FIND US FAITHFUL

INTRODUCTION         SCRIPTURE: Luke 16:10-13

Baptism is a great thing. It is one of two ordinances given by our Lord. Participating is memorable. Those of you who have been baptized will remember this day the rest of your life. May forget some details like the date, but probably not where. It is a landmark in your spiritual journey.

Yet much of your Christian life is living in the little things, the routine of being faithful. The great things are the exception. QUOTE: “Little things constitute almost the whole of life... The smaller duties of life, because of their apparent insignificance and constant recurrence, are often harder to perform than the great ones.” Thus Luke 16:10.

“Faithful” = Dependable, trustworthy, reliable, loyal. You firmly hold to certain principles and practices. You have integrity and honesty, a steadiness of obedience. Faithfulness is - “obedience in a long direction.”

Faithfulness is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). “Well done good and faithful servant” is what we want the Lord to tell us when we arrive in heaven. As He did to Ruth Graham this past week at age 87.

What does “faithful in a very little thing” mean in practical terms? What little things do you and I need to be faithful in doing? Today we will look at 4. Each starts out little but becomes great. Let time - age and season our faith.

1. Our Personal Relationship with our Personal Savior

• Grow in knowing God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Warm up to God. From being alienated from Him to being our Savior/Master.


• We sang “Knowing You Jesus, there is no greater thing.”


• Great Commandment of Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord...”


• Starts with a little faith. Then like any human relationship - takes time, privacy, public events, where you seek opportunities to explore and expand relationship. How is your relationship with God growing? What He is doing NOW in your life?

2. Our Personal Compassion for People

• The people of God, the people of the world, Matthew 22:37: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Who is my neighbor? Luke 10:29 Anyone we can show mercy. Look for one small opportunity this week.

3. Our Personal Desire for Propositional Truth

• “propositional” = logic, planned, foundational. Truth, Biblical truth.


• A Biblical worldview is more than doctrinal knowledge, but living out Bible truth in arenas of life: school, job, government, church, family, etc.


• This passion goes beyond the S.S. lesson book. It goes into Christian bookstores, library, media searching for answers. Expand Bible wisdom.


• Always something new learn. What are you reading spiritual value?

4. Our Personal Pursuit of Purpose

• Why are you on earth? Why are you who you here? What is your purpose in life? 1 Cor. 10:31. What skills do you have to use for others? What desires can flow into building the Body of Christ?


• Remember the book Purpose Driven Life? What is your purpose? It is more than work, money, bills, tired, etc. What small task can make a big difference?

CONCLUSION

Each of these will start out small in your life. For Christians time is the process of maturity. If it was instant it would take the fun and challenge out of life. A key verse in our church mission statement: 2 Peter 3:18 “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory now and forever.”

God is faithful in little things, He know when a sparrow falls, He clothes the lilies, He knows the number of the hairs on our head, and He knew us when we are formed in our mother’s womb. He builds the grant universe with the smallest of things. And He is growing you. He is faithful to you. The word “faithful” or “faithfulness” is found at least 113 times in Bible, many references are to God’s faithfulness. He is faithful to “little ole you.“ You can rely and rest on God’s faithfulness:

• 1 Cor. 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• 1 Thess. 5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
• 2 Thess. 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
• Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

God is the master Artist, He is working in you and me slowly, carefully, and precisely. He has all the time in the world. Let us let Him work in our life, He can master the little things, so He can do great things through us. Can you let Him? Today, any of these four little in need of some touch up or polishing? “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.”