Growing in Godliness: Embracing Hope, Obedience, and Holiness
Summary
### Summary
This morning, we gathered to celebrate the goodness of Jesus and the transformative power of His grace. We rejoiced with those who publicly declared their faith through baptism, and we were led in worship by our amazing youth. Our focus today was on growing in godliness, as we continued our series from 1 Peter 1, titled "Living Hope in a Hostile World." The passage we studied emphasized that it is God's will for every Christian to grow in godliness, becoming more like Jesus each day.
We explored the inevitability of growth and change in the Christian life, acknowledging that while it can be intimidating, it is essential. We reflected on the story of a friend who avoided graduating from college out of fear of the unknown, drawing parallels to how some of us resist spiritual growth. We were reminded that growth in godliness is not optional but a divine mandate.
In 1 Peter 1:13-16, we learned three key principles: hope determines our focus, obedience develops our character, and holiness defines our testimony. We were encouraged to prepare our minds for action, be self-controlled, and set our hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ. This hope fuels our focus and motivates us to live in a way that honors God.
We also discussed the importance of obedience in developing our character. Peter urged us not to conform to our former evil desires but to live as obedient children of God. This obedience helps us grow in godliness and avoid the pitfalls of our past.
Finally, we examined how holiness defines our testimony. God calls us to be holy because He is holy. Our lives should reflect His purity, righteousness, and integrity. Holiness is an active pursuit, and it sets us apart in a world that desperately needs to see the light of Christ.
As we concluded, we were invited to respond to God's call, whether by committing to follow Jesus, joining the church, or taking the step of baptism. We were reminded that the invitation to grow in godliness is ongoing, and we should not delay our obedience.
### Key Takeaways
1. Hope Determines Our Focus: Our hope in the return of Jesus Christ should shape our daily lives. By setting our hope fully on His grace, we can live with purpose and direction, knowing that our ultimate goal is to glorify God in all we do. This hope fuels our focus and helps us navigate the challenges of life with a clear vision of our eternal destiny. [31:51]
2. Obedience Develops Our Character: Obedience to God's commands is crucial for spiritual growth. By avoiding our former evil desires and living as obedient children, we allow God to shape our character. This obedience is not about following rules to earn God's favor but about responding to His love and grace, which transforms us from the inside out. [43:06]
3. Holiness Defines Our Testimony: Holiness is God's defining characteristic, and He calls us to be holy as He is holy. Our pursuit of holiness sets us apart and serves as a powerful testimony to the world. By striving for purity, righteousness, and integrity, we reflect God's nature and draw others to Him. [51:47]
4. Growth in Godliness is a Divine Mandate: Spiritual growth is not optional but a command from God. We are called to grow in godliness, becoming more like Jesus each day. This growth requires intentional effort, self-discipline, and a willingness to leave behind anything that hinders our progress. [26:13]
5. The Power of a Focused Prayer Life: Starting each day with a prayer that aligns our hearts with God's purposes can transform our lives. By asking God to remind us of His imminent return and to help us live in a way that glorifies Him, we can maintain a clear focus and grow in godliness. This daily practice can reshape our priorities and deepen our relationship with God. [42:24]
### YouTube Chapters
1. [0:00] - Welcome
2. [23:21] - Celebrating Baptisms
3. [24:02] - Teenagers Leading Worship
4. [24:46] - Introduction to 1 Peter 1
5. [25:37] - Growing in Godliness
6. [26:13] - The Inevitability of Growth
7. [27:01] - Story of Andy and Fear of Growth
8. [28:48] - Challenges of Growth
9. [29:34] - God's Plan for Growth
10. [30:22] - Understanding "Therefore" in Scripture
11. [31:51] - Hope Determines Our Focus
12. [43:06] - Obedience Develops Our Character
13. [51:47] - Holiness Defines Our Testimony
14. [59:10] - Application and Prayer for Holiness
15. [01:00:21] - Invitation to Respond
16. [01:08:14] - Encouragement for Baptism
17. [01:08:53] - Closing and Dismissal
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)
> "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
### Observation Questions
1. What are the three key principles mentioned in 1 Peter 1:13-16 that were highlighted in the sermon? [31:51]
2. How does Peter describe the relationship between hope and our focus in 1 Peter 1:13? [31:51]
3. According to the sermon, what role does obedience play in developing our character? [43:06]
4. What does Peter mean when he says, "Be holy, because I am holy," and how does this define our testimony? [51:47]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does setting our hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ influence our daily actions and decisions? [31:51]
2. In what ways can obedience to God's commands help us avoid conforming to our former evil desires? [43:06]
3. Why is holiness considered an active pursuit, and how does it serve as a testimony to the world? [51:47]
4. How can the fear of the unknown, as illustrated by the story of Andy, hinder our spiritual growth? [27:01]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current focus. How can you better set your hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this hope each day? [31:51]
2. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with obedience to God's commands. What specific actions can you take to align your behavior with God's will? [43:06]
3. Think about your testimony. Are there aspects of your life that do not reflect God's holiness? What changes can you make to pursue holiness more actively? [51:47]
4. Have you ever felt intimidated by the idea of spiritual growth, similar to Andy's fear of graduating? What steps can you take to overcome this fear and embrace growth in godliness? [27:01]
5. How can you incorporate a focused prayer life into your daily routine to help align your heart with God's purposes? What specific prayer can you start with tomorrow morning? [42:24]
6. Reflect on a time when you conformed to your former evil desires. How did it impact your character and relationship with God? What can you do differently in the future to avoid these pitfalls? [43:06]
7. Holiness is described as being set apart. What specific actions can you take this week to live a life that is distinct and reflective of God's purity, righteousness, and integrity? [51:47]
Devotional
Day 1: Hope Shapes Our Daily Lives
Our hope in the return of Jesus Christ should shape our daily lives. By setting our hope fully on His grace, we can live with purpose and direction, knowing that our ultimate goal is to glorify God in all we do. This hope fuels our focus and helps us navigate the challenges of life with a clear vision of our eternal destiny. When we anchor our hope in Christ, it transforms our perspective, allowing us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and focus on the eternal promises of God. This hope is not just a passive wish but an active expectation that influences our decisions, actions, and attitudes. [31:51]
1 Peter 1:13-14 (ESV): "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance."
Reflection: How can you set your hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ today, and how might this hope change the way you approach your daily tasks and interactions?
Day 2: Obedience Transforms Our Character
Obedience to God's commands is crucial for spiritual growth. By avoiding our former evil desires and living as obedient children, we allow God to shape our character. This obedience is not about following rules to earn God's favor but about responding to His love and grace, which transforms us from the inside out. Obedience is a daily choice that requires us to surrender our will to God's will, trusting that His ways are higher and better than our own. As we practice obedience, we develop a character that reflects Christ, marked by integrity, humility, and love. [43:06]
1 Peter 1:14-15 (ESV): "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."
Reflection: What specific area of your life is God calling you to obedience today, and how can you take a practical step towards that obedience?
Day 3: Holiness as Our Testimony
Holiness is God's defining characteristic, and He calls us to be holy as He is holy. Our pursuit of holiness sets us apart and serves as a powerful testimony to the world. By striving for purity, righteousness, and integrity, we reflect God's nature and draw others to Him. Holiness is not about perfection but about a sincere and ongoing effort to live in a way that honors God. It involves making choices that align with God's standards and being willing to stand out in a world that often opposes those standards. [51:47]
1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Reflection: In what ways can you actively pursue holiness in your daily life, and how might this pursuit impact those around you?
Day 4: Growth in Godliness is Essential
Spiritual growth is not optional but a command from God. We are called to grow in godliness, becoming more like Jesus each day. This growth requires intentional effort, self-discipline, and a willingness to leave behind anything that hinders our progress. Growth in godliness involves a continuous process of learning, applying God's Word, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us. It is a journey that requires perseverance and a commitment to becoming more like Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. [26:13]
2 Peter 3:18 (ESV): "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
Reflection: What is one specific area of your spiritual life where you need to grow, and what steps can you take today to foster that growth?
Day 5: The Power of a Focused Prayer Life
Starting each day with a prayer that aligns our hearts with God's purposes can transform our lives. By asking God to remind us of His imminent return and to help us live in a way that glorifies Him, we can maintain a clear focus and grow in godliness. This daily practice can reshape our priorities and deepen our relationship with God. A focused prayer life helps us stay connected to God's will and empowers us to live out our faith with intentionality and purpose. It is through prayer that we find strength, guidance, and the ability to align our desires with God's desires. [42:24]
Colossians 4:2 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Reflection: How can you incorporate a focused prayer into your daily routine, and what specific prayers can you offer to align your heart with God's purposes today?
Quotes
1. "Because hey, at the end of the day, that's what we're focused on. We're focused on growing in our faith. Growing as a church. Growing as followers of Jesus. We want to grow in godliness. We want to be more like Jesus. So growth, change, are inevitabilities in the Christian life. It's what you should expect as a follower of Jesus. This time next year, if we gather again like this, we ought to be able to bear witness together with one another that we're more like Jesus. Then. Then. Then we are today. Because to grow in the godliness that God has for us, to change to be more like Jesus, that's everybody's assignment in Christ." [26:13] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Some of us, growth is just hard. It's just too hard. It's too much work, too much time, too much effort, too much cost, growing and changing. What am I going to have to leave behind to get to that next step in my life? Some of us, growth is just hard because, hey, let's be honest, I'm awesome, all right? I don't need to grow. And men, I would suggest not trying this in your marriage, by the way. But for some of us, just the reality is we think, hey, man, I kind of got it made. I've come in a good place. And I just think, you know, Lord, I'm really, I'm good. I don't need to go further than here. This is about as good as it's going to get. And I don't really need to change." [29:34] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Well, I'm so grateful for God's word this morning. And what we're saying in 1 Peter 1 is it's going to remind us that growth and change is an inevitable blessing for all of us. And it's God's plan that we keep growing in godliness. This is how the faithful Christian ought to look at his or her life. How can I grow more to be like Jesus?" [29:34] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Hope determines my focus. Now, scholars, really smart Bible scholars come to this passage and they generally agree that these four verses are in the imperative voice. So you English majors out there, you know what that means. That means these are directives. They are directions. They are commands. They are prompts. They are not suggestions. We are to do these things regularly, actively, passionately. Nothing about the Christian life is meant to be passive. It is an active kind of living." [32:35] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Be prepared. Be prepared for action. It's an alert button. It's an awareness button. It's a biblical Jesus alarm button for us as believers this morning to wake up and be prepared for action. It's apropos that the Holy Spirit would inspire Peter to write these words since it was Peter and James and John there that night that our Lord would be betrayed in the garden. Jesus had to come back by periodically and wake up his boys to say, hey, fellas, can you not fall asleep long enough? I just need you to walk. Watch and pray. It's the same sentiment. Wake up. Be alert. Be on guard. Be ready to act." [35:11] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The Christian life is about getting focused on what God's called us to do. We're to be people prepared. Girls. Word it up. Ready to go. To be sober-minded, to be self-controlled. Yeah, that sober-mindedness is the same prohibition against being drunk and in drunkenness and in the same way that I don't want to be drunk and filled with wine and overcome with drunkenness and cloudy and inability to think clearly. I need to be sober in my mind. I need to have a faith sobriety that is under control. My life is established in such a way in Christ where I'm ready to go. I'm ready to move when God says go. Prepared for action." [37:23] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "As believers in the Lord Jesus, we have a responsibility to live and to model to these kids that there is hope in Jesus. That we are not gonna live hopelessly, but we are gonna live hopefully. And perhaps the greatest testimony we can give to our kids and our grandkids is that we are not gonna live hopelessly, is that I am filled with the hope, not the wishful thinking, but the hope that Jesus is coming back for me and for you in Christ. Therefore, man, I'm ready to go. And whatever I need to do today, however I need to think today, wherever I need to go today, I'm gonna do it for the glory of God. I live with and from hope." [41:19] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Obedience develops my character. Look at verse 14 of 1 Peter 1. The scripture says, as obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. Now we need to understand that conformity is big. It's baked into the human nature. In our sinful nature, we are conformists. Even those of us that put ourselves in the rebellious non-conformity category, I bet 9.9, I hope, 9.9 to 10 out of 10 times, you stop at the red light. That's conformity. Please stop at the red light, by the way. We don't need any more of that in Dallas, please. Conformity is baked in to who we are." [43:37] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "If there's stuff in your life that doesn't please the Lord, get rid of it. Dear church, sometimes the Christian life is just that simple. I talk to a lot of young leaders, do a lot of discipleship of young people. And this perhaps sometimes more than anything else becomes the most difficult thing in their lives. They'll say, man, I want to serve God, but I don't know what to do. I don't know God's will. I don't know how this is going to work out. There's a lot of not sure's and I don't know's. And I get all that. Listen, that might be you this morning. That's okay. God's not upset with your questions. But can I just give you a moment of gospel clarity? Here's what I do know. God's will for everybody in this room today is to stop doing dumb stuff. Sometimes we overcomplicate the Christian life. And sometimes the Christian life is as simple as don't do the things that God said don't do. And over time, your character will deepen." [50:02] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Holiness defines my testimony. Hope determines my focus. Obedience develops my character. And holiness defines my testimony. Look at verse 15. Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it's written, be holy, because I am holy. Do we understand this morning, in accordance with Leviticus 20, verse 7, when God is speaking to his covenant people in the Old Testament, he says, set yourselves apart to be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. Church, holiness is God's defining characteristic. He is perfect. He is spotless. He is blameless, without error. He is immune to failure. He is not ever going to change. This is our God. And because God has saved me out of my sin and filled me with his spirit, Peter says he's called you to himself. And when that call has gone out, we have responded by faith. And now, because of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit of God living in me, because of what Jesus did on the cross, now I can say through that power, yes, I, you, we can be holy." [51:47] (83 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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