The Kindness Project

0:00 I would like to start today with asking you one question

0:06 What is the fruit of your relationship with Jesus?

0:11 What is the tangible fruit of your relationship with Jesus?

0:17 And I want you to keep this in mind.

0:18 As we go through the message today, so today we are going to continue talking about kindness in action.

0:25 We've been doing this theme of kindness in action over the whole month of August and we've been hearing.

0:31 From Different stories from the Good Samaritan from the story of Mary and Martha from the lost son last weekend, but today I want us to focus on action on the part of action.

0:46 So I know that you are all paying attention and not all awake right now.

0:50 But I'm going to ask you to help me preach today.

0:52 So if you see that you start getting sleepy.

0:55 I want you to take action.

0:57 Amen, so I'm going to start reading from James 2 14,

1:04 and it says What good is it?

1:07 My brothers and sisters?

1:08 If someone claims to have faith but has no Deeds,

1:13 can such faith save them suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

1:19 And if one of you says to them go in peace, keep warm and well fed.

1:23 But does nothing about the physical needs.

1:25 What good is it in the same way?

1:29 Faith by itself?

1:30 If it's not accompanied by action is dead, but someone will say you have faith.

1:37 I have Deeds show me what your faith without Deeds and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

1:44 You believe that there is one God good, even the Demons believe that and shudder you foolish person.

1:53 Do you want evidence that faith without Deeds is useless?

1:56 And this was not a father.

1:58 Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the Altar.

2:04 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, his faith and his actions were working together.

2:11 And his faith was made complete by what he did and the scripture was fulfilled that says believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God's friend.

2:30 You see a person is considered righteous by what they do, and not by faith alone.

2:39 I believe like, over the years, we've been talking about action and faith and action and how we become useful.

2:46 Our faith doesn't make us useless, it makes us useful that was your opportunity to take action.

2:55 Come on.

2:55 I know you can do that today.

2:58 We're not just going to have a little.

2:59 This is not about a little Sunday experience.

3:02 A little fix for religious take of the day, actually, today is about getting transformed by the word of God.

3:10 So we can take action and have an impact when we get out of there, amen So my first point is Kindness is a fruit of our faith in action.

3:22 And as we read in Galatians, 5 22, says where it talks about the fruits of the spirit, it says.

3:27 But the holy spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

3:39 And there is no law against these things in another Bible verse, talking about the tree and the fruit in Matthew 7 15.

3:47 We hear beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves.

3:55 You can identify them by the fruit you will identify them by the fruit that is by the way they act.

4:04 Can you pick grapes from a thorn, bushes or figs from the fishels?

4:08 A good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

4:15 A good tree.

4:16 Okay, this is when it gets hard for my Spanish tongue.

4:19 A good tree can't produce bad fruit and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.

4:23 So every tree that does not produce good fruit, what happens is chopped down is thrown into the fire chopped down.

4:33 If we are not producing fruit, we are not useful.

4:37 So yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their excellent muy bien.

4:46 Well done, well done, come on, we're getting there.

4:49 I see that you're awake.

4:51 So this passage is happening as part of the sermon on the mount and Jesus is trying to explain how.

4:58 What's the evidence of genuine faith and talking about the fruit and making it simple, keeping it simple?

5:04 So back to my question, what is the fruit of your relationship with Jesus?

5:10 Can people identify you by your actions?

5:14 Not just by what you say, but what you do?

5:17 No matter how young or how old we are we all our faith is going to be demonstrated by our actions.

5:25 And I was thinking about my daughter, our little two year old, she's fearless like she is such.

5:33 She has such strong will, and she's so fearless.

5:35 She climbs everywhere.

5:36 She drives me nuts Um, she just she doesn't see anything dangerous, she just goes for it, she climbs every tree.

5:46 And now she's learned every day she's getting a new hour, so she's coming to me, Mama, Mama, I. I got hurt here, I mean, in Summer camp, the first day she got stung by a wasp in her eye, so it so it was very dramatic starting from there,

6:02 but now every day she comes and she says, Mama, Mama.

6:05 I hurt myself.

6:05 I have an hour here.

6:06 But what she does should we pray for it and she prays for it in Jesus' name, she speaks the name of Jesus and says Amen and she doesn't do it only for herself.

6:16 She does it at Kitas.

6:17 She does it in Kids' Church after she's hit someone, then she says, Sorry and prays for them, we're still learning in the process that we should not hate.

6:26 But at least she then realizes I'm going to pray for them

6:31 and this might look like a small thing.

6:35 But actually, she's starting to actually show her faith through her actions.

6:39 And I think that's so natural for her so natural, it just comes out of her, but doesn't come out naturally for you.

6:48 Do you feel like you're making such an effort today to be kind, or is it actually coming out of you?

6:53 Is it a fruit that's coming out of you

6:57 and don't get me wrong like you cannot earn salvation?

6:59 That's the one thing that you can only get through faith alone salvation, you don't earn it, you receive it amen.

7:07 But I wonder how many of us stay there.

7:11 Stay in the comfort zone of.

7:13 Oh, Jesus has saved me.

7:15 I'm in the right side now.

7:17 Everything is going to be done for me.

7:18 So I put the automatic pilot and I cruise through my Christian life.

7:22 How many of us know that there's no cruising in Christian in a Christian life amen?

7:28 There is exactly the opposite.

7:31 There's no passivity we are not called to passivity.

7:34 This is just the beginning of an amazing journey with our living savior amen.

7:39 We live in a city where we get confronted every day as you get at least me in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin.

7:48 As you get out of the door, you get confronted straight away with the best and the worst of humanity and Berlin is definitely not known for being a kind city for being.

8:01 I remember.

8:02 I started working in a school in the East of Berlin.

8:05 Marzahn and I worked with young people and it was really interesting and I remember the kids when I first started working there.

8:17 Asking me, Why are you here?

8:20 Are you just being kind to us because it's your job because you get paid for it?

8:26 Or are you actually really interested in us?

8:28 Are you just going to leave?

8:29 After a few months like everyone else, what are you here for?

8:33 Do you really believe in us?

8:34 And it was really interesting because these kids, they were hardcore kids,

8:40 they were strong kids.

8:42 But they knew how to identify is this person authentic or no, because if you're not not interested, I'm not letting you in.

8:50 Some of them came from very crazy backgrounds like teenager parents, abusive backgrounds, alcohol, all kinds of things.

9:00 And they really were desperate to know Why am I here?

9:04 Am I just a mistake?

9:05 Or does anyone care about me?

9:07 Does anyone care of?

9:08 Why am I in this world?

9:12 And I remember in this school?

9:15 Our teachers and social workers that work together every day were in constant sick leave.

9:20 They were burned out constantly.

9:23 We had always substitute teachers coming in and out because it was a really hard ground.

9:31 And we for me.

9:33 I think this is definitely being one of the most difficult things I've ever done.

9:37 Especially because my German was like half there, I had to make up everything I didn't know how to say.

9:43 But the kids were so hungry that, even when I didn't have the words, they put the words in my mouth, I was like, That's what I mean, Yeah, Yeah, yeah.

9:50 You say that right?

9:51 That's what I mean.

9:52 That's how hungry they were to receive.

9:55 So I remember we actually came up with some kindness, plotting some kindness ideas.

10:02 How can we turn this environment around and we make it really fun and where we were in our rooms?

10:07 Every time they came in, we made sure that we were kind to each other right?

10:12 So every time they would say anything unkind to each other or about themselves, we made them say three good things and this turned into a really fun game, so they at the end.

10:23 It was almost like they did it on purpose, so they get to hear good things right and even they turned it against me.

10:28 When I was like, Maybe going climbing with them, and I was like, Oh, I can't do it.

10:32 I went Sheila, remember what you told us, but it was a really, really special time.

10:38 And realizing that we can have such an impact in turning the atmosphere around every Sunday.

10:46 I got a word something that was shared on Sunday that I could take with me on Monday and encourage these kids every single week.

10:56 And I feel like it is easy to be kind to your nice neighbors.

11:00 But what about the people that's actually not so nice?

11:03 What about those crazy drivers or bike drivers?

11:06 That's so friendly?

11:09 Sometimes we have to be purposeful, we have to be as purposeful.

11:15 As the enemy is in trying to pull us down, let's keep it fun, let's keep it interesting, get creative.

11:22 How can you surprise someone this week?

11:25 How can you surprise that neighbor?

11:26 That maybe actually needs a word of encouragement or the person in the spiti that maybe hasn't heard in the whole year?

11:35 Yet?

11:35 Hey, thank you for your job.

11:37 Thank you for your 24 hours being open.

11:39 I don't know whatever is it for.

11:41 You is whatever is close to you.

11:44 What can you do?

11:46 Which leads me to my second point?

11:48 Which is getting ready for Vamos action?

11:56 Do you know where your strength as a believer comes from

12:01 in ProVerbs 3, 5 to 6.

12:04 So who are you putting your trust in?

12:17 Because if you're getting ready for action, you're going to have to know who do you put your trust in?

12:22 Is it your money?

12:24 Is it your intelligence, how smart you are?

12:26 Is it your job or your relationships?

12:29 Who are you putting your trust in

12:33 in Philippians?

12:33 4 10 to 14?

12:34 says, or with everything.

12:54 I've learned the secret of living in every situation.

12:58 Whether it's with a full stomach or an empty with plenty or little for.

13:03 I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength amen, so the Bible is calling us to do this life, this Christian life through the strength he provides.

13:18 But I wonder how many of us are just trying to do it?

13:23 Your way, your smart way because you don't need that strength because you know what you're doing and you know what.

13:32 I'm actually sad to see so many children of God that are coming and going that, maybe they didn't see what they expected, they got disappointed, started giving up, got exhausted.

13:48 Because when you are trying on your own strength, that has a limit, you get exhausted and burned out.

13:58 Some to the point that they lost the faith stop believing on what we do as a church,

14:07 stop participating and making it better for us.

14:11 Some becoming numb to the significant role that we have, for example, with our strategic partnerships with vision rescue.

14:18 And all these things that we do together that we do as a community.

14:21 As the heart of our community groups, what we have is when we get together, someone else's benefit, it's as easy as that.

14:28 Just because we can have fun.

14:31 We can think of someone else and it's going to change someone else's life.

14:35 You know, I have heard this term of compassion.

14:38 Fatigue like people who experience.

14:41 This may exhibit a variety of symptoms, including lower concentration, numbness of feelings or helplessness, irritability, lack of self satisfaction, withdrawal, aches, pains, exhaustion, anger, or reduced ability.

14:58 To feel empathy.

15:01 And I know that that's not who are we called to be?

15:05 I know that we are going to get ready for action.

15:07 We need to start putting on a Christ war clothes we are in this spiritual war and I don't think you would go into a fight.

15:17 Just with your sandals with your chanclas, that's not how you go into a fight.

15:22 You get ready.

15:24 You put your boots on.

15:25 You.

15:25 Get geared up because you need you're gonna.

15:28 You know that your life depends on it right?

15:31 Sorry, if you thought this is gonna be a nice.

15:35 It's kind of a message.

15:38 But it's going to be an action message in Ephesians 6 13, it says, therefore, put on every piece of the arm of the God's armor.

15:49 So you will be able to resist the enemy on the time of evil,

15:54 then, after the battle you will be standing firm.

15:57 We will be standing firm, we've been fighting for our youth, we're standing firm, we've

16:00 for years and I tell you what happened this week.

16:04 We're not just standing on our ground, we're taking new ground amen, we're taking ground that's been robbed from us.

16:11 Amen putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness for shoes put on the peace that comes from the good news so that you will be fully prepared.

16:27 And in addition to all this, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

16:34 Put on the salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

16:41 What does it look like to be ready for action?

16:44 Imagine you need the sword of God and you're looking for it, but you have forgotten the word of God, so where are your tools to fight this good fight?

16:51 Not even Jesus went into battle into ministry without being equipped.

16:58 And we see as his baptism performed by John.

17:01 The baptist was the beginning of his public ministry.

17:06 It was an expression of God's kindness towards humanity.

17:09 Why was his baptism so significant?

17:12 Number one he identified with humanity?

17:15 He went in the baptism of repentance.

17:18 Even though he was clean of any sin.

17:20 Because he was affirming that he came, he was aligning with the people that he came to save.

17:28 It served as an anointing commissioning you can find it in Luke 3 21, where the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove.

17:36 And a voice from Heaven declared This is my son whom I love with him.

17:42 I am well pleased.

17:43 Affirming his divine identity and purpose, he was obedient to God and he served as a model for us.

17:51 Believers set the example to follow him.

17:55 Get water baptized as an initiation into this new God life.

18:01 And it was just only after his baptism that he went into teaching and preaching and miracles happening.

18:09 So if we know that this was like that for Jesus, why would we think that we can do it?

18:15 Without him?

18:18 You know what I loved about Summer camp, five young people decided to get water baptized amen and we know how powerful this decision is.

18:32 I think sometimes for us, as others, it can be so that we have so much baggage and questions and things we make it complicated.

18:40 But for these young people, they were bold and they came forward and they made this decision to get.

18:45 Water baptized there in Romans 6.

18:47 Talking about Water Baptism Romans 6 3 to in the message version that says So what do we do?

18:54 Keep on Sinning?

18:55 So God keep on forgiving or I should hope not?

19:00 If we left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old House there?

19:08 Or didn't you realize?

19:09 We packed up and left there for good.

19:12 We packed up and left for good.

19:14 That is what happened in the baptism when we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind

19:22 when we came up out of the water.

19:24 We entered into the new country of Grace, a new life and a new land.

19:30 You know, you don't live just in Germany.

19:35 You come out to this new land and this new life.

19:40 That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means when we are lowered into the water, it's like the burial of Jesus.

19:46 And when we are raised out of the water, it's like the resurrection of Jesus, each of us raised into a light filled world by our father.

19:53 So that we can see where we are going in a new Grace sovereign country, New Grace sovereign country.

20:01 That's how powerful it is how it would be any clearer.

20:06 Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin miserable life, no longer captive to the sins demands what we believe is this.

20:17 If we get included in Christ's sin conquering death, we also get included in his life saving resurrection.

20:23 We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead, it was a signal of the end of the death.

20:29 As the end, never again will death have the last word when Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but a life he brings God down to us.

20:40 From now on think of it, this way, Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you anymore and God speaks your mother tongue.

20:50 For me, it would be Spanish español and you hang on to every word.

20:56 There's nothing better than to hear things in your own language,

21:00 you are dead to sin and alive to God.

21:02 And that's what Jesus did.

21:05 That's what Jesus did with water baptism, so I really believe this is accessible for us.

21:12 And then, in Matthew, 28, they gave us a great commission.

21:16 Go out there and make disciples of all nations baptizing them.

21:22 Why is this so important?

21:23 He has given us the Great Commission.

21:26 Maybe you are already water baptized.

21:28 But what are you doing to help others to get water baptized?

21:31 Tell your story because I tell you it depends on this.

21:36 To be ready to go into this war zone that we have out there.

21:41 It's going to take action, it's going to take every single one of us to be proactive about this amen.

21:47 Maybe we should be called Hillsong Berlin, the Baptizing Church, why not?

21:54 So?

21:54 I was thinking next week we actually want to have water baptisms right here,

22:03 so for us.

22:07 For me, for example, I remember the first time I heard I can't remember who was preaching about it.

22:13 But I've grown up in a Catholic background, so Spanish Catholic School for 13 14 years.

22:20 And obviously in our tradition, we do sprinkling as a baby and all of that but I remember when I heard for the first time this, I mean, if you just read this.

22:29 Bible verse the power of this Bible verse who doesn't want to be raised up into this light? Filled world that God has provided for us right and be free from sin alive to his wondrous life.

22:43 So I decided to get water baptized 11 years ago, in May it was cold, it was in Schlachtensee.

22:50 I will never forget, but next week we're going to give people an opportunity to get a water baptized here, so who can you talk?

22:58 to?

22:58 Who can you encourage it might be in your community?

23:00 It might be just now in the foyer.

23:02 And if you don't know what this is about.

23:04 And you're thinking, Oh, wait, a second, do I need to be washed first?

23:08 Do I need to sign a form of?

23:10 I'm going to well behave for the rest of my life?

23:13 If you want to know more, just talk to the team afterwards and we'll tell you

23:18 So I'm going to finish now.

23:19 my last point is called the parable of the elder son, You know, last week we heard from Connie for those that were here, The Story of the Lost Son and The Kindness of the Father.

23:31 But in this story that we have heard many times, there's one character that we sometimes forget.

23:37 And that's the elder brother.

23:39 I think as a church and wherever we are, we do get to see so many kindness.

23:46 Examples of kindness.

23:47 In the bible and through friendships and community, we are surrounded by it, it's part of our culture, it's part of our values as a church.

23:54 But sometimes I believe you can be surrounded by it surrounded by this, surrounded by it.

24:00 And still not be in you.

24:02 And that's why the question What is?

24:04 The fruit of your life of your relationship with?

24:06 Jesus is important because it's a moment to reflect Okay, is this in me,

24:12 let me summarize the story for you.

24:16 The youngest brother just basically asked the father for his inheritance money and basically leaves to spend it all.

24:22 And to get lost.

24:23 Until he reaches this very, very low point in his life, where he basically ends up eating food from the pigs.

24:31 And he just thinks about it and says, Okay, you know what I actually think I'm going to go back home.

24:36 I'm going to ask my father for forgiveness, I'm going to hope for the best.

24:41 But, meanwhile, back at home, we have the elder brother and he's watching?

24:46 His father?

24:46 Celebrate this sinful brother that just did that horrible thing, and he's not rejoicing at all.

24:56 He didn't understand his father's heart and his grace grace towards the youngest son, so he basically became jealous and safe.

25:04 Righteous, I've been doing the all of this for you.

25:06 I've been taking care of your house.

25:07 I've been doing all that.

25:08 I've been keeping all the rules I deserve I should be.

25:12 He became self righteous, while the other son just went completely lost and doing my own way.

25:20 It's interesting in this story that there are two brothers living under the same house with the same father.

25:28 But each of them had to learn a lesson, they both got it wrong, they both failed.

25:35 And you know, sometimes we might identify with these stories, ourselves,

25:42 but I would like you to reimagine.

25:44 Let's reimagine this story.

25:45 How could it look like?

25:46 If the eldest son would have taken action, how would it look like?

25:53 Let me read you the parable of the compassionate elder brother.

25:58 So there was one time in this village, where a father has two sons and the youngest son.

26:04 Driven by curiosity and restlessness, he asks the father for his share of the inheritance and embark on a journey to a distant land.

26:10 Where he squandered his wealth and reckless living only to find himself in dire Straits faced by his mistakes, he longed to return home and seek his father's forgiveness and a new beginning.

26:23 Back in the village.

26:24 The elder brother was keeping his father's business and taking care of everything, but his heart was heavy.

26:30 So he actually thinking about a brother, he actually thought I'm going to go.

26:35 Look for my brother, he thought about the parable of the lost sheep and what he had learned from his father.

26:41 And he took a journey to find his brother after a journey of many miles, the elder son found his brother in a state of desperation.

26:51 He embraced him warmly and said Brother, I've been searching for you, our father's heart aches for you.

26:59 So does mine.

27:01 Let us return home together, where forgiveness and a new beginning awaits

27:08 touched by his elder, brother's compassion and the younger son felt a mixture of astonishment and gratitude, and the two of them journeyed back to the village hand in hand, reconnecting the bond along the way.

27:21 Their reunion was marked not only by the physical return of the younger son, but by the unity and compassion that they had been renewed between them when they reached home, the father saw his two sons returning together and his heart overflowed with joy.

27:36 The actions of the elder son had beautifully mirrored the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

27:44 You know, how different is this story from the story that tells us the Bible?

27:50 And as in every story that we've heard over the last few weeks, the Good Samaritan, The Story of Mary and Martha, The Lost son.

27:57 We always want to see ourselves as the savior as like the guy that got it right.

28:02 But actually, we are the ones that need reminding of the Jesus way.

28:09 We can change our story because of Jesus, we can change our story and we can take action today, Amen the eldest son what the eldest son did in this story, it was actually what Jesus does for us.

28:23 He impersonated kindness, and when looking for us, he took personal responsibility and action.

28:29 He knew the father's heart and the fruit of that relationship was kindness.

28:35 The fruit of that relationship with the father was kindness.

28:40 So let me ask you again, where are you at?

28:45 Can you see yourself reflected in this story?

28:49 Have you ever considered?

28:50 What is the fruit of my relationship with the Father?

28:55 Have you got distracted and become maybe self righteous by trying to do what you thought is going to earn you the father's love.

29:03 Today is the day where we come back home.

29:05 Today is the day where we actually are going to step up, take action and recommit our lives to him.

29:12 And maybe today is the day where you are going to make a decision.

29:16 You know what I need to get equipped, I need to get water baptized.

29:19 I need the holy spirit with me.

29:20 I cannot do this Christian life on my own amen

29:32 you.

Kindness The Fruit Of Faith In Action.

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