Audio from Associate Pastor Josh Carpenter on Sunday morning August 19th, 2018.
These sermon notes are made available through the YouVersion free Bible app.
https://www.bible.com/events/463246
Are you relentless in your pursuit of Christ, even in the face of adversity? Let's talk about what it means to have True Spiritual Grit.
“The ability to persevere in pursuing a future goal over a long period of time and not giving up… it's having stamina. It's sticking with your future, day in and day out, not just for a week, not just for a month but for years, and working really heard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like a marathon not a sprint.” - Angela Duckworth, PhD. Professor of psychology, The University of Pennsylvania
You may not find the word 'grit' in your Bible, but you'll see true grit in the language used.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Matthew 24:12-13 NIV
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
God's Word is full of examples of real people with real grit:
◦Noah spends decades building a huge ship as he waited for God’s wrath to be poured out on the earth.
◦Abraham and Sarah lived like strangers in a foreign land, waiting a quarter century for God's promised child to be born.
◦Jacob serving his devious uncle Laban 20 years waiting for God’s promised inheritance.
◦Joseph languishing in an Egyptian prison as he waited for God to make him a ruler, even over his brothers.
◦Moses leading the stiff necked Israelites in the desert 40 years waiting for God’s promised land (and not getting in himself!).
Don’t forget Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel, the Prophets, Mary, the Disciples, Paul Read Hebrews 11
Examples of Jesus' true grit
◦Matthew 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
◦Matthew 8:20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
◦John 15:18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
◦Luke 22:42-44 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
1. A disciple of Christ must possess true spiritual grit.
1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
The days ahead hold many trials.
Verse 12: "Do not be surprised..."
Greek: xenizō
To stay as a guest, to be lodged also to be shocked
Instead be armed with the mind of Christ.
1 Peter 4:1 NIV
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
A mindset of Faith in God vs. a mindset of Entitlement
1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
2.True spiritual grit is grown in us.
What generates perseverance in us?
James 1:2-4 NIV
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Spiritual grit grows in adversity.
1 Peter 4:14-16 NIV
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
A type of grit can grow by choosing to live apart from God's way. Suffering because of ungodliness doesn't grow perseverance, it's pain that's wasted.
Psalm 66:10 NIV
10 For you, God, tested us;you refined us like silver.
We're only saved from the fire, by walking through the fire.
Hebrews 12:7-8 NIV
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
3. True spiritual grit gets results.
Endurance despite opposition
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
An example of denying self
Matthew 16:24 NIV
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
A strong finish to our race
2 Timothy 4:7 NIV
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Consider this one week devotional from the YouVersion Bible App:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/3594-victory-through-weakness