Kindness: "Regular Acts of Kindness" 10-20-24

Playlist: Sermons
Series: Kindness

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Topics: Acts, Grace, Forgiveness, Ephesians, 2 Corinthians, Colossians, Revelation, Genesis

Overview

would you open your Bibles please with me to the ninth chapter of the book of Acts acts the 9th chapter for our study today if you're using a Pew Edition you'll find in front of you or underneath you the ninth chapter of Acts is in the New Testament page 112 acts the 9th chapter for our study today so you feel like a cup of coffee you pull into the drive-thru of your favorite place you've done this quite a few times you've even established a little bit of a relationship with those that work there the line is about what it normally is and when you get up to the window and you reach for your credit card and you hand it to the person there the person says oh no no no no no no no the person in front of you paid for your cup of coffee you think to yourself well that's really kind that's that's really nice of them to to do that and so the thought Dawns on you then to do the same thing for the person behind you and that's exactly what you do and as you drive away you wonder I wonder how long that chain lasted a random act of kindness kindness you know that that phrase and really kind of that movement if you want to put that term on it that really started 40 years ago now there's even a foundation and I don't know who designates days but February 17th each and every year is designated as random act of kindness day good good it's good to do kind things what I want to examine with you today is that phrase random acts of kindness I want to compare it to what the scriptures have to say with regard to kindness for does the scripture reveal something deeper at the end of our text for today the text ends with a resurrection one is brought back to life we see several examples of resurrections in Holy Scripture outside of the example of course of the resurrection of our Lord and savior the Lord Jesus we we see various examples for example there's the Widow's son at zerath who was raised from the dead there was the Widow's son at na as Jesus stops the funeral procession and raises the young man back to life there's gyrus his daughter a 12-year-old girl and Jesus raises her back to life there's there's Lazarus of course the brother of Mary and Martha friend of the Lord Jesus Lazarus dies and Jesus delays his coming so that his glory might be manifest and when he comes he goes to the tomb and says Lazarus come out and out comes Lazarus having been raised to life there are many examples of resurrections in scripture so also Al in our text for today our text for today has to do about a woman by the name of Tabo she's also known in the Greek version as Dorcas she has died they summon Peter to come and God is going to perform a miracle through Peter Peter doesn't perform the miracle God performs The Miracle through Peter look with me please at verse 40 of our text Peter put all of them outside and then he knelt down and prayed he turned to the body and said Tabatha get up then she opened her eyes and seeing Peter she sat up he gave her his hand and helped her up then calling the Saints and the widows he showed her to be alive this became known throughout japa and many believed in the Lord well why did the Lord raise Dorcas was it because of her goodness no no it was a sheer Act of grace of God as we look here at the text what else do we learn about Dorcas look please at verse 36 now in japa there was a disciple whose name was Tabatha which in Greek is Dorcas she was devoted to good works and acts of Charity isn't that a lovely thing to be said about someone they were devoted to doing good and acts of Charity what was this doing good that she was doing what were these acts of Charity that she was doing verse 37 at that time she became ill and died when they had washed her they laid her in a room upstairs since L was near japa the disciples who heard that Peter was there sent two men to him with the request please come to us without DeLay So Peter got up and went with them and when he arrived they took him to the room upstairs all the widows Stood Beside him weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them ah that was the good that she was doing making clothing and tunics for the widows in ancient day if one was a widow that put the woman in a particularly difficult spot not only of course the loss of her husband but in ancient day if you were widowed you had a high chance of becoming destitute in the Society of the day and so Dorcas what beautiful acts that she did making clothing and tunics for the women so that there she is there's her body Peter comes and you see it in your mind's eye these women ga gathered around and they're showing look what Dorcas did look what she gave me how this how this helped me at the heart of dorcas's Friendship with the women at the heart of it was kindness kindness so often we think of kindness as being the same thing as as niceness don't we kindness is being nice well here's a Bible trivia Pop Quiz are you ready how many times does the word nice appear in Holy Scripture can can you Hazard a guess is it is it 50 is it 100 is it is it is it 200 how many times does nice appear in the Bible do you have a number in your mind guess what the number is zero zero the word nice doesn't occur one time doesn't occur one time in Genesis to Revelation but the word kind or kindness that's all over the place the Biblical word for for kindness it means being useful it means it means serving it means being gracious and what's so interesting is so often the word kindness is matched in proximity with patience and with compassion for example Paul writes 2 Corinthians the 6th chapter he's he's commending the ministry he gives a a long list with regard to his ministry as as he's commending his ministry and included in the list he says patience and compassion they're they're held together he says patience compassion and then guess what kindness kindness in Ephesians the fourth chapter he says and be kind to one another tenderhearted other words be be compassionate when when you think about it right kindness is so often birthed out of patience and compassion isn't it kindness gives the gives the legs it makes the the patience and the compassion walk random acts of kindness good good what's the problem with random acts of kindness the problem the problem is they're random right that's the problem they're they're subject to our own whims our own kind of terms with regard to expressing kindness biblical kindness biblical kindness when you see example after example in the scripture bi biblical kindness has to do with being in relationship with another there's there's a there's a context to it there's a a regularity to it random acts of kindness good yep yep but the problem is it's random biblical kindness biblical kindness is seen in Dorcas right who is involved in the lives of those widows who expresses that graciousness and service to those widows it's expressed in regularity dorcus Dorcas is a perfect example of biblical kindness that's so needed isn't it it's really needed as we look at our our world today it seems as if the world is just getting meaner in how we can talk with one another or in plans or purposes and priorities it seems like the world is getting getting meaner and when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to respond in kind so when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to think even act out you know what goes around comes around when we experience unkindness from someone else we can be tempted to act act in kind we can be tempted to think to ourselves or to act out maybe you just need a little taste of your own medicine we experience a lack of kindness from the others we can be tempted to respond in kind we can be tempted to respond with a see how you like it see how you like it it's easier to be nice isn't it it's easier to be nice but being kind that's a different bird isn't it it's a different bird and here's the thing every single one of us fall short every single one of us fall short including Dorcas yep including Dorcas why because Dorcas was a human being because Dorcas was a sinner too and every single one of us fall short in the expression of kindness so what does God do what does God do Paul writes in Titus the third chapter he says but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared when the goodness of God his kindness appeared then it says he saved us notice the direction we don't save ourselves he saves us he saves us he saved us not because of Any works of righteousness that we had done in other words not because of anything good that we do not because we're trying to make ourselves righteous before God we can't make ourselves righteous before God he saved us not because of Any righte works of righteousness that we had done but according to his his Mercy his mercy and then it defines where his Mercy is is expressed according to his Mercy through the water of rebirth and Renewal by the Holy Spirit well what's the water of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit what is that it's baptism isn't it where God takes his word of Victory one through the cross God takes that word of forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus where all of our unkindness in in thought and in word and in deed and all of our sin was laid Upon Jesus in our place the righteous for the unrighteous and that word of forgiveness then comes to us and we're washed in that word we're washed in it so that we know that that word is for us that's the the kindness of God isn't it the kindness of God raising Jesus out of the Tomb so we know that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted the the kindness of God and the kindness of God births kindness in US Colossians the thir chapter it's says as God's chosen one that's who we are God chooses us as his own in the waters of baptism as God's chosen one and then it says holy and beloved because that's what we're made in the waters of baptism we're made holy we're cloaked in the righteous Garment of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's chosen one holy and beloved that's his goodness that's his that's his kindness that's his grace that's his mercy and then it says clothe yourselves with compassion guess what comes next kindness humility meekness patience Paul then goes on to say in Ephesians the 4th chapter he says put away from you all all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slam put put it away put it away put it away together with all malice he says and be kind to one another guess what comes next tenderhearted compassionate forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you kindness biblical kindness that's that being useful and serving and gracious that's beyond niceness isn't it it's beyond niceness and it's beyond random it's regular it's regular and Grace upon Grace this kindness is a gift this this biblical kindness here it's not something that we we drum up we drum up in ourselves and say okay that's the kind of kind person I'm going to be and we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps here and we try and be kind no the kindness is a gift as God comes to us and produces and births that kindness in US Galatians the 5th chapter it says the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit not the fruit of our own initiative the fruit of God the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience guess what's next kindness generosity faithfulness gentleness self-control that's God at work in us through word and Sacrament that's God at work in us to bring forth the kindness in us that he wants we're all works in progress we're all works in progress and we'll be a work in progress until our dying day when the Lord takes us home and that old Adam and old Eve just go away at that point until then we're all works of progress God is at work in us through word and Sacrament chisling us to be more and more like Christ that fruit of the spirit manifesting that in our lives as God brings forth from us kindness you see biblical kindness biblical kindness It's a gift it's a gift of God so buy the cup of coffee for the person behind you yes yes February 17th acts of random kindness day nice nice but biblical kindness biblical kindness that's a gift of the holy spirit that he is producing and bringing forth from you so who's going to be the recipients this week who's going to be the recipients of God's kindness through you who's going to be the recipients because you know today is regular acts of kindness day and in fact tomorrow is regular acts of kindness day and in fact the day after tomorrow and the day after and the day after and after [Music]

Transcript

quite a few times you've even established a little bit of a relationship with those that work there the line is about what it normally is and when you get up to the window and you reach for your credit card and you hand it to the person there the person says oh no no no no no no no the person in front of you paid for your cup of coffee you think to yourself well that's really kind that's that's really nice of 35s

them to to do that and so the thought Dawns on you then to do the same thing for the person behind you and that's exactly what you do and as you drive away you wonder I wonder how long that chain lasted a random act of kindness kindness you know that that phrase and really kind of that movement if you want to put that term on it that really started 40 years ago now there's even a foundation and I don't know who 71s

designates days but February 17th each and every year is designated as random act of kindness day good good it's good to do kind things what I want to examine with you today is that phrase random acts of kindness I want to compare it to what the scriptures have to say with regard to kindness for does the scripture reveal something deeper at the end of our text for today the text ends with a 115s

resurrection one is brought back to life we see several examples of resurrections in Holy Scripture outside of the example of course of the resurrection of our Lord and savior the Lord Jesus we we see various examples for example there's the Widow's son at zerath who was raised from the dead there was the Widow's son at na as Jesus stops the funeral procession and raises the young man back to 164s

life there's gyrus his daughter a 12-year-old girl and Jesus raises her back to life there's there's Lazarus of course the brother of Mary and Martha friend of the Lord Jesus Lazarus dies and Jesus delays his coming so that his glory might be manifest and when he comes he goes to the tomb and says Lazarus come out and out comes Lazarus having been raised to life there are many examples of 199s

resurrections in scripture so also Al in our text for today our text for today has to do about a woman by the name of Tabo she's also known in the Greek version as Dorcas she has died they summon Peter to come and God is going to perform a miracle through Peter Peter doesn't perform the miracle God performs The Miracle through Peter look with me please at verse 40 of our text Peter put all of them outside and 236s

then he knelt down and prayed he turned to the body and said Tabatha get up then she opened her eyes and seeing Peter she sat up he gave her his hand and helped her up then calling the Saints and the widows he showed her to be alive this became known throughout japa and many believed in the Lord well why did the Lord raise Dorcas was it because of her goodness no no it was a sheer Act of grace of 274s

God as we look here at the text what else do we learn about Dorcas look please at verse 36 now in japa there was a disciple whose name was Tabatha which in Greek is Dorcas she was devoted to good works and acts of Charity isn't that a lovely thing to be said about someone they were devoted to doing good and acts of Charity what was this doing good that she was doing what were these acts of 314s

Charity that she was doing verse 37 at that time she became ill and died when they had washed her they laid her in a room upstairs since L was near japa the disciples who heard that Peter was there sent two men to him with the request please come to us without DeLay So Peter got up and went with them and when he arrived they took him to the room upstairs all the widows Stood Beside him 349s

weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them ah that was the good that she was doing making clothing and tunics for the widows in ancient day if one was a widow that put the woman in a particularly difficult spot not only of course the loss of her husband but in ancient day if you were widowed you had a high chance of becoming destitute in the Society of the day and so 383s

Dorcas what beautiful acts that she did making clothing and tunics for the women so that there she is there's her body Peter comes and you see it in your mind's eye these women ga gathered around and they're showing look what Dorcas did look what she gave me how this how this helped me at the heart of dorcas's Friendship with the women at the heart of it was kindness 433s

kindness so often we think of kindness as being the same thing as as niceness don't we kindness is being nice well here's a Bible trivia Pop Quiz are you ready how many times does the word nice appear in Holy Scripture can can you Hazard a guess is it is it 50 is it 100 is it is it is it 200 how many times does nice appear in the Bible do you have a number in your mind guess what the number is zero 485s

zero the word nice doesn't occur one time doesn't occur one time in Genesis to Revelation but the word kind or kindness that's all over the place the Biblical word for for kindness it means being useful it means it means serving it means being gracious and what's so interesting is so often the word kindness is matched in proximity with patience and with compassion for example Paul writes 2 Corinthians the 525s

6th chapter he's he's commending the ministry he gives a a long list with regard to his ministry as as he's commending his ministry and included in the list he says patience and compassion they're they're held together he says patience compassion and then guess what kindness kindness in Ephesians the fourth chapter he says and be kind to one another tenderhearted other words be be 575s

compassionate when when you think about it right kindness is so often birthed out of patience and compassion isn't it kindness gives the gives the legs it makes the the patience and the compassion walk random acts of kindness good good what's the problem with random acts of kindness the problem the problem is they're random right that's the problem they're they're subject to our own whims 618s

our own kind of terms with regard to expressing kindness biblical kindness biblical kindness when you see example after example in the scripture bi biblical kindness has to do with being in relationship with another there's there's a there's a context to it there's a a regularity to it random acts of kindness good yep yep but the problem is it's random biblical kindness biblical kindness is seen in Dorcas 663s

right who is involved in the lives of those widows who expresses that graciousness and service to those widows it's expressed in regularity dorcus Dorcas is a perfect example of biblical 708s

kindness that's so needed isn't it it's really needed as we look at our our world today it seems as if the world is just getting meaner in how we can talk with one another or in plans or purposes and priorities it seems like the world is getting getting 742s

meaner and when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to respond in kind so when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to think even act out you know what goes around comes around when we experience unkindness from someone else we can be tempted to act act in kind we can be tempted to think to ourselves or to act out maybe you just need a little taste of your own 777s

medicine we experience a lack of kindness from the others we can be tempted to respond in kind we can be tempted to respond with a see how you like it see how you like 822s

it it's easier to be nice isn't it it's easier to be nice but being kind that's a different bird isn't it it's a different bird and here's the thing every single one of us fall short every single one of us fall short including Dorcas yep including Dorcas why because Dorcas was a human being because Dorcas was a sinner too and every single one of us fall short in the expression of kindness 844s

so what does God do what does God do Paul writes in Titus the third chapter he says but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared when the goodness of God his kindness appeared then it says he saved us notice the direction we don't save ourselves he saves us he saves us he saved us not because of Any works of righteousness that we had done in other words not 899s

because of anything good that we do not because we're trying to make ourselves righteous before God we can't make ourselves righteous before God he saved us not because of Any righte works of righteousness that we had done but according to his his Mercy his mercy and then it defines where his Mercy is is expressed according to his Mercy through the water of rebirth and Renewal by the Holy Spirit well what's 934s

the water of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit what is that it's baptism isn't it where God takes his word of Victory one through the cross God takes that word of forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus where all of our unkindness in in thought and in word and in deed and all of our sin was laid Upon Jesus in our place the righteous for the unrighteous and that word of forgiveness 968s

then comes to us and we're washed in that word we're washed in it so that we know that that word is for us that's the the kindness of God isn't it the kindness of God raising Jesus out of the Tomb so we know that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted the the kindness of God and the kindness of God births kindness in US Colossians the thir chapter it's says as God's chosen one that's who we are God chooses us as his 1003s

own in the waters of baptism as God's chosen one and then it says holy and beloved because that's what we're made in the waters of baptism we're made holy we're cloaked in the righteous Garment of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's chosen one holy and beloved that's his goodness that's his that's his kindness that's his grace that's his mercy and then it says clothe yourselves with compassion guess what comes next 1053s

kindness humility meekness patience Paul then goes on to say in Ephesians the 4th chapter he says put away from you all all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slam put put it away put it away put it away together with all malice he says and be kind to one another guess what comes next tenderhearted compassionate forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you kindness biblical kindness 1089s

that's that being useful and serving and gracious that's beyond niceness isn't it it's beyond niceness and it's beyond random it's regular it's regular and Grace upon Grace this kindness is a gift this this biblical kindness here it's not something that we we drum up we drum up in ourselves and say okay that's the kind of kind person I'm going to be and we pull ourselves up by our 1140s

bootstraps here and we try and be kind no the kindness is a gift as God comes to us and produces and births that kindness in US Galatians the 5th chapter it says the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit not the fruit of our own initiative the fruit of God the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience guess what's next kindness generosity faithfulness gentleness 1191s

self-control that's God at work in us through word and Sacrament that's God at work in us to bring forth the kindness in us that he wants we're all works in progress we're all works in progress and we'll be a work in progress until our dying day when the Lord takes us home and that old Adam and old Eve just go away at that point until then we're all works of progress God is at work in us 1239s

through word and Sacrament chisling us to be more and more like Christ that fruit of the spirit manifesting that in our lives as God brings forth from us kindness you see biblical kindness biblical kindness It's a gift it's a gift of God so buy the cup of coffee for the person behind you yes yes February 17th acts of random kindness day nice 1264s

nice but biblical kindness biblical kindness that's a gift of the holy spirit that he is producing and bringing forth from you so who's going to be the recipients this week who's going to be the recipients of God's kindness through you who's going to be the recipients because you know today is regular acts of kindness day and in fact tomorrow is regular acts of kindness day and in fact the day after 1322s

tomorrow and the day after and the day after and after [Music] 1379s