Grow & Gather – Sermon – Mason King – 7/26/26

Main message: God has already given believers "everything required for life and godliness" in Christ, so our work is to respond by growing into Christlikeness and gathering others—doing the disciplined, doctrinal, and communal work of spiritual formation.

Key points:

• The foundation: 2 Peter teaches God’s divine provision in Christ—promises, the Spirit, forgiveness—and our growth flows from seeing Christ’s beauty and trusting his provision.
• Make every effort: Peter's call to “make every effort” (supplement faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love) is a call to active, grace-driven participation.
• Three interlocking realms for growth: doctrine (learn and guard sound teaching), discipline (self-control and spiritual practices that produce endurance), and Christ-like character (love, brotherly affection, maturity).
• Practical warnings: the steady diet of screens, social media, and shallow content undermines doctrine and shapes desires; Christians must "dig wells" in Scripture and invest time to be formed.
• Community and practice: true growth requires showing up vulnerably in Bible studies, training, recovery groups, etc., and practicing evangelism—both gifted and disciplined sharing of the gospel.
• Encouragement: growth is a process; failures aren’t final—God’s grace covers us and we are called to keep going and to invite others to Christ.

Scriptures mentioned: 2 Peter 1:3-4 (and verse 5), Philippians 2, Genesis 1, Genesis 3, Ephesians (put off the old self), 1 Corinthians 15, 2 Timothy, Romans 5, Psalm 92