INTRODUCTION...

-- Last week, we looked at what the Spirit produces within us—love, joy, and peace. These are the inward aspects of the fruit—the qualities that take root in the quiet places of our hearts, revealing the character of Jesus being formed in us.

-- Today, we move from the inward to the outward. The Holy Spirit doesn’t only transform what we feel; He reshapes how we respond. PATIENCE, KINDNESS, and GOODNESS—display the outward posture of grace in motion as Jesus works through us.

-- These virtues often surface when life gets bumpy…not when life is smooth. In the everyday stuff of life the Holy Spirit not only changes what we believe; He also changes how we behave—how we drive, how we parent, how we speak under pressure. The external fruit that is formed out of the internal fruit. “You’ll know what fills you when you’re bumped.” When life bumps you—through traffic, tension, or criticism—what spills out shows what fills you. Pressure exposes posture.

-- If the Spirit fills your heart, then when you’re bumped, grace spills out. So let’s spend some time this morning talking about PATIENCE, KINDNESS and GOODNESS

-- When the Spirit governs your reactions...
--> PATIENCE waits
--> KINDNESS moves
--> GOODNESS acts

-- This is the outward evidence that the Holy Spirit is shaping how we live and relate to others.

1. PATIENCE IS STRENGTH THAT WAITS…

—> GUIDING SCRIPTURE…
-- 2 PET 3:9 “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is PATIENT with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
-- COL 3:12-13 "12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and PATIENT, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive”
-- JAMES 5:7-8 "7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be PATIENT until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is PATIENT with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be PATIENT. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

-- Let’s be honest— PATIENCE is something everyone wants, but nobody wants to learn. We love the idea of being PATIENT… right up until we actually have to wait.

-- PATIENCE is love stretched over time. It’s trusting God’s timing when everything in you wants to hurry Him. It’s the Spirit training your heart to trust slow miracles.

-- And PATIENCE isn’t passivity—it’s strength under restraint. In other words, PATIENCE is the Spirit reproducing God’s timing in you. It’s faith choosing to rest when everything around you is screaming for control.

-- IMPATIENCE, on the other hand, is unbelief wearing a watch. It says, “God, You’re taking too long—so I’ll handle it.” But PATIENCE says, “God, I still believe, even when I can’t see it.”


—> BIBLICAL PORTRAITS OF PATIENCE…
PATIENCE isn’t learned in the classroom; it’s forged in the waiting room. Scripture is full of men and women who trusted God’s timing when everything in them wanted to hurry Him. Their stories remind us that divine delays are not divine neglect—they’re divine preparation.

1. Abraham and Sarah — Waiting for the Promise (GEN 12–21)
God promised Abraham a son, yet twenty-five years passed before Isaac was born. Every shortcut Abraham and Sarah took brought pain, not only in their lives but the people they involved along the way—particularly Hagar and Ishmael—but every moment of surrender deepened Abraham and Sarah’s faith. As they had to wait, in their IMPATIENCE they believed, “God, You’re late.” But when they waited with PATIENCE they believed “God, You’re working.” Abraham and Sarah learned that waiting is never wasted when God is the one writing the story.

2. Joseph — Patience in the Pit and the Prison (GEN 37–50)
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, was falsely accused, and then forgotten in prison—Joseph waited thirteen years before God finally revealed his plan and raised him to power. Yet through it all, Joseph refused to grow bitter. He trusted that even in betrayal and delay, God was somehow, weaving redemption. His PATIENCE turned pain into purpose. When he finally saw his brothers again, he could say, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result ​— ​the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:20). God miraculously saved the nation of Israel through Joseph, and it was such a surprise at how it all actually played out…no one could have predicted it to happen this way!

3. Job — Enduring Faith through Suffering (Job 1–42; JAMES 5:11)
When everything was stripped away—health, family, wealth—Job refused to curse God. His story shows us that PATIENCE isn’t pretending everything’s fine; it’s holding on when everything’s falling apart. James writes, “You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”
-- Each of these stories reminds us: PATIENCE is not passive; it’s faith that refuses to quit. It’s trusting that God is never late—He’s just never in a hurry.
-- So if you’re in a season of waiting that requires PATIENCE—for healing, for reconciliation, for provision, or for clarity—remember this:

** God’s delay is not His denial…He’s not stalling; He’s sanctifying
** The Spirit may not be punishing you; He may be preparing you…He’s growing roots strong enough to hold the fruit He intends to grow later

-- PATIENCE doesn’t excuse sin or ignore injustice. It simply entrusts outcomes to God.

-- PATIENCE is strength that waits without resentment because it knows the One who governs time. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Where am I trying to hurry what only You can grow?”

2. KINDNESS IS GRACE IN MOTION…

—> GUIDING SCRIPTURE…
-- EPH 4:32 “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
-- ROM 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

-- KINDNESS isn’t weakness; it’s gospel strength under the Spirit’s control. It never compromises truth— it simply delivers truth wrapped in grace.
-- KINDNESS has the courage to engage instead of avoid, and the gentleness to heal rather than harm.
-- KINDNESS is love with its sleeves rolled up. It’s grace that moves toward people, not away from them.

—> BIBLICAL PORTRAITS OF KINDNESS…
There are two moments in the life of Jesus that I think we see incredible examples of KINDNESS. He met people right where they were. He didn’t ignore their sin, and He didn’t weaponize it. But, He offered truth that restored rather than destroyed. He held together both conviction and compassion—truth and tenderness in perfect balance. This is KINDNESS—grace in motion.

1. Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery (JOHN 8:1–11)
That’s KINDNESS—truth that restores instead of destroys.

2. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (JOHN 4:4-26)
She was an outcast—socially, morally, and racially. But Jesus didn’t walk around her; He walked straight toward her. He listened, engaged, and offered her living water. That’s KINDNESS that crosses boundaries and dignifies the broken.

-- Each of these stories shows us what God’s KINDNESS really looks like, it moves toward pain, not away from it. It doesn’t ask, “Do they deserve this?” but instead, “How can I reflect the mercy I’ve already received?”

-- When we respond with Spirit-led KINDNESS, we create space for people to experience God’s heart even before they understand His truth. It’s truth wrapped in tenderness, strength shaped by mercy, and the visible evidence of a heart governed by the Spirit of Jesus.

-- So here’s the challenge: ask yourself, “Is my presence making it easier for people to believe that God is kind?” Because when the Holy Spirit fills you, He gives you His heart for people who don’t deserve it. One act of undeserved grace—a note, a meal, a patient conversation—can preach louder than any sermon. KINDNESS is grace in motion.

3. GOODNESS IS INTEGRITY THAT BLESSES…

—> GUIDING SCRIPTURE…
-- ROM 12:21 “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with GOOD.”
-- LK 6:35 “But love your enemies, do what is GOOD, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.”
-- MT 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your GOOD works and give glory to your Father in heaven”
-- GAL 6:9-10 "9 Let us not get tired of doing GOOD, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the GOOD of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

-- GOODNESS is holiness with a backbone. It’s moral courage empowered by the Spirit to act for the benefit of others—even when it costs you.
-- GOODNESS isn’t a passive virtue; it’s active righteousness.
-- In other words, GOODNESS is integrity that blesses. It’s compassion anchored in conviction. It’s choosing what’s right when no one is looking and choosing holiness when compromise would be easier.

—> BIBLICAL PORTRAITS OF KINDNESS…
1. The Good Samaritan — Crossing Lines to Bring Healing
Jesus was confronted by the religious leaders of the day trying to again stump him. In response to their questions…he told them this parable, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning…let’s read LK 10:25–37. That’s goodness that crosses social and cultural boundaries to bring mercy where others look away. Jesus said to “go and do the same…” be kind. And Jesus was kind.

2. Jesus — The Ultimate Example of Goodness
Peter described Jesus’ ministry like this: ACTS 10:38 “...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him.”
-- Jesus didn’t just preach GOODNESS—He embodied it. His life showed
-- GOODNESS as moral integrity in motion: truth and mercy intertwined, holiness expressed through compassion. And the same Spirit who empowered Jesus now fills you, empowering you to live the same way.
-- GOODNESS is integrity that blesses others. It shows up in real places—at work, at home, online, and in those quiet moments when no one is watching. It looks like generosity when selfishness would be easier, forgiveness when bitterness feels justified, and honesty when deceit would protect you. When the Spirit produces GOODNESS in you, the people around you start tasting grace without even realizing it.
-- GOODNESS pushes back the darkness. It doesn’t just avoid evil—it overcomes it.
-- So where can you choose GOODNESS this week? In your business, your friendships, your neighborhood—be someone whose steady integrity disarms suspicion and points people toward the GOODNESS of God.

-- Remember GAL 6:9: “Let us not get tired of doing GOOD, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

-- What would happen if people in the Valley saw a body of believers so alive with GOODNESS that darkness lost its grip? Let’s be people of integrity who bless others and bear the fruit of GOODNESS.

HOW THESE THREE WORK TOGETHER…

-- Imagine your life as a window the Holy Spirit shines through. When people look at you, they may not see perfection— but they should see PATIENCE that waits, KINDNESS that moves, and GOODNESS that acts.

-- That’s what it means to walk in step with the Spirit. When a community begins to live like that—slow to anger, quick to forgive, eager to do good—the gospel becomes visible. The grace of God stops being just a message we preach; it becomes a life people can actually see. The Spirit grows these virtues through friction. He uses pressure, inconvenience, and conflict to make His grace visible in us. And when PATIENCE, KINDNESS, and GOODNESS mature, everything shifts. Relationships change. Homes heal. Churches unite. Communities take notice.

—> PATIENCE—Wait Well
- Ask, “God, what are You forming in me while I wait?”
- Trust that delay is often development—God strengthening what will eventually bear fruit.
- Q: Where is your PATIENCE being tested by God’s timing right now?

—> KINDNESS—Move Toward People
- Let compassion interrupt your schedule.
- Remember—KINDNESS draws people toward repentance because it shows them the heart of God.
- Q: Who needs undeserved KINDNESS from you this week?
- Choose one act of undeserved KINDNESS: write a note, make a call, forgive a debt, bring a meal, or simply listen longer than feels convenient.
- Let compassion make the first move.

—> GOODNESS—Act with Integrity
- GOODNESS blesses even when it costs you.
- Do what’s right even when no one notices.
- Q: Where can you actively do GOOD this week in a world that expects apathy?
- Don’t wait for applause—do it for the glory of God.

-- Sanctification is a cooperative process—God is powerfully at work in us, and we actively work out what He is working in us. This fruit grows as you yield, listen, and obey the Holy Spirit.

-- Together, patience waits, kindness moves, and goodness acts—and when they work in harmony, the world gets a living picture of Jesus.

-- So may your patience reveal His peace, your kindness reflect His compassion, and your goodness display His holiness.

RESPOND, REFLECT & COMMUNION

I would like to give you a chance to respond to God…

-- What did God reveal about who he is to you today in our time in God’s word?
-- What did God reveal about what he has done or is doing in our time in God’s word?
-- What did you learn about who you are as we looked at these stories today?
-- What did you learn about what you are supposed to do?

—> Let's take a minute to thank Him, respond to Him, confess our sins to Him, examine our hearts before we take communion...

—> WHAT IS JESUS SAYING TO YOU TODAY?
—> WHAT IS JESUS ASKING YOU TO DO?