Fruit of the Spirit – Self-Control
{media load=media,id=500,width=645,align=center,display=inline}
Video Questions
- How did self-control show up in the story from the video?
- How was this self-control the result of being connected to the Spirit?
Self-control is the ability to absorb what life throws at us without lashing out or giving in.
Scripture
Read Matthew 4.1-11:
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
- How did Jesus demonstrate self-control in this passage? How did his knowledge of the Scriptures help?
- What can you learn about how to deal with real temptation from reading this passage? Where does self-control fit in?
General Questions
- Does authentic worship require self-control? In what ways?
- How does being connected intimately with God help us be more self-controlled? How can we become more intimately connected with God?
- How does a lack of self-control hurt Christian community?
- How does the consistent demonstration of self-control help foster and develop Christian community?
- How does self-control impact the way people in the real world see us and Jesus whom we represent?
- How can we be self-controlled without being perceived as stuck up and holier than thou?
Challenge
What sorts of things, places, and people really push your buttons? Spend this week praying about this. Ask God to teach you how not to lash out or simply to give in. Ask someone within this group to hold you accountable for this aspect of your self-control.
Prayer
Father, our deepest fleshly desire is to have control of ourselves, our futures, and our lives. We certainly don’t want to hand control over to you! And we confess that being self-controlled in the ways you ask us to feels more like you have control of our lives than we do. And we also confess that this is a good thing! All we do with our lives is mess them up! And how do you respond? You reach out to us again and again and again. Thank you! So, we beg you Father to please make us responsive to the Spirit. In so doing you will grant us the self-control that only comes from you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.