Gtcotr/042626
My experience has been that anywhere I have preached across the nation and around the world, when I say “God is good,” people respond with “all the time!” God is good seems to be the universal slogan inspired by the Holy Spirit in congregations and in personal situations faced by Believers despite what they may be facing. How many times have you told yourself or told God and whoever else is listening that God is good?
The fact that God is good is one of the fundamental truths we find in the Bible. There are hundreds and hundreds of references connecting God with His goodness and with what we know is good.
Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Beginning in the Book of Genesis with the account of creation, everything God made was good.
Luke records the Apostle Peter speaking about the power, the purpose, and the person of Jesus …
Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Not only are God and Jesus good but goodness is also the primary purpose of God’s children.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
1 Timothy 6:18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.
Titus 2
7 In all things showing
yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing
integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
Titus 2:14 Jesus gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Titus 3:14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
God
is good!
Jesus is good!
We who have believed in God should be good!
Good? Yes, good to others … imitating our heavenly Father.
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
3 John 1:11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
Let’s look at 5 things the Bible says about the goodness of God.
1.
The
Bible declares in Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that
the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.”
a.
Notice
the invitation—taste and see. God’s goodness isn’t just something to
hear about; it’s something to experience.
b. Like food that nourishes the body, His goodness sustains the soul.
2.
God
is good not only when life feels easy, but also when life is uncertain.
a.
Nahum 1:7 The Lord is
good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in
Him.
b. His goodness shows up as protection, presence, and faithfulness—especially in hard times.
3.
Sometimes
people question God’s goodness because of suffering.
a.
The
cross reminds us and gives the ultimate proof of God’s goodness. (Romans 8:32)
b.
If
things are bad, God is not finished yet.
c.
Romans 8:28 And we know
that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are
the called according to His purpose.
d. Even when we don’t understand our circumstances, we can trust God’s heart. He is good!
4.
Here
is a sobering truth: The absence of God is the absence of good.
a.
James 1:17 Every good and
perfect gift comes from God.
b.
If
all that is truly good comes from God, then stepping away from Him means
stepping away from the very source of goodness itself.
c.
Know God, know good … no God, no good!
d. Apart from Him, we don’t just lose direction … we lose the light that defines and supplies all that is good.
5.
Finally,
we must also hold truth with wisdom: God is good, however, good is not always
God.
a.
Not
everything that appears good, feels good, or even does some good is from God.
b.
Many
people mistake good for God.
c.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing to
suffer affliction with the children of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season.
d.
True
goodness is defined by God’s character, not by human perception.
e. If we’re not careful, we can mistake comfort, success, or popularity for God’s will, when in reality they may lead us away from Him.
God’s goodness is not based on our situation—it flows from His unchanging nature. He is good when we see it, and He is still good when we don’t.
I’d like to leave us with a thought and a goal this morning. The thought is a sobering one. It comes from our 4th point.
The absence of God is the absence of Good.
God’s goodness is all that is holding this world together. Make a list of all that is good … I did this past week. Breath, light, water, health, hope, family, food, friends, sleep, peace, freedom, sight, love, children, safety, smiles … the list goes on and on. Every good thing comes from God.
Now imagine a world without God and without good. That is hell. We cannot allow people to go to hell because we did not show them the goodness of God.
Romans 2:4 Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
This brings us to our goal for the week. Be good to others. Decide that you are going to show others the love and the goodness of God whether in your estimation, they deserve it or not.
Determine to be kind and to be considerate. And be gracious and be patient and suffer others who may be having a bad day or just not understand why they were created. Imitate God as dear children and let your light shine for Jesus. He said others will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Now
let’s pray …
