Rotation.org Writing Team
Fruit of the Spirit
Video Workshop Lesson
Summary of Activities
Students will watch and discuss the Fruit of the Spirit portions of the Letters of Paul video from the What's in the Bible series, then create their own "Video Letter to My Church." A portion of the Paul video can be previewed here on YouTube.
Bible skills option: This lesson plan has an option to explore more about why and to whom Paul wrote his letters using the very entertaining and informative portions of the Letters of Paul video.
Scripture for the Lesson
"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,* faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (NRSV)
* "generosity" or "goodness" See the Bible Background for an explanation and to learn more about Paul's word choice.
Lesson Objectives
See the Bible Background at Rotation.org for insights and this lesson's learning objectives.
Preparation and Materials
- Read the Bible Background and scripture.
- Obtain and preview the "Letters of Paul" video, #12 in the What's in the Bible? series by Phil Vischer. It can be purchased on DVD, streamed, or downloaded online.
- Print the outline to the video attached to this lesson. It is one of thirteen What's in the Bible (WITB) guides available to Supporting Members of Rotation.org. (See an excerpt of the outline.)
- Print the "Letter to My Church" reflection handout (PDF) attached to this lesson, one copy per student.
- Print or have available a map of Asia Minor showing Galatia's location. (A possible map)
- Bible bookmarks (can be simple slips of paper, one per student)
- Optional props for staging the letter to my church reading. (See lesson)
- Choose a memory activity and print or create the needed props. (See a list of potential activities).
- Set up a cellphone or video camera with a cord to connect it to a TV or screen for playback. (How-to instructions)
- Write the discussion questions for the video, chapters 4 and 5, on an easel or whiteboard before starting class:
What makes the world an "ugly place"?
What comes out of us when the Holy Spirit is living inside us?
How do you help the Holy Spirit "live" inside you?
Lesson Plan
Opening
Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing and learning today.
Ask them how much they already know about the "Fruit of the Spirit" and write as many of the "fruits" as they remember on the board.
Open to Galatians 5:22-23b and have everyone read the fruit of the Spirit in unison. Then have them bookmark the page and close their Bibles. See if the list of the fruit written on the board is complete. If they don't get them all, have them reopen the Bible and add any they missed. (Note: The meaning of the passage will be shared in the video and discussion.)
Show them the map of Galatia, explaining that Paul's "Letter to the Galatians" was a "teaching letter" sent to many of the churches he had founded in that area during his "missionary journeys to spread Christianity in the decades following Jesus' resurrection." The video will expand on this.
Now play one of the suggested "Fruit Memory" activities.
View and Discuss the Video Clip(s)
The entire Letters of Paul video is 56 minutes (too) long.
Begin by viewing Episode 1, chapters 2 & 3, introducing Paul and his letters (approx. 8 minutes). After viewing these two chapters, summarize them in your own words and ask your student if they have any questions.
Then skip ahead to view Episode 2, chapters 4 & 5, a description of the fruit and following Jesus (approx. 7 minutes long). Then, discuss the questions seen below in this lesson plan.
» If you have less time or students are K-1st, only use Episode 2, chapters 4 & 5.
» If you have more class time available, use Episode 2, chapter 3 with older students.
See the attached outline for further details about the episodes and chapters in this video.
Tip: Because you have written the questions on the board ahead of time, students will know what to look for in the video and see the questions during the discussion.
Questions to ask after viewing Episode 2, chapter 4:
1. What makes the world an "ugly place"? (the fruit of our sin: anger, selfishness, hate, etc.)
2. What did Paul (via Sunday School Lady) say comes out of us when the Holy Spirit is living inside us?
3. How do you help the Holy Spirit "live" inside you so that you can have more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control "come out of you"??
Chapter 5 explains two famous and important theological concepts: justification and sanctification. God justifies/saves us. We respond by living holy (sanctified) lives. Paul's "fruit" defines what it means to be holy!
Questions to ask after viewing Episode 2, chapter 5:
1. Fill in the blank: If we follow Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit will help us ______.
2. What are some of the things that Sunday School Lady said we could do to walk with Jesus?
3. Explain what it means to be "justified" and "sanctified." (It's an important distinction. We aren't saved (justified) because we are good but because God is good. Sanctification is our response to God's goodness—by trying to be good ourselves by leading holy (sanctified) lives.)
Reflection: "A Video Letter to My Church"
Students complete their "Letter To My Church." Place the labeled fruit or the fruit Concentration cards from the memory game in front of everyone so they are reminded of all the fruit they can pick from. Then, use a cellphone to record students reading their letters.
See the "adaptation" notes at the end of this lesson for a different approach with K-1st graders.
Fun Staging Option for recording: Have students roll their letters into a scroll. Have a table and chair. On the table have a pencil with a feather attached to it. Have a robe and "Paul's beard" for the letter writer to wear. (You can simply cut a brown or grey cloth or felt in the shape of a beard leaving a hole for the mouth. Staple a piece of elastic to the cloth to make it stay on.) If you have the time, make a beard for each writer that they can take it home along with their completed "My Letter."
Close with prayer by having each student say aloud the fruit that they struggle with (as they wrote in their handout) and ask for the Holy Spirit's help with that fruit.
Playback your video of their "Letters to My Church."
Fruit Memory Activities ~ for use during the Opening
Use one of the following scripture memory activities during the opening of your lesson.
1. Fruit Mixer (getting the order right)
Have a bowl of nine plastic play fruit (or real if you prefer) each labeled with one of the fruit of the Spirit. Begin by distributing the fruit among your students then have them place their fruit in order on the table as they hear it read from the passage. After reading, mix the fruit and have students put them back in the right order. If they get the order wrong, mix the fruit again, read the passage once again, and have them try again to put them in the correct order.
2. Fruit Concentration Card Game (remember the fruit)
To Prepare: Print two copies on cardstock of the free "Fruit" card PDF found at the Christian-Printables website, then cut them into cards (which will produce two copies of each card).
To Play: Shuffle and deal the 24 cards face down on the table. Take turns turning over one card at a time and then a second trying to match it. If they match, the player keeps the matching cards and continues to find another match. If the second card doesn't match the first, both get turned facedown again on the table and play passes to the next person. You can award extra turns if they turn over and read the verse card or basket card.
Alternately, you can make your own double set of fruit cards by writing and drawing the 9 fruits onto index cards.
Print extra cards sets for larger groups and divide students into smaller groups so that everyone can play as much as possible. You might also create a set for each student so they can take it home and play.
Adaptations
For Younger Students:
Play the Fruit Concentration Card Game with non-readers saying the individual fruit out loud each time a fruit is turned over. Have the student(s) repeat after you.
Use only two copies of the 9 fruit cards, eliminating the extra cards.
If your students are K-1, only use Episode 2, chapters 4 & 5 as the content in Episode 1 may not be easily understood by younger students.
In place of the "Letter to My Church" reflection, deal out the fruit memory cards or labeled fruit and ask students to share an example of that fruit in their own life, such as, "I am kind when I..." and "I am faithful when I..."
For those with more class time or older students:
Include the viewing of Episode 2, chapter 3 with your older students. It covers "justification by faith" explaining that we choose to do good (do the fruits) as a response to God's love.
Spend more time discussing what students wrote and said in the Reflection activity.
For At-Home Use or Shorter/Simpler lesson plan:
View and discuss the pertinent chapters in the video, then play one of the fruit memory games.
Sources
Fruit of the Spirit graphic from the What's in the Bible video, copyright JellyTelly, used here under "Fair Use."
Written by Neil MacQueen and the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright Rotation.org Inc.
