GROWING IN CHRIST: MOVING ON FROM THE BEGINNING (2 Peter 1:1-15) Faith 7-17-22

 GROWING IN CHRIST: MOVING ON FROM THE BEGINNING (2 Peter 1:1-15) Faith  7-17-22

What Is Faith?

FAITH is dead to doubts—

dumb to discouragements,

blind to impossibilities,

knows nothing but success.

FAITH lifts its hand up through

the threatening clouds,

lays hold of Him who has

all power in heaven and on earth.

FAITH makes the uplook good,

the outlook bright,

the inlook favorable,

and the future glorious.

V. Raymond Edman

‬ “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 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; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.  FAITH AND THE BEGINNING

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

‭‭ Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For we live by faith, not by sight.”

‭‭ 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  Trusting God

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.””

‭‭ Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B.  Trusting God’s Word

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

‬

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:14-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

C.  Trusting God’s Promises

FAITH AND PROMISE

When something is promised, you have not seen it happen yet, have you? If I promise my wife that I'm going to clean out the basement, there's no proof that you can see. There's only my word. That promise is the only evidence it will happen. And I may prove unreliable for one reason or another.

But God is trustworthy and true. His promises are more reliable than any evidence you can see or touch or reason out. His promises are the unseen proof that give faith it's sureness. They are the unseen evidence that drives away doubt. Faith is certain of what we do not see because of God's promises.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

‭‭ 2 Peter‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭NIV

“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.”

‭‭ Hebrews‬ ‭11:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭4:20-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

II.  FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE

"A pastor was talking to his congregation on account of the facts and faith. And he said: 'That you are sitting here in front of me, it's a fact. I am here speaking behind the pulpit, is a fact. I think someone is paying attention, is faith.'"

Rolando Delgado

A.  The truth about God

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

‭‭ Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NIV‬

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭1:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B.  The truth about Jesus

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?””

‭‭ John‬ ‭11:25-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

C.  The truth about the gospel

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

‭‭ Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

‭‭ 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

III.  FAITH AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

O For a Faith

O for a faith that will not shrink,

‘Tho pressed by every foe,

That will not tremble on the brink

Of any earthly woe!

That will not murmur nor complain

Beneath the chastening rod,

But, in the hour of grief or pain,

Will lean upon its God;

A faith that shines more bright and clear

When tempests rage without

That when in danger knows no fear,

In darkness feels no doubt.

William H. Bathurst

A.  A righteous life

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NIV

““For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!””

‭‭ Galatians‬ ‭2:19-21‬ ‭NIV ‬‬

B.  An empowered life

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7:37-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬

C.  An active life

“But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2:18-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

D.  A persevering life  

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

‭‭ 1 Timothy‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭NIV

I heard a story about a midwestern farmer 50 years ago. The farmer went to the bank to borrow money to buy seed to plant his whole farm in corn. He fired up the old tractor and plowed for many days. He disced the ground. He spread fertilizer over the whole farm... and planted the corn.

The rains came and the corn grew. In one day millions of grasshoppers flew on to his property and his precious crop was being consumed by the grasshoppers.

One Sunday at prayer meeting the farmer cried out to God... Father, we will loose the whole farm, I owe money at the bank...

The farmer got up from prayer in GREAT FAITH... As he walked home, his heart kept saying, let the chickens out...

Now the farmer pondered: HOW WILL LETTING THE CHICKENS OUT HELP ME?

The next day the farmer was up at dawn, he opened the doors to the chicken house...The chickens came out and ate the grasshoppers...

The chickens thrived... there were many baby chickens hatched. The eggs were plentiful.

The farmer started loading up the eggs and chickens and traveled the area selling the chickens...

No, the farmers faith never saved the crop, but GOD HAD A BETTER IDEA. For several years the farmer made his living from the chickens that God blessed...

I want to tell you --- FAITH FIGHTS...

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH...

CONCLUSION

“A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””

‭‭ John‬ ‭20:26-29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.””

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Faith and the beginning, faith and knowledge, faith and the Christian life

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

What will you do with what you have just heard?  How will you respond to the Holy Spirit working within you?  The Challenge is intended to give us an opportunity to contemplate what God is calling us to do in our lives.  Consider these questions and write down your answers.  

1.   How do you define faith?

2.  When did you first place your trust in God?

3.  When did you first believe the gospel is truth?

4.  What knowledge makes up your faith?

5.  Why do you need continued faith?     

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.