Building up Your Faith into Fruitfulness

Big Idea: Build your faith into a garden of fruitfulness.

Fathers

What is the goal of discipleship? What is salvation?

Gospel-centered, Scripture-driven

Knowledge, Training, Christlikeness

Experiencing God - experiences, blessing, character

Avoiding unfruitfulness and corruption/destruction through false teachers

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

1. Participate through the promises of the Gardener

Equal standing

Life and godliness through knowledge of God and His excellence -

An investor who’s writing checks, a project manager who’s got all the resources

Isaiah 63:7 ESV

7 I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

Promises that allow you to share in His excellence

Coming to a birthday party

Loving the author

Build using

Doing tasks or operating from your heart

From one into the next

Excellence and knowledge

It’s personal. You can’t grow off of someone else’s effort

You need to know God, yourself, wisdom

But if you think it stops here you will be frustrated

Self-control, perseverance, and godliness

The humility of knowing you haven’t arrived just because you have knowledge

That you need to curb your desires to accomplish what God wants. That freedom comes through discipline

The humility of knowing you will have to keep going even when things get messy

Self Care, Spiritual Formation, Emotional & Cultural Intelligence, Marriage or Singleness,

The joy of serving God and reverencing Him

even in the dark, even when you wonder what he’s doing with other people

Brotherly affection and love

Do you seek to know and love people different from you? We’re all in the same boat.

Do you know God’s unconditional love enough to make promises?

Parenting with generosity

3. Remember what God has done

Your sins are forgiven and you are cleansed

Do you want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.”?

Do you know your sins are forgiven?

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Don’t end up with a lame garden.

Community Group questions

What promises do you particularly appreciate from Scripture? Those promises come out of who God is. What qualities/excellencies of God help us know God will keep those promises because they reflect who He is?

Being excellent can mean a variety of things. In this passage it has to do with reflecting moral and personal integrity. What is difficult about growing in integrity? How can we help each other in this area?

Having self control and perseverance in that can be difficult for some people. What have you learned about these areas that you would want to pass on to someone else?

Brotherly love is caring for someone on equal standing as yourself. Why is that everyone in God’s family and how can we communicate brotherly love to one another?

What is most challenging for you in growing in love for others?

We work on these things because God has saved us from our sins and destined us for His eternal kingdom. How can you celebrate your trust in His promises to do that this week?