Fruits of the Spirit

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

redemption GENTLE death

Almighty and everliving God, in Your tender love for the human race You sent Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon Him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of His great humility: mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of His suffering, and also share in His resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect Sunday April 1)

1.GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Do you remember S&H Green or Top Value (yellow) stamps? We took filled books
to a _____________________________ center to purchase merchandise.
• Jesus came to:
• He taught us to
• He left us with:

2. Our challenge from last week was to look carefully at each gospel's account of Jesus' prayer just before His arrest and final hours.
• Mt 26:36-37 ... "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the
two sons of Zebedee (James and John) along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled.
• Mark 14:37-38 Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," He said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
• LK 22:42 "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."
• Jn 17:24 "Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world."

2.PASSAGE: John 19:25-30

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw His mother there and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Dear woman, here is your son." 27and to the disciple, "here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. 28Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When He had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
 
3. What impresses you about the five named people at the cross?


4. Jesus choose John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) to be His mother's caregiver. Why not one of his own brothers?

5. "It is finished" tells us?

6. Gave up His spirit tells us?


PERSPECTIVE

Ps 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave...
Hos13:14 ... I will redeem them from death..
by whose stripes you were healed (Is53:5)
Mt 20:28 "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Lk 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us...

7. Believing you have been bought at a price causes you to:
• feel?
• act?

8. Where can we turn for strength to act as Jesus did?

9. Define Gentle:

10.What does gentleness look like at St. Thomas?

CHALLENGE: What will you change to become more like Christ?

Visualize: Pirate ship, plank, crocodile, Jesus flies in, Jesus gets in your place, Jesus walks plank, one "day" goes by with no Jesus, two "days" go by no Jesus, third day Jesus resurfaces, He reminds you He promised to send help, then departs.....

Ps 51:12-17 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

NEXT WEEK SELF CONTROL John 21: 15-17