What is the relationship between the fruit of kindness and the fruit of goodness? Can you define ‘goodness’?
In what ways is it evident that the Spirit is bear the fruit of goodness in the life of Barnabas?
In what contexts are we most likely called to bear the majority of our fruit of goodness? Why should this be both a comfort and a challenge for us?
Why do you think there is a priority in the New Testament on doing good “at home” (we might say “IN”) as opposed to doing good in the wider community (we might say “OUT”)? Does this create a tension with the other biblical impulse to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth? Does this focus on family and church as recipients of our goodness inevitably result in self-enclosed, insular, and missionally-ineffective Christians and churches? Why or why not?
We usually think of Jesus’ key act of goodness as his self-giving death at the cross. Why is it helpful to also emphasize that he was (as Peter says, Acts 10:38) a man who went about doing good? What is the relationship between Jesus’ small acts of goodness and his one enormous act of goodness? Note that sometimes theologians talk about the “active obedience” of Jesus to his Father: he actively represents his Father through things he does. They also talk about his “passive obedience”: the way he suffered for his people, especially on the cross.
What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Who is going to help you?
