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COMMON GROUND WEEK 4: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT OCTOBER 7, 2018 At a Glance The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:16-26 Main Idea: The Holy Spirit helps people live like Jesus. Older Kids Memory Verse: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 Younger Kids Memory Verse: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. - Galatians 5:25

Optional: The Holy Spirit helps people (paraphrased from Galatians 5:25). Teacher Devotional A local barbershop had this sign on the wall: Talking About Politics or Religion Prohibited! Most people don’t like conflict, and they will avoid anything that might stir up an argument. Yet, when the issues are important enough, Christians must speak up. The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians about how he had confronted Cephas (Peter). The apostles all agreed that in Christ, there was no difference between Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). This meant that Jewish and Gentile believers should fellowship as brothers and sisters. One way they demonstrated this relationship was sharing meals together, something that Jews normally would not do. Apparently, Peter and other Jewish believers (even Barnabas, who was well-known for his compassionate attitude) had been persuaded not to eat with Gentiles. Paul was incensed and confronted Peter publicly. Paul reminded Peter that all people come to God on the same basis—not by law, but by grace through faith in Christ! Jesus died for all their sins, so no one had the right to regard himself as superior or more righteous. Paul said that believers’ spiritual lives are lived by dying to sin and living in Christ through faith. Toward the end of Galatians, we find the text for today’s Bible story. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps believers live in a more Christlike way.

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Large Group Introduce the Story Option for PreK: Fill the Basket Supplies: Plastic toy fruit, basket

● Place a basket on the ground and secure a piece of painter’s tape to the ground a reasonable distance as a “throw” line.

● Point out to kids that you have placed a basket on the ground. Ask the kids to guess what you are going to put in the basket. Allow a few volunteers to answer.

● Tell kids that you want to fill the basket with fruit, but that they are going to help. Explain that each child will have a chance to stand behind the line and toss a piece of fruit into the basket.

● Allow kids to have a chance to fill the basket as time allows. ● Debrief the activity by explaining that today you will teach them about a different

kind of fruit. It’s not a fruit that they can eat, but one that God’s Holy Spirit gives to people who love Him. It’s called the Fruit of the Spirit.

● Direct kids to repeat the words, Fruit of the Spirit several times. Option for Older Kids: Tossed Fruit Salad Supplies: Copy paper, writing utensils (one for each child) Option: Prewrite on all of the papers according to the directions below.

● Form two groups of kids with a clear dividing line in the middle. You may want to place a tape line through the middle of the room.

● Give each child a piece of copy paper and something with which to write. ● Tell group 1 to write one of the following words on their papers. Each child can

choose any word you tell them, but it can only be one word: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, or Kindness.

● Tell group 2 to write one of the following words on their papers. Each child can choose any word you tell them, but it can only be one word: Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, or Self-control.

● Ask the kids in both groups to form paper balls with their papers. ● Give the following directions.

○ You must stay behind the line. ○ For one minute, you are going to toss the balls back and forth across the

room. Do not throw any ball directly at another player. ○ When time is called, everyone must stop throwing.

● Allow the kids to toss the balls for one minute.

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● When time is called, ask one teacher to help each group sort their papers into stacks of the same words. Determine if either group has all nine of the Fruit of the Spirit.

● Congratulate the team with the most complete “salad.” ● Explain that these words are the called the Fruit of the Spirit. Explain that the

Fruit of the Spirit is “the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Review the Main Idea with kids by asking them to repeat it after you: The Holy Spirit helps people live like Jesus. Tell the Bible Story Supplies: Teaching Picture 3, copy paper Option: Write the words love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control on separate pieces of paper.

● Open your Bible to Galatians 5 and invite kids to do the same. ● Distribute the prepared papers. Allow volunteers to hold up the words when you

say them. ● Explain the first part of the story below comes from chapters 1 and 2 of the Book

of Galatians, but sets up the reason why Paul was writing to the church at Galatia about Christian living.

The Fruit of the Spirit

For many years, Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) lived apart. They avoided speaking to each other. They would not eat together. Paul wanted people to understand that Jesus died to save everyone, not just Jewish people. When Peter visited Paul at Antioch, he was friendly to the Gentile Christians. He spoke to them and ate meals with them...for a while. Then some church leaders also visited the Antioch Christians. These leaders insisted that Jewish Christians should follow Jewish rules—including staying separate from the Gentiles. Peter did not want to offend the other visitors. So he stopped eating and spending time with the Gentile Christians at Antioch.

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Paul was so disappointed with Peter, he scolded Peter in front of everyone. “How can you expect Gentiles to follow Jewish rules?” Paul asked. Paul wrote a letter to explain why he confronted Peter. In the letter, he wrote, “Some people think they can be saved by following rules. That is impossible! If being righteous comes from the law, then Jesus died for nothing! I am dead to the law so I can live for God.” Paul explained to the people that when they followed Jesus and wanted to live like Him, the Holy Spirit would give them the Fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit of the Spirit is a collection of qualities that would help them love people like Jesus did. The Fruit of the Spirit is a collection of gifts from God. The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

- Based on Galatians 1-2; 5:16-26

● Show the Teaching Picture and remark, “Paul taught Peter that God wanted us to

love everyone. Paul wanted the church at Galatia to know that the Holy Spirit would help them love people like Jesus did.”

Option for Older Kids: Jesus Modeled the Fruit of the Spirit Supplies: Copy paper, tape, writing utensil (one per kid) Prep: Write one Fruit of the Spirit on separate sheets of copy paper (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Attach each sign to walls around the room. Option: Use the papers created and used to tell the Bible story.

● Emphasize that Jesus modeled each of the Fruit of the Spirit throughout His life and ministry.

● Direct kids to look at the signs around the room. ● Ask kids to walk around the room and write different stories and things that they

know about Jesus that show how He modeled each particular Fruit of the Spirit. (For example, Jesus showed patience with the tax collectors.)

● Allow the kids to move about the room, writing examples of how Jesus displayed the Fruit of the Spirit.

● Call for kids to return to their seats. Move throughout the room, sharing examples that the kids have written.

● Say: “The Fruit of the Spirit will help you as you try to live more like Jesus.”

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Small Group Time (Dismiss to Groups) Learn the Memory Verse Older Kids Memory Verse: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

Younger Kids Memory Verse: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. - Galatians 5:25

Optional : The Holy Spirit helps people (paraphrased from Galatians 5:25). Younger Kids

● Open your Bible to Galatians 5:25 and say the verse. ● Guide kids to march around the room, saying each word of the verse with each

step. ● Announce to the kids that this is our unit verse we will study and learn for the

next few weeks. ● Remind kids that the “Spirit” in Galatians 5:25 is God.

Older Kids

● Open your Bible to Galatians 5:22-23 and read the verse aloud. ● Give 12 children a part of the memory verse:

1. But the fruit of the Spirit is… 2. Love 3. Joy 4. Peace 5. Patience 6. Kindness 7. Goodness 8. Faithfulness 9. Gentleness 10. Self-Control 11. Against such things there is no law. 12. Galatians 5:22-23

● If there are more that 12 children, have some take turns with a piece of the memory verse.

● Have them start and speak it out loud in order multiple times.

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● Remind the kids that this verse helps them remember that Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through them to produce this fruit in their lives.

Apply the Bible Story Option for PreK and Younger Kids: Emoji Fun Supplies: Cheap paper plates, crayons (one for each child)

● Distribute one crayon and one paper plate to each child. ● Direct the kids to draw a smiley face on one side of the paper plate and a sad

face on the other side of the paper plate. ● Tell the kids that you will say one of the Fruit of the Spirit, along with a situation

that describes that Fruit. If the situation tells what the Fruit is correctly, then they will hold the smiley face plates up to their faces. If the situation does not tell what the Fruit is correctly, they will hold the sad face plates up to their faces. When the situation calls for a sad face, ask the kids how Jesus would respond to the situation in order to make a smiley face.

○ Love is telling someone you don’t know about Jesus. (Smiley face) ○ Joy is when you get mad when your mom tells you that it’s time for church.

(Sad face) ○ Peace is worrying about going to the doctor. (Sad face) ○ Patience is quietly waiting in line for your turn to go to get a drink of water.

(Smiley face) ○ Kindness is sharing half of a cookie with your brother. (Smiley face) ○ Goodness is telling your mom you will help clean the house if she will pay

you money. (Sad face) ○ Faithfulness is knowing that God is always in control of everything.

(Smiley face) ○ Self-control is hitting your sister for touching one of your toys. (Sad face)

Apply the Main Idea Option for PreK and Younger Kids: Bad Fruit Supplies: Tongs, basket, index cards Prep: On separate cards, write the different Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Also, write the following words on separate index cards: hate, meanness, jealousy, hitting, impatience, anger, rudeness, and blaming. Put all cards facedown in the basket.

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Option: Don’t use tongs, but let kids “make” tongs out of their hands by only letting them use their thumb and index fingers to pinch the cards.

● Show the basket and explain that some bad fruit has gotten mixed in with the good Fruit.

● Explain that kids will use the tongs to grab a card and lift it out. The child or a teacher will read the word written on the card and the kids will decide if the word listed is a good fruit or a bad fruit.

● As the kids pull out the cards, discuss ways that they can show the good fruit in their lives.

● Ask the kids to share examples of how they have seen the bad fruit. ● Tell the kids they can ask God to let them show the good Fruit of the Spirit in

their lives. Option for Older Kids: Fruit Tag Supplies: None Prep: Prepare a playing area.

● Explain that one or two children will be “It” (to be determined by group size). ● Share that when “It” touches a person moving throughout the room, “It” and the

tagged person must count to three together and then say one of the Fruit of the Spirit. If “It” and the tagged person say the same fruit, then the tagged person is free to continue moving. If they say a different fruit, then the tagged person must be frozen until all kids are tagged. (If the playing space is small, direct kids that they can only walk—no running!)

● Play several rounds. ● Debrief by asking kids why they think God gives us the Fruit of the Spirit. ● Help kids know that God wants us to live in ways that please and honor Him, but

He knows that sin causes us to stumble. The Holy Spirit will help us live more like Jesus.

Review Option for PreK and Younger Kids

● Together with the kids, think of hand motions that will help the kids remember each of the Fruit of the Spirit.

● Repeat the Fruit of the Spirit several times using the hand motions. ● Tell the kids that you will switch it up and that you will hold up a hand motion, and

they must say the fruit that it matches.

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● Switch the game again by saying the fruit and letting the kids show the hand motion.

● Remind the kids that God gives us the Fruit of the Spirit so that we can live more like Jesus.

Option for Older Kids Supplies: Fruit Web Prep: Several balls of yarn

● Form teams of 8-10 kids each. ● Instruct each team to form a circle and give them a ball of yarn. Explain that they

will make a web by tossing the yarn to different players on their team. When they toss the ball, they must say one of the Fruit of the Spirit. Remind the kids to make sure that they hold their piece of yarn and throw the ball, or else they will never form a web. No player can repeat a fruit until all nine have been named.

● Keep the game going by asking the kids to name examples of how they can show the fruit in their own lives.

● Debrief by explaining that the Fruit of the Spirit is a singular term. It isn’t “fruits,” but “Fruit,” because they are all interwoven like the web. When a person receives the Fruit of the Spirit, that person receives all nine. God will work each of them in that person’s life.

Pray

● Ask: “How can you display the Fruit of the Spirit in your life this week?” ● Lead kids in prayer, asking God to help them use the Fruit of the Spirit in their

lives this week. Activity/Take Home Sheets

● Use the remaining group time to complete the activity sheets for this week’s lesson (“04_Oct7_Younger” and “04_Oct7_Older”). If you run out of time, send the sheets home for kids to review during the week.

© 2013 LifeWay

THE POWER OF THE SPIRITOctober 7, 2018

When you find someone

like this ...

This week, I chose to have a

good attitude, even though I

could have been angry.

I followed rules that I was

given this week.

I obeyed my parents this week.

I told the truth this week.

I was patient this week during a

time I had to wait on something.

I have been kind to someone who

was not kind to me.

I trusted God this week instead

of worrying.

-

The Holy Spirit helps people live

like Jesus.

October 7, 2018

... ask that person to write

his or her name here!

..

The Power of the Spirit

HAVE YOU HEARD? You may have heard these comments before. Check one or more boxes under each statement.

People can be saved in different ways. D "EAP-D \T.

\\0 A&P-EE

0 NO WA'l!

I am a good person. I do not need to repent from sin. D "EAP-D \T.

D ✓EP-'{ TP-"1E. D AP-E '{0\,1 \i!'.-\DD\NC7?

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit helps people live like Jesus.

October 7, 2018

Jesus' death was necessary because everyone sins. D "EAP-D \T. D T�T'$ P-\C7"T­D WP-ONC7, WP-ONC7,

WP-ON�

To be saved, you must join a church and be baptized. D "EAP-D \T. D COP-P-ECT. 0 OF C0"1P-$E NOT!

©2013 LifeWay

To be saved, you must understand that sin separates you from God.

D "EAP-D \T. D �, '{EA"! D $L.\C7"TL.'{ \NCOP-P-ECT.

If you sin after you are saved, you are unsaved and have to start over. D "EAP-D \T. D A'B$0L."1TEL-'l TP-"1E. D PO$\T\✓EL.'{ FAL.$E.

_/ I

family devotionals Round #4: The Fruit of the Spirit

READING:

Grab your Bible or Bible app and read Galatians 5:22-24. If you have a child who is of reading age allow them to read as this will help keep their attention and with reading comprehension.

GAME ON:

• Which is the hardest fruit of the Spirit for you to have?• Which is the easiest fruit of the Spirit for you to have?• What does it mean to “crucify the sinful nature?” (Allowing the Holy Spirit to rule in your life not sin.)

Pray for the fruits that each family member expressed being the hardest.

BONUS ROUND: (Hands on activity to better understand the lesson.)

Supplies Needed: Poster or large paper. Markers.

Draw a tree. Then draw different types of fruit, large enough to write the fruits of the Spirit on. (ex: draw an apple and write LOVE on it, then a strawberry and write PEACE, etc.) Make sure it is bold and easy to read. Hang it in your house to remind you during the week.

LEVEL UP:(More In Depth. A good challenge for older students.)

Look at Galatians 5:22-23 again. As a family agree on hand motions/signs for each word or part of the verse. Practice over and over again until you can memorize the verse as a family. Continue to sign to each other during the week to remind family members the fruit we should see in our lives.