The Fruit of The Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

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SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
The apostle Paul’s gospel message announces that God grants salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in his son Christ, alone. In Galatians 5, the apostle Paul teaches us that it is not through the law but instead by living Spirit-controlled and Spirit-led lives that we will change and become the loving, joyful, kind, good person that God has always intended us to be. By allowing more of the Holy Spirit in us, we will bear more of the fruit of the Spirit and reflect more of God’s qualities in our own lives.


GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

1. Who were the people you admired growing up? What about them did you want to imitate?
2. Have you ever experienced becoming so close to someone that you actually began to look, think and act like them? Briefly share your experience.
3. What are some good qualities you’ve always wanted for yourself? What has been your approach to obtaining them? Have you seen these qualities grow in you as you grow in your relationship with Christ?


INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. In 5 minutes or less. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Briefly explain.

2. Read Psalm 100:

“1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

• Where does your desire to worship the Lord come from? Is your desire to worship determined by the circumstances in your life? Is your joy determined by the circumstances in your life? (vv. 1-2)
• The apostle Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices as an act of worship (Romans 12:1). How can we worship God in our daily lives? Has worship become a spiritual discipline in your life?
• Worship begins with knowing God. How has increasing your knowledge of God had an impact on your worship? (v. 3) Briefly share your experience.
• How has worship brought you closer to God? How has worshipping God brought you closer to others? Are the fruits of the Spirit more evident in your life when you worship the Lord?
• As we worship we enter into God’s presence. Have you experienced an increment of the Holy Spirit in your life through worship? Briefly share your experience.


3. In his sermon, Rich says that the way we are going to live a life worthy of God is by bearing the fruit of the Spirit. And the way that we are going to bear the fruit of the Spirit is by living in the Spirit.

• How can we live our lives “in the Spirit”?
• How has the practice of spiritual disciplines changed your life?
• As a small group, what are some spiritual disciplines we should put into practice? What are some spiritual disciplines we should put into practice as individuals?
• Please take time to encourage the practice of spiritual disciplines both as collective and individual practices, as well as to pray for one another.

Life In The Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)

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SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
Being a Christian does not simply mean that you have adopted a set of beliefs about what God did. In Galatians 5:16-26, the apostle Paul addresses the change that should occur in a person’s life once they have accepted Christ Jesus into their life. In fact, it is the expectation of every New Testament writer that if you are a Christian, the Spirit of God is at work in your life changing you, transforming you. This ongoing process is called “sanctification”, which is the act of progressively being freed from the power and grip of sin over your life. It comes from walking by the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and living in the Spirit.


GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

1. Have you ever had to work or train hard to achieve a goal? How much of a challenge was it?
2. Have you ever witnessed change in someone’s life? How did their change have an impact on your life?
3. What beliefs do you hold dear to your heart? How have these beliefs formed / changed who you are?
4. How has the change you’ve experienced had an impact on those around you? Briefly share your experience.
5. How have the people in your life (family, small group, etc) helped you change? Briefly share your experience.


INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. In 5 minutes or less. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Briefly explain.

2. Read Romans 8:1-11:

“1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind controlled by the sinful nature is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The sinful mind is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

• What does it mean when the apostle Paul says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? (v. 1)
• What does it mean to be free from sin and death? (v. 2) How have you experienced this freedom in your life? Briefly share.
• How do you understand the conflict between our sinful nature and the desires of the Spirit? How do you deal with this struggle in your life? How did God deal with this struggle? (vv. 3-4)
• How can we live in accordance with the Spirit? (v. 5) In a world full of distractions, how can we keep our mind set on what the Spirit desires? Have you ever experienced an interruption in your life due to the Spirit’s desires? Briefly share.
• In verse 11 the apostle Paul tells us that the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us. In the face of our daily temptations, what does this mean? What impact does this have on our walk with Jesus?


3. In his sermon, Rich says that what God really wants to do is not only save us on the Day of Judgment, but to transform our lives right now.

• How has God transformed our lives already?
• Which areas of our life still need transformation?
• In light of Rich’s statement, what should our lives look like as true Christians? As a small group of “transformed” people, what impact can we have on our community?
• Please take time to pray for one another.

How Change Happens In Your Life (Galatians 5:16-25)

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SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
Why don’t Christians see more change in their lives? According to Paul, the flesh, or more accurately, the “over-desire” of the flesh, is in conflict with the changes the Holy Spirit desires for Christians. It is not that we necessarily desire bad things, but we often desire good things at the expense of our relationship with God. In order to change, we must begin with a vision of what godly change would look like, and then we set out to crucify the flesh and begin walking in the Spirit.


GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.
1. What’s the silliest argument you’ve overheard, engaged in, or read recently? On what issues do you find yourself judging others? Are they issues that are important or unimportant to you?
2. Has a Christian ever made you feel like a “bad” Christian because you were not passionate about an issue which they found very important? Have you ever done that to someone else? Explain.
3. Is following God an issue of doing what is “good” or what is “right?” Is there a difference? Discuss briefly.


INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Briefly explain.

2. Read Romans 14:10-22:

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” 12 So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother or sister for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by what they approve.

• Rich began his sermon with some accounts of preachers judging other Christians in their sermons. In verse 10, who do you think the Romans were using as a standard when they were judging others? Who is to be the true judge (vv. 10-11)? Do you ever think of God as a judge?
• What does it mean to be a “stumbling block” (v. 13)? Why is it important that Paul distinguishes that food, in itself, is not unclean (v. 14)?
• What serious consequences can occur if we fail to address each other in love (v. 15)?
• Consider verse 17. What comes to your mind when Paul uses the word “righteousness?” Is it certain “good” behaviors and practices? Does that match up with the way Paul talks about righteousness here?
• When we think about becoming more like Jesus, we are thinking about becoming more righteous. According to Paul, whom must we consider if our aim is to become righteous (vv. 15, 18, 21-22)? Compare this to Jesus’ summary of the law in Mark 12:29-31.
• In his sermon, Rich talked about the possibility of “over-desiring,” and how we can even desire good things at the expense of our relationship with God. How is this related to the judgmental mentality that Paul addresses in this passage? Do you see a tendency in yourself to establish rigid laws regarding the things that you desire the most?
• What is the outcome of righteousness in verses 17-18? What is the outcome of our judgment of others (vv. 13, 20)? Has your “righteous” behavior ever hurt or misled a brother or sister in Christ? Discuss.
• Based on this passage, which do you think is better for bringing about righteousness and unity: to think more about doing what is right or to think more about avoiding what is wrong? Does it make a difference?
• What do you think “righteousness” means to Paul based on this passage?

3. In his sermon, Rich stated:

“Do you know that God loves the whole church and not just your part in it? And what I’ve seen in terms of church-destroying behavior is that sometimes people are so zealous about their particular ministry that they fall out of love with the whole rest of the church… Selfish ambition always focuses on one’s narrow passion instead of the whole body.”

Pray over and discuss the following:
• Ask God to show individuals if they’ve lost their love for the whole church and are manifesting judgment and/or selfish ambition.
• Ask God to restore this love of the whole church to individuals and to build it into your group as a whole.
• Consider ways your group can reinforce a love for all parts and all people in the church.

How To Learn Contentment (Philippians 4:10-13)

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SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
We as humans are born knowing how to be discontent. The sense of contentment we do experience is usually a momentary response to ideal circumstances, and it has almost nothing to do with the learned contentment Paul talks about in Philippians 4:10-13. This learned contentment is something that grows internally, and does not grow in response to acquiring more stuff or eliminating stress from our lives. How does it grow then? It is completely dependent on the work of God in our hearts.


GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

1. Have you ever received a raise? How long was it until it felt like you “needed” more money?
2. What are your biggest pet peeves? What, if it happens, can make you feel almost instantly discontent?
3. What is your reaction to feeling discontent? Do you start assigning blame? Do you try to control and change things or people around you? Do you get angry?
4. Think about less-than-desirable situations in your life where you do feel content. Ask yourself: are you content, or are you only resigned to the way things are? Do you believe God can still change the situation?


INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Briefly explain.


2. Read Luke 12:13-34:

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with those who store up things for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

• Where did the rich man’s thoughts go in verse 17 when he was presented with a greater crop than he needed? Were his established riches enough for him? What would a “contented” response have looked like for this rich man?
• In verse 20, God appeals to the unavoidable nature of death to show how fragile our “ownership” of our possessions is. Note all the uses of “I” and “my” in verses 17-19 - how does the rich man’s wrong idea about him “owning” things feed his greed? Do you think discontentment arises when we attach a strong sense of personal ownership to our possessions? Why or why not?
• In verse 21, Jesus finds the rich man guilty of not being “rich toward God.” Notice here, Jesus does not actually decry being rich. Based on verses 22-28, where do we learn how to be “rich toward God?”
• Why is there a passage (vv. 22-34) about worry after a passage on coveting and greed (vv. 15-21)? What is the connection here? What is at the heart of greed?
• Imagine holding a beloved object in your hand. How does your hand hold that object if you’re following God and truly understanding Him? With an open hand, or with a closed hand? (vv. 29-30)
• Look at verse 32. What does Jesus seem most concerned that we have? What happens if we try to fit the kingdom of God inside of our pursuit of material things, and not the other way around, as Jesus commands in verse 31?
• Finally, note verse 34. Which item does this verse imply that we have the most control over - our heart or what we treasure? What does it mean to “treasure” something?


3. For ministry time, pray that God would grant the freedom and understanding to seek His kingdom first over your “treasures.” Spend some time on reflecting on “treasures” by asking some questions and listening to the Lord in response.

• What makes me angry or happy?
• Where do I spend most of my money?
• Where do I spend most of my time?
• Do these match up with Jesus’ command to seek the kingdom of God first?

Free to Rejoice and Give Thanks (Philippians 4:2-9)

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SYNOPSIS OF THE SERMON
As part of the freedom we experience in Christ, our attitude and our sense of gratitude are no longer bound to our circumstances. We are free from external circumstances determining the posture of our heart and perspective of life. In Philippians 4:2-9, the apostle Paul reminds us of the importance of viewing our lives as part of a larger story, and as such, we have the choice to rejoice and be grateful no matter what.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED
These questions can be used as ice-breakers in the beginning OR interwoven between the questions below to draw the group into the discussion.

1. What is the happiest moment of your life?
2. Have you ever gone through a difficult situation in your life and yet experienced the freedom to be joyful and grateful? Briefly share your experience.
3. As you have grown in your knowledge of Jesus, how have your reactions towards adversity changed?
4. As a young girl or boy, what were your favorite movies? Did you ever role-play with your friends and pretended to be part of that story?
5. How have you experienced Christ’s freedom in this past week? Have you become more aware of these freedoms?


INTERACTING WITH THE SERMON
1. Briefly give a synopsis of this week’s sermon. What insight, principle, or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Briefly explain.


2. Read Acts 16:16-34

"16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household."

• Briefly explain Paul’s interaction with the slave girl. (vv. 16-18) What was this girl declaring about Paul and the rest of the men? Why would this upset Paul? Why was he willing to sacrifice his well-being to free this girl?
• What was Paul and Silas’ response to being severely flogged and thrown into prison? (v.25) Have you ever experienced a similar response to adverse circumstances in your life? Briefly share your experience.
• What was the “greater story” taking place in this moment of Paul and Silas’ life? For what purpose did God allow them to be imprisoned? Have you ever been in a situation where you freely chose to suffer for a greater good? Briefly share your experience.
• What impact do you think Paul and Silas’ worship had on the rest of the prisoners? As one of those prisoners, what would your perception of Paul and Silas had been before the earthquake occurred? How about after the earthquake?
• What was the jailer’s reaction once he realized Paul and Silas were still there? (vv. 29-30). How did he know Paul and Silas knew the way to salvation? What does this tell you about the effect our worship and praise can have on other people?
• As a result of Paul and Silas’ actions, how many lives were impacted for the kingdom of God? Have you ever had the privilege to impact someone’s life for Christ through your pain and suffering? Briefly share your experience.


3. In his sermon, Andy reminds us that even though we are part of a larger story, our joy and gratitude should also be rooted in real life.

• What blessings in your life speak of a greater story?
• What patterns of God’s activity can you recognize in your life?
• Are you free to rejoice and give thanks in your day-to-day life?
• Take time in your small group to share and pray for each other.