安息日：温柔与节制——爱的果子

圣灵所结的果子就是仁爱，喜乐，和平，忍耐，恩慈，良善，信实，温柔，节制。这样的事没有律法禁止。加拉太书5:22-23

让我们一起来学习世界水果的奥秘吧：

榴莲

在泰国，榴莲被誉为“水果之王”。榴莲是世界上气味最大的水果，它的味道独特。有些人觉得，榴莲的味道像是炒鸡蛋和蛋果馅饼的混合物。榴莲通常个体很大，并且外壳又尖又硬。而里面的果肉气味浓郁，呈浓稠的奶油状，并有大块的果核。这是一种深受东南亚大部分地区喜爱的水果。榴莲只生长在热带地区。如果日平均气温降到22摄氏度（72华氏度）以下，它便会停止生长。

很多人都觉得“榴莲气味难闻，但很好吃！”“气味难闻”的名声并不能阻挡人们对其美味的享受。它被认为是一种“至尊美味”。

今日的属灵果子是温柔与节制。

加拉太书5:22-23 “圣灵所结的果子就是仁爱，喜乐，和平，忍耐，恩慈，良善，信实，温柔，节制。这样的事没有律法禁止。”

温柔是一种特殊的品质，这种品质常包含在由上帝之爱激发的其他美德中。在保罗给以弗所教会的书信中提到：“凡事谦虚、温柔、忍耐、用爱心互相宽容。”（以弗所书4:2）对于犹太人和外邦人之间在传统习俗和思想上的矛盾冲突，保罗劝勉以弗所教会，教会中真正的合一只有在上帝里面才能实现。简而言之，信徒必须被圣灵充满，并通过所结的果子如温柔，以及其他果子（当然也包括节制）来展现上帝的爱。

在以弗所教会中，每一个家庭——即使夫妻双方同属于一个宗教团体，他们在日常生活中仍然有很多观念和生活习惯上的分歧，需要通过协商来解决。然而，我们若是被上帝的灵所充满，我们就可以在家庭中表现出温柔而非易怒和骄傲的性情。还有节制，这是不言自明的。对于品格节制的人最高的赞誉，乃是他可以控制自己。有自知之明的人，他明白自己唯一可以掌控的乃是自己。在我们的家庭中，我们倾向于将我们自己的观点和意志强加在他人身上，来控制和管束他人的行为。通过《圣经》中的事迹，以及社会科学研究的结论得出，我们越多的关注和管理自己的行为，让自己变得更加忍耐，恩慈和温柔，被上帝的灵所充满，我们就会与人相处时变得更加平安与喜乐。

对于一个充满温柔与节制的家庭，怀爱伦谈到：“每一个家庭都当是一个充满爱心的地方，也是一个有天使同住，而在父母及子女的心中发挥其软化驯服之感化力的所在。”（复临信徒的家庭，p，18）

因此，我们今天祈求每一个主内家庭都能经历更大程度的合一，求圣灵充满家人，使他们每天结出爱的果实。当家人加强合一的时候，让喜乐，平安，忍耐，恩慈，良善，信实，温柔与节制的爱在你的家中流淌，直到耶稣再来。

所以，从今天开始学习温柔和节制吧！

愿主赐福我们的家庭，使我们每日都能被圣灵浇灌，并预备好迎接主耶稣基督的再来！

祷告：

亲爱的天父上帝，您对我们是那样慈爱和温柔。求您今天帮助我们在我们的家庭关系中的方方面面都能够践行温柔与节制的美德。奉主耶稣的圣名。阿门！

满满的温柔小活动

你需要准备：

一个生鸡蛋，或者其他易碎品，但可以安全打碎的东西（如果你还想吃这个鸡蛋，可以先将鸡蛋煮熟）

一个可以放鸡蛋的小塑料袋

一个比鸡蛋大点，几英尺（厘米）长的小盒子

任何可以用来保护放在盒子里的鸡蛋的材料-例如羽毛，苔藓，塑料泡沫，纸巾，软的纤维制品，布料，羊毛等。

绳子，胶带等可以固定盒子的材料

活动提示：

把生鸡蛋放进塑料袋中。这将有利于保护鸡蛋不被打碎，之后可用来烹饪。

一起来做，用打包材料为鸡蛋在纸盒里做一个安全的放置区，保证在盒子掉下或摔落的时候不会打碎鸡蛋。

当你把鸡蛋打包好后，把盒子用绳子或胶带粘好。

现在，轻轻的将鸡蛋由组里的一个人抛给另一个人。

每次抛的时候，描述一种你可以如何对他人温柔的方式。

当盒子在家人中被来回传递了两三次时，让年纪最小的家庭成员放手不再接盒子，使盒子掉到地下。

让家庭中年纪最大的成员仔细打开盒子检查鸡蛋是否碎了，请为你完好的鸡蛋而感到高兴，

因为你很尽力的在保护它。

一起讨论的问题

讨论你在这个活动中学到了哪些关于温柔的教训。

花时间学习如何照顾一个小婴儿或小生物。

做一个需要你轻拿轻放的手工制品。

去找一些能够提醒你温柔的物品。

花一些时间以某种方式温柔地对待你家庭的每一成员。

和你的家人一起吹泡泡-它们很脆弱，需要轻轻吹。

练习打鸡蛋，不要把壳打烂，也不要把蛋黄搅乱，然后来做你喜欢的食物.

圣经经文活动

或将经文写在外面的地上或墙上，或嵌在羽毛上放在水里。

一起讨论的问题

 我认为温柔是…

 温柔是圣灵的果子因为…

 耶稣在做…的时候很温柔

其他表现出温柔的圣经人物有…

我发现在…的情况下最难做到温柔

 有些可以帮助我温柔的方式有…

这一周我在…情况下试着温柔…

我们可以…帮助对方变温柔…

祷告：谢谢你亲爱的上帝，这一周帮助我们变温柔…

节制果子小活动

挪亚的故事

你需要准备：

一瓶扣子（或用坚果，小石头，安全的豆荚等）

活动提示：

每次拿5枚扣子

轮流讲述挪亚的故事，但不要用以下几个的词语：船，方舟，舰艇，水，大雨，动物，生物，

木头，鸽子，洪水，山，人们

每次当讲故事的人使用了这些“禁词”时，就要把一枚扣子放进罐子里。

留下扣子最多的人就赢了，每个人都有一次讲故事的机会。

重复游戏，直到每个人都可以不再丢扣子的讲出这个故事。

可以用不同的圣经事迹来玩这个游戏，一起选出“禁词”。

圣经经文活动

你需要准备：

纸，笔和铅笔

活动提示：

试着写出加拉太书5:22-23节，用你不常用的那只手来写。你需要尽力控制身体的每个部位来写。

能够控制自己是圣灵的果子，因为…

耶稣在…方面表现出了节制…

其他圣经人物表现出节制的有…

我发现在… 的情况下最难表现节制。

有些可以帮助我更加节制的事情有…

我这周有过节制的经历和事情有…

我们可以如何互相帮助对方节制…

祷告：

感谢亲爱的上帝帮助我们变得更加节制，这周在…方面

弟兄姐妹们，我们想通过本平台分享更多国外本会优质影像资料。因为人手有限，希望招募一些志同道合的主内同工，做英文视频字幕翻译，视频字幕合成制作，视频中文配音，配音对轨制作。有意者请留言输入“义工申请”。以马内利！

Sabbath

Gentleness and Self-Control:

Fruits of Love

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” -Gal 5:22-23

Let’s learn about fruit from around the World:

DURIAN

In Thailand, durian is considered the king of fruits. It is one of the world’s smelliest fruits and has a unique taste. To some, durian tastes like a mixture between scrambled eggs and flan (sweet egg-based dessert). It is usually a very large size and has a spiky, hard outer shell. On the inside it has a smelly, custard-like pulp with large seeds. It is a beloved fruit throughout most of Southeast Asia. Durian fruit is only grown in places with tropical weather. If by chance, the daily temperatures drop below 22 °C (72 °F), it will stop growing.

Most people will say “it smells bad but tastes so good!” This bad smell reputation has not prevented many people from enjoying its wonderful taste! It is considered a glorious delicacy.

TODAY’S SPIRITUAL FRUIT ARE

GENTLENESS

And

SELF-CONTROL

Galatians 5:22 and 23 reads: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Gentleness has a special quality that is often included with other virtues fueled by the love of God. In Paul’s letter to members at the church in Ephesus he states: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph 4:2).

Made up of Jews and Gentiles and a conflicting mixture of ideas and customs, Paul shares with the Ephesians that harmony in their church is only possible through the presence of God. Basically, believers must be filled with the Spirit of God to exhibit God’s love through the fruit of gentleness, among several others (and self-control, of course).

Like the Ephesian church, every family—even if both spouses are from the same ethnic group—contains differences of opinions and customs that often clash in the process of negotiating everyday life. Yet, if we are filled with the Spirit of God, we too can relate in our families with gentleness, rather than outbursts of anger and selfish ambition.

And then, self-control, which is self-explanatory. The person who bears this fruit of love is best described as someone who lives in his or her circle of control. Someone who is self-aware, who understands that the only person he or she can control is himself or herself. In our families we tend to concentrate on controlling what others should do—according to our opinions—rather than concentrating on regulating our own response to what others are doing. What we know, based on the stories in the Bible and also the findings of social scientific research, is that the more we focus on managing our response—being patient, kind and gentle—as a result of being filled with God’s Spirit, the more peace and joy we will experience in all of our relationships.

In describing a home where the fruit of gentleness and self-control are in use, Ellen White communicates: “Every home should be a place of love, a place where the angels of God abide, working with softening, subduing influence upon the hearts of parents and children” (The Adventist Home, p. 18).

For this reason, our prayer today is that each family in God’s church will experience a greater measure of Family Togetherness, because the presence of God’s Spirit in the members of your family will produce the fruit of love each day. Love expressed in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, as you relate to each other until Jesus comes. So, pick the fruit of gentleness and self-control today!

May God bless us today and every day to walk by the Spirit, and together with our families be ready for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!

PRAY:

Dear Heavenly Father, You are so kind and gentle with us. Help us today to practice gentleness and self-control in every situation in all of our relationships. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Fruitful Gentleness Activity

You will need:

• A raw egg, or something else that is fragile but can be safely broken (you might like to boil the egg first if you will need the egg to eat later)

• A small plastic bag into which you can put the egg

• A box, several inches/centimeters bigger than the egg

• Anything you can find to protect the egg when it is packed into the box – such as feathers, moss, bubble wrap, tissue paper, soft fabric, cotton wool, etc.

• String, tape, etc. to secure the box

Instructions:

• Carefully put the raw egg into the plastic bag. This will help to keep the contents of the egg safe to use in cooking later.

• Work together, using the packing materials, to create a safe place for the egg inside the box, trying to make sure that the egg will not break if the box is dropped.

• Once you have packed the egg safely, tie the box with string or secure it with tape.

• Now, gently toss the packaged egg from one person to the next around the group.

• Each time you toss the box, describe one way that you can be gentle to others.

• When you the box has been passed around the family 2-3 times, let the youngest person let go of the box so that it falls onto a hard floor.

• Let the oldest person in the group carefully unpack the box to see if the egg is still uncracked. Be happy together if the egg is all in one piece! You have been very careful to protect the egg!

• Discuss what you have learned about gentleness by doing this activity.

Alternative Gentleness Activities:

• Spend time learning how to care for a baby, or a young or small creature.

• Do a craft activity that requires a gentle touch.

• Go on a scavenger hunt for objects that remind you of gentleness.

• Spend a few moments being gentle in some way with each person in your family.

• Blow bubbles together – they are fragile and need us to blow gently.

• Practice cracking eggs, gently, without losing any shell, or breaking the yolk, and then make your favorite dish with them.

Bible Verse Activity

• Say the bible text gently to each other.

• Or try writing the Bible verse on the ground outside, or on a wall, using a gentle feather dipped in water.

Questions to Talk About Together

• I think gentleness is…

• Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit because…

• Jesus was gentle when He…

• Other Bible characters who were gentle were…

• I find it hardest to be gentle when…

• Some things that help me to be gentle are…

• One time that I tried to be gentle this week was when…

• We can help each other to be gentle by…

• Pray: Thank You, God, for helping us to be gentle this week when…

Fruitful Self-Control Activity

NOAH’S STORY

You will need:

• A jar of buttons (or use nuts, small stones, safe seed pods, etc.)

Instructions:

• Take 5 buttons each

• Take it in turns to tell the story of Noah to each other without using the following words: boat, ark, ship, water, rain, animals, creatures, wood, dove, flood, mountain, people

• Every time the storyteller uses one of the “forbidden” words, they must put one of their buttons back into the jar.

• The winner is the person who has the most buttons left when everyone has had a chance to tell the story.

• Or repeat the activity until everyone has managed to tell the story without losing any of their buttons.

• You can repeat this activity with different Bible stories. Work together to choose the “forbidden” words.

Bible Verse Activity

You will need:

• Paper, Pen or pencil

Instructions:

• Try writing Galatians 5: 22,23, using the hand that you don’t usually write with or put the pen/pencil between your toes and try to write the verse.

• You will need to work harder at controlling the different part of the body to help you write!

Questions to Talk About Together

• Being able to control ourselves is a fruit of the Spirit because…

• Jesus showed self-control when…

• Other Bible characters who showed self-control were…

• I find it hardest to be self-controlled when… • Some things that help me to be more self-controlled are…

• One time that I was self-controlled this week was when…

• We can help each other to be more self-controlled by…

• Pray: Thank You, God, for helping us to be self-controlled this week when…