God is good all the time and all the time God is good. We say that all the time. But just because we say something all the time doesn’t make it so. We say all the time: “Give me back the good old days.” But what do we mean? A grandfather was trying to explain to his grandson the good old days. He said, “Son, you know in the good old days, you could go into a store with a quarter, and come out with a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and a brand-new bike. But today, you can’t do that. There’re just too many dang surveillance cameras now.”
Just because we say something over and over doesn’t give it meaning. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with repetition when it come to some things. Repetition works in advertising. The more often the better. I bet you could recognize “good” in these advertising taglines:
“Winston taste…(good)…like a cigarette should .”
“You’re in…(good)…hands with AllState.”
“Maxwell House Coffee, it’s…(good)…to the last drop.
”And of course: “Milk, it does a body…good.
But for some things, repetition is not always a good thing. “Familiarity breeds contempt.” so says the English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Over time and repetition, a word can empty itself of value. So, when we say “God is good” what are we saying? God is good like a cigarette should? With vain repetition, we make God a cliché, a commercial.
Without an understanding of godly goodness, you actually might be calling a good thing a lesser thing and in doing so miss its blessing. What is the meaning of goodness according to God?
When you need to know the meaning of a word, you go to the dictionary. And the best dictionary of God’s word is God’s word—the Bible. One of the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit is goodness—agathósune. We are called to possess it, live it, and bless others with it? What does “it”, this agathósune mean?
In our dictionary this morning, we see three uses of good: in Luke 18, John 10, and Psalm 100. It’s just three of 650 passages that speaks of good, not just any good, but a godly good —a (pardon my grammar) gooder good—because it always leads to blessing others along with you.
In Luke 18, John 10 and Psalm 100, we will see a good teacher, a good shepherd, and a good lord. They all contribute to what it means to be good, so we can say, without contempt, “God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good. His goodness does a body good.
First, God is good all the time because sacrifice has benefits. see that in Jesus, in the parable f the Good Teacher, who taught that sacrifice has benefits. But it is not easy.
Just ask the rich young ruler of Luke18. He approached Jesus, calling him “Good Teacher”. He didn’t know just how good of a teacher Jesus is. He asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. He asked this under the assumption that his money would get him in, that his wealth was, in a word, “all good”. But it wasn’t. Look what Jesus told him in verse 18:22.
One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess, and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Luke 18:22
The rich young ruler went away disappointed. He had to learn the hard, yet beneficial lesson that discipleship requires sacrifice, but it’s a sacrifice with benefits. He would have heard Jesus if he had hung around. Look at verses 29-30:
29 And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life." Luke 18:29-30
The young ruler’s “good and fat” wallet was keeping him from a bigger pay day—eternal life. What things are you holding on to that stand in the way of you following Christ fully so that in the end it will be “all good”. Discipleship requires sacrifice. Jesus would teach this by example of the cross, that sacrifice has benefits. Don’t let what you have rob you of the “gooder-good” you can have. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Christ came to bring a more abundant life according to John 10:10. The question is, what are you holding that’s holding you back. Open your hand and let it go.
Are you hanging on to a toxic relationship that’s robbing you of an abundant, loving life? Let it go and follow Christ where “it’s all good.” An open heart makes room for a better love.
Are you hanging on to a caustic career that is robbing you of time to nurture an abundant family life? Let it go and follow Christ where “it’s all good”. An open schedule makes room for a present parent.
Are you hanging on to costly possessions that actually possess you, robbing you of a more abundant life to serve others? Let it go and follow Christ where “it’s all good.” And open hand makes room for an opportunity to serve and bless with those hands.
Church, God is good all the time because God values sacrifice and reward sacrifice because it blesses others.
Second, goodness does a body good because service leads others to a better place. Jesus illustrates the qualities of servant leadership in the parable of the Good Shepherd in John 10. We see that leadership comes with costs, but when you lead others to a better place, it’s all good. We see that in the parable. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd for a reason. He knows what it takes to make it all good. Look at John 10:11:
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:11
Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd to prepare His sheep to be able to distinguish good leadership from bad leadership. There will come a time when He will not be physically present, but his sheep won’t be leaderless if they know “good” when you see it.
Good leaders make the “above and beyond” sacrifices for the sake of the sheep. Church, as you look for your next pastor, look for one who comes to serve and protect, not to fleece and flaunt. Additionally, you are called to be a leadet from the pews, to serve, and not sit.
Good leaders are not self-serving. They are not in it for what’s in it for them. Church, as you look for your next pastor, look out for hirelings. You can tell them by their conversation: If “What’s my salary?” and “When’s vacation?” predominates the discussion, watch out. Additionally, you are called as servant leaders to travel the hard road of suffering together, not seek easy street.
Good leaders are also committed. They are not absent when trouble raises its ugly head. Church, as you look for your next pastor, look out for wolves and people who fear them. Additionally, you are called as servant leaders to stay and fight, not surrender and run.
Good leadership is really about good friendship. John says it this way in John 15:13:
Greater love has no man than this, than he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Church, if not a good leader, be a good friend of the church:
Lay down your life and serve. Be the first to don an apron and wash feet. Christ did. It’s was an example and a metaphor for the willingness to get down and dirty when it gets stinky. Church can get that way.
Lay down your life and protect. Be on guard. The wolves of the Stonewall Riots in New York and the Bloody Sunday Massacre in Selma still roam this world to steal, kill and destroy.
Church when it comes to goodness, God requires servant leadership that leads people to a better place. And that’s a good thing. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good because God is always about serving. His gooder-goodness does a body good.
Finally, goodness does a body good because it is unconditional, available to whomever, whenever, where ever The writer of Psalm 100 experienced this unconditional goodness. Look at verse 5:
For the LORD is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness is to all generations. Psalm 100:5
This unconditional goodness is illustrated in the Parable of Vineyard Labors in Matthew 20. The story goes that there was a landlord who went out and hired workers at a set price at six in the morning, and at nine in the morning and at noon and as late as 5 in the afternoon. When it was time to pay them, he paid them all the same. The guys who worked at 5 got the same as the one who worked all day. So, you know the haters came out. “Why you pay them the same as you paid us. That’s unfair.” In key verse 15, the lord, who is the sovereign God, defines goodness this way.
It is not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous. Matt. 20:17
And so it is with God, our lord. He owns all of creation. He can give to whomever, whenever. Some of us have come to the faith at 6 a.m. in life. You’ve been at it a long time. You got it all together. But some of you are afternoon Christians. You just got to the party. Isn’t it good to know that God is generous, no matter what generation you come to the faith, early or late? That’s what God’s goodness is all about: giving us what we don’t deserve. Grace is another way of defining goodness.
But not everybody is into grace goodness because it is a barometer of the heart. It will tell if you are you generous or envious? I remember a seminary profession—no, a good seminary professor—who taught me a lesson on goodness I won’t soon forget. I scored the highest on a test. He called the roll and disclosed our grades. Then he announced that everyone will be getting an “A”, yes even those who made “Fs”. I was not happy. I thought I deserved better. No, I though they deserved less. But it wasn’t my class. I wasn’t the teacher to do as I pleased. Lesson learned.
Who is God’s “Afternoon Christians”, like the thief on the cross, who comes late to the party that you are envious of?
The convicted felon qualifies for God’s goodness. One bad choice or choices does not exempt them from God’s “whoever, whenever” goodness.
The unwed teen mother qualifies for God’s goodness. Life outside of the womb does not exempt them from God’s “whoever, whenever” goodness.
The homeless man qualifies for God’s goodness. Living under a bridge is no exemption from God’s “whoever, whenever, where ever” goodness. They deserve a home.
But by the grace of God goes you and I. So, be glad for God’s “whoever, whenever, where ever” goodness. Be an agent of it. Go out at whatever hour to bring whomever in. God is good the time, yes even at five in the afternoon.
We use the word good far too much and much too often. Repetition may work in advertising. You’re may be “in good hands with AllState.” Maxwell House may be “good to the last drop.” Winston may “taste good like a cigarette should.” It’s all good. But God is not cigarette good; coffee good; insurance good. When used of God and His children, good means something “gooder” because it always leaves others blessed.
Be like a good teacher. Teach by example the hard lesson that discipleship is sacrifice with benefits.
Be like a good shepherd and be a servant leader, leading people to a better place. Lay down your life for your church.Be like a good lord. Be unconditional in your goodness. Don’t reserve it for people who look like you, believe like you, or oriented like you. Don’t be selective and envious.
So, let’s bring back the good old days as God defines good. He is good all the time and he expect the same from us. And remember, His surveillance cameras don’t miss a thing.
Do good like a Christian should…good to the last drop.
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