INTRODUCTION
• VIDEO CLIP
• SLIDE #1
• This week we will remember our wonderful, brave veterans on Veteran’s Day.
• We are able to enjoy our freedoms because of brave men and women who answered the call of their country were willing to fight for and even die for their country.
• We are so thankful for their service to their country and we are blessed to live in a military town in which we get to see these hero’s all of the time throughout Sierra Vista!
• The subject of Veteran’s Day fits so well with the subject matter we will examine together today.
• We have been examining some the ways in which one who belongs to Jesus is being transformed into His image each day as we have been answering the critical question, WHAT AM I BECOMING.
• When you give your life to Jesus, your life will never be the same, each day should an exciting day as we are being transformed into the image of Jesus!
• Today we are going to delve into the characteristic of faithfulness.
• The KEY QUESTION we need to consider is, why is it important to be loyal and committed to God and others.
• Faithfulness is a vital component in the transformation process because without faithfulness, we will not stay close to God, nor will God be able to count on us to do what we are called to do.
• WE will be in Proverbs 3:3-4 today. One of my favorite passages in Proverbs is Proverbs 3:5-6. For one to be able to trust in the Lord with all their heart and to be able to not lean on their own understanding, one needs to follow what is in verses we will examine today.
• Let’s begin with verse 3.
• SLIDE #2
• Proverbs 3:3 (HCSB) —Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. The characterization of faithfulness.
• Proverbs is full of practical wisdom for the reader, that is one of the reasons I love the book so much.
• A look at the context of Proverbs 3.
• This passage is the third of ten instruction poems in Proverbs 1–9. True to form, the poem begins with the systematic warning, “My son, do not forget my teaching.”
• What follows are exhortations designed to encourage the learner to grow in “trust in the Lord” (v. 5) and establish a good reputation “in the sight of God and man” (v. 4). Bland, D. (2002). Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs (p. 68). Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co.
• The Proverb writer encourages us to NEVER let loyalty, some versions translate that word as LOVE.
• The word for LOYALTY pictures an unfailing love. It is often used of God’s love that is related to faithfulness to His covenant.
• LOYALTY in the Hebrew language pictured dependability to obligations arising from a RELATIONSHIP!
• This characteristic MUST be present in the one who is striving to be faithful, the next word we will place our focus.
• For one to be faithful, they have to possess a strong sense of loyalty toward that which they seek to be faithful.
• What is the difference between a person who is faithful to their spouse and one who at the first opportunity would cheat on their spouse?
• LOYALTY. If one is loyal, i.e., possess an unfailing love, NO one will draw them away from their spouse.
• Think about our distinguished Veterans. What kept them in the fight, what kept them from running from the enemy even in the midst of what was probably INTENSE fear?
• They were loyal to their country. Do we honor traitors? Do we give medals to traitors?
• Is Benedict Arnold a revered person in history? No, he was hated by the Americans and the British.
• When we give our spouse our wedding vows, those vows are predicated on one deciding to be loyal to their spouse.
• When we celebrate Veteran’s Day, we do not celebrate the cowards and traitors, we celebrate those who loyally served their country.
• Many times in the Old Testament, we read of God’s FAITHFUL or LOYAL LOVE.
• IF you are loyal, then you can be faithful.
• Faithfulness may be described as a state of trustworthiness or dependability. That which can be relied on. A person who is faithful is one in whom complete confidence may be placed.
• One who is faithful is firm in their resolve, they are stable and reliable.
• A faithful person is one who can be trusted.
• God is faithful, He can be trusted. When we speak of a spouse being faithful, we know that it means that they are not chasing after other men or women.
• WE understand that it means that one’s full attention is on their spouse, and not on another man or woman.
• When we are faithful to God, we are not divided in our attention, we are focused on Him, His will and His way.
• Let me ask you a simple question. If you are looking to marry someone, or if you are looking to hire someone, would you like them to be a faithful person?
• Do you want to marry or hire someone you can count on when things get difficult?
• Why is it that people sell out their country? It is because money, or sex, or stuff is more important to them that country.
• Why would someone embezzle from their company? Same reason.
• Proverbs tells us to NEVER let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. We are to be loyal and faithful to God ALL OF THE TIME.
• The image refers to the task of memorization, a standard way of learning in antiquity.
• Yet to write these instructions on the tablet of your heart means something more than just memorizing them.
• The term tablet would have led Jewish readers to think of the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written (Deut 5:22).
• Jeremiah 31:33 is one of the places that shows us that God wants more than one to simply memorize His words, He wants one to be shaped by them.
• It also means that one’s character is shaped by loyalty and faithfulness.
• Your character is shaped by your level of loyalty and faithfulness to God.
• Can God count on you? Are you loyal and faithful enough to God that He can use you in HIS church? Are you a person of your word? When you committed to Jesus, is HE REALLY first or is everything else ahead of Him?
• Can you drag yourself out of bed to serve Him, worship Him, and encourage others?
• Final question, would you want your spouse to display the same level of loyalty and faithfulness to you that you offer to God?
• Let’s look at verse 4 where we will see two benefits of being faithful!
• SLIDE #4
• Proverbs 3:4 (HCSB) Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
• SLIDE #5
II. Faithfulness inspires favor.
• One of the benefits we see from being faithful is faithfulness inspires favor.
• We see that it gains us favor with God and man.
• To find favor means to be accepted, approved or well thought of.
• In our dealings with other people, if you are known to be a faithful person, people will be glad to deal with you.
• If you a salesman to be dishonest or someone you cannot depend on, do you want to do business them?
• Are you happy to deal with people you cannot trust? DO you enjoy dealing with a person whom only looks out for their best interests?
• When you are known to be faithful, people will look favorably toward you.
• When we speak of God, we have to understand that our faithfulness is a condition of receiving God’s blessings.
• Our faithfulness does not earn us salvation; our faithfulness is a condition we offer to God because He has saved us!
• Throughout the Bible, God’s desire for people is faithfulness.
• SLIDE #6
• Hosea 6:6 (HCSB) For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
• In other words, God is not looking for pomp and circumstance, He is not looking for a show, He desired loyalty or faithfulness from His people.
• God did not condemn the people for their sacrifices they offered, it was the lack of heart behind what they were doing that got God upset with them.
• God smiles down on those He can depend on.
• In the New Testament, in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, the favor on the Master was toward the ones who were actively pursuing the interests of the Master.
• The one who received 10 talents, diligently made 10 more, the one who was given 5, made 5 more.
• In both instances the master said WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.
• The man who was given one talent did nothing with it and the master cast him away and called him wicked and slothful.
• God is pleased when we are actively pursuing His will.
• SLIDE #7
III. Faithfulness inspires admiration.
• Look back at verse 4 again.
• SLIDE #8
• Proverbs 3:4 (HCSB) Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
• WE are told the one who is loyal and faithful will be seen in high regard by both God and man.
• This denotes one who possess loyalty and faithfulness will have a good reputation.
• That is something that should be important for us to possess. You are only a good as your reputation.
• The phrase HIGH REGARD denotes that others will recognize the competence and intelligence of the wise individual.
• One who is loyal and faithful is a wise person.
CONCLUSION
• Do you wonder what you can do to be pleasing to God and to be esteemed in the sight of others, be loyal and faithful to God.
• Jesus was 100% loyal and faithful to God and His calling.
• God has been 100% faithful to you.
• Focus your energies on being faithful to God, you will never regret doing so.
• We live in a time where we need faithful people. God needs a few good people to be faithful to Him and His calling.
