2024
Goodness
Passage: Galatians 5:22-25 & Exodus 33:18-19; 34:5-6
“We instinctively tend to limit for whom we exert ourselves. We do it for people like us, and for people whom we like. Jesus will have none of that. By depicting a Samaritan helping a Jew, Jesus could not have found a more forceful way to say that anyone at all in need – regardless of race, politics, class, and religion – is your neighbour. Not everyone is your brother or sister in faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor.” ― Timothy Keller
SERMON OUTLINE:
1. What is goodness?
2. Why is it so important?
3. How can we pursue the fruit of goodness in our lives?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Share a time you have experienced, practiced, or observed goodness. This could be an example of your life or a story/book/movie.
Read Exodus 34:5-7. What difference does it make that God lists compassion first in the description of his character? Is there anything else about the order of the character qualities that strikes you?
Galatians 5:14-15 says: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” The Christians at Galatia were experiencing divisions and broken relationships. The fruit of the spirit is God’s antidote. How can “goodness”, as Guy described it – “caring and helping”, be the antidote when we experience relational strife with others?
Guy said “caring and helping” is a simple idea, but it’s not always easy. Is there someone you are having a difficult time showing goodness to right now? Ask God to help you see them with his eyes of compassion.
PRAYER
Share with your group how they can be praying for you: what is weighing on you from this past week? What are you praising God for from this past week? Spend time praying for one another in response to the last discussion question and also praising God for the truth below from Titus 3.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (Titus 3:4-5 )