YOUTH-CAN-TEACH Activity
Great For Sunday School, Lesson Activities, Family Fun, Daily Devotionals
Matthew 7:17-20
Galatians 5
LESSON LIFESAVER
Fruits of the Spirit decision maker
OBJECTIVE: Compare this fruit tree with repentance (“a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit”). Replace those actions with right actions (“good fruit bringeth forth good fruit”). If we are making the right choices, our rewards are FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
TO MAKE Print activity in color or black and white. Color and cut out the tree, fruit, fire, and fruit wordstrips. Mount tree and fire on a poster and laminate the entire poster. Glue the fruit wordstrips on the backs of matching fruit, e.g., the LOVE action wordstrip goes on the back of the LOVE fruit. Laminate fruit. Place the double-stick tape on the back of the fruit to mount them on the tree or around the fire.
ACTIVITY PREPARATION: Fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Matthew 7:17-20) found on the tree. On the tree you will find this scripture “good fruit bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
To prepare, review the messages found in Galatians 5 and Matthew 7 about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).
POST AND PRESENT IDEAS: (1) Mount visuals on a poster with tape, or a chalkboard with magnets, or (2) Place on a table with youth sitting around the table.
Step 1 – Talk about the Fruit: Discuss the following to help youth learn if the fruit they are placing on their tree of life is good fruit.
Stories of Jesus
• One day Jesus gave a Sermon on a mountain to 5,000 people (Matthew 7:18-21). He taught them about a good tree producing good fruit and a bad tree producing evil fruit and what happened to the fruit.
• Jesus said, “a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit” (place a smiley fruit visual on the tree), neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit (hold up a frowny fruit visual). “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire [place frowny fruit into the fire]. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (See Step #2 that follows.)
• Jesus said that those who keep Heavenly Father’s commandments can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Those who do evil “shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21-22).”
• Jesus also said, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).” It is not enough just to “live in the Spirit,” to learn about choosing the right, we must also “walk in the Spirit,” by obeying God’s commandments. This will produce good fruit on our tree and make us strong.
• Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle Paul told us how we can tell if our tree is bearing good fruit. He said, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22).”
Step #2 – Place the Fruit: Youth can find fruit that is worthy to enter God’s kingdom and place it on the tree or fruit that is unworthy and place it in the fire.
1. Have the youth take turns coming up and choosing a piece of fruit and reading the action on the back of the fruit. These are to be pasted on the back of the fruit. Example LONGSUFFERING (pear-shaped fruit) reads “Madeline knew that it would be a long drive home, and her parents were tired from the trip. Even though she wanted a drink and something to eat, she didn’t complain.”
2. If it is a good choice or good fruit they can place the fruit on the tree. If it is a bad choice or bad fruit they can place it in the fire.
3. Read Matthew 7:8-20 “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.”
DISCUSSION POINTS (Choice, Jesus Christ, Scriptures)
• Jesus wants us to make the right choices so we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father someday.
• Good choices can make us feel good, happy, and at peace.
• Bad choices can make us feel sad, unhappy, and lonely.
• We bring joy and happiness, or good fruit, to others when we are gentle and kind.
• We can repent when we are unkind, selfish, or angry.
• Jesus wants us to work hard at being kind and helpful, doing good to others. By our “good fruits,” others will know we follow Jesus Christ.
• In the scriptures, Jesus teaches us how to put forth good fruit.
BIBLE SCRIPTURES TO UNDERLINE:
Matthew 7:17-20
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 6:9-10
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”