Happy New Year, Grace Bible Church! There is something special about starting a new year together as we worship our Lord and Savior. As we enter 2023, Pastor Josh reminded us that the new year is a perfect opportunity to refocus on what matters most — keeping the faith.
The sermon was based on 2 Timothy 4:7, where Paul writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Pastor Josh used the powerful analogy of faith as a garden. Your faith is like a garden — you cannot lose it the way you’d lose a set of keys, but it can grow and flourish, or it can wither and struggle depending on how you tend to it.
Virtue: Add Character to Your Faith
Paul writes in 2 Peter 1:5-7 that we are to “make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, 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.”
Faith is not passive. It requires active cultivation. You cannot simply “have faith” and expect it to remain strong without effort. Adding virtue to your faith means deliberately building Christlike character — integrity, courage, and diligence in all you do.
The Word: Sunshine for Your Garden
Your garden needs sunlight, and your faith needs the Word of God. Joshua 1:8 tells us: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.”
Pastor Josh challenged us: How much time are you spending in Scripture? Are you just consuming Christian content on social media, or are you digging into the actual Word of God? Indulging our minds in fleshly and worldly things starves our faith. We need consistent, deep engagement with Scripture if our faith is going to thrive.
Community: Strength in Numbers
Your garden grows better alongside other gardens. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls, the one will lift up the other. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will stay warm. But one person alone cannot stay warm. And one person alone cannot stand against someone who is stronger than them.”
We need each other. Fellowship is not optional — it is essential for spiritual growth. When we gather with other believers, we build each other up, encourage one another, and hold each other accountable. Pastor Josh pointed out that the pandemic showed us how damaging isolation can be for our faith. We need the body of Christ, not just as a convenience, but as a necessity.
Guard Against the Love of Money
Finally, Pastor Josh warned us about the danger of loving money. First Timothy 6:10 says: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
The love of money can crowd out our love for God. We must guard our hearts and ask: What is competing for my devotion? Are we treasures in heaven or treasures on earth? Our ultimate aim must be storing up treasures in heaven, not on earth.
So What?
God wants a bountiful harvest in your life. But that requires tending your garden — consistently, deliberately, and in community. This year, will you commit to adding virtue to your faith, soaking in the Word, investing in fellowship, and guarding against worldly greed?
The call is clear: tend your garden. Not someday — today. God promises that if we trust in Him, He will act. He will bring forth our righteousness as the light and our justice as the noonday. Let’s make 2023 the year we truly keep the faith.
Scripture References
- 2 Timothy 4:7
- 2 Peter 1:5-7
- Joshua 1:8
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
- 1 Timothy 6:10