved us, not because of 

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works done by us in 
righteousness, but according to 

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His own mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewal of the 

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Holy Spirit, which He poured out
on us richly through Jesus 

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Christ our Savior. 
Friends, God is kind, and God is

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so kind that He came after us 
when we were worse than 

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nobody's. 
I want you to remember, as a 

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Sinner, we were enemies of God. 
We were traitors of God. 

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We were rebels against God, but 
I love what 1 preacher said. 

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He said our sin didn't stop God 
from charging after us and love 

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any more than waving a red flag 
does a charging bull. 

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God launched himself towards you
and me, nothing stopping a God 

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who was kind and loved, sending 
His Son to chase down by His 

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Spirit sinners to draw them back
to Himself. 

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God didn't just prove His 
kindness by taking on human 

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flesh for Him. 
God proved His kindness by 

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sending His Son to take on your 
sin. 

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He who knew no sin became sin 
for you, that you might become 

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the righteousness of God. 
The Bible says, y'all, kindness 

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is the very heart of the gospel 
because the gospel is the story 

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and the news and the reality and
the fact of God's kindness to 

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you. 
Loving you enough to send his 

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Son, His Son, living a sinless 
life for you, dying as a 

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substitute for you, laid in a 
borrowed tomb, tasting death 

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three days later, rising again, 
never to die again, so we can 

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offer life eternally to all who 
would trust Him by faith. 

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Has there been a time that you 
know you've received the 

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kindness of God? 
If not, today can be that day if

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you've not truly received the 
kindness of God. 

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God is kind, and kindness comes 
from God #3 Kindness is a fruit 

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of the Holy Spirit. 
Kindness is a fruit of the 

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Spirit. 
Galatians 522 says this. 

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But the fruit of the Spirit is 
Lovejoy, peace, patience. 

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There it is. 
Kindness, goodness, 

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faithfulness, gentleness, 
self-control. 

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Against such things there is no 
law, y'all. 

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It's true that kindness can be 
found in various places in our 

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world, can it not? 
I mean, kindness can be found 

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among non Christians and 
kindness can be found among 

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Christians. 
That's true, right? 

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00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:23,840
Amen. 
Y'all wake this morning, Y'all 

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with me. 
All right, Just making sure. 

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There we go. 
Why is that? 

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It's because of something we 
call God's common grace. 

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God's common grace is the fact 
that it rains on farmers who are

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00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,880
wicked and it rains on farmers 
who are righteous and both grow 

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00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:39,840
crops. 
You know why? 

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Because of the common grace of 
the provision of God for the 

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00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,320
things of life. 
God is kind to humankind and so 

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many broadly, generally 
speaking, common grace ways. 

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00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:57,680
But what the Bible makes clear 
as a fruit of the Spirit, 

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00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:03,160
kindness ought to abound in the 
life of a Christian. 

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00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:07,880
It ought to characterize 
everything about the life of a 

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Christian. 
The fruit of the Spirit, y'all, 

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00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:14,760
is a product of the life of God 
in a follower of Christ. 

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00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,560
And like a Thanksgiving table 
that overflows with ham and 

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00:14:17,560 --> 00:14:20,440
Turkey and vegetables and 
desserts, your life should 

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00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,120
overflow like a cornucopia of 
kindness. 

249
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,800
And everything you do, 
everywhere you go, everything 

250
00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,320
you you say, kindness should 
characterize you. 

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00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,360
I've heard it said that kindness
ought to be to the Christian 

252
00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:36,480
what salt is to the ocean. 
You can't touch it, taste it, or

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00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:41,120
feel it without it being salty. 
You shouldn't be to go near a 

254
00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:46,800
Christian with that kindness 
characterizing everything about 

255
00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:51,480
you and who you are as a fruit 
of the Holy Spirit. 

256
00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,760
And here's the deal, because of 
the Holy Spirit that indwells a 

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00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,040
Christian, you see, if you've 
trusted Christ for salvation, 

258
00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,560
the Bible says the Holy Spirit 
of God now indwells you. 

259
00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,400
And because of the Holy Spirit 
within you, you now as a 

260
00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:08,600
Christian don't miss this, have 
the capacity to be kind no 

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00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,480
matter your situation or 
circumstances in life. 

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00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,800
Now notice what I didn't say. 
I didn't say you have the 

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00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,120
capacity to be kind on your own 
because you don't and I don't. 

264
00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,800
This is not natural, not in 
every situation or facing any 

265
00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,680
circumstance, but when the Holy 
Spirit lives in you, guess what 

266
00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:30,840
happens? 
He goes from leading you to live

267
00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,360
a life that's not natural but 
supernatural. 

268
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,200
When you say no to yourself and 
yes to him. 

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00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,080
When you say God not my will but
your will. 

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00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,840
When you say let your will be 
done in my life as it is in 

271
00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:41,920
heaven. 
Holy Spirit have your way and 

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00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,200
you don't try harder but you 
surrender to what God is 

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00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,640
allowing and leading you to do. 
You have the capacity to be kind

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00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:53,120
and have the fruit of the Spirit
manifested in any situation in 

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00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,480
your life. 
Let me just ask you, do you 

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00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,000
believe that? 
Do you, that you have the 

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00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,960
capacity, because of the Holy 
Spirit, to be kind? 

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00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:07,400
No matter, no matter, no matter 
the situation? 

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00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,400
Kindness and goodness, if we 
think about it in terms of the 

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00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,160
Trinity, is defined by the 
character of the Father. 

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00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,360
It's displayed in the person and
work of the Son, and it's 

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00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,320
produced in the life of the 
believer by the indwelling of 

283
00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,720
the Holy Spirit. 
Kindness is a fruit of the Holy 

284
00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:32,880
Spirit #4 kindness is a command 
for all Christians. 

285
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:38,200
Y'all, as God is kind, so we are
called to be kind. 

286
00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,920
Let me put it more clearly. 
Kindness isn't optional in the 

287
00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,560
Christian life, right? 
We don't like when things are 

288
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,680
put like that, but that's the 
essence of what the Bible says. 

289
00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:50,440
Let me just read the word of God
to you. 

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00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:56,760
Ephesians 432. 
Be kind to one another, tender 

291
00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,480
hearted, forgiving one another 
as God in Christ forgave you. 

292
00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,320
Colossians 312. 
This is not just once randomly 

293
00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,599
in the Bible, it's everywhere. 
Colossians 312. 

294
00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,839
Put on them as God's chosen 
ones, holy and beloved, 

295
00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:13,079
compassionate hearts, kindness, 
humility, meekness and patience 

296
00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:16,000
bearing with one another. 
Micah 68 He has shown you, O 

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00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:21,040
man, what is good. 
Y'all know this, and that's what

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00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:26,359
that you are to do. 
Oh, come on, now that you are to

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00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:27,760
do justice, don't look at the 
screen. 

300
00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,520
I'm not sure it's there, but 
yeah, it is there. 

301
00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,600
Come on. 
That you are to do. 

302
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:33,840
But I'm probably saying it my 
way instead of that way. 

303
00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,120
Yeah. 
So he's told you, O man, what is

304
00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:37,520
good? 
And what does the Lord require 

305
00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,960
of you but to do justice? 
To love what? 

306
00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,720
Kindness. 
And to walk humbly with your 

307
00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:51,480
God. 
What does kindness look like to 

308
00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,320
men? 
We're walking on a narrow, high 

309
00:17:55,320 --> 00:18:00,600
mountain trail. 
On one side was a sheer drop 

310
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,720
off. 
On the other side was a sheer 

311
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:09,120
Rockwall Cliff. 
When the two men came to meet 

312
00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:14,040
head on, try as they may, they 
couldn't squeeze past one 

313
00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,640
another without realizing 
somebody was going off the edge.

314
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,800
They tried, they tried, they 
talked about it, they tried some

315
00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,480
more. 
Couldn't do it. 

316
00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,800
The trail was too narrow until 
one of the men, without saying a

317
00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,680
word, decided to lay down in the
path and let the other man cross

318
00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,760
by walking over him. 
That's kindness. 

319
00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:41,840
That's kindness when you 
sacrificially act for the good 

320
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,480
of another. 
See, a lot of people think 

321
00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:52,440
kindness is weakness, but 
actually kindness requires far 

322
00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:54,960
more. 
I'm going to let you say it 

323
00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,640
strength. 
Kindness is not weakness. 

324
00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:06,160
It is being strong enough to 
allow the sacrifice to be paid 

325
00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,440
by you, just as God's done for 
you. 

326
00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,080
And by the way, how much is 
Christ paid for us? 

327
00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:17,440
He's paid it all. 
Kindness is not weakness. 

328
00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,560
Jesus didn't die on the cross in
weakness. 

329
00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,240
He voluntarily put Himself 
there. 

330
00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,120
He was in total control. 
He chose. 

331
00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:30,400
When he took his last breath, He
could have caught a myriad 

332
00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,160
legion of angels to come to his 
rescue at any moment in time. 

333
00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,720
But in sacrifice and in love and
in kindness, He laid himself 

334
00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:41,080
down, becoming sin for us, that 
we could walk free by faith in 

335
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:46,000
Him and experience eternal life.
This is what kindness looks 

336
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,040
like. 
Kindness can be a word like 

337
00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,600
thank you or I believe in you, 
or God is using you, or I'm glad

338
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,320
you are in my life, or I thank 
God for you. 

339
00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,920
Good job today, great work. 
Kindness can be an act and act 

340
00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,240
as simple as noticing and act as
simple as stopping and act as 

341
00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,800
simply making eye contact and 
really listening. 

342
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:07,920
It can mean responding 
graciously. 

343
00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,760
It can mean empathizing. 
It can mean helping practically,

344
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,080
giving generously, praying 
sincerely, and to take it to the

345
00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,640
next level. 
Second Timothy chapter 2, Paul 

346
00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,040
writes the Lord's servant. 
He's talking to pastors, but 

347
00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,720
this is applicable to all 
Christians. 

348
00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:28,720
He says the Lord's servant must 
not be quarrelsome, but kind to 

349
00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:37,160
everyone, able to teach 
patiently, enduring evil, 

350
00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,640
correcting his opponents with 
gentleness, kind to everyone. 

351
00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,000
Is that really what the Bible 
says? 

352
00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:53,040
Was Christ not kind in providing
salvation for everyone who'd 

353
00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,440
receive it by fate? 
Kind in the face of enduring 

354
00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,680
evil? 
Kind to the opponents of Christ,

355
00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,960
his Church and Kingdom of God? 
You know, there are times, the 

356
00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,760
times we are most tempted to be 
unkind is when someone is what 

357
00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:11,560
to us, unkind us. 
This is the moment when we're 

358
00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,400
tempted to be everything but 
kind. 

359
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,640
And yet this is the moment when 
Christian kindness, sourced only

360
00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,120
in God, now, given an 
opportunity to flow through, 

361
00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:24,440
you, can shine the brightest 
because it's what no one 

362
00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,440
expects. 
And in this way, kindness 

363
00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,120
conquers. 
In fact, I want you to think 

364
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,840
about kindness is actually a 
weapon of righteousness that God

365
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,960
has called us as Christians to 
wield even in the face of 

366
00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:40,480
unkindness. 
Let me listen. 

367
00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:44,840
Let me let you listen to a quote
by a famous pastor that you may 

368
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,040
or may not have heard of by the 
name of Polycarp. 

369
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,320
He says this 86 years I have 
served him. 

370
00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:54,720
That's Jesus and he has done me 
no wrong. 

371
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,840
How then can I blasphemy my King
and my Savior? 

372
00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:02,640
These were the words of this 
pastor by the name of Polycarp 

373
00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:09,200
on February 23rd in AD 155, less
than 200 years after the life, 

374
00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:10,960
death, burial, and resurrection 
of Christ. 

375
00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,040
This was on the day spoken by 
him, on the day the Romans 

376
00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,760
killed him for preaching the 
gospel. 

377
00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,160
Polycarp was pastoring in an 
ancient city by the name of 

378
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,560
Smyrna. 
If you want to read about it, 

379
00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,320
that city, you can read about 
the church there in the Book of 

380
00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,720
Revelation in the first 3 
chapters, one of seven churches 

381
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,640
and cities mentioned there that 
Christ addresses. 

382
00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:40,680
The Romans came to Polycarp and 
sought to force him to burn 

383
00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,160
incense to the emperor. 
You see, this was how the Romans

384
00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:50,160
sought to get Christians to 
recant of worshiping Jesus and 

385
00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:52,880
choose to worship the emperor. 
This is what they did. 

386
00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,280
They believe the emperor was 
divine and to burn incense to 

387
00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,800
the emperor was to worship him. 
So they came to Polycarp 

388
00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,400
requiring him to burn incense. 
Polycarp refused. 

389
00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,240
He knew they were going to come 
and arrest him, and he wanted to

390
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,120
stay there in the city of Smyrna
and just wait for the Roman 

391
00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:13,520
authorities to come. 
But his church members persuaded

392
00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,920
him to flee to a villa in the 
country, and there he waited. 

393
00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,800
Soldiers eventually tracked him 
down and they found him because 

394
00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,720
they found a farm hand that had 
seen Polycarp come out to the 

395
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,120
country and they tortured this 
farmhand until he told them 

396
00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:30,120
where Polycarp was. 
Polycarp was tipped off that the

397
00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:32,640
soldiers were on their way. 
He could have slipped out a 

398
00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:38,880
window and fled for his life. 
He chose to remain when they 

399
00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,080
were gathered downstairs soon to
arrest him. 

400
00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,320
I want you to listen to what 
Polycarp did and I quote. 

401
00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,760
As soon as he heard them arrive,
he went down and chatted with 

402
00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:56,720
them, and everyone there was 
struck by his age and his 

403
00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:01,680
calmness, and surprised at the 
arrest of such a old and godly 

404
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:05,880
man could be so urgent. 
In spite of the lateness of the 

405
00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,920
hour. 
He at once ordered them all of 

406
00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,760
the Roman soldiers that came to 
arrest him and lead him to his 

407
00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:17,880
martyrdom, be given all the food
and drink they wanted, and then 

408
00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:23,080
he asked if he might be allowed 
an hour to pray undisturbed 

409
00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:29,440
before being escorted by them to
his death on the last night of 

410
00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,480
his life. 
Kali Carte did not simply 

411
00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:38,360
manifest courage, he supremely 
manifested a fruit of the 

412
00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:43,200
Spirit, a command of God, no 
matter the circumstances called,

413
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:49,600
starts with AK kindness. 
Kindness, ladies and gentlemen, 

414
00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,240
is a weapon of righteousness. 
The Bible says do not return 

415
00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,640
evil with, but overcome evil 
with. 

416
00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,760
If it's going to rain 
righteousness in Carter's will, 

417
00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:02,960
guess what? 
People who've received the 

418
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,760
gospel are going to have to let 
flow through their lives, no 

419
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:07,640
matter the circumstance or 
situation. 

420
00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:08,720
Guess what it's going to have to
be? 

421
00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:16,000
Kindness will have to be there 
for righteousness to reign, for 

422
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,880
evil to be overcome with good. 
And by the way, that weapon of 

423
00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,080
righteousness of kindness 
cannot, will not be conquered 

424
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,280
because people simply don't know
what to do with it. 

425
00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:28,240
It is too strong. 
Let me just ask you, is your 

426
00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:35,360
life characterized by kindness? 
Would those closest to you 

427
00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:42,040
describe you as kind? 
Let's just be real honest. 

428
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,760
It's pretty easy to put your 
nice clothes on and your makeup 

429
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:55,480
on and be polite in public for 
most people, right? 

430
00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:59,640
At least for 8 hours. 
At least while the boss is 

431
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,440
looking, at least while the 
teacher's there, at least while 

432
00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:08,040
the coach is on duty. 
But where it's far harder is 

433
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:12,560
when you come home after a long 
day of pretending to be on the 

434
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,520
outside, which you're not really
on the inside. 

435
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:18,960
Your spouse says something to 
you that hits you a little 

436
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,040
wrong. 
The kid says something to you 

437
00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:23,240
that aggravates you a little 
bit. 

438
00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:30,560
And guess what comes out? 
Who you really are, right to 

439
00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:35,040
those closest to you, they 
describe you. 

440
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:40,080
It's got is righteousness 
raining around and on those 

441
00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:45,400
you're around because of you, 
regardless of the situation and 

442
00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:50,040
circumstance. 5th And finally, 
let me talk to you about how 

443
00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:54,880
kindness reigns righteousness. 
Listen to Matthew 5 verse 14 

444
00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,240
through 16. 
You are the light of the world. 

445
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,280
A city set on a hill cannot be 
hidden, nor do people light a 

446
00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,440
lamp and put it under a basket, 
but on a stand, and it gives 

447
00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:09,560
light to all in the house. 
In the same way, let your light,

448
00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:11,960
let your righteousness, let your
good works, let your fruit of 

449
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:16,840
the Spirit, let your kindness 
shine before others so they may 

450
00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,120
see your good works, your fruit 
of the Spirit, your kindness, 

451
00:27:20,360 --> 00:27:22,920
and give glory to the Father who
is in heaven. 

452
00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:26,760
You see, kindness reigns 
righteousness because it reveals

453
00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,800
the righteousness of God, and 
kindness will reign 

454
00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,720
righteousness in your marriage. 
Did you know that marriages 

455
00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:35,960
could be healed with just a 
little kindness? 

456
00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,840
That marriages, that homes, that
parental child relationships 

457
00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:45,880
could be healed potentially with
just a little kindness. 

458
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,040
That Co worker relationships, 
church member relationships, 

459
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,960
teammate relationships, 
neighborhood relationships, 

460
00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:57,520
family relationships could be 
rained on with righteousness 

461
00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:01,280
with the expression of not 
something that's rocket science,

462
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:05,680
a little something that's simple
called called kindness. 

463
00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,600
That, by the way, comes straight
from the gospel because the 

464
00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:15,720
gospel is God's kindness to us. 
Let me let me show you three 

465
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:21,160
ways as we finish that you might
not expect kindness to reign 

466
00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,360
righteousness, but in these 
three ways it should. 

467
00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:28,880
Are you ready #1 Kindness reigns
righteousness by evangelizing. 

468
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,240
Aaron was a young man who grew 
up in the Pacific Northwest. 

469
00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,240
Aaron did not grow up in a 
Christian family. 

470
00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,400
In fact, he didn't really even 
know a Christian. 

471
00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:47,480
He thought the Bible was made-up
of myths, and all that he knew 

472
00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,320
of Christianity was what he saw 
on the TV and in movies. 

473
00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,800
He thought every preacher was 
the equivalent of Jimmy Swaggart

474
00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:00,600
and that it may be too young to 
know who that is and every 

475
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:06,200
Christian was brainwashed. 
But Aaron knew that Brenda was 

476
00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:07,920
the prettiest, smartest girl in 
school. 

477
00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,920
And so when his teacher assigned
their class the responsibility 

478
00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,600
of having to go see a play to 
complete the class assignment, 

479
00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,960
guess who Aaron asked to go to a
play with him? 

480
00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:24,400
Brenda. 
That night, at the play to air 

481
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,920
in shock, he discovers Brenda is
a Christian he didn't know. 

482
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,520
He starts barraging her with all
sorts of questions. 

483
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,440
You really believe there's a 
God. 

484
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,240
You really believe he sent his 
Son Jesus Christ. 

485
00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,080
You really believe he loves you 
and me. 

486
00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:43,600
You really believe he died for 
the forgiveness of our sin. 

487
00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:45,320
You really believe he offers 
eternal life? 

488
00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,720
You really believe all this? 
And then he asked her. 

489
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,680
He said the question of all 
questions. 

490
00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,440
He said it was just like it came
from his gut. 

491
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,200
He's like, I just couldn't help 
but asking. 

492
00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,400
I knew it'd be awkward 
potentially, but I couldn't help

493
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,400
but ask it. 
He said, Brenda, do you believe 

494
00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:08,560
I'm going to hell? 
She said, Aaron, if you reject 

495
00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:15,520
Jesus and his offer of 
salvation, yes, I believe you're

496
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:22,200
going to hell. 
Aaron said it was like she 

497
00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,880
dropped a spiritual bomb in his 
lap. 

498
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,520
He said that she could have 
dodged the question. 

499
00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,560
She could have said, well, 
Aaron, who am I to say? 

500
00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,840
Who am I to judge? 
Who am I to be the final 

501
00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:41,520
authority to tell you whether or
not? 

502
00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:49,840
But Aaron said she was kind 
enough to tell me the truth. 

503
00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:57,000
And the truth sets us. 
Aaron is a senior pastor in 

504
00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:04,160
Sandy Springs, GA. 
Because Brenda allowed kindness 

505
00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:08,080
to reign righteousness by simply
telling the truth when God gave 

506
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:14,680
her an opportunity. 
How could we let tension or what

507
00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:18,680
people think of us or the 
possibility of rejection keep us

508
00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,880
from being kind in the moments 
and opportunities God gives us 

509
00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,560
to give people the greatest news
of the greatest kindness in the 

510
00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:30,760
world? 
Kindness, range, righteousness 

511
00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,640
by evangelizing. 
Let me give you a second one 

512
00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:35,280
that we're going to spend a 
whole Sunday on. 

513
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,920
Kindness, range, righteousness 
by forgiveness, by offering 

514
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,400
forgiveness. 
The word of God says this. 

515
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,440
Colossians 312 through 13. 
Put on them as God's chosen 

516
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,320
ones, holy and beloved, 
compassionate hearts, kindness, 

517
00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,360
humility, meekness and patience,
bearing with one another. 

518
00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:57,040
And if one is a complaint 
against another, forgiving each 

519
00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:58,640
other. 
As the Lord has forgiven you, so

520
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:03,320
that you also must forgive. 
Let me ask you this, are you 

521
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,440
withholding kindness from 
someone because you're refusing 

522
00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:14,000
to forgive when God has given 
you the very kindness you're 

523
00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,080
choosing to withhold from 
someone else? 

524
00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,480
Do you realize that kindness, 
the greatest kindness you could 

525
00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:24,080
give to someone, is choosing to 
forgive because it was the 

526
00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:29,680
greatest kindness God gave you? 
We'll talk more about that in a 

527
00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,480
Sunday ahead #3 Kindness reigns 
righteousness by serving. 

528
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,160
Listen to Matthew 35 beginning 
in verse 34. 

529
00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,080
Kindness reigns righteousness by
serving. 

530
00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,400
Then the king will say to those 
on his right, Come, you are 

531
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,640
blessed by my father, and here 
at the Kingdom prepared for you 

532
00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,120
from the foundation of the 
world. 

533
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:48,040
For I was hungry and you gave me
food. 

534
00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,720
I was thirsty and you gave me 
drink. 

535
00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:51,800
I was a stranger and you 
welcomed me. 

536
00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,840
I was naked and you clothed me. 
I was sick and you visited me. 

537
00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,240
I was in prison and you came to 
me. 

538
00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,040
Then the righteous will answer 
him, saying, Lord, when did we 

539
00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:04,000
see you hungry and feed you? 
When did we see you thirsty and 

540
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:05,960
give you drink? 
And when did we see you stranger

541
00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:07,480
and welcome you are naked and 
clothe you? 

542
00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:09,680
And when did we see you sick or 
in prison and visit you? 

543
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:11,360
And the king will answer them. 
Truly. 

544
00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,920
I say to you, as you did it to 
one of the least of these, my 

545
00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:21,520
brothers, you did it to me. 
The idea here and three things I

546
00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,120
just kind of want to give you 
practically of how kindness, 

547
00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:28,040
range, righteousness my serving 
is #1 if you'll just very simply

548
00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:32,960
take notice of the people right 
around you, your spouse, your 

549
00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:36,240
kids, your family, your 
neighbors, your coworkers, your 

550
00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,680
classmates. 
If you'll just say what are the 

551
00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:43,800
needs of people around me that 
God has put in my life that I 

552
00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,800
could have opportunity to meet 
needs by serving them in some 

553
00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,720
way, The smallest of ways, big 
ways, ordinary ways, daily ways,

554
00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,320
mundane ways. 
What are the ways that you can 

555
00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:56,840
meet needs by serving those that
are closest to you? 

556
00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:58,680
Start there. 
Let me give you another one. 

557
00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:02,320
Create some margin in your life 
for kindness. 

558
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:07,720
This is so anti our American 
21st century way of life to 

559
00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,960
create some margin in our lives 
for kindness. 

560
00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:12,679
You know why a lot of times 
we're not kind? 

561
00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,760
Because we ain't got. 
And if the devil won't make you 

562
00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:18,639
bad, I truly believe this is 
true. 

563
00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:26,080
He'll make you just too busy to 
stop, too busy to care, too busy

564
00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,280
to do anything, too busy to 
love. 

565
00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:33,159
So caught up in me, myself and 
mine and my life that I'm 

566
00:34:33,159 --> 00:34:36,040
running in my lane and I don't 
even know your lane or what's 

567
00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:42,840
going on in your lane exist. 
You won't be kind unless you got

568
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:48,880
time to be interrupted. 
Creates A margin. 1/3 practical 

569
00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:52,000
thing to reign righteousness 
through serving is to make your 

570
00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:53,960
church your headquarters for 
kindness. 

571
00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,320
Make your church the 
headquarters of your kindness. 

572
00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,920
Where do I get that from? 
Galatians 610 So then, as we 

573
00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:04,120
have opportunity, let us do good
to everyone, and especially to 

574
00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:08,200
those who are of the household 
of faith. 

575
00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,000
What that means is a Christian 
ought to be kind to everyone, 

576
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:16,760
but a Christian's greatest 
kindness ought to be shown right

577
00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,040
at home in their own church 
family right here. 

578
00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:25,400
Make your church family the 
headquarters of your kindness. 

579
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,720
Doesn't mean that it's limited 
here, but it begins and shines 

580
00:35:28,720 --> 00:35:33,280
the brightest here. 
Whatever, whenever you practice 

581
00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:36,120
kindness, you are making it 
rain. 

582
00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,040
In fact, let me just tell you 
like this, you're making it rain

583
00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,160
whether you realize it or not. 
It's just a matter of what 

584
00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,720
you're raining, but you're 
making it rain. 

585
00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,960
The question is, is it raining 
righteousness? 

586
00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:53,440
Are people getting wet around 
you with the things of God 

587
00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,080
because of you that allows them 
to flourish? 

588
00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:02,520
Or is it something else? 
I want to close with the words 

589
00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,520
of a preacher that can say 
things better than I can. 

590
00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:06,280
Man by the name of Charles 
Spurgeon. 

591
00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:07,760
Here's what he says. 
This is so true. 

592
00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:16,160
If there be a virtue which most 
commends Christians, it is that 

593
00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:20,080
of kindness. 
It is to love the people of God,

594
00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:24,880
to love the church, to love poor
sinners, to love all. 

595
00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:31,880
But how many have we in our 
churches of Crabtree Christians?

596
00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:34,240
I didn't come up with that. 
He did. 

597
00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:38,960
You probably can translate what 
a Crabtree Christian is, He goes

598
00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:43,800
on to explain who have mixed 
such a vast amount of vinegar 

599
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,800
and such a tremendous quality of
gall in their constitutions. 

600
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,880
They can specially speak one 
good word to you. 

601
00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,320
If anything is awry, whether it 
be in the house, the church, or 

602
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:58,760
anywhere else, they conceive it 
to be their duty to set their 

603
00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,080
faces like Flint, to defy 
everybody. 

604
00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:05,000
They're like isolated icebergs, 
no one cares to go near them. 

605
00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:09,600
Imitate Christ in your living. 
Speak kindly, act kindly and 

606
00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:14,160
think kindly that men may say of
you, he or she has been with 

607
00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:20,080
Jesus. 
John and praise team, they're 

608
00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:23,360
going to come out. 
My first question for you is, 

609
00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,800
have you received the kindness 
of God? 

610
00:37:27,240 --> 00:37:29,240
Has the kindness of God changed 
your life? 

611
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,600
Have you realized Jesus and 
Jesus alone offers forgiveness 

612
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:38,680
of sin, eternal life? 
You've confessed him as Lord. 

613
00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:40,320
You believed in your heart. 
God raised him from the dead. 

614
00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:42,840
There's been a moment. 
Everything changed for you. 

615
00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:46,560
If not, I'm going to invite you 
to step out from where you are. 

616
00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,040
I know you got to be bold to do 
that. 

617
00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,160
But listen, everybody came here 
today to seek God's will done in

618
00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:54,840
their lives. 
They want it done in yours. 

619
00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,480
They, they, they would 
celebrate. 

620
00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,240
If this is what you need to do, 
it's why I wait for you right 

621
00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:05,400
here. 
Maybe you need to receive the 

622
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:10,080
kindness of God today and be 
saved the second you may be a 

623
00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:12,440
Christian, you've received the 
kindness of God and salvation. 

624
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:17,760
But for one reason or another, 
there's areas or ways in your 

625
00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:21,680
life that the kindness of God is
not raining. 

626
00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:28,760
Something else is raining and 
you got a decision to make. 

627
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:32,480
You're either going to keep 
letting unrighteousness reign. 

628
00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:38,120
Are you going to say, you know 
God, I'm ready for a 180 today 

629
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:43,880
And that if, if you are and 
guess what he is and by your 

630
00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,440
help, I naturally can't, but 
supernaturally I can. 

631
00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:48,520
God, would you give me the help?
And I don't know if that's in 

632
00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,480
your marriage. 
I don't know if that's in your 

633
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:52,200
parenting, if that's in a 
relationship with a church 

634
00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,480
member, a Co worker or somebody 
in a family that you know, a 

635
00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,960
friend, whatever it may be. 
Is righteousness reigning? 

636
00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,800
Maybe you just need to come to 
the altar and say God, It's time

637
00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:04,840
for that to reign in my life. 
It's it's time for me to choose 

638
00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:07,960
kindness no matter what. 
I've never really made that 

639
00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:12,160
commitment. 
The gospel drives us to that 

640
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,000
kind of living. 
Jesus drives us to that kind of 

641
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,160
living and we can by the Spirit 
that he's given us to endure all

642
00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:18,960
us. 
Do you need to make that 

643
00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:20,880
decision? 
Father, I pray that whatever 

644
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,840
decision we need to make today 
individually, that you would 

645
00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:27,640
lead us to do it unashamedly, 
boldly, clearly and completely 

646
00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,480
in Jesus name, I pray, Amen. 
Would you stand with me? 

647
00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:32,000
We're going to sing. 
I'm going to wait for you. 

648
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:34,320
You come and pray. 
Stand, Neil, come and talk to 

649
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:36,080
me. 
Let's worship as you respond 

650
00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:36,560
this morning.