GOODNESS OF GOD
Pastor Josh Weisbrod – October 4, 2020
KEY IDEA: Experience that the LORD is good.
KEY PASSAGE: “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8; Psalm 145:8-9
SUMMARY: God is good regardless of our circumstances.
INTRODUCTION: Many people are living in this season struggling to sense the goodness of God. God’s goodness is not defined by my circumstances, but rather God’s goodness transcends my situation. The big question then is: How do I become aware of God’s goodness in tough situations?
WHAT IS GOD’S GOODNESS
God’s goodness is the perfection of his nature and moral excellence
· The goodness of God can be conceived in terms of God in himself (ad intra) and God’s work in creation (ad extra).
· What makes something good? Something is good if it is all that it can and should be. This is what we call perfect.
· God is infinitely perfect and He is infinitely good. He is all that He can and should be all the time and forever.
God is good all the time
· God isn’t good to you; He is goodness.
· James 1:17
· God never changes. His goodness is always the same.
God’s goodness is an overflowing attribute
· God’s goodness is not static. He continues to do good.
· If everything God does is perfect that means that God’s love is good. God’s correction is good. God’s justice is good. God’s mercy is good.
· We can see his goodness in creation and in his providence.
God’s goodness is based on His character not on our circumstances
· We are imperfect people living in a broken world.
· God’s goodness is not defined by us. My circumstance will change, but his goodness will not change.
· In my victory or struggle, God is still good. 2 Timothy 2:12-13
God’s is good to us
· Not in a vague sense, but God is good to us.
· Matthew 7:7-11
· My perspective does not compromise his promises.
o If you bring your hurts to him, he is compassionate.
o If you follow him, he leads you in the right direction.
o If you get confused or wander away, he will find you and bring you back.
o If you fail or fall, he rescues you and sets you on the road to recovery.
o If you trust him to save you, he will keep his promise to do just that.
o God is good to us – hope to the hopeless, life to the dead, healing to the sick, peace to the weary, strength to the weak and hurting.
THINGS THAT TRY AND ROB US FROM RECOGNIZING GOD’S GOODNESS
Comparison
· It steals our perspective of God’s goodness. How come “they” have that?
· Matthew 20:1-16
· Delete your social media. You spend all day looking at what God has given others and not what God has given you.
· You would have more purpose if you didn’t have Pinterest, more influence if you didn’t have Instagram, and more fellowship if you didn’t have Facebook.
· Replace rants with relationships. You are missing what God is doing for you. Think what God could do with the time instead of scrolling for 5 hours on Instagram.
Conflict
· It’s hard to recognize God’s goodness when you are always mad about something.
· Proverbs 22:24-25 – Anger is a snare. We get emotionally locked into conflict and think about this instead of God’s goodness. Stop fighting everybody.
Continual Sin
· Continual sin makes us feel ashamed and pulls us away from relationship with God. James 1:14
· Stop punishing yourself for something he has already died for.
· Repenting of sin is crucial to recognize the goodness of God.
Complaining
· Some people are always whining about something. Something is always wrong.
· Nothing is good enough.
· The negativity and complaining will rob us from recognizing the goodness of God.
· God sent the Israelites food from heaven. Before long, they were complaining. Notice how quickly your miracle can turn into murmuring. Psalm 106:24-25
· Complaining makes it impossible to see the goodness of God in that season. Step back and seek the LORD.
HOW DO I LIVE AWARE OF GOD’S GOODNESS?
Look for His Goodness Look up
· Take a look at all that God has created. Look at what he has done.
· Look up and experience God’s goodness. Psalm 145:8-9 Go out and enjoy God’s creation.
Look around
· Look at who God has brought into your life. We spend too much time looking on Facebook for who is not around anymore and miss the ones that are in our lives now.
· 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 Being in a community is a blessing.
Look in
· Look at your life.
· Romans 5:8 We have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Thank you for rescuing me, God, from the consequences of my sin.
· Salvation is greater than the struggles of my situation.
Recount His Goodness
· Recount – inform with evidence. Psalm 9:1
· Make a list of the goodness and blessings of God. What are you thankful for?
· Recall and recount the ways God has been merciful to you. Write them down as they are happening.
Worship the LORD
· Worship is what we were created for.
· God’s goodness is not situational, but situations can make it hard to recognize.
· Psalms 34:1-10 – David is in a cave in a tough situation when he says this. God is still good.
· Worshipping him helps us recognize him. Worship helps shift our perspective.
· It is Well with My Soul—A hymn written by Horatio Spafford in the midst of his suffering (Chicago fire, lost money, 4 daughters died in a collision at sea)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
-Horatio Spafford
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Use these reflection questions as a way to deepen your relationship with God. Allow the Holy Spirit to shine a light into your heart.
1) What has been your greatest struggle of 2020? (Be more specific than “everything”.) How has this struggle affected your relationship with others around you? How has it affected your relationship with God?
2) How easy or difficult is it for you to believe that God is good all the time regardless of circumstances? Why?
3) Pastor Josh mentioned 4 things that can rob us from recognizing God’s goodness: 1) comparison,
2) conflict (angry all the time), 3) continual sin, and 4) complaining. Which one of those patterns are you more likely to fall into when life is difficult? Why do you think that is?
4) If we want to live in a way that we are more aware of God’s goodness, we can 1) Look for His Goodness, 2) Recount His goodness, and 3) Worship the LORD. Which of these three could you benefit from incorporating more into your daily routine? We are more likely to follow through when we have a plan. What is the first thing you will do to make this happen in your life?
NOTE: Here are practical examples for question 4’s last part of the question. For example, I will get a notebook and pen and put it next to the bed. Before I go to bed, I’ll write down all the ways God has been good to me today. (Recount His Goodness) Example: I will intentionally take time to look at who God has placed in my life and I will make sure I text/call this week and see how they are doing. (Look for His Goodness) Example: I will set my alarm for 10 minutes earlier and I will put a worship song on first thing in the morning and I will start my day praising the LORD. (Worship the LORD)
5) What might it look like if Christians truly believe in God’s goodness? How might it affect our outward actions? How might it affect how we pray? How might it affect those around us who are hurting?
6) Challenge: This week make a list of 100 blessings in your life.
Full Podcast Episode: https://banner.church/podcast/2020/11/12/goodness-of-god-10420