Sermon Info
Summary
As we look back over our lives, we can see how God has been there every step of the way. As a Christ-follower, we are called to stay in the center of His will and to be a part of His Church. We live our lives for His agenda and not our own. When we follow Jesus, then we see God do miracles. In the journey of life, it is important to follow, to trust, and to celebrate. How often do we stop and give God the glory for the great things He has done in our life? God’s goodness is so evident to all of us. When we actually give Him the praise He deserves, it changes our attitude and draws us close to His heart. Our God is so good. Let’s celebrate and live in His goodness!
Content
God's Goodness in Others
There is a time for everything, as God's Word says. There are times to mourn, to learn, to rest, to laugh, to grieve. In this past season, it may have felt like there were more times for harder things than there were times for celebration. We, as a community, as a nation, and as a world, have faced many trying things in the past 18 months. We've had to walk through the unknown and the unforeseen.
Yet, still we can celebrate. Why?
Because God has remained constant, faithful, and good.
While change has been ever-present in this season, God's goodness has not changed. While conflict is on the rise, God's goodness is still greater. While challenges, difficulties, and trials come, God's goodness goes before us – He walks ahead of us, in control over all.
So, regardless of what circumstances have looked like for you this past year – whether it's been a season of plenty or a season of want – will you celebrate with us? Will you choose to look at the goodness of God in your life and celebrate those sweet and special moments? Will you make this a time to celebrate, faithfully and joyfully, because our God has remained true to Himself even when our world has changed?
What the Bible Says about God’s Goodness
In the first book of 1 Thessalonians, we learn the context of this letter – that this letter was written to the church in Thessalonica, letting the Christ-followers there know that their call, and the call of every Christian, is to follow Jesus. Paul writes this first book to encourage the people that our life should become about God’s agenda, not our own. And God’s goodness comes when we stay in the center of His will.
That’s what the Church is about, friends, and that’s what God’s Word tells us here: God’s Church grows as we give our best for His glory. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Paul is encouraging the church in Thessalonica – with this “thank you letter” and this letter of encouragement to the people there – because of their faithfulness and the attributes they exemplified that are found in this passage: faith, love, and hope. God’s Church grew there because they trusted God to be good and because they faithfully and obediently followed God and let the Holy Spirit lead them. When God’s Church is built on those faith, love, and hope and is led by the Holy Spirit, it grows. And when Christ followers bind together to build the Church, the world is changed.
God’s Goodness in our Lives
God's goodness is all around us. It's in the big things and the small. It's in His vision and purpose for us. He has a plan for us, and His goodness comes when we are in the center of His will, when we commit our lives fully to Him. He's good, and His plan for us is good.
Do you trust Him to use you? Do you trust Him to be good, all the time? Whether we “feel it” or not, we have to make the choice to thank God, to rejoice in Him always, and to trust Him in every circumstance, good or bad. He will use His Church, His people, and His child, you, to further His Kingdom, and we can look to Him and follow His agenda for our lives. He will always come through, and He is always worthy of our praise.
It’s time to celebrate. Praising God and celebrating His goodness is not dependent upon good things happening in our lives. It’s dependent upon Him being good, which never changes. His goodness can always be celebrated because even when we can’t see it, He is working. He never stops working, and He never stops being good.
