Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape

Devotional

Day 1: The Gift of Liberation Through Christ

The "Great Escape" from sin and evil is a profound gift given through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This liberation is not something that can be achieved through human effort but is received through faith in Christ. It is the foundation of our faith, calling us to live a life marked by growth and the addition of virtues such as goodness, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love. These virtues are not just moral attributes but are essential for a dynamic and growing faith. As believers, we are encouraged to embrace this gift and allow it to transform our lives, leading us to a deeper relationship with God and a more profound impact on the world around us. [01:48]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively embrace the gift of liberation through Christ in your daily life, allowing it to transform your actions and relationships today?

Day 2: Cultivating Virtues for a Fruitful Faith

Possessing virtues in increasing measure is crucial for preventing spiritual ineffectiveness and unproductivity. These qualities ensure that our faith is alive and active, making our lives count for something significant in the kingdom of God. When we cultivate virtues like goodness, self-control, and love, we align ourselves with God's purpose and become effective instruments in His hands. This growth is not automatic but requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit. By focusing on these virtues, we can avoid spiritual stagnation and live a life that reflects the transformative power of the gospel. [02:39]

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." (2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV)

Reflection: What specific virtue do you feel called to cultivate more intentionally in your life, and what practical steps can you take to grow in this area today?

Day 3: Remembering the Cleansing from Past Sins

Forgetting the cleansing from past sins leads to spiritual blindness and stagnation. When we lose sight of what Jesus has done for us, we risk becoming ineffective and unproductive, wandering aimlessly in our faith journey. This forgetfulness can cause us to lose the wonder and gratitude for the grace we have received, resulting in a lack of motivation to pursue spiritual growth. By regularly remembering and reflecting on the cleansing from our past sins, we can maintain a vibrant and dynamic faith that continually seeks to honor God and serve others. [06:01]

"Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally remind yourself of the cleansing from past sins and maintain a sense of wonder and gratitude for what Jesus has done for you?

Day 4: The Journey of Grace and Endeavor

Making our calling and election sure involves effort and focus, akin to climbing a mountain. The Christian life is a journey of grace and endeavor, where perseverance and growth in faith are essential to avoid spiritual decline. This journey requires us to be intentional about our spiritual growth, continually seeking to deepen our relationship with God and live out the reality of our faith. By focusing on our calling and election, we can stand firm in our faith and avoid the pitfalls of spiritual mediocrity. [13:23]

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14, ESV)

Reflection: What specific area of your spiritual journey requires more effort and focus, and how can you commit to pursuing growth in this area today?

Day 5: Choosing a Life of Holiness and Growth

The choice between arriving in heaven like a ship in full sail or a shipwrecked sailor is ours. Pursuing a life of holiness and growth in faith ensures a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom, while neglect leads to spiritual mediocrity. This choice requires us to be intentional about our spiritual growth, continually seeking to deepen our relationship with God and live out the reality of our faith. By focusing on our calling and election, we can stand firm in our faith and avoid the pitfalls of spiritual mediocrity. [19:16]

"Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him." (2 Peter 3:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to pursue a life of holiness and growth in faith, ensuring a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom?

Sermon Summary

In this message, I address the profound concept of the "Great Escape," which is the liberation from sin, evil, and Satan through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This escape is not something we can achieve through our own efforts but is a gift received through faith in Christ. For those who have experienced this escape, the call is to ensure that their faith is not static but dynamic and growing. This growth is marked by the addition of virtues such as goodness, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love, as outlined in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

The importance of these virtues is emphasized through three conditional statements introduced by the word "if." The first condition is that if we possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will prevent us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. The second condition warns that if we lack these qualities, we become nearsighted and blind, forgetting the cleansing from past sins. This forgetfulness leads to a loss of wonder at what Jesus has done, resulting in spiritual stagnation.

The third condition is a call to make our calling and election sure. If we do these things, we will never fall. This is not about earning salvation but about living out the reality of our faith. The Christian life requires effort and focus, akin to climbing a mountain. It is a journey of grace and endeavor, where we are called to persevere and not settle for spiritual mediocrity.

The message concludes with a vivid illustration of two types of arrivals in heaven: one like a ship returning in full sail, welcomed with joy, and the other like a shipwrecked sailor barely making it to shore. The choice is ours, and the encouragement is to pursue a life of holiness and growth in faith, ensuring a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. The "Great Escape" from sin and evil is a gift through Jesus Christ, not something we can achieve on our own. This escape is the foundation of our faith, and it calls us to live a life marked by growth and the addition of virtues like goodness and love. [01:48]
2. Possessing virtues in increasing measure prevents spiritual ineffectiveness and unproductivity. These qualities ensure that our faith is alive and active, making our lives count for something significant in the kingdom of God. [02:39]
3. Forgetting the cleansing from past sins leads to spiritual blindness and stagnation. When we lose sight of what Jesus has done, we risk becoming ineffective and unproductive, wandering aimlessly in our faith journey. [06:01]
4. Making our calling and election sure involves effort and focus, akin to climbing a mountain. The Christian life is a journey of grace and endeavor, where perseverance and growth in faith are essential to avoid spiritual decline. [13:23]
5. The choice between arriving in heaven like a ship in full sail or a shipwrecked sailor is ours. Pursuing a life of holiness and growth in faith ensures a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom, while neglect leads to spiritual mediocrity. [19:16]
** [19:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - The Great Escape
[02:06] - Dynamic Faith
[02:39] - Preventing Ineffectiveness
[03:24] - Examining Our Faith
[04:08] - Adding to Our Faith
[05:23] - Spiritual Blindness
[06:20] - Loss of Wonder
[07:36] - Climbing the Mountain
[08:20] - Remembering Forgiveness
[09:58] - Assurance in Faith
[11:02] - The Gospel Reminder
[12:31] - Standing Firm
[13:23] - Making Our Calling Sure
[19:16] - Arrival in Heaven

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 2 Peter 1:5-11
- Titus 2:14
- Ephesians 6:13-14

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Observation Questions:

What are the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 that believers are encouraged to add to their faith? How are these virtues described in the sermon? [04:27]
According to the sermon, what are the consequences of not possessing these virtues in increasing measure? [05:40]
How does the sermon describe the difference between a ship arriving in full sail and a shipwrecked sailor? What does this metaphor illustrate about the Christian journey? [19:16]
What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between effort and grace in the Christian life? [07:36]

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Interpretation Questions:

In 2 Peter 1:9, what does it mean to be "nearsighted and blind," and how does this relate to forgetting the cleansing from past sins? How does the sermon expand on this idea? [06:01]
How does the sermon interpret the phrase "make your calling and election sure" from 2 Peter 1:10? What practical steps are suggested to achieve this? [13:23]
The sermon mentions the importance of remembering what Jesus has done for us. How does this remembrance impact a believer's spiritual growth and effectiveness? [06:20]
How does the sermon use the metaphor of climbing a mountain to describe the Christian life? What does this metaphor suggest about the nature of spiritual growth? [07:36]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Which virtue do you feel is most lacking in your life, and what specific steps can you take to cultivate it this week? [04:27]
The sermon warns against spiritual stagnation and forgetfulness. What practices can you implement to regularly remind yourself of the cleansing from past sins and the work of Jesus in your life? [06:01]
Consider the metaphor of arriving in heaven like a ship in full sail versus a shipwrecked sailor. What changes can you make in your daily life to ensure you are pursuing a life of holiness and growth in faith? [19:16]
The sermon emphasizes the need for effort and focus in the Christian journey. Identify a specific area in your spiritual life where you need to exert more effort. What is one action you can take this week to move forward in that area? [07:36]
How can you make your calling and election sure in your current life circumstances? What are some practical ways you can live out your faith more dynamically? [13:23]
The sermon discusses the importance of standing firm in faith, especially during challenging times. What are some potential distractions or challenges you face, and how can you prepare to stand firm against them? [12:51]
Reflect on the idea that disobedience and assurance don't coexist. Is there an area of disobedience in your life that is affecting your assurance of faith? What steps can you take to address this? [17:52]

Sermon Clips

The greatest Escape that the world will ever see and ever a man or a woman will know is the escape from the clutches of evil and sin and Satan an escape which man or woman cannot by their own Endeavors effect but an escape which is made possible as a result of the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. [00:01:23]

If you possess these qualities in increasing measure what will happen well they will have a preventative effect in your life instead of allowing the grass to grow under our feet as a result of laziness or as a result of slackness, the presence of these qualities will result in all of our days counting for something and Counting for someone. [00:02:36]

Once having believed once having trusted once having in the terminology a verse or two above once having received this Faith then we may by the enabling of God add to our faith all of these elements which speak of his work within our lives goodness and self-control The Wonder of perseverance the beauty of godliness the attractiveness of love. [00:04:13]

When a person does not make progress in the Christian Life it is directly related to a loss of Wonder at who Jesus is and what he has done, such an individual has forgotten that they have been forgiven and that they have been Sanctified and as a result of having taken their eyes off this then they appear to be wandering around like a near-sighted man blind and unable to make sense of where they're going. [00:06:11]

The living of the Christian life is all of Grace and yet all of our Endeavor as God by his grace enables us so we give ourselves wholeheartedly to it and when we fail to make progress as it were up the Mountainside when we let go of the summit because it seems far too daunting in Prospect and we pitch our tents down in the plains. [00:07:40]

He keeps us from falling by directing us to the truth of the Bible itself so he says to us now come on I want you to make every effort I want you to make sure that you're adding to your faith all of these things and I want you to know that if you do they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. [00:10:10]

The great antidote to failure here is to have the gospel told to us again and again and again to have our gaze turn to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ so that we might understand that none of us can put ourselves in our right standing with God by means of our endeavors. [00:10:59]

If you do these things you will never fall if you don't you will falling into sin falling into apostasy not that any real partaker of God's grace can be a Castaway but what do we know we know that not everyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus continues to the end. [00:15:37]

If you possess these qualities he says you're going to be active and you're going to be fruitful, knowledge of spiritual things grows with spiritual experience, but neglect of Duty, the fiddling around with sin is like an anesthetic, it numbs us and it clouds our gaze. [00:16:39]

If you do these things then I can guarantee you that your spiritual experience will be matured and it will be developed, but if you fail to do so, then your Assurance will be shaken you will live with doubts and you will live with fears and there won't be sufficient incentive for you to press on to the end. [00:18:01]

The Christian who does not add to his or her faith is sure to lose sight of there being a forgiven person and is certain to fall into doubt about whether they have been purged from their old sins, they live like a man who has recovered from sickness who keeps falling back again into bad Health. [00:21:39]

Therefore they're failing to add to Faith is certain to shake our Assurance to cause us to doubt and fear, then isn't that sufficient incentive to press on, to press on. [00:22:12]

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Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape

Devotional

Day 1: The Gift of Liberation Through Christ

Day 2: Cultivating Virtues for a Fruitful Faith

Day 3: Remembering the Cleansing from Past Sins

Day 4: The Journey of Grace and Endeavor

Day 5: Choosing a Life of Holiness and Growth

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape

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