WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Kingdom Kindness Publishing Date: 2015-03-01T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/kingdom-kindness/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.800 Here's the thing eh, today we talk about kingdom kindness and go to John chapter 5 00:00:05.800 --> 00:00:16.040 Sam did you bring me coffee? Thanks man. Go to John chapter 5 verses 1 to 8 00:00:16.040 --> 00:00:31.240 John 5 1 to 8 and we read there that let's start at verse 2 now 00:00:31.240 --> 00:00:39.000 there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool in Aramaic called Bethesda which 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:44.320 has five roofed colonnades of porches in this lay a multitude of invalid 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:49.880 blind lame and paralyzed guys do you know what the word Bethesda means 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:58.320 probably at the bottom of the page Bethesda means house of kindness 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:06.960 Bethesda means house of kindness and it's a type of church it's a type of the 00:01:06.960 --> 00:01:16.800 church house of kindness it's a type of the church and if you were to take the 00:01:16.800 --> 00:01:25.160 parallel further you'll find that not only is a type of the church but every 00:01:25.160 --> 00:01:28.400 church must have a sheep gate and the sheep gate in the temple was a gate 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:32.880 through which they brought the lambs or sheep for sacrifice every church must 00:01:32.880 --> 00:01:39.960 have a sheep gate in the sense that it must be based on I mean it must 00:01:39.960 --> 00:01:50.160 acknowledge the sacrifice of the lamb which allows us to then have the finished 00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.040 works released in a church everything that we sang about today everything 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.560 that you have become everything you need for tomorrow everything in the past that 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:06.120 everything that has been provided for in the future everything as in all the 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:09.880 works that you need to live here on earth and in eternity were provided by 00:02:09.880 --> 00:02:14.920 the singular sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross that's what makes everything 00:02:14.920 --> 00:02:22.000 available a the finished works of Jesus Christ are released in a church just 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.120 because the lamb was sacrificed that's how this works and the second thing we 00:02:27.160 --> 00:02:32.600 need to realize this if there is a sheep gate there are also if you want to take 00:02:32.600 --> 00:02:39.160 the parallel further there are five porches of five colonnades and I always 00:02:39.160 --> 00:02:47.560 see them as the offices appointed by Christ in the church offices appointed 00:02:47.560 --> 00:03:00.560 by Christ in the church which is found in Ephesians 4 11 to 17 Ephesians 4 11 to 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:05.800 17 the five porches represent the offices appointed by Christ to every to 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:11.880 the church as in Apostles prophets teachers evangelists and pastors why so 00:03:11.880 --> 00:03:16.480 that the church may be prepared for works of ministry so that the church may 00:03:16.520 --> 00:03:22.360 be prepared for works of ministry so every church has must have a sheep gate 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:28.440 every church can have five porches Bethesda is the house of kindness and 00:03:28.440 --> 00:03:32.120 it's a type of the church and today all we are going to focus on is this whole 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:36.640 idea of the house of kindness the house of kindness because at the end of the 00:03:36.640 --> 00:03:42.660 day you can have people who've gathered around the sacrifice of Christ you can 00:03:42.660 --> 00:03:47.780 have equip us who equip the church but the one thing or the Avenue through 00:03:47.780 --> 00:03:52.300 which the kindness of God flows sorry the Avenue through which the grace of 00:03:52.300 --> 00:04:00.220 God flows is always kindness the channel through which the grace of God flows is 00:04:00.220 --> 00:04:07.780 always kindness the channel through which the grace of God flows is always 00:04:07.780 --> 00:04:13.580 always kindness. When He corrects you, it's always kindness. When He heals you, 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:20.160 it's compassion and kindness. When He displays His power, it never destroys you. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:25.700 It is in the form of kindness. When He forgives your sin, it comes with kindness. 00:04:25.700 --> 00:04:30.040 When He lifts you up, He lifts you up gently. He's a gentle God. It's with 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:35.080 kindness. Everything God does, He does through this avenue or channel called 00:04:35.080 --> 00:04:41.680 kindness. Which is why when you and I are not like that, we are so distant 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.220 from who God is. Because one of the things that God does everything in the 00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:53.280 world with is kindness. Doesn't matter whether it's sin, whether it's guilt, 00:04:53.280 --> 00:04:57.640 whether it's trials, whether it's triumph, whether it's lack, whether it's plenty. 00:04:57.640 --> 00:05:04.140 His approach to everything is through this singular channel of kindness. 00:05:04.140 --> 00:05:09.640 That's who He is. So for a church to be called Bethesda is a great name 00:05:09.640 --> 00:05:16.080 because Bethesda is the house of kindness. What I'm trying to say is guys 00:05:16.080 --> 00:05:22.160 that one of the qualities that a church or a people should possess if they 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.860 belong to God is this marvelous thing called kindness through which everything 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:40.620 in us flows out. In fact grace in a sense means to act kindly. To be a friend 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:48.460 who is disposed to forgiving offenses. Grace in a sense is to act kindly and to 00:05:48.460 --> 00:05:55.300 be a friend who is disposed to forgiving sins. And isn't that the nature of God? 00:05:55.860 --> 00:06:03.240 I know we talked about this but go to Ephesians 2, 6 and 7 and every time I 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:08.520 read it ever since I found out it blows my mind man. Ephesians 2 verses 6 to 7. 00:06:08.520 --> 00:06:19.000 Ephesians 2, 6 to 7. And here's how I would write it down or break it down. 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:34.280 Ephesians 2, 6 to 7. And God raised me as in Jacob up in Christ Jesus. 00:06:34.280 --> 00:06:40.920 That's the first statement. And God raised me as in Jacob up in Christ Jesus. 00:06:40.920 --> 00:07:01.280 To do what? And seated me Jacob with himself. And seated me as in Jacob with 00:07:01.280 --> 00:07:24.680 himself. Where? In the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. For how long? Oh from in 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:40.920 this age and in the age to come. So this is a forever thing. Why? Why in order that 00:07:40.920 --> 00:08:00.080 in order that he may show his incomparable riches, incomparable riches 00:08:00.080 --> 00:08:07.800 to incomparable riches again in Christ Jesus. Man the Father is so into Christ 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:12.720 Jesus. In order that he may show his incomparable riches in Christ Jesus to 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:28.840 whom? To me. And how is this shown? It's always and intentionally expressed 00:08:29.840 --> 00:08:43.120 through his kindness comes back to this one word. Riches of his grace. So let's go 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:49.640 over that again. It's fabulous. So here's my present condition. God has raised me 00:08:49.640 --> 00:08:55.760 Jacob up in Christ Jesus. When Christ rose Jacob rose with him. And God has 00:08:55.760 --> 00:08:59.960 raised me Jacob up in Christ Jesus. You put your own name there. And what has he 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:06.240 done after that? He seated Jacob with himself. We sing that song unto him who 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:10.840 sits on the throne and unto the lamb. And somewhere there you'll find me too. 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:21.740 Don't have a throne but somewhere there is Jacob too. So and seated me Jacob with 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:27.740 himself. Where? In the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus because I am hidden in him. 00:09:27.740 --> 00:09:35.020 I'm found in him. My life is locked up in him. He's like a Swiss vault that I am in. 00:09:35.300 --> 00:09:40.540 When? In this age and in the age to come. It isn't just something reserved for the 00:09:40.540 --> 00:09:47.100 future. In this age and the age to come. Why? In order that God may show Jacob his 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:52.820 incomparable riches of grace. As in what did we say grace was? Everything that 00:09:52.820 --> 00:10:00.060 God is. Incomparable riches of grace in Christ Jesus to show that to me. When? In 00:10:00.060 --> 00:10:07.820 this age and in the age to come. How does he show this grace to me? Always and 00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:15.460 intentionally it's expressed through kindness. All grace is expressed to me 00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:19.660 through kindness. God is continuously kind. He says Jacob you want to 00:10:19.660 --> 00:10:23.660 experience my grace? Remember that I'm a kind God. My dealings with you are kind. 00:10:23.660 --> 00:10:30.380 My dealings with you are kind. You get as we go further we'll get the hang of 00:10:30.380 --> 00:10:35.340 what what what can happen if we grasp this thing called kindness guys. Not just 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:40.460 in interpersonal relationships but with God and you. Graham Cook always asks this 00:10:40.460 --> 00:10:46.140 question. Is God the kindest person you know? Is God the kindest person you know? 00:10:46.140 --> 00:10:53.580 And while Christians will say yes he is so kind the answer is usually not. 00:10:55.500 --> 00:11:03.420 Because my mind is not full of God being always kind half the time. Guys if God 00:11:03.420 --> 00:11:07.700 was always kind I would stop running to some places that I go to to get my 00:11:07.740 --> 00:11:13.260 provision my healing my answers my comfort I would stop doing that. Why do 00:11:13.260 --> 00:11:18.340 kids go to their mums because usually the mums are slightly kinder than dads 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:21.540 when they're growing up and then the dads take over and become really kind 00:11:21.540 --> 00:11:25.780 but why do kids run to their mum because they find that their mum is the kindest 00:11:25.780 --> 00:11:31.060 person on the face of the earth. Is God the kindest person you know? And while 00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:36.020 that correct answer is yes the real answer is I don't always necessarily 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:40.900 think so my mind is not full of him as the kindest person on earth because 00:11:40.900 --> 00:11:44.660 otherwise we wouldn't go anywhere else. You always run to the kindest most 00:11:44.660 --> 00:11:47.980 able and willing person there is. 00:11:50.380 --> 00:11:58.580 Yeah one of the reasons God raised me up in Christ Jesus according to Ephesians 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:05.780 2 7 is so that he can show me kindness. One of the reasons God raised me up to 00:12:05.780 --> 00:12:10.380 be seated with him in heavenly places is so that he can show me his kindness. 00:12:10.380 --> 00:12:15.300 It's what David did with Mephi-Boshef man. What does David do? It's a type of 00:12:15.300 --> 00:12:20.860 exactly Ephesians 2 6 7. He goes picks up Mephi-Boshef who is his enemy's son. 00:12:20.860 --> 00:12:27.900 Mephi-Boshef's dad Saul was continuously pursuing Mephi-Boshef pursuing David to 00:12:27.900 --> 00:12:32.340 destroy him and what does David do? David goes seeks out Mephi-Boshef and 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:39.220 brings him and lifts him up and seats him where? At the table of the king. Why? 00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:45.460 So that for the rest of Mephi-Boshef's life David the king can show Mephi-Boshef 00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:50.020 unlimited kindness man gives him land says you will eat at my table for the 00:12:50.020 --> 00:12:57.100 rest of your days. What happened there was Ephesians 2 6 to 7. Come Jacob sit at 00:12:57.100 --> 00:13:02.320 my table for I want to show you kindness for the rest of your days and as I 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:07.040 show you kindness you will eat of everything that I have for you in terms 00:13:07.040 --> 00:13:14.120 of grace. The banquet is grace the invitation is one that is given out with 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:23.600 great kindness saying come son sit at my table. Sit at my table. When we get the 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:28.640 grasp of it guys we won't be afraid and just like Mephi-Boshef's feet which 00:13:28.640 --> 00:13:33.320 were lame were covered under the table your lameness and your defects will be 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:39.440 covered under that table. No one despises you then because they can't even see 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:43.800 your lameness because it's under the table and it's covered and you get to 00:13:43.800 --> 00:13:50.960 eat of his grace because he is kind your father is kind your king is kind he's 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:57.520 only kind and the more we get this the easier it will be to approach him. You 00:13:57.520 --> 00:14:01.240 won't want to get off that table man you prepare a table for me in the 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:12.120 presence of my enemies. Ephesians 2 6 7 is what happened that day with David and 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:21.040 Mephi-Boshef. So in sin and in trials and triumph and in lack and in plenty guys 00:14:21.040 --> 00:14:28.280 you are swimming in or surrounded by loving kindness. In sin in the middle of 00:14:28.280 --> 00:14:32.000 sin you're swimming in loving kindness because there is a prodigal father 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:40.120 waiting to say come son waiting for you. The prodigal father I love calling him 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:49.880 that was an expression of kindness guys. Order the word for kindness in Hebrews 00:14:49.920 --> 00:15:01.000 has said which is the same as loyal love and so kindness will be what I'm trying 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:05.480 to get it is this guys understand that you're swimming in or surrounded by 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:11.280 loving kindness always understand that you're swimming in or surrounded by 00:15:11.280 --> 00:15:17.760 loving kindness always don't feel like it really don't care the truth is you're 00:15:17.760 --> 00:15:24.040 always swimming in or surrounded by loving kindness you're always swimming in 00:15:24.040 --> 00:15:31.600 or surrounded by loving kindness this is your 24-7 existence believe the truth 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:42.160 believe the truth even when he disciplines us no correction from God is 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:48.720 done outside the framework of kindness and honor thank God even when he 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:55.560 disciplines me he does it with kindness and honor not with shame and anger what 00:15:55.560 --> 00:16:02.240 did we sing earlier on that my shame he has taken away how by being shamed as a 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:11.800 man hung naked on a tree my pain and all that stuff he took away how he became 00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:20.200 that I'm swimming in loving kindness I'm surrounded by loving kindness this is 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:24.440 the truth imagine you being alive about 600 years ago when they insisted that 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.840 the world was flat and you actually believed it because the church preached 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:31.480 it too and anybody who dared to say that the world was round was thrown out of 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:36.040 the church now you could have believed for about 80 years of your life the 00:16:36.040 --> 00:16:39.880 world was flat because everybody else believed it but who cares you were still 00:16:39.880 --> 00:16:45.000 wrong but I really feel the world is flat how whenever I walk I never fall 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.060 off the site great but it's still a falsehood the truth is the world is 00:16:49.060 --> 00:16:53.160 round here is the truth you are continuously surrounded by loving 00:16:53.160 --> 00:16:57.280 kindness and you're swimming in it 24-7 because you are hidden and found in 00:16:57.280 --> 00:17:04.720 Christ therefore if your world is flat it's not true we got to make these 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:18.160 adjustments here eh it's contractual I mean his kindness is contractual 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:24.240 contractual or covenantal as in hey Jacob I've chosen forever to be kind to 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:30.200 you I I'm I'm making a covenant with you now Matt says God I'll be kind to you 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:35.600 all your life it's contractual it's loyal fiercely loyal God is a very loyal 00:17:35.600 --> 00:17:41.200 person eh it's natural God doesn't have to come up with it ah not feeling kind 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:48.400 this morning no it's natural for him he is kind it's limitless there's never a 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:51.920 time and God is gonna run out of kindness nothing about him is exhaustible 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:56.680 because he's the infinite one I'll find Omega never gonna run out of kindness 00:17:56.680 --> 00:18:05.360 what a relief this is it's unflinching meaning in the in the face of coldness 00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:13.660 and harshness and betrayal it's still kind it's all sufficient as in kindness 00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:19.000 is what he works everything through everything is worked through kindness I 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:24.720 mean he knows Adam has sinned and yet what does he do a kind father does that 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:35.360 Adam Adam where are you even in that cry there is kindness man and it's 00:18:35.360 --> 00:18:41.200 restorative his kindness is restorative his kindness is restorative oh he's 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:46.160 seeking to restore in the face of coldness harshness always seeking to 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:52.400 restore I mean look at the book of Psalms there's some 42 some 42 verse it 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:57.760 depends on the version but many of them especially the New Kings James and all 00:18:57.760 --> 00:19:03.760 say kindness but in some cases it goes into some other words some 42 verse 8 00:19:03.760 --> 00:19:09.880 by the day the Lord commands his loving kindness and at night his song is with 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:15.080 me some version says steadfast love by the day the Lord commands his loving 00:19:15.080 --> 00:19:24.200 kindness and a night his song is with me some 51 1 some 51 1 have mercy on me 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:29.680 Oh God according to your loving kindness according to your abundant mercy some 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:40.800 63 3 some 63 3 because your loving kindness is better than life so my lips 00:19:40.800 --> 00:19:52.600 will praise you some 69 16 some 69 16 some 69 16 it's all those verses are on 00:19:52.600 --> 00:19:56.720 the top of the page some 69 16 answer me your Lord for your loving kindness is 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:07.720 good according to your abundant mercy turn to me some 89 33 some 89 33 but I 00:20:08.520 --> 00:20:14.440 will not remove my loving kindness or be false to my faithfulness beautiful 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:20.720 words some 92 2 I will declare your loving kindness in the morning and your 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:28.200 faithfulness at night some 103 verse 4 he surrounds me with loving kindness and 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:40.440 compassion some 143 8 some 143 8 let me hear in the morning of your loving 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:44.640 kindness for a new I trust make me know the way I should go for you lift up my 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:49.600 for I lift up my soul to you guys tons and tons of verses on loving kindness 00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:53.040 see I hear are some of the things we need to understand about kindness one 00:20:53.040 --> 00:21:02.600 kindness expresses itself in unbidden generosity kindness expresses itself in 00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:09.400 unasked for generosity how do you know someone is kind you know someone is 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:19.640 last week Jason was coming with me to sumas so he he says so are you gonna 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:24.320 pick me up from home or I said can I pick you up from Joy's and then I thought 00:21:24.320 --> 00:21:31.000 he asked and I said can you can I pick you up from Joy's SkyTrain and so I 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:36.320 went and said to him hey Jason it's not that I can't pick you up but I was just 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:47.240 he's saying you're just being you I said yes the point being guys God's 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:53.120 kindness is unbidden it's not even asked for what God would do is he would not 00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:59.920 wait to be asked to be kind kindness that the God kind of kindness is unbidden 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:06.280 generosity as with Rebecca if you go to Genesis 24 you see Rebecca pouring out 00:22:06.280 --> 00:22:11.040 tons and tons of water for the guy and his camels man it's one thing to get the 00:22:11.040 --> 00:22:17.000 guy happy with a few pictures of water but then those camels drink like crazy 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:24.480 man and so she kept pouring out water for those camels the point being that 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:29.240 God kind of kindness empties your strength so that someone else will be 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:35.600 strengthened God kind of kindness is a kind of kindness that empties your 00:22:35.600 --> 00:22:39.400 strength so that someone else will be strengthened and it's unbidden nobody 00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:44.800 needs to ask for it it's given before it's asked for and just like Rebecca 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:50.000 emptied herself of her strength so that someone else and his camels could be 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:54.840 strengthened so it is with God's kind of kindness this is what we call to 00:22:54.840 --> 00:23:03.760 cultivate a because Bethesda means house of kindness then I don't after that 00:23:03.760 --> 00:23:05.720 everything is a haze I don't know whether I went and picked him up from 00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:09.720 his home or from the sky train I don't remember clearly to the best of my 00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:18.680 knowledge yeah I did save him a chair at breakfast and lunch and dinner and 00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:29.720 stuff like that anyways do you want to go sit somewhere in the back okay okay 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:37.440 guys kindness has no apparent incentive or promised reward as motivation 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:46.920 kindness has no apparent incentive or motivation of reward as the reason you 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:52.960 engage in it it's not dependent on kindness being returned very hard thing 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:56.320 a because in this world of tit-for-tat where you do this for me I'll do that 00:23:56.320 --> 00:24:05.240 for you the kindness has no incentive no reward as motivation it is not based on 00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:08.960 whether you will return my kindness and not any kindness that expects a return 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:15.160 is really not kindness it's just an obligation you're fulfilling to get 00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:22.000 something kindness has no apparent incentive or promised reward as 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.080 motivation here's another thing that we need to understand Romans chapter 2 00:24:26.080 --> 00:24:29.720 verse 4 says that is the kindness of God that leads to repentance or in other 00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:34.120 words it's the kindness of God that leads someone to change their life or 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:39.680 lifestyle the kindness of God leads to repentance that's what Romans chapter 2 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:44.520 verse 4 says or in other words it's the kindness of God that leads someone to 00:24:44.520 --> 00:24:49.800 change their lifespan if that is the case guys then you and I need to adopt 00:24:49.800 --> 00:24:54.880 the kindness of God and by the way you can't you can't engage in kindness 00:24:54.880 --> 00:25:05.960 without being relational someone someone gave me some money to spend on poor 00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:14.240 people in a certain nation and I did that and called them to tell them who I 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:19.400 gave it to and how I spent it and the person wasn't very interested and as I 00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:25.520 was having the conversation I realized that pulling out money and giving it for 00:25:25.520 --> 00:25:29.560 charity is not necessarily kind it's just pulling out money and giving it to 00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:37.120 charity that kindness has to be relational this is why Christians cannot 00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:44.280 live isolated me and my family existences it's not possible to be kind 00:25:44.760 --> 00:25:55.560 not relational and so if it is kindness that leads a person to change their 00:25:55.560 --> 00:26:01.400 lifestyle if I adopt God's kind of kindness now he's in a position to use 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:10.160 me to shape other people's destinies or bring about change if I adopt God's 00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:17.200 kindness he's now in a position to use me to bring about a change in someone 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:21.000 else's destiny or bring about some kind of a kingdom change in someone else's 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:25.700 life he guys you will find that as you get kinder God will intertwine your life 00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:31.280 with other people's lives as you get kinder God will intertwine your life 00:26:31.280 --> 00:26:37.040 with other people's lives and kindness is always relational so the more isolated 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:41.600 you are the less you will find your life intertwined with others because it's in 00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:50.280 relationship that kindness flows everything about God is relational in 00:26:50.280 --> 00:26:53.840 the Godhead the Father Son and Holy Spirit are relational and in everything 00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:58.160 he does he's relational it's okay being an introverted person because an 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:01.240 introvert is someone who gets his energy by being alone and then goes out and 00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:03.720 expends it 00:27:11.800 --> 00:27:18.800 God's kindness yeah kindness always empties if I'm kind to somebody I'll 00:27:18.800 --> 00:27:23.680 have to empty my strength to strengthen the other person so if I was kind to him 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:28.800 that day I'd have taken the trouble of leaving earlier driving all the way to 00:27:28.840 --> 00:27:34.320 wherever he lives which is very far and then pick him up drive all the way back 00:27:34.320 --> 00:27:40.840 and I avoided that inconvenience because I did not want to empty my strength to 00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:47.640 strengthen him because I do it in every other area but that so that that's what 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:50.840 I mean you empty your strength to strengthen someone else kindness will 00:27:50.840 --> 00:27:56.960 always cost guys but it should become natural kindness will cost but it must 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:03.240 become natural because kindness is relational and it has to express itself 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:08.440 in some action right actions cost that's fine 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:17.680 for him yeah and the kinder you get you'll find that God begins to 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.920 intertwine your life with others because everything about God flows through the 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:26.200 avenue of kindness so kinder I get the more I'll find that God is intertwining my 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:30.080 life with others because now he can flow because I'm taking on a chief 00:28:30.080 --> 00:28:37.400 characteristic of his so someone can be highly gifted and God will send you for 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:41.240 20 minutes into a church to minister with your giftings and then he'll take 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:48.400 you home as in take you back to your house but but when you're kind he begins 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:51.920 to intertwine your life as you're going up the elevator as you're walking the 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:56.000 street with your dog or your kid or whatever you're doing now it becomes 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:07.720 intertwined yeah by the way I'm probably 1210 actually says that a righteous man 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:16.440 is kind to his animals your animals includes cats 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:24.920 yeah I know there are whole different species altogether but we shall put them 00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:27.920 under animals for now 00:29:31.760 --> 00:29:38.840 Proverbs 12 10 actually says that that a righteous man is kind to his animals 00:29:38.840 --> 00:29:43.680 and know this guys once you begin to become kind and as I said he 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:46.840 intertwines your life with others here's the other thing that will happen 00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:51.440 kindness brings the helpless around the pool of Bethesda to the threshold of an 00:29:51.440 --> 00:30:00.640 encounter with God kindness brings the helpless around the pool of Bethesda to 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:04.760 the threshold of an encounter with God it's impossible for someone to keep 00:30:04.760 --> 00:30:10.800 receiving your kindness and not become aware of the God who has made you thus 00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:25.720 impossible yeah kindness will bring the helpless around the pool of Bethesda to 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:30.720 the threshold of an encounter with your God 00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:42.880 it opens doors man kindness opens the doors of people's hearts and your 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:48.400 kindness will be tested by coldness by hostility it will be tested but don't 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:53.200 back off guys you are the children of him who is super kind so when your 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:58.120 kindness is tested in the face of coldness hostility and hurt excel in it 00:30:58.120 --> 00:31:02.560 and show more of it because otherwise like Paul what good is it if we are 00:31:02.560 --> 00:31:08.960 only a kind to those that are kind to you Jacob even the pagans do that big 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:16.760 deal excel in kindness in the face of hostility hurt and the coldness in fact 00:31:16.760 --> 00:31:26.280 the greatest thing yeah yeah we'll go there too kindness will not spotlight 00:31:26.280 --> 00:31:31.040 deficiencies kindness will not spotlight deficiencies when evaluating 00:31:31.040 --> 00:31:35.720 someone else's character kindness does not spotlight deficiencies kindness is 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:41.720 aware of it but it will not spotlight deficiencies I remember when my I know 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:47.320 I've shared this before when my little niece was here I had gone out came home 00:31:47.320 --> 00:31:51.840 and she broke a plane of mine like you know how precious those plane models 00:31:51.840 --> 00:31:55.080 are to me it's the only thing I have in my will that I might give to some of you 00:31:55.080 --> 00:32:02.400 so she had broken one of them and she was so scared man because she knew how 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:06.840 important those when expensive those were and when I got home my sister and 00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:09.880 the rest of the kids were there but she was in a little room on the side and she 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:14.400 wouldn't come out and no one's telling me why they said ask her so then finally 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:17.520 my sister whispered what had happened and so I went into the room and she was 00:32:17.520 --> 00:32:21.640 thinking that I'll be upset I one of the things I told her is Hannah I want you 00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:25.360 to know that you can break anything in this house but you'll never ever have to 00:32:25.360 --> 00:32:30.200 be afraid of me ever being upset with you for the rest of your life that you 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:34.760 can break anything of mine anything in this house and you've got to be 00:32:34.760 --> 00:32:38.760 absolutely sure that I will never be upset with you for the rest of your life 00:32:38.760 --> 00:32:48.280 what a relief on the little girl's face man because guys sometimes the deepest 00:32:48.280 --> 00:32:54.400 cuts are reserved for the ones closest to us say that's the shame of it we are 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:59.280 kind to people who we meet once every ten days because it's easy it's only a 00:32:59.280 --> 00:33:04.920 two-minute meeting but the deepest cuts are reserved for those that are closest 00:33:04.920 --> 00:33:10.480 to us and like everything else kindness must start in Jerusalem as in your home 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:17.960 and the ones closest to you when my mom came last time I guess it's not a secret 00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:26.840 because most men and women do it she was dying her hair and for some reason 00:33:26.840 --> 00:33:33.320 it went all over the sink and bathtub and all and when I came home I could see 00:33:33.320 --> 00:33:37.520 that my mom was thinking Jacob will have something to say about it because it's 00:33:37.520 --> 00:33:42.680 pretty hard to take away and I remember going in there and looking at it and I 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:46.560 came out and I remember telling my mom oh man were you dying your hands she 00:33:46.560 --> 00:33:49.840 said yeah I said don't worry about I'll clean it up later and I walked away and 00:33:49.840 --> 00:33:53.240 she's looking at me like confused because she's seen me getting irritated 00:33:53.240 --> 00:34:00.680 for less pardon yeah she was looking like what's happened to my son and today's 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:09.260 not even Sunday and it was a very deliberate thing I saw it all and I 00:34:09.260 --> 00:34:14.160 realized that it's terrible when people have to walk on eggshells around you 00:34:14.160 --> 00:34:20.460 guys and I am so sad when that happens to people around me where people have 00:34:20.460 --> 00:34:25.240 to walk on eggshells around me I feel really bad this is just an act of 00:34:25.240 --> 00:34:31.120 kindness yeah I feel really bad when people have to walk on eggshells around 00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:33.600 me because it means that there is something about me that makes them 00:34:33.600 --> 00:34:39.080 afraid and it's usually fear has to do with torment and with unkindness and 00:34:39.080 --> 00:34:41.400 that is why I remember that they're walking out of the washroom saying I 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:44.000 mean it's perfectly all right don't worry about it I'll take care of it 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:52.600 later as if it was a non non non issue and the deepest cuts are reserved for 00:34:52.600 --> 00:34:59.800 those close to us we got a change in this kindness must begin at home because 00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:04.640 the greatest thing a man can do for the father the greatest thing a man can do 00:35:04.640 --> 00:35:12.640 for the father is to be kind to one of his other children the greatest thing a 00:35:12.640 --> 00:35:17.000 man can do for the father the greatest thing that I Jacob can do for the father 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:21.520 is to be kind to one of his other children or one of his other creations 00:35:21.520 --> 00:35:25.240 don't limit it to Christians kindness is not a Christian thingy it's a God thingy 00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:33.640 I remember telling you about this incident where at a church I was in the 00:35:33.640 --> 00:35:38.960 past this woman used to come and make fun of me after every service crack a 00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:42.760 joke at my expense and get a few people around her to laugh and finally there 00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:46.240 was two weeks left for me to leave the church and I thought okay I know enough 00:35:46.240 --> 00:35:50.920 about this woman to rip her to pieces I got two weeks left so let's go for it so 00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:55.560 she came and she gathered a little group around her and she started making fun of 00:35:55.560 --> 00:35:59.480 me and I'm thinking to myself I've prepared for this and I'm gonna give it 00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:05.160 back to her and I'm waiting for her to finish feeling the Spirit of God saying 00:36:05.160 --> 00:36:09.680 let it be and so I let it be and they laughed and I was driving back and as I 00:36:09.680 --> 00:36:13.880 was driving back down this road I was telling the father father that is so 00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:18.160 unfair about I had this thing prepared and you stopped me I mean what about me 00:36:18.160 --> 00:36:24.040 she made fun of me and you know how bad I felt and so and then for a moment I 00:36:24.040 --> 00:36:28.360 paused and I heard what he said he said Jacob thank you for being kind to one of 00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:33.480 my daughters I'm going past and my eyes are full of tears I'm thinking to myself 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:37.320 you get happy with such a small thing I can do this for you anytime you want 00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:42.320 father I was driving by saying father I'll do this any day for you if this is 00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:46.600 all it takes to thrill your heart that I was kind to your daughter when she was 00:36:46.600 --> 00:36:52.440 mean to me I'll do it hundreds of times father no big deal but the pleasure it 00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:55.360 brought the father when he said thank you for being kind to one of my 00:36:55.360 --> 00:37:02.000 daughters I thought I was a wow father any day the greatest thing you can do 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:06.440 for the father is to be kind to one of his children practice this guys and let 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:11.520 it start at home because that's the hardest place for it to start and here's 00:37:11.520 --> 00:37:15.160 another question in Jeremiah 2 to depending on the version it says that 00:37:15.160 --> 00:37:20.040 says the Lord I remember the kindness of your youth I remember the kindness of 00:37:20.040 --> 00:37:26.440 your youth so here's a question I want to ask you are you kind to God are you 00:37:26.440 --> 00:37:33.760 kind to God what is it in the last one week that God can look back and say ah 00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:42.120 Jacob you were so kind to me in that situation if I am kind to one of Jason 00:37:42.120 --> 00:37:46.960 and Marianna's kids do you think they will look at me and say oh he was so 00:37:46.960 --> 00:37:55.960 kind to Tavis they will right yeah they will that took a while I don't know if 00:37:55.960 --> 00:38:00.640 there's a reflection on you being kind or will they really say it but let's say 00:38:00.640 --> 00:38:07.120 it's will they really say so here's the thing guys if they will see my kindness 00:38:07.120 --> 00:38:12.440 if I'm kind to the children the question is did God see you as kind during the 00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:17.240 last one week during the last one week did God say our shucks Elmo was so kind 00:38:17.240 --> 00:38:21.480 to me because there's nothing we can do for him directly but we can do for him 00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:25.800 tons of things indirectly the question needs to be asked are you kind to God 00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:33.240 are you kind to God may this be a week where you're kind to God when I'm 00:38:33.240 --> 00:38:38.480 traveling I'll be kind to someone which doesn't necessarily mean I'll give up 00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:50.440 my window seat but there are other ways to be kind I did once give up my window 00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:59.080 seat there were these two young girls must be 13 or 14 and they asked for the 00:38:59.080 --> 00:39:03.440 window seat and I looked at them and I thought gosh gotta get up the way 00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:07.080 they're looking at me and asking for the window seat and so like a young guy 00:39:07.080 --> 00:39:13.360 that I was I got up then gave them my seat and then this just stamped all over 00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:20.120 my kindness by turning to me and saying thank you uncle thank you uncle now 00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:24.400 why is this funny is because the word uncle in India is used for really old 00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:30.440 people and here I was feeling like a young guy who's sure go ahead kind of a 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:36.920 thing and they went thank you uncle that destroyed everything my name is Jason 00:39:50.120 --> 00:39:59.760 we'll always get people from the Okanagan or from some island to come 00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:07.600 and join us on the days mark is not there we'll go for the other Matt guys 00:40:07.600 --> 00:40:10.840 the last bit I want to say is the kindness of God dismantles the 00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:15.760 oppression of the kingdom of darkness the kindness of God dismantles the 00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:24.320 oppression of the kingdom of darkness of the kingdom of darkness the kindness 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:29.800 of God dismantles the oppression of the kingdom of darkness I'll explain it 00:40:29.800 --> 00:40:35.400 this is so cool the kindness of God dismantles the oppression of the kingdom 00:40:35.400 --> 00:40:40.040 of darkness in your life and then later on in someone else's life so guys 00:40:40.040 --> 00:40:44.120 remember they say in every storm regardless of whether it's a small storm 00:40:44.120 --> 00:40:49.100 or big storm it doesn't matter a storm is a storm and it's never pleasant in 00:40:49.100 --> 00:40:54.260 every storm God invites you to come into the secret place of his kindness in 00:40:54.260 --> 00:41:01.620 every storm God invites you to come into the secret place of his 00:41:01.620 --> 00:41:07.080 kindness in every storm God invites you to come into the secret place of his 00:41:07.080 --> 00:41:15.280 of his kindness. This is why children don't even wait for an invitation. 00:41:15.280 --> 00:41:20.760 Frighten them. I mean you've seen it when Roxanne goes walking here and I do that. 00:41:20.760 --> 00:41:27.840 What does she do? Unlike that other lady, what's her name? Rhonda. Unlike Rhonda, she 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:33.600 goes running back to her mum. Why? In every storm you run to the kindest 00:41:33.600 --> 00:41:40.600 place of refuge, the safest place of refuge. So in every storm God invites you 00:41:40.600 --> 00:41:44.000 to come into the secret place of his kindness and if you respond he will 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:51.760 command his kindness or direct his kindness to mount God over you. I mean 00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:55.960 yesterday I was driving to Surrey and there was a situation that was happening 00:41:55.960 --> 00:41:59.460 that was really troubling me and as I was driving I was saying to myself I could 00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:04.740 literally hear God saying hey you want to step into my kindness because I'm kind 00:42:04.740 --> 00:42:08.620 I can take care of the situation I know it better than anybody else. I'm really 00:42:08.620 --> 00:42:14.220 protective of you Jacob. I'm really kind. I'm your friend. Come and so as I'm 00:42:14.220 --> 00:42:17.740 driving I'm telling the Lord okay father here I come to hide in your kindness 00:42:17.740 --> 00:42:22.060 because your kindness will protect me and take care of the situation. In every 00:42:22.060 --> 00:42:26.700 storm God is inviting you to step into his kindness and if you respond he will 00:42:26.700 --> 00:42:37.980 command or direct that kindness to mount God over you. Mount God over you. 00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:40.980 And kind go ahead Matt. 00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:56.580 Yeah so yesterday what happened was a situation where there was financial 00:42:56.580 --> 00:43:01.580 stress and praise God it got solved. So it was and I had to I had a deadline and 00:43:01.580 --> 00:43:06.020 I had to meet things by that deadline and praise God it worked out but here's 00:43:06.020 --> 00:43:11.620 the thing guys in that stress here was God saying I know you are panicking but 00:43:11.620 --> 00:43:16.580 why don't you allow why don't you come into and rest in my kindness I'm aware 00:43:16.580 --> 00:43:21.620 of it Jacob I can take care of this I'm your friend I'm a kind friend come come 00:43:21.620 --> 00:43:25.340 come under my canopy of kindness once you step in there when you experience 00:43:25.340 --> 00:43:31.380 God's kindness you can enter into peace. To enter into peace experience God's 00:43:31.420 --> 00:43:36.780 kindness. What happens is we go to God and want his peace but we don't think he 00:43:36.780 --> 00:43:42.100 is kind. How can you be at peace in the presence of someone who is not kind or 00:43:42.100 --> 00:43:47.020 who is not able or who is not willing it's not possible. A lot of us try to 00:43:47.020 --> 00:43:51.860 want we say you're the prince of peace give me peace and yet even though we 00:43:51.860 --> 00:43:56.300 are going to him for peace we don't think he's kind and therefore the peace 00:43:56.300 --> 00:44:00.500 is a struggle and you got to keep quoting scriptures. Kids when they jump 00:44:00.540 --> 00:44:04.340 into their mom's arms don't keep saying you're my mother in you I trust you're 00:44:04.340 --> 00:44:07.220 my mother you will not let me down you're my mother you won't let go they 00:44:07.220 --> 00:44:10.780 never say stuff like that they jump into those arms and then they don't care why 00:44:10.780 --> 00:44:18.460 because they're so confident of the mother's kindness and that's what I'm 00:44:18.460 --> 00:44:23.580 talking about guys where when you begin to experience the kindness of God you're 00:44:23.580 --> 00:44:28.380 able to rest in his peace because you have this assurance that he is your 00:44:28.380 --> 00:44:38.100 father and friend who is kind I have taken care of. It allows you to enter 00:44:38.100 --> 00:44:43.060 into this place of peace. Last statement I want to make and then we are done and 00:44:43.060 --> 00:44:48.740 then you can just send me and we are done. Guys there's this beautiful verse 00:44:48.740 --> 00:44:55.800 in Psalm 143 it says hear his loving kindness in the morning hear his loving 00:44:55.800 --> 00:45:00.920 kindness in the morning hear his loving kindness in the morning remember we did 00:45:00.920 --> 00:45:09.840 that teaching on first things first get up and go listen for David said cause me 00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:15.160 to hear your loving kindness in the morning first things first go and listen 00:45:15.160 --> 00:45:23.280 to his kindness father I want to hear your kindness this morning where God will 00:45:23.280 --> 00:45:28.800 begin to either speak or sing I mean today to this morning when I went to him 00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:33.240 and said here you want to hear your loving kindness that's when this song 00:45:33.240 --> 00:45:38.760 happened and that's why you'll see that the song list doesn't have what a friend 00:45:38.760 --> 00:45:43.200 we have in Jesus I had to insert that separately but it's not on the song list 00:45:43.200 --> 00:45:46.160 why because today this morning when I was going to God and saying father want 00:45:46.160 --> 00:45:49.200 to hear your loving kindness this morning that's when this him that I 00:45:49.200 --> 00:45:58.280 haven't sung for as long as Matt and Rachel have been alive came to mind what 00:45:58.280 --> 00:46:06.000 a friend I have in you Jesus that's why I changed the words what I friend I have 00:46:06.000 --> 00:46:11.200 in you Jesus what a friend I have in you you hear his loving kindness and now it 00:46:11.200 --> 00:46:16.760 helps you meet the day because you know that you now have his peace mount God 00:46:16.760 --> 00:46:20.400 over you because you know you're safe in his kind arms you don't have to quote 00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:28.400 scripture you don't have to exert faith faith becomes a thing of grace enjoy 00:46:36.320 --> 00:46:40.560 hey I'll miss you guys eh