Restoring Goodness: A Call to Active Faithfulness
Summary
In a world where definitions of goodness are constantly shifting, it’s easy to feel confused and overwhelmed. True goodness, however, is not determined by our own standards or the world’s opinions, but by God’s original intent and purpose for creation. Goodness, in its biblical sense, is about restoring what is broken, redeeming what has been fractured, and aligning our lives with the Creator’s design. This is not a passive quality; it is an active, Spirit-led urge to bring healing and wholeness wherever we encounter brokenness—whether in our own hearts, our families, or our communities.
From the very beginning, God called creation good, but humanity’s decision to define goodness on its own terms led to brokenness. Jesus came as the second Adam to restore and redeem, showing us what it looks like to live according to God’s purpose. His life was marked by a deep, gut-level compassion that could not ignore suffering or need. This same Spirit of goodness now dwells in us, compelling us to act, to restore, and to bring hope where there is despair.
Faithfulness is closely linked to goodness. It is the Spirit-empowered ability to withstand pressure and remain steadfast in what God has entrusted to us. Like pillars that hold up a structure, faithfulness is proven not in the absence of difficulty, but under the weight of it. The capacity to love and serve sacrificially in big moments is cultivated in the small, daily acts of faithfulness when no one is watching.
We are called to be a preview of heaven—a taste of what is to come. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives is not just for our own benefit, but for the sake of others. Throughout history, Christians have been moved by the Spirit to confront brokenness and bring restoration, whether through starting hospitals, universities, or caring for the vulnerable. Our legacy is to be people who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, fix what is broken and point others to God’s redemptive purpose.
No matter the brokenness we face—in ourselves, our families, or our world—there is nothing too great for the Holy Spirit to restore. Each of us carries a call to speak good, to act with faithfulness, and to be a living preview of God’s kingdom. May we respond to the Spirit’s urging, bringing our brokenness and the brokenness around us to Jesus, trusting that He is able to make all things new.
Key Takeaways
- Goodness is not defined by our own standards or the world’s shifting values, but by God’s original purpose for creation. True goodness is redemptive, seeking to restore what is broken and align our lives with the Creator’s intent. This means our actions are rooted in intentionality and a desire to see God’s design fulfilled in every area of life. [07:49]
- The Spirit-led urge to do good is not passive; it is a deep, sometimes painful compassion that compels us to act. Like Jesus, who could not walk past brokenness without responding, we are called to engage with the needs around us, allowing the Spirit to move us toward restoration and healing. This urge is evidence of the Spirit’s fruit growing within us. [10:39]
- Faithfulness is proven under pressure, not in comfort. It is the Spirit’s power that enables us to remain loyal, trustworthy, and steadfast when life’s challenges test our resolve. The ability to stand firm in big moments is cultivated through daily, often unseen acts of love and commitment in our closest relationships. [16:34]
- Our lives are meant to be a preview of heaven—a foretaste of the restoration and wholeness that God intends for all creation. As the “first fruits,” we are called to embody goodness and faithfulness, giving the world a glimpse of what it looks like when God’s Spirit is at work. This is both a privilege and a responsibility, shaping our legacy and impact. [21:08]
- The Holy Spirit empowers us to confront and redeem brokenness, both in ourselves and in the world around us. No situation is too far gone for God’s restoring power. We are invited to bring our brokenness to Jesus, trust in His ability to make all things new, and respond to His call to be agents of restoration in our generation. [30:21]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[07:19] - Defining Biblical Goodness
[08:35] - Goodness as Redemptive Action
[09:22] - Jesus Restores God’s Original Purpose
[10:23] - The Compassion of Jesus
[11:20] - The Spirit’s Urge to Restore
[12:12] - A Family Story of Redemption
[14:17] - Creating a Legacy of Restoration
[15:50] - Understanding Faithfulness
[16:34] - Faithfulness Under Pressure
[18:24] - Cultivating Faithfulness in Daily Life
[20:20] - Goodness and Faithfulness as a Preview of Heaven
[23:24] - The Christian Legacy of Restoration
[25:02] - One Heart Foundation: A Story of Impact
[26:58] - Jaden’s Story: Redemption in Action
[28:23] - Invitation to Goodness and Faithfulness
[30:21] - Nothing Too Broken for the Holy Spirit
[32:13] - Responding to God’s Goodness
[35:54] - Prayer and Celebration
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Goodness & Faithfulness as a Preview of Heaven
---
### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
2. Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
3. James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
---
### Observation Questions
1. In Genesis 1, what does God call “good” and what does this reveal about His original intent for creation?
(see [08:52])
2. According to Galatians 5, what are the “fruits of the Spirit” and which two are highlighted in the sermon as a preview of heaven?
(see [30:21])
3. In the sermon, what examples are given of Jesus responding to brokenness, and how does this show the Spirit’s urge to restore?
(see [10:52])
4. What does James 1:18 mean when it says we are “a kind of firstfruits of all he created”?
(see [20:50])
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon says that true goodness is about restoring what is broken and aligning with God’s original purpose. How does this differ from how the world usually defines “goodness”?
(see [07:49])
2. The Spirit’s urge to do good is described as a “deep, sometimes painful compassion.” Why do you think the Spirit’s prompting can feel uncomfortable or even painful at times?
(see [10:39])
3. Faithfulness is compared to pillars that hold up a structure, especially under pressure. What does this image teach us about the kind of faithfulness God desires from us?
(see [16:03])
4. The sermon says our lives are meant to be a “preview of heaven.” What does it look like for a person or a community to give others a taste of God’s kingdom here and now?
(see [21:08])
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon challenges us to confront brokenness in our own hearts, families, and communities. Is there a specific area of brokenness in your life or relationships where you sense the Spirit urging you to seek restoration? What is one step you could take this week?
(see [28:38])
2. Jesus could not walk past suffering without responding. Think of a situation you’ve recently encountered where you felt compassion but hesitated to act. What held you back, and what might it look like to respond differently next time?
(see [10:52])
3. Faithfulness is cultivated in small, daily acts when no one is watching. What is one “small” act of faithfulness you can commit to in your family, workplace, or friendships this week?
(see [18:58])
4. The sermon mentions that Christians throughout history have started hospitals, schools, and cared for the vulnerable as a legacy of restoration. What is one practical way you or your group could serve or bring hope to someone in need in your community?
(see [23:53])
5. The message says, “There is nothing too broken for the Holy Spirit to restore.” Is there a situation in your life that feels “too far gone”? How can you bring this to Jesus in prayer and trust Him for restoration?
(see [30:21])
6. The idea of being a “firstfruit” means being a preview of what’s to come. In what ways do you think your life currently reflects (or doesn’t reflect) God’s goodness and faithfulness to those around you?
(see [20:50])
7. The sermon invites us to speak good over people and situations. Who is one person you can intentionally encourage or speak life over this week? What will you say or do?
(see [29:39])
---
Close in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to empower each person to be agents of restoration and previews of God’s kingdom in their daily lives.
Devotional
Day 1: Goodness is Restoring God’s Original Purpose
Goodness is not just about outward actions or appearances, but about aligning our lives with God’s original intent and purpose for creation. When we choose to live out biblical goodness, we participate in God’s redemptive work, seeking to put back together what has been broken by sin and self-interest. This kind of goodness is active, intentional, and rooted in the desire to see God’s design restored in our hearts, families, and communities. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we become agents of restoration, bringing healing and wholeness where there is brokenness. [08:35]
Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Reflection: Where do you see brokenness in your life or community that God might be calling you to help restore to His original purpose today?
Day 2: Jesus Models Compassionate, Redemptive Goodness
Jesus could not simply walk past brokenness; He was moved with deep compassion and acted to heal, restore, and set things right. His life shows us that true goodness is not passive but is compelled to respond to suffering and need. As followers of Jesus, we are called to cultivate that same urge within us—to notice the pain around us and to allow the Spirit to move us to action, whether it’s in our own hearts, our families, or the world. The Spirit of goodness in us urges us to fix what is broken, just as Jesus did. [11:38]
Matthew 9:35-36 (ESV)
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Reflection: Who is someone in your life or community that you sense God is urging you to reach out to with compassion and practical help this week?
Day 3: Faithfulness is Standing Strong Under Pressure
Faithfulness is the Spirit-led ability to remain loyal, trustworthy, and steadfast even when life brings pressure and challenges. Like strong pillars, faithfulness holds up under stress, not by our own strength but by the daily presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It is cultivated in the small, everyday acts of love and loyalty, preparing us to stand firm when greater tests come. When the world’s pressures mount, what is truly in our hearts is revealed—will we turn to God and remain faithful to His word and calling? [17:18]
James 1:12 (ESV)
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Reflection: What is one small, daily act of faithfulness you can practice today that will help you stand strong when bigger pressures come?
Day 4: We Are a Preview of Heaven—Firstfruits of God’s Restoration
As God’s people, we are called “firstfruits”—a preview and promise of the full restoration to come. Our lives, filled with the fruit of the Spirit, are meant to give the world a taste of heaven, showing what it looks like when God’s goodness and faithfulness are present. By living out this calling, we become a sign of hope and a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting others to experience God’s redemptive love and purpose. [21:08]
James 1:18 (ESV)
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Reflection: In what ways can your life today give others a glimpse of God’s goodness and faithfulness—being a “preview of heaven” in your relationships and actions?
Day 5: The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Overcome Brokenness
There is no brokenness—personal, familial, or communal—that is too great for the Holy Spirit to restore. The Spirit empowers us to speak good, to act redemptively, and to overcome every obstacle that stands in the way of God’s purpose. No matter how overwhelming the need or how deep the fracture, God’s Spirit is able to bring healing, hope, and new beginnings. Our legacy is to be Spirit-empowered restorers, bringing the goodness and faithfulness of God into every area of life. [30:38]
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Reflection: What area of brokenness in your life, family, or community do you need to bring to the Holy Spirit today, trusting Him to empower you to overcome and restore?
Quotes
Biblical goodness is putting back together a broken world in a word agathosone. Now, I did consult with my Greek friend Christine this morning about pronouncing that correctly. I hope I've done you well. But this word, it's it talks about what the true meaning of goodness is. And it's about purpose. Goodness is defined by the intent for which it was created. It's not just about actions or appearance. It's about aligning with God's purpose, fulfilling the intent of the creator. The goodness we're called to reflect isn't about what's good in our eyes. It's not what about what's about is good in our friend's eyes, the world's eyes. It's about aligning our lives and pointing to the original purpose God designed for us. [00:07:16]
In its truest form, goodness is rooted in intentionality, redeeming a broken world to the purpose that God first created it to be. Simply put, goodness is putting back together a broken world. You see, the opposite of goodness is broken and fractured. And so to bring godly goodness, the fruit of the spirit goodness into the world is putting back together what has been broken. So spirit-led goodness is redemptive. This means that this sort of goodness, it's not passive. It acts and it even weeps on behalf of those who need restoration, who are in a broken world. [00:08:07]
You see, in Genesis 1, we have God creating the world and he calls it good. He creates men and women. He calls them good. But then over a time, he gives it to um Adam to steward and and Adam he and he and Eve, they drift away and they decide for themselves what they will call good. And so at the core of every sin that we have is this decision that people want to decide for themselves what goodness is. And what it has led to is a brokenness, a fracture in the world today. And it is still evident in our world today. [00:08:46]
But then Jesus came as the second Adam to restore, to redeem what had been broken and to make it to its original purpose and its original intent to which God had created. You see, God speaks good over the world. And God speaks good over people. And so Jesus came and he came to show us what it would look like if the world were in God's original plan and purpose that he designed for it. You see, we could say that brokenness in the world is the absence of goodness. [00:09:24]
So Jesus comes and he starts to show us what it looks like for goodness to be replaced back in the world. We see that Jesus, he can't just walk past brokenness in the street. Let's think about the gospels. Jesus was known to have um it's a word it's called uh splon splonashion. So everybody say splonashion. I don't want to say incorrectly myself. And so people would say that that Jesus had spons. And it was an intense compassion. It was a compassion where he would double over and he couldn't just walk past that which was broken. He had an urge in him. [00:10:12]
He had the spirit of goodness in him that urged him to fix what was broken in the world. And so we see Jesus walk past the blind and he has an urge and a comp. He can't walk past it and he heals the blind. And he walks past people who are tormented in their mind. And he can't just walk past it. He heals them. And he walks past the brokenness that he sees in the way people are thinking and the way that people are living in the world. And he sets them straight with the word of God. He sets them straight with the truth. And this is the urge of goodness in us. [00:10:50]
It's the spirit in us producing a fruit to fix what is broken in the world. And you and I have that very same spirit, the spirit of goodness in it. Goodness in us that urges, compels, moves us, pursues us to fix what is broken in our own life. an urge to fix what is broken in our own heart, in our own soul. An urge to fix what is broken in our family, an urge to fix what is broken in our community. It's this urge that Jesus had. So, as we follow Jesus, as we stay close to Jesus, this is what the fruit of the spirit begins to produce in us. [00:11:20]
You see there is within each person because God has declared that you are good a desire to be a good person. A desire to be a good man and a good woman. And there's a desire and an urge to do what you have to do to get things right with God, to be on purpose and live with the original intent that God placed in your heart. And so my brother, he went into the program, he got kicked out, but we got him back in. And we as a family just celebrated a couple of months ago his completion of the program. He surrendered his heart to Jesus. He's a completely new person. [00:13:30]
See, the Holy Spirit when it sees brokenness, it's going to cause you to be uncomfortable. It's going to cause you to confront that which is broken in the world. And so, we got together and over amount of time, we were able to together come together and address this addiction problem and create a a rehabilitation um program, rehabilitation home for men. It was that same rehabilitation program that we started 12 years ago that my brother just graduated from. How incredible to know that Jesus is going to put in you an urge to fix what is broken. [00:14:34]
You see, the fruit of the spirit, the goodness, it's not just for ourselves. It's for the sake of others. We need to be people that are willing to confront, redeem what has been broken. And we need to be people that are willing to stand and stay when it gets tough. And that brings us to faithfulness. What is faithfulness? Faithfulness is the spirit-ledd ability to withhold pressure to complete what we've been entrusted with. On screen, you're going to see a picture, an Old Testament picture of what faithfulness looks like. [00:15:27]
So, I guess we could say that faithfulness is actually what we're able to hold in our hearts when the pressure comes. When you go to the doctor, maybe not everyone, but the doctors sometimes offer you what's called a stress test or a pressure test. And the reason for that is to see what is the capacity of your heart. How far can you be pushed in a very controlled manner to see what the capacity of your heart is to see where your heart is at? And I think sometimes that we can be in a cultural pressure test that we get put in situations where the pressure is coming in really hard through our daily living. [00:16:28]
When pressure comes our way, do we turn to God? Do we trust God? When pressure comes um our way to dismiss what scripture says? Are we loyal to the word? When pressure comes into our hearts and we want to walk past the brokenness in the world, what happens? Is is faithfulness going to come to stand and stay with people who are broken? is is that what's going to come out of us when we have a position to be able to speak in to people who are broken? Are we going to actually stand and speak the goodness of God over their lives? [00:17:20]
The common denominator of those who risked their life, who took pressure, who stayed faithful, was that they fostered love in their closest relationships daily. In other words, the most likely people to love and give sacrificially in big ways when the pressure is on are those who practice this love and this faithfulness in small ways when the pressure is off? So, a question for us this morning, when life turns up the pressure, what gets revealed about where our heart truly is? What gets revealed about where our faithfulness is, our trust in God is, our loyalty to his word is, our loyalty to what he's called us to do. [00:18:37]
You see, we need the Holy Spirit's power to stand strong through the pressure. We are not able to on our own withhold and stand the pressure that the world is going to throw our way in our lifetime. We are just not. We need the Holy Spirit with us daily. And that's what goodness and faithfulness are like. It's in the daily. It's in the cultivating. It's in being presented. You see, it's not something that we have to try hard to do. God, just I need to try harder and harder to be faithful and faithful and I'm trying so hard. It's not about that. It's being presenced. [00:19:34]
What an incredible honor and privilege it is to be called a first fruit of God. We are a taste of what is to come. We are a preview of the resurrection of Christ. We are a preview of the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives to those around us. We should be looking like heaven, guys. Okay? We should be full of the fruit of the spirit. You know, I've wondered to myself if all Christians are actually going to enjoy heaven, to be honest, because we're going to get there and it's going to be full of goodness and faithfulness and kindness and gentleness and self-control. [00:21:08]
Listen, we are being formed to be a preview of what heaven looks like. We are being formed in the likeness of Christ, the the restoration of his um his redemptive power, the Holy Spirit in us. We are being formed to look like what heaven looks like. And we are a taste of what is to come. We are a taste of goodness to people in the world. We are a taste of faithfulness in the world. The Holy Spirit in us is producing the fruit of goodness and faithfulness in us and it will cause us to redeem. [00:22:11]
When the Holy Spirit is producing fruit in us, one of the things we will want to do is we'll have an instinct to rebuild, to restore, to redeem that which has been lost or which that which has been broken. The spirit in us is going to cause us to be dependable. It's going to cause us to be strong. It's going to cause us to stay faithful under pressure. It's going to empower us to be able to live this life that Jesus has called us to live. And it is our legacy as Christians. It is our legacy to be people who give a preview of heaven and show the world what it can look like when God's in charge. [00:22:52]
And again, Christians have had a vision of goodness and put it into the world. And it has transformed society. It has transformed culture. More and more glimpses of heaven and bringing a taste of what's to come. We are a part of a redemptive history that goes around doing good things and seeing Jesus transform lives. Hospitals started by Christians in the Middle Ages because they had a compelling obligation to bring health to people who needed it. Universities were founded by Christians for Christian purposes and literary literacy and education were given to the masses to help people move out of poverty and be educated. [00:23:33]
But that all started from a moment of seeing brokenness and saying, "I need to do something to fix that." An incredible story of how Jesus changes what was broken and makes it whole again through One Heart was actually when our life team came just recently and stayed in Kenya with us and visited One Heart with us just uh last year. And there's some people in the room, Sandra, in the room. There's many others that would be in the room that came along. And Pastor Craig has actually shared this story before, but it's a story of how the team came and we went to run one of the rescue centers. [00:26:00]
And Jaden, he was found in a dumpster. And um just only a few months old. And he was brought to a rescue center in Kenya in Elder Kenya. and our team happened to be visiting and seeing the brokenness and hearing the story of this caused such an ache in our team that they decided and came together and found a way to get Jaden out of the rescue center and into One Heart's care. And so they were able to do that. They got him out of the rescue center into One Heart's Care, which is incredible. [00:27:04]
You see, God never originally planned for Jaden to be living in a found in a dumpster. He never planned for him to have brokenness. He always planned for him to have a mom and a dad and a house and a family. And this is the nature of the Holy Spirit working in us, producing goodness and faithfulness. It urges us to do something about what is broken. You see, this morning as I come to a close, this really has been a message that is an invitation to goodness and faithfulness. Is there an area of brokenness in your life that you desperately need the Holy Spirit to touch and to fix what is broken to restore what has been taken? [00:28:05]
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