Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness (Luke 6:37-45)
(Our Reforming Group Guides are designed to be inductive, using the COMA form of study: Context, Observation, Meaning, Application. For more on this method, check out this article.)
Read Galatians 5:22-23 and pray, asking the Holy Spirit to help us hear what He says from His Scriptures.
By way of introduction: What range of use does the word “good” have today?
Read Luke 6:37-45
As you read Luke 6:37-38, what do these things indicate about human understanding of “goodness”.
Jesus then tells a parable in Luke 6:42-42, in your own words how would you explain what this parable means.
Read Psalm 14 and Romans 3, what do we learn about “goodness” here?
Back to Luke 6:43-45, Jesus moves from specks and logs to trees and fruit. What does this analogy mean for us?
A helpful cross-reference passage is Jeremiah 17:1-18, where there are also two trees for us to see. What does the message of the two trees teach us?
In this verse, the Greek New Testament word for treasure is an interesting word choice. Take a look:
Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure (θησαυρός = thesaurus) of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
a. What will this mean for how we speak and the health of our hearts?
b. How does Jesus change this for us?
c. So how could you and I ever produce the fruit of “goodness” in our lives?
Pray for one another of Reforming, and for friends of Reforming - that we would bear the fruit of goodness in Christ.
