Small Group Discussion Guide

"Refresh Your Fruit" — Pastor Linda Hufton

1. SERMON RECAP

Pastor Linda Hufton opened with an honest confession that even after nearly fifty years of walking with the Lord, her own fruit had grown stale and sometimes sour, and she challenged the congregation to join her in a personal refresher course on the fruit of the Spirit. She explored the Greek word for "fruit" — karpos — revealing that it carries the sense of actively seizing, plucking, or choosing something that is already present within the born-again spirit, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pastor Linda closed by contrasting the Old Testament standard of loving neighbors while hating enemies with Jesus's radical new command to love enemies, bless those who curse us, and treat the unkind with the same kindness God extends to everyone.

2. KEY SCRIPTURE

Galatians 5:22-23 (New King James Version)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

3. ICE BREAKER

What is one piece of fruit you genuinely enjoy eating, and is there a fruit you absolutely cannot stand? What does that say about your taste?

4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Question 1 Pastor Linda pointed out that the Greek word for "fruit" carries the meaning of seizing, plucking, and choosing — and that our born-again spirits will always prefer the things of God when given a choice. What does it feel like in practice when you sense that inner pull toward the right response but choose the easier, fleshier one instead? What gets in the way of making the better choice in that moment?

Question 2 She drew a distinction between the gifts of the Spirit, which belong to the Holy Spirit and are given as He wills, and the fruit of the Spirit, which is built into the believer's recreated spirit but still requires the Holy Spirit's empowerment to actually walk in. How does it change your approach to growing in character when you realize you are not doing it alone — that the Holy Spirit is actively empowering what He planted in you?

Question 3 Pastor Linda referenced the phrase from Galatians 5:23 — "against such there is no law" — and explained that laws exist to restrain bad behavior, but the fruit of the Spirit needs no restraining law because it naturally fulfills what God's law truly desires. Where in your daily life do you rely more on external rules or accountability to keep your behavior in check, rather than drawing on the fruit that is already within you? What would it look like to shift that?

Question 4 She shared the contrast between Matthew 5 and the Old Testament standard in Deuteronomy, noting that in the old covenant it was considered acceptable to withhold kindness from enemies, but Jesus changed the standard entirely by commanding love, blessing, and prayer toward those who harm or irritate us. Who in your life right now feels more like an enemy or an irritant than a neighbor? How honestly are you applying the new covenant standard to that person?

Question 5 Pastor Linda told a candid story about losing her patience with a life insurance representative and the guilt she felt afterward, using it to illustrate that natural circumstances never justify the works of the flesh. Can you think of a recent situation where you felt completely justified in a fleshly response? Looking back, what fruit of the Spirit could have been chosen instead, and what would that have actually looked like in that specific moment?

Question 6 She suggested practicing what Brother Lawrence called "the presence of God" throughout the day — consistently turning attention back to the Lord in small moments — as a way of keeping the Spirit's influence active in real time. What is one part of your typical day when you are most disconnected from any awareness of God's presence? What would it take to build a small, consistent habit of returning to Him during that stretch of time?

5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE

This week, each group member is asked to identify one specific recurring situation — a difficult coworker, a frustrating errand, a tense family interaction — where the works of the flesh tend to show up most predictably. Before that situation happens again, they should write down in one or two sentences exactly which fruit of the Spirit is needed in that moment and what choosing it would look like in practical terms. When the situation arises, they should pause, recall what they wrote, and make a deliberate choice to pluck that fruit rather than react naturally. At the next group meeting, members are invited to share honestly what happened.

6. PRAYER POINTS

• Pray that each group member would grow in genuine self-awareness, recognizing in real time when the works of the flesh are rising up, and that the Holy Spirit would give them both the pause and the power to choose the fruit instead.

• Pray specifically for grace to love the difficult people in each person's life — the ones who feel like enemies or irritants — and that the group would trust the Holy Spirit's empowerment rather than relying on willpower or good intentions alone.

• Pray for a fresh hunger in the group to practice the presence of God throughout ordinary days, so that awareness of Him becomes the natural environment in which the fruit of the Spirit grows and is chosen.

7. MEMORY VERSE

Galatians 5:16 (New King James Version)

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."