Now, there is a reason that I spoke the word in Greek instead of giving you an English translation. Because when I started work this week, I realized that different Bibles translate this word differently. Most of the Bibles translate agathōsunē as goodness–like the NIV, ESV, and King James Bibles, but the NRSV, which is the Bible we have in our pews as well as the Bible from which we print our bulletin readings translates the word generosity.
And so, I very much felt like the two moving men who were struggling with a big crate in a doorway. They pushed and pulled until both were completely exhausted. Finally, the man on the outside said, “We might as well give up. We’ll never get this thing in.” The man on the inside yelled back, “What do you mean get it in? I thought we were trying to get it out!” You know, which way are we supposed to go? Which translation is most accurate? It was also like someone coming up to me and asking me: where do you want to go eat: at your favorite Mexican food restaurant or your favorite steakhouse? I’m like: do I really have to choose?
I’m giving you this background information for a reason, because I think it relates to something that most of us experience from time to time. I mean, I’m not the only one who has had to make a difficult choice, am I? I’m not the only one who has had two paths before me, and both look to be correct? I’m not the only one who has had to wrestle with having to choose one or the other of those paths knowing that once I started down one of those paths, I was committed? Have you ever been there? Have you ever had to make that choice and have it effect everything else that you would do? Have you ever studied it and thought: well, either way seems good, but I’m not sure which one would be better? Don’t get me wrong, some of those decisions are much more important than how you translate the word agathosune, but the experience rings true for just about everyone.
So, here is how I chose to resolve the problem that I had before me. When you are studying language, you can oftentimes learn more about the definition of a word by studying the root words, and in the case of agathosune, there is a definite root word: agathos. Now, agathos is normally translated as “good.” And I thought to myself, “Well, that might be helpful in helping me to figure things out.” There was one particular story that crept into my mind immediately, and that was the story of the rich, young ruler. We have that story before us from the 10th Chapter of the book of Mark. A young man comes up to Jesus and bows down before Him. This is a major show of honor and respect. Some might even call it worship. But what is then striking is what the young man says. He says to Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Now, the question isn’t necessarily striking: it’s how the young man addresses Jesus. He calls Jesus “good teacher.” This was a huge no-no in that time and place. The Jewish rabbis had argued greatly about whether or not anyone should be called good, and they had come up with a resounding, “NO!” It was unanimous as far as we can see from the literature. Jewish rabbis believed that only God was good.
And that’s exactly what Jesus says to this young man. “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Now, some scholars believe that Jesus is somehow indicating that he isn’t good; that he is somehow less than God, but I don’t think so. I agree with other scholars who think that what Jesus is doing here is telling the young guy, “Be careful in what you say. Do you really want to call me God? Because by falling on your knees and calling me God, you are saying that you will follow everything I say. Do you really want to go there?” The implications of those questions are still quite staggering for anyone who calls Jesus Lord and Savior of their lives. But that is for another sermon. What we must take away from this teaching right now is the fact that only God is considered good.
Now, for some of you, this might settle what the translation should be. It should be goodness; however, I did discover why the translators of the NRSV used the word generosity. And I think it also helps us shed some light on what this fruit of the Spirit truly is.
I’d like to ask you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 20. (It’s on page 19) We are going to read the first sixteen verses of this chapter. ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; 4and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” 7They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” 13But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Now, please pay particular attention to the end of verse 15. Do you see the tiny v in italics at the end of that verse. If you drop down to the bottom of the page, you will see the footnote which says that the literal translation of the Greek is “is your eye evil because I am good.” Generosity seems to fit the context of the parable, and this is why they use it later on. I’m not convinced they were right because if we remember that Jesus says, “No one but God is good,” then this parable is saying, “Are you envious–do you have an evil eye–because I am good–because I am like God?”
After I put these two things together–these two parables, I stopped and thought about it for a moment and realized just what this fruit of the Spirit is. Generosity doesn’t cut it; neither does goodness, in my estimation. Agathosune, seems to mean godliness–showing forth the nature and person of God; imitating God; being like God.
It’s no wonder then, that Paul pens the opening words of our second lesson this morning from the book of Ephesians, “Be imitators of God.” In other words, produce agathosune! Produce goodness. But how easy is this? How easy is it to show forth the nature and person of God? I mean, don’t we tend to be more like this little anecdote that Mark Twain shared?
Twain writes, “When I was a boy, I was walking along the street and happened to spy a cart full of watermelons. I was fond of watermelon, so I sneaked quietly up to the cart and snitched one. Then I ran to a nearby alley and sank my teeth into the melon. No sooner had I done so, however, than a strange feeling came over me. Without a moment’s hesitation, I made my decision. I walked back to the cart, replaced the melon–and took a ripe one.”
Oh, and even when we aren’t falling to temptation, do we not find ourselves much like the young pastor who, while spreading the good news, was making hospital rounds for the first time. Visiting an elderly parishioner, he walked in and plopped himself down on the side of her bed. He began aggressively questioning her about her surgery. Before leaving, he asked, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” The sweet old lady replied, “Well, if you don’t mind, would you please take your foot off my oxygen hose?”
It is extremely difficult to produce goodness. It’s extremely difficult to be like God. And I used to think that getting people and churches to be like God–to produce goodness–was just a matter of explaining to them the command. I used to think, “You know, if I get up in front of the church at explain why this is commanded; if I put together a few cute stories and give a bit of reassurance, then people will go out and try to be like God. The church will work together to be like God. People will begin producing love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, etc.” Of course, I assumed that I was already doing such things–certainly not perfectly, but I thought I at least was on the right track.
But then reality smacked me in the face. Then I came face to face with what often happens in churches and with pastors. After our congregation experienced a time of rapid growth, we stagnated. We didn’t grow, and we started declining. Oh, I was still preaching the same sorts of sermons. I was still putting together cute stories and words of inspiration, but we stopped growing. And this made me take a hard look at myself. A real hard look at myself, and what I saw wasn’t pretty.
Sure, I was preaching God’s word. Sure, from time to time, there were some fruits of the Spirit present, but deep down in the bottom of my heart, I found that God was not at the center. I found that I was working for what I wanted in my life. I was striving after the things of this world. Confronted with this, I realized that not only did I simply commit some sins, but that I was a sinner. I needed a Savior, and I found myself looking up at the cross at the One who bled and died for me.
And suddenly, the goodness of God became real to me. The goodness of God shined deep within the recesses of my heart. I knew that I deserved condemnation for trying to use God to get what I wanted. I knew I deserved God’s anger and wrath for not putting Him at the center of my life, but instead of getting that wrath, I received mercy. The God in flesh, Jesus, took my sin upon himself, and he paid the price for that sin. He died for me.
And then He gave me a new status. He gave me a new position. He gave me his righteousness when I did not deserve it. He gave me His blamelessness when I didn’t deserve it. He clothed me with Himself so that when I stand before the Father in Heaven, I am deemed worthy; justified; a child of the most high God. “For I have been crucified with Christ, and yet I live, not I, but Christ that lives within me.”
And things started to change in my life. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m far from being a perfect imitator of God. I’m far from producing goodness in total. I’m still growing and learning and being transformed. But I know that I don’t get as upset as I used to. I’m much more slow to anger. I laugh more. I see the goodness in others more. I’m quick to give to those in need, and I don’t need anyone to know about it. I’m more grateful for the little things. I appreciate the people who are in my life, and I don’t expect them to live up to my expectations of how they should act. I’m quicker to forgive because I have been forgiven.
And I now know that I can’t simply tell people to be like God. I know I cannot stand up here and tell you, “The Bible says, be imitators of God; here’s why you should be an imitator of God; it’s hard; you will likely fail; but just try harder.” That didn’t work for me. It will certainly not work for you. If we truly want to be imitators of God, we all must experience the love of God in Christ Jesus. We all must experience standing at the foot of the cross. We all must experience being forgiven of our sins. We all must experience being clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We all must experience the grace that is poured out through the blood of the Lamb of God. For it is grace alone that transforms us.
A desert wanderer found a spring of cool fresh water. It was so pure he decided to bring some to his king. Barely satisfying his own thirst, he filled a leather bottle and carried it many days in the desert sun before reaching the palace. He laid his offering at the feet of his noble king. Over time, however, the water had become stale in the old container. But the king wouldn’t let his faithful subject think his gift was unfit to drink. He tasted it with gratitude as he sent his loyal servant away. After the servant left, others sampled it and were surprised the king had pretended to enjoy it. He said, “It wasn’t the water I tasted but the love that prompted the offering.”
That is what comes forth from us when we are producing goodness–when we are imitating God. We don’t act the same. We drink bitter water with gratitude. We look upon others with different eyes because God has looked upon us with different eyes. We have tasted the goodness of God, and it has transformed us from within so that we may offer that goodness to the world. Amen.
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