The Kindness of God

By Apostle Aje Pelser, May 2013 at Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

 

Scripture

John 5:1  After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4  For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

John 5:5  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

John 5:6  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?'

John 5:7  The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.'

John 5:8  Jesus said to him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.'

John 5:9  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

 

Contrasts between the kindness of God and Man revealing Jesus in your situation.

 

Man’s kindness is cruel and conditional.

The pool of Bethesda apparently had healing powers but you could only get healed if you stepped into the water first as the “angel stirred it”. That is just cruel, and then you have a man who had an infirmity for 38 years who could only answer Jesus “I have no one to put me in the water.” Where were his friends? His family? Why could no one help him? In the world there is no kindness and in religion there is no hope in relics and ritual.

 

Jesus became the Kindness of God in the place of Kindness

Jesus came to show God’s kindness to the world at Bethesda which means:  “place of kindness”.

G964 Bethesda bay-thes-dah'

Of Chaldean origin (compare [H1004] and [H2617]); house of kindness; Bethesda, a pool in Jerusalem: – Bethesda.

 Kindness was manifested in human form and released kindness to the poor beaten up soul, with a beaten up body.

 

Faith versus Works reveals the kindness of Jesus

Titus 3:4  But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

3:5  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

3:6  whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

3:7  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Isn’t it strange that during Jesus’ life time while He was busy healing the sick, lame, blind and mute that people were still clinging to old superstitions and getting nothing out of it? It kept them sick waiting for an angel when God’s Son was busy working the Father’s works. But actually it isn’t so strange – man responds the same way to Jesus’ work in the earth from generation to generation: he feels that faith in Jesus alone is too simple –he wants to earn his miracle. All the man at Bethesda’s pool had to do was act in faith on Jesus’ words –'Rise, take up your bed and walk.' John 5:8

 

Traditions of Man make void the power of God’s Kindness

Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

In Christianity today, many churches keep people busy with useless rituals and activities that make void the power of God. The Holy Spirit is not welcome in their activity schedule; He is not allowed to interrupt their yearly calendar. Empty your calendar and let the Holy Spirit lead your ministry for a change. This way the Lord has allowed us to reach many nations for Him and follow them up with Church and Bible College plants over the years. There is a confederation of Harvester Reformational Churches around the world that hear the same frequency of spirit and that acknowledge Jesus the Son of God as the Chief Cornerstone of their operations.

 

Definitions of KINDNESS

(From MBC Subject Manual “Fruit of the Spirit” available form mbc@harvesterchurch.org.za )

Kindness = chrestotes  – goodness of heart is kindness – kindness is goodness in action,  to show oneself useful – it is an action verb that denotes sweetness of disposition, gentleness in dealing with others. Benevolence – ability to act in the welfare of those who tax your patience. Kindness is also to be useful in manner or moral excellence in character.

Kindness is an expression of goodness – Christ is God's kindness towards us …. that He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:7). 

Tit 3:4 God's kindness and love toward man appeared throughChrist.

God crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies(Ps 103:4)  God commands His lovingkindness (Ps 42:8) He has a multitude of loving kindnesses(Is 63:7) 

Ps 36:7 –  It is because we know that our God is kind that we put our trust under the shadow of His wings. God's lovingkindness and truth continually preserves us. God has mercy on us because He is kind (Ps 51:1) God's kindness is better than life praise Him for it! (Ps 63 3) Because your lovingkindness is better than life My lips shall praise you!

David had a revelation of God's kindness ! He talks of God's marvellous kindness (Ps 31:21) His merciful  kindness (Ps 117:2 & 119:76) that is for our comfort! How precious is your kindness oh God (Ps 36:7). God's lovingkindness is before our eyes (Ps 26:3) God draws us with His lovingkindness (Jer. 31:3)

God promises in Is 54:10 that His kindness will not depart from us – God says He only hides His face from us for a moment in little wrath and then with everlasting kindness God will have mercy on us. (Is 54:8)

Kindness in man:

Prov 19:22 – God desires kindness in man

Prov 31:26 – she opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness

Ps 107:43  – Those who are wise will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord

 

Some acts of  kindness:

Acts: 28:2 Inhabitants of Melita (public opinion)

After being shipwrecked Paul finds himself on ht island of Malta and the people show him and the survivors kindness  by kindling a fire for them. As Paul helped witht eh fire he was bitten by a viper and they all thought he was cursed. Butwhen he did not die they thought he was a god. This opened a door for him to minister to a leading citizen ofhte idsland Publius who suffered from fever and dysentery.  Paul showed Jesus’ kindness by praying for him and laying hands on him and the man was healed. In Jesus’ name. We can also show kindness this way. Just be willing to lay hands on the sick in Jesus name as a believer and let God do the rest.

 

Joseph: Gen 50:21

Joseph shows his brothers and their little ones kindness after they repent for all they did to him and he also prophesies about their future return to the promised land – taking his kind bones with them!     

Ruth: Ruth 2:16

The beautiful account of the Kinsman redeemer Boaz who agreed to marry Ruth after her husband being a relative of Boaz passed away.

Rth 2:11  And Boaz answered and said to her, 'It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.

Rth 2:12  The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.'

Rth 2:13  Then she said, 'Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.'

Rth 2:14  Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, 'Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.' So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.

Rth 2:15  And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, 'Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.

Rth 2:16  Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.'

Rth 2:17  So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

Rth 2:18  Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.

Rth 2:19  And her mother-in-law said to her, 'Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.' So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, 'The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.'

Rth 2:20  Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, 'Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!' And Naomi said to her, 'This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.'

 

David: 2 Sam 9:1

2Sa 9:1  Now David said, 'Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?'

 

 

Now that God has shown His Kindness to the world through Christ, he can do the same by His Spirit through. You become the kindness of God as the Body of Christ to your world! Remember that kindness means goodness in action – so release the kindness of God this week and see Jesus revealed in every situation.