The Faithfulness Test

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

The title of my sermon today is the Faithfulness Test. We're going to look at three thoughts on faithfulness. Number one, God looks for faithfulness. God looks for faithfulness in those whom he promotes as leaders. We see Paul writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, recognizing that God had put him into a position of leadership because he was counted faithful. First Timothy chapter 1, verse 12, reading from the New King James Version of the Bible says, and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. We see two things in this verse. Firstly, we see that God will put us in ministry when he finds that we are faithful. Also, he enables those who are faithful. We should be faithful stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. In Acts chapter 14, as Barnabas went through the various towns, he encouraged the believers to be faithful to the Lord with all their hearts. And a primary thing that God is looking for in those who are leaders and for those who follow him is faithfulness. Are we faithful? Can God entrust us with ministry? Dr. Edwin Lewis Cole said, Our faithfulness makes us trustworthy to God. My second thought is that we must look for faithfulness in those that we promote to leadership. Again, Paul writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, encourages him to commit what he has learnt and what he has been entrusted with to faithful men. Let's read 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 2, again from the New King James Version of the Bible. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses. Commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. A wonderful verse. In this verse we see four generations of leadership. We see Paul, then Timothy, then faithful men, and others also. We also again see that God will make those who are faithful able. Faithful men who will be able. Secondly, we see that we should look for faithfulness in people that we entrust responsibilities within a local church to. My third thought is that we must pass the faithfulness test. In Luke chapter 16, verse 10 to verse 12, we see three areas that Jesus said we should be faithful. Let's look at them together. And conveniently, the three areas fit into verse 10, verse 11, and verse 12. Firstly, if you are faithful with little, then God will entrust you with much. Luke chapter 16, verse 10, in the English Standard Version, Jesus said, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. It's important for us to take the small responsibilities that we have been entrusted with seriously. If you can't be entrusted with a small responsibility, then you shouldn't be given a larger responsibility. If we only have a few things, let's be wise and good stewards with those things, and then God will entrust us with more. If we look after the small group of people that we've been entrusted with, with integrity and lead them with love and want to see them grow and become disciples of Jesus Christ, then the Lord will entrust us with more. Secondly, we see Jesus said, If you're faithful with money, then God will entrust you with true riches. Let's read Luke chapter 16, verse 11, in the English Standard Version of the Bible. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? I find that fascinating. Listen to Luke chapter 16, verse 11 from the Passion Translation. Jesus said, If you have not handled the riches of this world with integrity, why should you be entrusted with the eternal treasures of the spiritual world? Money is not the true riches. Money cannot buy you happiness or eternal life. Money is simply a tool that we need to be faithful with. And thirdly, Jesus taught us that if we are faithful with another man's, then God will entrust us with our own. Let's read Luke chapter 16, verse 12 from the English Standard Version of the Bible. And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? We need to be faithful with what we have been entrusted with. And I think this includes three areas property, business, and ministry. Property. If you've borrowed something from someone else, look after it, and if you've damaged it, get it repaired or replaced. If you're working in a business for somebody else, if you're an employee, be a good employee. You might say, I'm a teacher, I'm not in a business. Well, be a good teacher in that school so that God can entrust you with more and perhaps promote you in His time as a part of His plan for your life so that you can have a greater impact and influence in the world of education. It also applies to ministry, and we need to be faithful with the responsibilities that we have and accountable to those who lead us. Every single one of us needs to put ourselves willingly in a place of accountability as we take responsibility and authority in leading God's people. So we've seen Jesus says we need to be faithful with little and he'll entrust us with much. We need to be faithful with money and he'll entrust us with true riches. And finally, he encourages us that we need to be faithful with another man's and then he will entrust us with our own. Be a person who's trustworthy to God, that God can entrust with ministry. Make sure those you delegate to and those that you give responsibility are those who are faithful. Look for faithfulness first and ability second. And finally, pass the faithfulness test. Let's pray. And as we do, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what he wants you to do as a result of what you've heard in today's sermon. Let's pray. Father God, thank you that you have counted us faithful and given us a ministry to represent you to people who need to know about you and who need to grow in their relationship with you. We ask that you would help us to be faithful and remain faithful to you and to what you have entrusted to us. Help us to identify faithful men and women that we can encourage and we can give responsibility to. Help us not to be tempted to just look for ability, but rather to look for faithfulness. And Lord, we want to pass the faithfulness test. Help us to be faithful with little. Help us to be faithful with money. Help us to be faithful with what is another man's, so that you can give us much or more, so that you can entrust us with the true riches, and so that you can give us our own. We ask for your help, Holy Spirit, knowing that you need to lead us and guide us in this. Thank you that you are faithful to us. And we ask, Lord, that we would return that faithfulness to you. In Jesus' precious name we ask. Amen.