NOTES: Fresh off the Vine, Part 5
Sermon: Fresh Off the Vine: Goodness- In Pursuit of Us
Date: July 7, 2024
Text: 2 Tim 3:12-17
2 Timothy 3:12–17 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Let’s Connect:
Goodness of God: making right what is wrong; perfecting what is corrupt and fallen; God is the final standard of good.
Tracing God’s goodness through history:
Acts 10:38 (ESV): 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
We can rely on God’s goodness:
Romans 8:28 (ESV) 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 23:6 (ESV)
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
God’s goodness is in pursuit of us, so that His children might resemble the Father and be complete, equipped for the necessary good work in the world.
Text Explained:
Timothy’s story (vs. 12-15):
God’s Goodness in Pursuit:
1. God uses the world’s worst to ready us for His best.
2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (ESV) 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2. God gives us a clear vision for the highest good. (Vs. 16-17)
God’s Word is our standard for faith and practice
Teaching: we learn what truth is
Reproof: we learn what is wrong with our lives
Correction: it corrects what is wrong
Training: it teaches us to do what is right
The Bible provides authoritative clarity — How we interact with the Bible will reveal His goodness in our lives — Ready to do good, anytime, anyplace!
Let’s Relate:
Be overtaken by His goodness
Luke 6:35 (ESV)35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Galatians 6:8–10, “8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
“If sowing to the sinful nature means selfish indulgence, then sowing to the Spirit means selfless service.” —G. Walter Hansen
Our Challenge:
Let God’s goodness overtake us!