KINDNESS IS ASTONISHING
KINDNESS TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY
KINDNESS IS SURPRISING
KINDNESS IS DISQUIETING
KINDNESS TAKES BRAVERY
KINDNESS IS THE HEART OF GOD IN ACTION
Ephesians 4:31&32 (NLT) – “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 5:1-“Imitate God, therefore...”
Proverbs 3:3 (NLT) – “Never let … kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.”
THREE STORIES THAT SHOW HOW KINDNESS WORKS
FIRST STORY
When Hagar runs away from Abraham and Sarah
Genesis 16:13 (NLT) – “Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’”
THE WORD ‘SEES’ IDENTIFIES TWO ASPECTS OF KINDNESS
Seeing – God who SEES
Action – the root meaning of kindness “an act of grace”
SECOND STORY
Found in 2 Samuel 9 – David & the descendants of Saul
2 Samuel 9:1 (NLT) - “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
Kindness is never dependant on whether someone deserves it – Why? – IT IS AN ACT OF GRACE
THIRD STORY - The Good Samaritan – Luke 10
Luke 10:33-35 (NLT) - “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him... the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’”
Acts of kindness happen in everyday situations
Matthew 6:1-4 (Message) – “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theatre, but the God who made you won't be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'play actors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.”
Is Cityhope a church that is saturated by acts of kindness?
A community that is so influenced by us that the community is saturated by acts of kindness?
