"The Fruit" - Mike Ashcraft | GOODNESS, Part 1

What makes something or someone "good"? What do you think of when you hear the word “goodness”? For most of us our minds naturally drift toward the concepts of virtue, morality, or being well behaved. But the picture Scripture paints goes much deeper than behavior. From the creation story, to the ancient confessions, to the life of Jesus, to the early church we see a weaving of good that is both attractive and compelling. Goodness is not a forced morality that demands others comply with our standard, rather it is a fruit produced in us as we abide in Christ. The source of goodness is God’s love that forms us and shapes us, and then leads us to love others! Redemptive love is the expression of goodness that compels us to care, to not give up hope, and to honor another person without manipulation or control. Goodness then, is the return to God’s original design made possible in our lives and in our community by the good news of the gospel.