Growing in Faith: Embracing God's Promises and Standards
Summary
The sermon focuses on the teachings from 2 Peter chapter 1, where the speaker discusses the importance of faith and the promises of God. It is highlighted that through God's divine power, believers have been given everything they need to live a godly life, which is obtained through knowing God and embracing His precious promises. The speaker urges the audience to supplement their faith with moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and patient endurance, emphasizing that faith is the starting point for a journey of growth and transformation.
The speaker stresses the significance of adhering to God's moral standard, which is the foundation upon which knowledge and understanding should be built. They explain that God's standard is unchanging and that individuals must align their actions with this standard through self-control, obedience, and humility. The importance of self-control is further discussed, as it allows individuals to exercise restraint and obedience in situations where they may be tempted to respond negatively.
The concept of godliness is introduced, not as an attempt to be perfect like God, but as a way to worship well. The speaker shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the importance of genuine relationships and worship that is focused on what God has done, rather than on impressing others.
The sermon also covers the sequential pattern presented by Peter on how to add to one's faith, emphasizing the importance of following this order and not trying to understand scripture out of step. The speaker compares spiritual growth to losing weight, highlighting that the process is as important as the end result.
A personal story is shared about the speaker's appreciation for authority and the realization that worship should be about being reminded of God's deeds. The speaker also discusses the importance of focusing on the process rather than just the end goal, referencing Malcolm X and Oprah Winfrey's experiences to underscore the significance of growth and spiritual development.
Pastor Chris admits his own struggles with moral excellence and the need to confront and address the lack of moral standards in his life. The concept of godliness is further explored, with the speaker explaining that as we learn more about God, we realize our need for Him and that godliness is to worship and appreciate the presence of God.
Lastly, the speaker shares an experience at a football game, expressing excitement for their team and the atmosphere in the stadium. They mention the Holy Spirit's warning to "watch yourself," reminding them to be mindful of their actions.
Key Takeaways:
- Faith serves as the foundation for a transformative journey that involves adding moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and patient endurance. This process of growth is essential for living a godly life, and it is through knowing God and embracing His promises that believers are equipped for this path. [36:04]
- God's moral standard is unchanging and should be the basis upon which believers build their knowledge and understanding. It is crucial to align actions with this standard, exercising self-control and humility to live in obedience to God's expectations. [49:25]
- The process of spiritual growth is as important as the end result. Just as there are healthy and unhealthy ways to lose weight, there are right and wrong ways to grow spiritually. Following the sequential pattern of adding to one's faith as outlined by Peter is key to ensuring that growth is healthy and sustainable. [39:22]
- Genuine worship and relationships are central to the Christian life. Worship should be focused on appreciating what God has done, rather than on impressing others. Similarly, authentic connections with others enrich our lives and reflect the love and brotherly affection that should characterize our faith. [58:16]
- Understanding godliness involves recognizing our need for God and appreciating His presence. It is not about being above others or achieving perfection, but about worshiping well and valuing the journey, including the challenges and setbacks that help us appreciate the good things in life. [54:52]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- 2 Peter 1:1-9 (New Living Translation)
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 2 Peter 1:3, what has God given us through His divine power, and for what purpose? ([36:04])
2. What are the qualities that Peter instructs believers to add to their faith in 2 Peter 1:5-7? ([38:30])
3. How does the speaker describe the importance of following the sequential pattern of adding to one's faith as outlined by Peter? ([39:22])
4. What personal struggle does Pastor Chris admit to in relation to moral excellence? ([46:17])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to live a godly life according to 2 Peter 1:3-4, and how does knowing God and His promises equip us for this life? ([36:04])
2. How does the concept of godliness, as explained in the sermon, differ from the idea of achieving perfection? ([53:43])
3. Why is the process of spiritual growth emphasized as being as important as the end result? How does this relate to the analogy of losing weight mentioned in the sermon? ([40:50])
4. How does the speaker's personal story about watching "Saints and Sinners" illustrate the struggle with maintaining moral excellence? ([46:17])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Which of these qualities do you find most challenging to add to your faith, and why? ([38:30])
2. Pastor Chris mentioned the importance of self-control in aligning our actions with God's moral standard. Can you identify a recent situation where you struggled with self-control? How did you handle it, and what could you do differently next time? ([51:21])
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of genuine worship and relationships. How can you focus more on appreciating what God has done rather than trying to impress others in your worship and interactions? ([58:16])
4. Pastor Chris shared his struggle with watching a TV show that conflicted with his pursuit of moral excellence. Is there a similar area in your life where you need to confront and address a lack of moral standards? ([46:17])
5. The speaker discussed the importance of focusing on the process rather than just the end goal. Can you think of a time when you focused too much on the end result and neglected the process? How did that impact your spiritual growth? ([40:50])
6. How can you cultivate a deeper appreciation for God's presence in your daily life, as described in the concept of godliness? ([53:43])
7. Pastor Chris mentioned the Holy Spirit's warning to "watch yourself" during an exciting moment at a football game. Have you experienced a similar moment where you felt the Holy Spirit guiding you to be mindful of your actions? How did you respond? ([01:01:35])
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as the Foundation for Transformation
Faith is not a static condition but the starting point for a journey of growth that includes moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and patient endurance. This transformative process is essential for living a godly life, and it begins with a deepening knowledge of God and a reliance on His promises. [36:04]
James 1:4 - "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Reflection: In what ways can you actively build upon your faith today to foster spiritual growth and maturity?
Day 2: Upholding God's Unchanging Moral Standard
Believers are called to align their actions with God's unchanging moral standard, which serves as the foundation for knowledge and understanding. This alignment requires self-control and humility, as one strives to live in obedience to God's expectations. [49:25]
Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
Reflection: How can you practice self-control today in an area where you typically struggle to align with God's moral standards?
Day 3: Valuing the Process of Spiritual Growth
The journey of spiritual growth is as significant as the destination. There are right and wrong ways to grow, and following the sequential pattern of adding to one's faith as outlined by Peter ensures that growth is healthy and sustainable. [39:22]
2 Peter 1:5-7 - "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness."
Reflection: What is one step you can take today to follow the pattern of growth outlined in 2 Peter 1:5-7?
Day 4: Embracing Genuine Worship and Relationships
Worship and relationships within the Christian life should be genuine and focused on appreciating God's deeds rather than impressing others. Authentic connections with others reflect the love and brotherly affection that should characterize our faith. [58:16]
Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Reflection: How can you foster a genuine connection with someone in your faith community this week?
Day 5: Understanding and Practicing Godliness
Godliness is not about achieving perfection but about worshiping well and valuing the journey, including the challenges that help us appreciate the good things in life. As we learn more about God, we realize our need for Him and the importance of appreciating His presence. [54:52]
1 Timothy 4:7-8 - "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
Reflection: What is one way you can train yourself in godliness today, focusing on appreciating God's presence rather than your own perfection?
Quotes
"Inside each and every one of us there's who we are and there's who God expects us to be, and this never changes. His Divine standard never changes." [49:25] (Download)
"Now that you know a soft answer turns away wrath, you find yourself in a situation where you ought to cut somebody out, but then that word comes that's built on top of that moral standard and now you exercise self-control." [51:53] (Download)
"Your worship should change not because you're trying to impress anybody in here. Your worship changes because you are reminded of what God has done." [58:56] (Download)
"The more you learn about God, the more you realize you need him. This weird concept that the spiritual people are Above the Rest makes no Kingdom sense; that's Earthly." [55:35] (Download)
"Good people don't know how to appreciate good things. You ever saw the first time Mike Tyson got knocked down? He was looking for his mouthpiece... but when you've gotten knocked down and you've gotten up, you've learned to appreciate not getting knocked down again." [57:36] (Download)
"Because God gives you his grace, that doesn't mean he's dropping his standards. So yes, God expects you to get a hundred on every test, even though you barely making it with 77." [53:02] (Download)
"The more you grow like this, the more your spiritual growth is done in this way. There are good ways to lose weight and there are bad ways to lose weight, but if you don't care how you do it, you just want to lose the weight, you can hurt yourself." [41:31] (Download)
"If your focus is only on the product, if your focus is only on the end result, you might lose out more because your process is unhealthy. The process is as important as the product." [42:31] (Download)
"Can I be honest with y'all? Pastor Chris got ways to go when it comes to understanding God's moral excellence. There's things I do, there's things I love to do, that I know full well I shouldn't." [46:17] (Download)
"All through my sleep last night, all I could hear is moral excellence. It's even in my life, there needs to be the opportunity to address and confront the lack of moral standard that not you come up with, but that you know that the Lord is demanding of us." [48:09] (Download)
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