Faithfulness

Matthew 25:14-30 (NLT) “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip.  He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities.  He then left on his trip. 16 The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. 19 After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 The master was full of praise.  ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.  Let’s celebrate together!’ 22 The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.  Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth.  Look, here is your money back.’ 26 But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant!  If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank?  At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance.  But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

“It is the will of God that you would be found faithful.”

• Our culture is selling the lie that it is easier [better] to be unfaithful than it is to be faithful.  

Deuteronomy 7:9 (AMP) Therefore know [without a doubt] and understand that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who is keeping His covenant and His [steadfast] lovingkindness to a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Psalm 111:7 (ESV) The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy…

Psalm 138:2 (ESV) I bow down [in worship] toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. 

Hebrews 10:23 (ESV) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Revelation 19:11 (NASB) And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 

• Believing that God is faithful is a cornerstone of our faith. 

1.  Faithfulness in our relationship with God

John 15:13-15 (NLT) There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves.  Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 

• If we want to be found faithful, then we will need to first show ourselves to be His faithful friend. 

2.  Faithfulness in our calling

Hebrews 12:1 (NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

“What God requires of you is not success, but faithfulness in what He has assigned to you.  Ask yourself:  ‘What has Jesus called you to do?’  You aren’t responsible to save the world, but you are responsible to follow Christ in your situation.

I’ve seen people go very wrong with this.  Some people get so overwhelmed at the needs around them that they see everything as ‘their’ cause.  So they want to minister to prisoners, take in foster children, mentor elementary kids, feed the poor, end human trafficking, and lead an entire unreached people group to Christ — in general, to save the world.  But, as a mentor once told me, not everything from heaven has your name on it.”  —J.D. Greear

• If we want to be found faithful, then we will need to run the race set before us. 

3.  Faithfulness towards others

Colossians 3:23-24, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Luke 16:10 (NIV) Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  

• If we want to be found faithful, then we will need to be good stewards with the opportunities He has given us. 

2 Timothy 2:13 (AMP) If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself.