RCCG Sunday School Teacher's Manual 24th December 2017 Lesson 17

TOPIC — THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: GOODNESS AND FAITH [SUNDAY, 24TH DECEMBER 2017]

OPENING PRAYER:

Father increase my faith. Help me to bear the fruit of goodness also.

MEMORY VERSE: "For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" Ephesians 5:9.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Romans 15:13-14

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

INTRODUCTION:

Goodness and faith are part of the vital characteristics of the fruit of the Holy spirit. Goodness in man is not a mere passive quality, but deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and the following of all moral good. Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true ( Phil 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. These are the resulting character of someone who is allowing the Holy Spirit to develop his or her life.

TEXT REVIEW: Romans 15:13-14

i. Gal5:22 identify goodness and faith as component of the fruit of the spirit.

ii. The Bible passage of today points out that believers are full of goodness through the power of the holy spirit. Rom. 15:13b and14b.

iii. This passage only mentions goodness without further details and one may not have an in-depth knowledge of its meaning unless we read through some verses of the chapters.

iv. Apostle Paul identifies the fruit of goodness as exemplifies by the brethren hereto referred in this passage. He said, "I myself, am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness". V.14

v. What are the emblem of this goodness?

i. To bear the emblems of the weak. ROM 15:1

ii. Pleasing one's neighbour i.e make neighbour happy. To edify and strengthen him/ her spiritually.

iii. Bearing the reproach of others as Christ. Rom. 15:2

iv. Receiving/accepting one another from the heart as Christ received us. Rom. 15:7

v. Becoming a servant and a minister of the gospel to the gentiles. Rom. 15:9 and 16

vi. To bear the fruit of goodness with these emblems is to allow the holy spirit fill our hearts without the knowledge and faith in the Lord and His word. Rom. 15:14.

LESSON OUTLINES:

1. GOODNESS

2. FAITH (FAITHFULNESS)

GOODNESS

"Agathosume" in Greek means, uprightness of heart and life. It means goodness for the benefits of others.

i. Goodness is virtue and holiness in action.

ii. It is a desire to be a blessing to others.

iii. It is a moral characteristic of a spirit-filled person.

Other identities of goodness are:

i. Giving to the poor. James 1:27.

ii. Approaching a sinner in love with the aim of restoring him/her.

iii. Providing for one's family wife, children and relatives.

iv. Visiting the sick.

v. Goodness may not be inborn. It is a gift of the spirit. James 1:17.

vi. The believers must allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of goodness in them to glorify God. Matt. 5:16

CLASS ACTIVITY 1:

Class members should share their experience (s) of goodness to others or recount instances of goodness they have demonstrated.

FAITH (FAITHFULNESS)

i. Faith is believing without seeing. Heb. 11:1

ii. Faithfulness is steadfastness, consistency and allegiance.

iii. Faith as the fruit of the spirit is interpreted as FAITHFULNESS. Gal. 5:22

iv. Faithfulness is absolute loyalty to God and His word.

v. The Bible gave examples of people of faith who were faithful to their callings:

a. Abel gave an acceptable offering to God. Heb.11:14, Gen 4:4

b. Enoch walked with God and was translated. Heb. 11:5

c. Noah built an ark that could float on water even when there had not been any rain. Heb. 11:7

d. Abraham and Sarah waited for 100 and 90 years respectively to receive the promise.Heb.11: 8-11

vi. Believers must be faithful to trust God even when circumstances does not encourage such act. 2Cor. 5:7

vii. Believers must be faithful to God in service at all times. Rev. 2:13

viii. Believers must be faithful in their services to humanity always. 1pet. 5:12.

CLASS ACTIVITY 2:

Members should discuss the proof of their faithfulness to God. Giving example where possible to encourage one another.

SUMMARY:

Believers must yield the fruit of goodness and faithfulness to God and fellow neighbors.

CONCLUSION:

We do not become a Christian on our own, and we can not grow on our own. Phil 2:13. Every good thing we do by faith is the fruit of the spirit's work in our life.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Father let me affect my generation with goodness and be faithful to you to the end.

ASSIGNMENT:

Identify 5 areas to show goodness to your neighbours and 5 areas you can be faithful to God.