4/4 Growing your Faith

Tithes and Offerings

For a moment of tithes and offerings

2 Corinthians 9:6–7 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Explanation

Connection to the Sermon Theme: This passage underscores the principles of growth and abundance inherent in generous and heartfelt giving. Just as nurturing one’s faith involves cultivating various spiritual virtues, giving generously translates faith into action.

Encouragement: It encourages congregants to give from the heart, reflecting the love and virtue discussed in the sermon.

Reflection of the Sermon’s Message: Like nurturing a garden or growing faith, the generous act of giving is both a practical and spiritual exercise, fostering communal growth and blessing.

VISITORS

Growing Your Faith - Discussing Pratices to Strengthen and Deepen faith

Introduction

Good morning, everyone! 

Series - RECAP

"Foundations of Faith"

Main verse: Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

January 5: "What is Faith?"

Exploring the definition and nature of faith

Verse: Romans 10:17 - "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

January 12: "The Object of Our Faith"

Focusing on God as the center of our faith

Verse: Psalm 18:2 - "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

January 19: "Faith in Action"

Examining how faith impacts our daily lives

Verse: James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

January 26: "Growing Your Faith"

Discussing practices to strengthen and deepen faith

Verse: 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; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love."

Next month we will be going into "The Power of Prayer"

 "Understanding Prayer"

Exploring what prayer is and its importance in Christian life

 "Types of Prayer"

Discussing different forms of prayer (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication)

"Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer"

Addressing common challenges in maintaining a prayer life

 "The Impact of Prayer"

Examining how prayer changes us and influences our world

Let`s start -

Today, We are ending our series talking about growth and nurturing—not of plants or trees, but of something infinitely more profound, our faith. 

Picture a young sapling, (tree). For it to mature and flourish, it requires water, sunlight, care, and protection from harsh elements.

Our faith shares this analogy; it requires our active engagement and care to blossom fully.

I invite you to travel with me through this theme as we explore the practices that nurture our faith, turning to our base text from 2 Peter 1:5-7.

2 Peter 1:5-7 'In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. '

2 Peter 1:5–7 NIV

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.

Development

The Christian Life begins with faith the result of it is spiritual growth. 

where there is life there must be growth.

 the new birth is not the end; it is the beginning. 

 spiritual growth is not automatic.  it requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline. 

Peter listed 7 characteristics of a Godly life. 

Today we're going to see five practices for you to grow your faith 

Practice 1: Add Virtue to Your Faith

…make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence…

Scripture Reference: "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge." - 2 Peter 1:5  

The word translated “add”  really means “to supply generously”. 

in other words, we develop one quality as we exercise another quality. 

 like the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22 these qualities grow out of life and out of a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. 

 it is not enough for the Christian to “let go and let God”,  as though spiritual growth where God's work alone. 

 Literally,  Peter wrote,  “make every effort to bring alongside”.

The father and the child must work together. 

Peter list virtue as the first quality,  it basically means “excellence”.   in Greek is αρετή (areté), which means moral excellence or practical goodness.

To the Greek philosophers, it meant “the Fulfillment of a thing”.  

when anything in nature fulfills its purpose, that is “virtue or moral excellence”

The land that produces crops is “excellent” because it is fulfilling its purpose. 

The tool that works correctly is “excellent" because it is doing what a tool is supposed to do.

A Christian is supposed to glorify God because he has God's nature Within; so when he does this, he shows “Excellence" because he is fulfilling his purpose in life.  

True virtue in the Christian life is not  “polishing” human qualities, no matter how fine they may be, but producing “Divine” qualities that make the person more like Jesus Christ. 

Faith without action is like a seed without soil.

 We must cultivate an environment where faith can translate into genuine goodness.

This involves intentional actions and decisions that reflect grace and kindness in our lives.

Biblical Example: Consider Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), illustrating virtue through compassion and action. Despite cultural differences, the Samaritan cared for the injured man, exemplifying godly virtue and challenging us to act similarly.

Connected Text: Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "Faith and works are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God, obeys God."

Practice 2: Develop Spiritual Knowledge

…and moral excellence with knowledge,

Scripture Reference:  "And to virtue, knowledge." - 2 Peter 1:5

Original Word Analysis: “Knowledge” comes from the Greek gnosis, Knowledge that is growing which implies a practical, experiential understanding of God. Discernment 

It refers to the ability to handle life successfully. 

It is the opposite of “being so Heavenly minded as to be of no earthly good”.  

This kind of knowledge does not come automatically. 

It comes from obedience to the will of God  John 7:17 . 

John 7:17 NIV

Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

In the Christian Life,  you must not separate the heart and the mind, character and knowledge. 

Spiritual growth requires an intentional search for God’s Word.

Reading the Bible is not enough; you must live it.

Establish a daily time of Bible study and prayer. Ask, “What does God want to teach me today?”

Knowledge without application is like having a compass and not using it.

Connected Text: Hosea 4:6 – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

Hosea 4:6 NIV

my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Practice 3: Practice Self-Control

…and knowledge with self-control, 

Scripture Reference: "And to knowledge, self-control." - 2 Peter 1:6

Self-control serves as the rudder steering our ship of faith.

In times of temptation, it acts as a safeguard, keeping our vessel we anchored true.

The term “self-control” comes from the Greek egkrateia,(εγκράτεια)  which means self-control, especially in times of temptation.

Growing in faith means mastering the desires of the flesh and submitting to the will of God.

Identify areas where you need more discipline.

This could be through words, actions, or even time spent on distractions.

Illustration: Self-control is like a rudder on a ship: even in storms, it keeps the direction.

Biblical Example:

Recall Joseph in Genesis 39. Despite Potiphar's wife's advances, Joseph maintained his integrity and self-control, honoring God and ultimately saving his future.

Connected Text: Prov. 16:32 ; 25:28

Proverbs 16:32 - 'Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. '

Proverbs 16:32 NIV

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

 Proverbs 25:28 'A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.'

Proverbs 25:28 NIV

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

Quote: Billy Graham wisely stated, "When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost."

Practice 4: Persevere in Faith

 …and self-control with patient endurance,

Scripture Reference: "And to self-control, perseverance." - 2 Peter 1:6

Patience is the ability to endure when circumstances are difficult.  

Faith isn't a sprint but a marathon. 

Self-control has to do with handling the pleasures of life,  while patience relates primarily to the pressures and problems of life. 

Often the person who gives in to Pleasures is not discipline enough to handle pressure either,  so he gives up. 

 Patience is not something that develops automatically;  we must work at it. 

 James 1:2-8  gives us the right approach

James 1:2–8 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 1:2-8 - 'Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. ' 

 we must expect trials to come,  because without trials we could never learn patience. 

 we must,  by faith,  let our trials work for us and not against us,  because we know that God is at work in our trials. 

 If we need wisdom in making decisions,  God will grant that wisdom if we ask him. 

Nobody enjoys trial,  but we do enjoy the confidence we can have in trials that God is at work,  causing everything to work together for our good and His glory. 

Genuine faith is tested in adversity. 

Perseverance brings us closer to God.

In challenges, trials What do we do? … we trust in God.

Remember that He is molding your character. 

Biblical Example:

The story of Job provides a powerful illustration. Despite intense suffering and loss, Job remained faithful, exemplifying unwavering perseverance (Job 1:20-22)

Connected Text: James 1:12 – "Blessed is he who perseveres under trial."

James 1:12 NIV

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Quote: C.S. Lewis encourages, "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."

Illustration: Picture an athlete training for years to achieve their Olympic dream. We are spiritual athletes, trained to endure through constant faith and focus.

Practice 5: Love as Christ Loved

 and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. '

Scripture Reference: "And to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." - 2 Peter 1:6-7

The word godliness simply means god-likeness in the original greek, this words meant “to worship well”  it described the man who was right in his relationship with God and with his fellow men. 

He seeks to do the will of God and as he does he seeks the welfare of others. 

 we must never get the idea that godliness is an impractical thing, because it is intensely practical. 

The Godly person makes the kinds of decisions that are right and noble.

he does not take an easy path simply to avoid either pain or trial.

he does what is right because it is right and because it is the will of god.

 Brotherly affection,  is a virtue that Peter most have acquired the hard way, for the Disciples of the Lord often debated and disagreed with one another. if we love Jesus Christ we must also love our brother. we should practice and not just pretend that we love them.

 but there is more to Christian growth than brotherly love we must also have the sacrificial love that our Lord displayed when he went to the cross. 

This kind of love “charity” spoken of in 2 Peter 1:7 is agape love, the kind of love that God shows towards lost sinners.

 This is the love that is described in 1st Corinthians 13 the love that the Holy Spirit produces in our hearts 

Our ultimate goal: to embody the divine love of Christ that transcends human bounds and transforms the world through compassion and empathy.

The word "love" here is agape, the unconditional love that God demonstrated for us.

All the previous practices culminate in love. Without love, any spiritual effort is empty.

Demonstrate practical love: serve others, forgive and encourage.

Biblical Example: Jesus’ sacrificial love on the cross is the ultimate manifestation of divine love (John 15:13), empowering us to love others unconditionally as He did.

Spurgeon said: "A Christian without love is like a tree without fruit."

Connected Text: John 13:35 – "By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:35 NIV

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It is impossible for fallen human nature to manufacture these seven qualities of Christian character.

 they must be produced by the spirit of God. 

To be sure, there are unsaved people  who possess amazing self-control and endurance, but these virtues points to them and not to the Lord. 

They get the glory.  When God produces the beautiful nature of his son in the Christian,  it is God who receives the praise and glory. 

Because we have the divine nature, we can grow spiritually and developed this kind of Christian character. 

it is through the power of God and the precious Promises of God that this growth takes place. 

The Divine genetic structure is already there;  God wants us to be conformed to the image of his son. 

The life within will produce that image, if we but diligently cooperate with God and use the means he has lavishly giving us.

and the amazing thing is this:  as the image of Christ is produced in us, the process does not destroy our own personality.

we still remain  uniquely ourselves. 

 one of the dangers in the church today is .

Ppeople have the tendency to become like their pastor, or like a church leader, or perhaps like some famous Christian. 

as they do this they destroy their own uniqueness while failing to become like Jesus Christ. 

 they lose both ways just as each child in a family resembles his parents and yet is different, so each children in God's family comes more and more to resemble Jesus Christ and yet is different.  

Parents don't duplicate themselves, they produce themselves, and wise parents permit their children to be themselves. 

Conclusion

As we draw near the end of today's message, reflect on these practices: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and love. Spiritual growth requires effort and dedication. Peter reminds us that faith is the starting point, but we need to add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherhood and love. It is not an easy process, but it is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Reflective Question:

 What practical steps can you take this week to grow in your faith?

 How can they be tangible parts of your journey starting today? 

Faith isn't stagnant but an evolving connection to our divine creator—each act can be a cultivation of faith.

Invitation: Let us pray together that God would enable us to live in a way that glorifies His name and reflects the spiritual growth He desires for us.

Practical Applications

Daily Moments: Consider starting each day with a moment of reflection or gratitude—allowing ground to nurture virtue.

Spiritual Reading: Dedicate time each week to scripture study or reading faith-inspired literature.

Mindful Practice: When faced with temptation or doubt, pause and pray for strength to re-engage your self-control.

Community Engagement: Be active in your church or community groups, offering without seeking return.

Acts of Love: Perform one anonymous act of kindness each week, reminding yourself of the greater purpose and love.

May God bless you as we grow together in faith, cultivating lives rich with reverence, wisdom, and endless grace. Amen.

Quick Summary of the Sermon

The sermon focused on the theme of growing one’s faith by cultivating spiritual virtues. Utilizing the analogy of faith as a plant, the message outlined five key practices to nurture a vibrant and robust faith: adding virtue to faith, developing spiritual knowledge, practicing self-control, persevering in faith, and loving as Christ did.

Key Verses

Main Verse: 2 Peter 1:5-7

Additional References:

Luke 10:25-37

Acts 17:11

Genesis 39

Job 1:20-22

John 15:13

Small Group Questions

Level 1: Start Talking. Spark Conversation

Have you ever tried growing a plant or garden? How did it go?

Do you think faith can grow like a plant? Why or why not?

What's one activity that instantly calms or centers you?

Level 2: Start Thinking. Deepen the Thought

What do you think it means to add virtue to your faith, as mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7?

How important is it to balance knowledge and self-control in the context of faith?

In what ways can love, as Christ loved, change how we interact with others?

Level 3: Start Sharing. Open Hearts, Share Stories

Can you share a time when persevering in your faith helped you overcome a challenging situation?

Have you ever experienced a moment where your increased knowledge of scripture guided your choices? What happened?

Share a story where an act of love, whether given or received, deeply impacted your life.

Level 4: Start Doing. Commit to Act

Commit to one act of virtue you can add to your daily routine or interactions this week.

Choose a passage or chapter from the Bible to study deeply this week. Share what you learn next time.

Select a community service or charity activity to participate in, showing love and support to others.