Kindness and Goodness are not exclusive Christian virtues. What makes the spiritual fruit unique is that it is a response to God's grace, not an attempt to earn karmic merit.
We often think of Peace only as the cessation of conflict. But the spiritual fruit of Peace is far more than just Not. Peace is resting in God's provision, rather than our own efforts to build.
We usually think of Joy as Happiness - a reaction to positive circumstances. But while happiness is an emotional reaction to our world, Joy is a spiritual fruit based on God's provision and promises.
Jesus' Resurrection opened up the Tree of Life to us once more. The fruit is for the healing of the nations. So what does Christian fruitfulness look like?
Based on the Seven Deadly Sins, this guide to Good Friday remembers the Cross and invites a congregation to reflect prayerfully on what Jesus' death means today.
Lust reduces people to objects we can use for our pleasure. Lust isolates and shames us. The remedy to Lust is Chastity: good, healthy, ordered friendships.
Anger can be good, but only if it follows a true judgment. Mostly we let our anger follow our prideful judgments of the world. This disordered anger is Wrath, and it's deadly.
One of the challenges of connecting in small groups is getting along with the people who aren't like us. We are called not just to tolerate them, but to embrace and welcome them the same way God has welcomed and embraced us.