Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
We Can Do Good Things When We Live God's Way
Read Mark 2:1-12
These friends must have had great faith in Jesus. They believed in His love and willingness to help. They had heard about Him and His message. Everything may have looked impossible and impassable, but they did not pay attention to how things looked; They had complete faith in Jesus.
Jesus saw the man lowered down slowly in front of His eyes. What did He see? He saw much more than anyone else did or you or I could have. He looked right through the man’s crippled body and into his heart. He also looked up and saw the man’s four friends and their hearts. Jesus saw something in all five of their hearts that pleased Him and still pleases Him when He sees it in our hearts.
Verse 5 tells us that He "saw their faith." When He saw they had absolute confidence in Him, it pleased Him. They trusted Him just because of who He was, and they brought their need to Him. They did not come with gifts or money or promises, they just came with their need and trusted Jesus would take care of it.
The first thing that Jesus said to the man may not have been what he or his friends wanted to hear, but Jesus knew the man had a greater need than just being able to move his body. It is the great need of all our lives; we need to have our sins forgiven. Our sins make us utterly helpless and spiritually paralyzed. Jesus saw the man's faith in Him and forgave him his sin. Jesus took care of the greatest need first--sin.
As we obey and trust Jesus, we will see Him working in our lives. Just like the paralyzed man was in desperate need of help, we are all sinners, in desperate need of Jesus to forgive our sins and give us strength to live for Him. He is the answer to all of our questions and the solution to all of our problems. He is the God of the universe and worthy of all our trust. Let us trust Him with all our hearts.
If we give our hearts to Jesus, if we spend time with him daily, if we follow the Bible and live the way Jesus lived, goodness will grow in us like fruit on the vine. We will be good to others. We will choose good things over sin.
Family Discussion
Memory Verse
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
These friends must have had great faith in Jesus. They believed in His love and willingness to help. They had heard about Him and His message. Everything may have looked impossible and impassable, but they did not pay attention to how things looked; They had complete faith in Jesus.
Jesus saw the man lowered down slowly in front of His eyes. What did He see? He saw much more than anyone else did or you or I could have. He looked right through the man’s crippled body and into his heart. He also looked up and saw the man’s four friends and their hearts. Jesus saw something in all five of their hearts that pleased Him and still pleases Him when He sees it in our hearts.
Verse 5 tells us that He "saw their faith." When He saw they had absolute confidence in Him, it pleased Him. They trusted Him just because of who He was, and they brought their need to Him. They did not come with gifts or money or promises, they just came with their need and trusted Jesus would take care of it.
The first thing that Jesus said to the man may not have been what he or his friends wanted to hear, but Jesus knew the man had a greater need than just being able to move his body. It is the great need of all our lives; we need to have our sins forgiven. Our sins make us utterly helpless and spiritually paralyzed. Jesus saw the man's faith in Him and forgave him his sin. Jesus took care of the greatest need first--sin.
As we obey and trust Jesus, we will see Him working in our lives. Just like the paralyzed man was in desperate need of help, we are all sinners, in desperate need of Jesus to forgive our sins and give us strength to live for Him. He is the answer to all of our questions and the solution to all of our problems. He is the God of the universe and worthy of all our trust. Let us trust Him with all our hearts.
If we give our hearts to Jesus, if we spend time with him daily, if we follow the Bible and live the way Jesus lived, goodness will grow in us like fruit on the vine. We will be good to others. We will choose good things over sin.
Family Discussion
- Why did the four men want their friend to see Jesus? (they knew Jesus could heal him)
- There were so many crowds, the friends could not just go through the front door to reach Jesus. How did they get him to Jesus? (they lowered him on a mat from the roof to where Jesus was speaking)
- What pleased Jesus about this man and his four friends? (He saw their faith and trust in Him)
- What need did Jesus take care of first before healing him? (He forgave the man's sins)
- What are some characteristics of a good friend?
- What is the best way to be a good friend to others? (Share the love of Jesus with them)
- Share about a time a friend showed goodness to you.
Memory Verse
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
Posted in Calvary Kids