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Session 7 - FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - GOODNESS

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FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - GOODNESS This week we’re going to learn that "Goodness is doing the right thing for the right reason." Kindness is more about our attitude and goodness is more about the things we do for others.

MATERIALS:
Before class print the Bible Verse Card. Bring lasts weeks Bible Flash Cards for review. Photocopy little candles and Candle Bookmarks one for each child. Photocopy Shine flier, crayons. Paper and pencils to add to the Paper Chain. A candle and matches. Torch light. Papaya and Super Fruit handout one for each family.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON
Get the children to colour the Bible Verse Card, Shine flier, Candle Bookmarks (one per child)

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)

This children sit around in a circle, facing each other. One child is chosen to be "tag" first.

That child who is “tag” stands up and walks around the outside of the circle tapping one child on the head and naming them "GOOD". Tapping the second child on the head and naming them "BETTER". At some point he chooses a child to name "BEST" instead, at which point the fun begins.
The "BEST" child must now jump up and chase the "tag" child around the circle, trying to catch him before he can sit down in his place. If “BEST’ catches “tag” then he is out and the “BEST’ becomes the “tag” and the circle gets smaller. Allow for lots of laughing and screaming as the children encourage the "BEST" child to catch the "tag" child.

5. TEACHING

a. “Back Track” Review Kindness

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

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One of our problems with goodness is the same problem we have with love. The word "good" is used in so many ways, just as we use the word "love." We love our children, we love bananas, we love a beautiful sunset, but each of these "loves" are entirely different. It’s the same with the word "good." We say, "I had a good meal," or "I met a good friend," or "We had a good cry." They’re different, aren’t they?

So let’s look at how the word "good" is used in the Bible. For instance, we read in Genesis that after each creation, God looked at it & said, "It is good." God looked at what He had done, He was pleased with it. So maybe we could say, "Goodness means something that pleases God."

Or maybe we could go a step further & say, "A good person is a person who is pleasing to God." The Bible also tells us that "God is good." Now what makes God good? Well, God is pure, God is holy, God is forgiving, God is generous. So therefore, if we’re good people, then all those characteristics would be true of us, too.

We could do the right thing for the wrong reason. I suppose that we could even do the wrong thing for the right reason. But "goodness is doing the right thing for the right reason."

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus talks about a good tree & a bad tree. He says that the "good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit" [Matthew 7:17). So the question is, "What kind of fruit are we producing?" And as you look at the fruit, do you see goodness? Is it there? Well, here are 4 ways to display goodness.

1 We can display God’s goodness by being forgiving. Matthew 6:14 "If you forgive men when they sin against you, you heavenly Father will also forgive you." So the first step is to do the right thing for the right reason & to become forgiving as God is forgiving.

2 The second step is purity. We can display goodness by being morally pure. Now the world is constantly telling us that everybody is doing it so it must be ok! But if you’re going to be a good person, you are to be a pure person, keeping your life pure before the Lord.

3 The third characteristic of a good person, is one who helps the down-trodden. It’s not just about attitude but action. So the gracious person is one who not only has a heart of compassion but looks around & sees others who are suffering & need his help and gets up and helps him.

You performed good acts & no one every knew that you did them. You may have never heard a "thank you." But here’s the promise, when you’re gracious & good to others, one day you will hear the voice of God Himself, "Well done, good & faithful servant." And that’s all the recognition we need.

4 Finally, we express goodness through generosity. 1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us." It is so much love that we cannot even receive it all. God is a giving good God. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." And He gives & He gives & He gives some more. God is good

The Bible tells us that we should let our light shine. Before our light will shine, we must be plugged in and turned on. (Switch on a torch light) We must be plugged in to God’s power supply and we must be turned on for Jesus. When we invite Jesus into our heart, we have the power. When we come to Church to worship and praise Him and study His Word, we get turned on for Jesus. When we are plugged in and turned on, our light will shine.

Jesus is our light, lift him up and let him shine through you! If you make up your mind to let your light shine for Jesus, there is no way that Satan can blow it out because the Bible says, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." Jesus is your light. Lift him up high because Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me."

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
Give each child a ‘little paper candle’ Let them come and lift Jesus up in praise.

CLOSING PRAYER

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A DROP OF HOPE

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