Know: Recognize the absolute necessity of abiding in Christ in order to develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.
Feel: Experience a deepening desire to spend time with Jesus and develop the fruit of the Spirit.
Do: Resolve to spend time with Jesus in prayer, Bible study, and Christian meditation to develop the fruit of the Spirit in each aspect of his or her life.
Learning Outline:
Know: Spirituality and the Fruit of the Spirit
A Can you be an authentic Christian without manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your own life? Why, or why not?
B Of what is the fruit of the Holy Spirit evidence?in His relationship to us?
Feel: Abiding in Christ and the Fruit of the Spirit
A When feelings are raw and someone speaks an unkind word and you respond with love, kindness, patience, and self-control, what does that do for you? For the relationship?
B How do you feel when you do not exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in tense circumstances? What feelings do you have when you are unloving, impatient, or unkind?
Do: Daily Living and the Fruit of the Spirit
A Determine to set aside some time every day to spend time with Jesus and take inventory of your own spiritual life.
B Commit a specific amount of time each day to abide in Christ through prayer and a study of the Word.
Summary: The fruit of the Spirit is not a natural human character trait. It is a result of abiding in Jesus that produces a supernatural change in the life of each believer. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence that we have a deeply rooted relationship with Christ. Healthy trees produce healthy fruits in abundance. As Christians, we do not struggle in our strength to produce the fruit of the Spirit. As we abide in Jesus, through Bible study and prayer, He develops this fruit in us.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Galatians 5:22, 23
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The greatest motivation for obedience and service is love. God’s love for us is life transformating. Understanding His love changes us. As we receive His love, we are able to love. Loving God enables us to love others. Apart from God, the human heart is naturally selfish and incapable of genuinely loving.
When we spend time beholding God’s love, revealed in Christ, we are changed. To “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25, NKJV) is to fix our minds on Christ. It is to “abide in [Christ]” (1 John 4:13, NKJV). It is to spend time with Christ. As we place priority on our relationship with Christ, His love will flow into our hearts, and the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives. Ellen G. White states it beautifully: “When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 668.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson focuses on developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We will study each of the character qualities known as the fruit of the Spirit, outlined in Galatians 5:22, 23. These character qualities are really the attributes of Christ’s character. Jesus is loving, patient, kind, good, and unselfish. He always exhibits gentleness and self-control. He reveals faithfulness to the Father’s will and perfect peace, or trust, in His heavenly Father.
As we behold Him, we will become like the One we most admire. Because the Holy Spirit was sent to “ ‘testify of’ ” (John 15:26, NKJV) and “glorify” (John 16:14) Jesus, as we submit to His promptings and yield to His convicting power, the Holy Spirit will testify of and glorify Jesus in our lives. The love of Christ will be revealed in and through us (1 John 3:1–3, 4:9–11). It is impossible to really love God and not love the people around us. God’s love is the fountain from which all genuine love flows. Loving Him, we love one another. The more we love God, the more His love flows through us to others (1 John 4:12–16). Each of the fruit of the Spirit grows out of our love for God and His love for us.
Opening Discussion: In Galatians 5, the apostle Paul talks about “walk[ing] in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) and the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19). He urges us to “crucif[y] the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24, NKJV). (See Gal. 5:17.) Ask your class what walking “in the Spirit” means in our daily lives. What does it mean to “crucif[y] the flesh”?
Read Galatians 5:22–24, and ask class members to describe how each one of us can manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Have class members share ways that help them to “crucif[y] the flesh” and “walk in the Spirit.” How have they discovered ways to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in their lives? Invite class members to share experiences in their devotional lives that they feel are meaningful to their Christian growth.
Questions for Discussion:
What can we learn from the apostle Paul’s expression “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) about living a life that reveals the fruit of the Spirit?
Is the fruit of the Spirit something we develop, or is it a gift somehow given to us automatically by God? Explain. If we develop it, how do we develop it, and where does the strength to develop it come from?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Modern medical research has discovered that a plant-based diet reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, most cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. You do not need a different diet to reduce the risk of each one of these diseases. Eating a wide variety of fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables reduces not only the risk of coronary artery disease but also the risk of other killer diseases of the twenty-first century.
The same is true of spiritual growth. We do not need a different approach for each of the spiritual maladies that afflict us. Impatience, unkindness, jealousy, envy, and lust all have the same cure—Jesus. Anger, hatred, envy, and bitterness all find their solution in Him. The fruit of the Spirit is the external evidence that we have spent time with Christ, and our hearts are overflowing with His love.
Bible Commentary
Growing in Christ and the Fruit of the Spirit (Review John 15:4 with the class.)
Jesus is the ultimate solution to all of our spiritual problems. He stated this eternal truth: “ ‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me’ ” (John 15:4, NKJV). To abide in Christ is to develop a continuous, daily relationship with Him. Branches do not grow and produce fruit if they are united to the vine one day and broken off the next. Some individuals ride high on a wave of religious emotion one day and seem to walk in the valley of neglect the next. A vibrant, meaningful relationship with Jesus that reflects the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life is not an on-again, off-again experience. It is a daily, constant communion with Christ.
By coming to Him, abiding in Him, and resting in His love, we become loving, patient, kind, gentle, and self-controlled. Consider this powerful statement: “The root sends its nourishment through the branch to the outermost twig. So Christ communicates the current of spiritual strength to every believer. So long as the soul is united to Christ, there is no danger that it will wither or decay.
“The life of the vine will be manifest in fragrant fruit on the branches. ‘He that abideth in Me,’ said Jesus, ‘and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.’ When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits [sic] of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 676.
The key to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is not placing each one of its characteristics on some spiritual checklist and checking it off when we supposedly have achieved our goal. Rather, it is focusing on knowing Jesus and letting Him reveal the fruit of His Spirit within us. When a farmer’s fruit trees produce an abundant harvest, he or she rejoices. He or she glories in the overflowing harvest. It is similar with God. Our heavenly Father rejoices when we allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives (John 15:11). When, through divine grace, we become partakers of the divine nature, the character of God is vindicated before the universe in the controversy between good and evil. (See The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 1043.)
Discussion Questions: The question is not, does Jesus long to abide in us? The question is, will we allow Him to do so? Will we spend time getting to know Him as a Friend? All friendships require time.
Read John 15:4, 7. What relationship does abiding in Christ have with reading the Word?
How does Christ abide in us? Is this some vague, mystical experience, or are there some very real ways in which Jesus lives in our lives? Explain.
What relationship does developing the fruit of the Spirit have with abiding in Christ?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Read Galatians 5:22–24 with your class. Briefly review each one of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Ask different members of the class to define one of the nine characteristics of the fruit listed in Galatians 5. For example, what is love? How do you define joy? What is peace? How would you describe a person who manifests long-suffering or kindness? Take this approach with each of the fruit of the Spirit.
Which of these nine characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit do you have difficulty manifesting in your life? What do you think the reason is for this difficulty? What can you do to remedy the situation?
What are the issues in your life that keep you from a vital, life-changing relationship with Christ? Commit to surrendering those issues into His hands.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The different characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit are not some unrealistic ideal for the average believer, available only for “supersaints.” They are the natural outgrowth of spending time with Jesus. Help your class to recognize the vital importance of spending time with Jesus every day so that the Holy Spirit can develop His fruit in their lives.
Activities:
Ask your class to spend a few minutes reviewing the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–24. Have them write down the areas in which they struggle most.
Encourage each class member to spend a moment in prayer at the end of the class, surrendering these undesirable character traits to God, asking Him to develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.
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Key Text: Galatians 5:22–26, John 15:1–8
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: The fruit of the Spirit is not a natural human character trait. It is a result of abiding in Jesus that produces a supernatural change in the life of each believer. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence that we have a deeply rooted relationship with Christ. Healthy trees produce healthy fruits in abundance. As Christians, we do not struggle in our strength to produce the fruit of the Spirit. As we abide in Jesus, through Bible study and prayer, He develops this fruit in us.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Galatians 5:22, 23
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The greatest motivation for obedience and service is love. God’s love for us is life transformating. Understanding His love changes us. As we receive His love, we are able to love. Loving God enables us to love others. Apart from God, the human heart is naturally selfish and incapable of genuinely loving.
When we spend time beholding God’s love, revealed in Christ, we are changed. To “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25, NKJV) is to fix our minds on Christ. It is to “abide in [Christ]” (1 John 4:13, NKJV). It is to spend time with Christ. As we place priority on our relationship with Christ, His love will flow into our hearts, and the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives. Ellen G. White states it beautifully: “When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 668.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson focuses on developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We will study each of the character qualities known as the fruit of the Spirit, outlined in Galatians 5:22, 23. These character qualities are really the attributes of Christ’s character. Jesus is loving, patient, kind, good, and unselfish. He always exhibits gentleness and self-control. He reveals faithfulness to the Father’s will and perfect peace, or trust, in His heavenly Father.
As we behold Him, we will become like the One we most admire. Because the Holy Spirit was sent to “ ‘testify of’ ” (John 15:26, NKJV) and “glorify” (John 16:14) Jesus, as we submit to His promptings and yield to His convicting power, the Holy Spirit will testify of and glorify Jesus in our lives. The love of Christ will be revealed in and through us (1 John 3:1–3, 4:9–11). It is impossible to really love God and not love the people around us. God’s love is the fountain from which all genuine love flows. Loving Him, we love one another. The more we love God, the more His love flows through us to others (1 John 4:12–16). Each of the fruit of the Spirit grows out of our love for God and His love for us.
Opening Discussion: In Galatians 5, the apostle Paul talks about “walk[ing] in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) and the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19). He urges us to “crucif[y] the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24, NKJV). (See Gal. 5:17.) Ask your class what walking “in the Spirit” means in our daily lives. What does it mean to “crucif[y] the flesh”?
Read Galatians 5:22–24, and ask class members to describe how each one of us can manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Have class members share ways that help them to “crucif[y] the flesh” and “walk in the Spirit.” How have they discovered ways to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in their lives? Invite class members to share experiences in their devotional lives that they feel are meaningful to their Christian growth.
Questions for Discussion:
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Modern medical research has discovered that a plant-based diet reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, most cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. You do not need a different diet to reduce the risk of each one of these diseases. Eating a wide variety of fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables reduces not only the risk of coronary artery disease but also the risk of other killer diseases of the twenty-first century.
The same is true of spiritual growth. We do not need a different approach for each of the spiritual maladies that afflict us. Impatience, unkindness, jealousy, envy, and lust all have the same cure—Jesus. Anger, hatred, envy, and bitterness all find their solution in Him. The fruit of the Spirit is the external evidence that we have spent time with Christ, and our hearts are overflowing with His love.
Bible Commentary
Jesus is the ultimate solution to all of our spiritual problems. He stated this eternal truth: “ ‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me’ ” (John 15:4, NKJV). To abide in Christ is to develop a continuous, daily relationship with Him. Branches do not grow and produce fruit if they are united to the vine one day and broken off the next. Some individuals ride high on a wave of religious emotion one day and seem to walk in the valley of neglect the next. A vibrant, meaningful relationship with Jesus that reflects the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life is not an on-again, off-again experience. It is a daily, constant communion with Christ.
By coming to Him, abiding in Him, and resting in His love, we become loving, patient, kind, gentle, and self-controlled. Consider this powerful statement: “The root sends its nourishment through the branch to the outermost twig. So Christ communicates the current of spiritual strength to every believer. So long as the soul is united to Christ, there is no danger that it will wither or decay.
“The life of the vine will be manifest in fragrant fruit on the branches. ‘He that abideth in Me,’ said Jesus, ‘and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.’ When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits [sic] of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 676.
The key to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is not placing each one of its characteristics on some spiritual checklist and checking it off when we supposedly have achieved our goal. Rather, it is focusing on knowing Jesus and letting Him reveal the fruit of His Spirit within us. When a farmer’s fruit trees produce an abundant harvest, he or she rejoices. He or she glories in the overflowing harvest. It is similar with God. Our heavenly Father rejoices when we allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives (John 15:11). When, through divine grace, we become partakers of the divine nature, the character of God is vindicated before the universe in the controversy between good and evil. (See The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 1043.)
Discussion Questions: The question is not, does Jesus long to abide in us? The question is, will we allow Him to do so? Will we spend time getting to know Him as a Friend? All friendships require time.
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Read Galatians 5:22–24 with your class. Briefly review each one of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Ask different members of the class to define one of the nine characteristics of the fruit listed in Galatians 5. For example, what is love? How do you define joy? What is peace? How would you describe a person who manifests long-suffering or kindness? Take this approach with each of the fruit of the Spirit.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The different characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit are not some unrealistic ideal for the average believer, available only for “supersaints.” They are the natural outgrowth of spending time with Jesus. Help your class to recognize the vital importance of spending time with Jesus every day so that the Holy Spirit can develop His fruit in their lives.
Activities: