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THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS
Fruit-Full – Part 6
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
November 3, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofgoodness #goodness
https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

Goodness been called the most underrated of all the fruit of the Spirit. If you ask the average believer in which area do they most need to grow, many will say patience, self-control or even love. But goodness is hardly ever even mentioned. It seems unimportant. But what if I told you that the goodness of God is no minor league truth about God. Instead it’s literally the lens through which we see all the other attributes of God. Goodness is what you need in God to set you free and goodness is what He wants to pour through your life to transform the world.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Take some time to discuss what you learned about the word “good” and “goodness” today. What were your dominant associations with those words before hearing this message? What are they now? What qualities stood out most as it relates to the Old Testament Hebrew word (Tov) or the New Testament Greek word (Agathosune)?

2. Why is the goodness of God not a minor truth about God? How does God demonstrate His goodness to us? In what ways have you been a recipient of the goodness of God?

3. One practical suggestion to come out of today’s message was to make the phrase “God is as good as Jesus made Him out to be” a daily meditation. Since Jesus told us He was the clearest representation of God we have ever seen or known, how does that shift any misconceptions you may presently have of God? When you read the Bible, do you read through a Christo-centric filter (using Christ as the lens through which you read the rest of the Bible)? In Bible study, it is often taught that clear passages should govern our understanding of unclear passages. If Christ is the clearest representation of God we have ever had, then it is only fitting to see and understand the rest of Scripture through the lens of Christ. Have you ever tried to do this?

4. Pastor Keith clearly laid out God’s plan to support His workers through the generosity of God’s people in Scripture. In fact, goodness literally means to give generously for the good of others. One of the primary ways we do this is by supporting those who minister the Word to our souls. Do you think most people understand this aspect of giving? Why do you think people give to the church? Why has God throughout history placed His workers in a position of forced dependency on the people of God?

5. As with every fruit of the Spirit, all of them are evidence of the fullness of God’s presence in us. When God’s goodness fills our heart and overflows into our lives, people are blown away by the things they see in our life that can’t be credited to anything other than the presence of God. What do you think of the phrase, “Your life may be the only Bible some people read?” Have you ever witnessed that in someone? What were they like? What effect did it have on you? Is your life an example of something that attracts people to the family of God?

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THE FRUIT OF KINDNESS
Fruit-Full – Part 5
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
October 27, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #fruitfull #thefruitofkindness #kindness
https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

With the hotly contested presidential election just around the corner coupled with the toxic cesspool social media has become, many of us find ourselves longing for less hate and more kindness. That’s why you don’t want to miss this Sunday’s message as we explore the Fruit of Kindness. We’re going to explore the kindness of God and why He wants this virtue to set us apart as His followers. The message will both challenge and encourage you, but most of all, instill you with hope that God’s ways are truly the best.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Kindness is other-centered. The Old Testament word (Hebrew - Chesed or Hesed) and the New Testament word (Greek – Chrestotes), both have the same idea of caring for the needs of others. Look at the following definitions again…

“When chrestotes is working in a believer, he seeks to become adaptable to the needs of those who are around him.” - Rick Renner

“Chesed means the ability to get right inside the other person's skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.” - William Barclay, Daily Study Bible commentary on Matthew

“They willingly pour themselves out for the good of someone else.” - Carolyn James

When and in what ways have you experienced this FROM others? When and in what ways have you done this FOR others?

2. God is kind all the time and God is kind to all people. In what ways have you experienced the kindness of God? How does God show His kindness to all people everywhere?

3. What were your biggest takeaways from today’s message?

4. Why did the lawyer try to limit the definition of neighbor? How did Jesus correct his erroneous ideas? Do people today still try to limit the definition of neighbor to those most like themselves?

5. A woman asked Michael Card, “Why won’t you let me be kind to you?” It’s an important question. Additionally, it speaks to this idea of why we resist grace. Do you have trouble receiving kindness from others? Do you struggle with the idea of grace?

6. It’s not our actions but our reactions that are the best barometer of where we actually are in Christ. It’s our reactions that reveal what’s really going on inside us. To use the words of Amy Carmichael, “What fills your cup?” When life knocks you down, bumps you, inconveniences you, how do you react? What spills from your cup when you get bumped?

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SACRIFICE IN SORROW
When Serving Costs You
Dr. Jessica Fernandez, Lead Associate Pastor
October 20, 2024

#god #realspringcreekchurch #sacrificeinsorrow #whenservingcostsyou #sacrifice #sorrow #serving #serve #cost

https://www.springcreekchurch.org/

We will explore the story of the Widow of Zarephath, a woman who faced overwhelming grief and hopelessness. Preparing for what she believed would be her last meal with her son, she was asked by the prophet Elijah to sacrifice what little she had left to serve him first. This act of sacrificial service in the midst of her sorrow came at a cost—but it was through this sacrifice that she encountered God’s miraculous provision and hope.

When we serve others during our seasons of grief, it often feels like it costs us more than we can bear—our comfort, energy, and what little hope remains. Yet, as we’ll see in this story, it is in these moments of sacrificial service that God meets us, sustains us, and provides for us in ways we could never imagine.

This sermon will challenge us to reflect on how God might be calling us to serve, even when it costs us something. When we choose to offer Him the little we have, even in our sorrow, He is faithful to meet our needs and restore our hope.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In what ways do you relate to the widow’s sense of emptiness or lack? How does her story encourage you to trust God?

2. What are some areas in your life where you feel like you have nothing left to give? How might God be asking you to serve despite your lack?

3. How does sacrificial service bring about healing, both for the person serving and those being served? Have you experienced this in your own life?

4. What are some practical ways you can step into serving others, even in a season of grief or sorrow?

How can we encourage each other as a church community to trust God and serve faithfully, especially in difficult times?