THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: The Dead Church
1. A new pastor in a small Midwestern town spent the first four days making personal visits to each of the members, inviting them to come to his first service. The following Sunday, the church was all but empty.
2. Accordingly, the pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that because the church was dead, it is everyone’s duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral would be held the following Sunday afternoon, the notice stated.
3. Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the “funeral.” In front of the pulpit, they saw a closed coffin, smothered with flowers. After the pastor delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead church.
4. Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a “dead church”, all the people lined up to look into the coffin.
5. Each “mourner” peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look. In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror!
B. TEXT
1. Moses could say, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deut. 7:9.
2. David could say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.” Ps. 31:5.
3. Isaiah could say, “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago” (25:1).
C. THESIS
1. We’re going to look at the Faithfulness of God.
2. It has 5 scriptural references: In trials & temptations; in establishing us; in keeping His promises; in revealing Himself to us and in forgiving us.
I. FAITHFUL IN TRIALS & TEMPTATIONS
“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13.
A. GOD LIMITS THE TRIAL TO WHAT WE CAN STAND
1. God’s faithfulness extends to our temptations and trials. It’s interesting that Paul mentions this in relation to God’s faithfulness.
2. We shall NEVER be overwhelmed by trials or temptations. God’s grace will always be superior to the pressure or danger of the situation.
3. Our success in the trial is guaranteed if we hold onto God.
B. GIVES ALTERNATIVE, IF TURN TO HIM
1. God will always provide an alternative to sin, if we are willing. Temptations and trials are a test of our character. God doesn’t want us to fail.
2. So there’s always an easy way of sin and a harder way of obedience, but if we choose the harder way, we will find it was the best choice. God will open doors we can’t see yet to help solve the problem. Trust Him.
II. FAITHFUL TO ESTABLISH YOU
“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” 2 Thess. 3:3.
A. ESTABLISH YOU
1. Definition: “To set up on a firm or permanent basis.” God has our long term, permanent good in mind.
2. Many companies sell you a product and it has a 90 day guarantee, or a one-year guarantee. They are only concerned about the product lasting through the guaranteed time. After that, if something goes wrong with it, it’s not their problem; it’s YOUR LOSS!
3. God isn’t that way. He doesn’t just care about you for a limited time period, but for all time! He’s not only wanting your good for during the time of your life, but during all of eternity as well! God wants to “establish you” – give you a permanence that will give you rest and peace – no worries!
B. STRENGTHEN YOU
1. Several versions translate this word as “strengthen.” To make you permanent and really long-lasting, God strengthens you.
2. The Amplified Version says, “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one].”
3. The Phillips Version says, “Yet the Lord is utterly to be depended upon by all who have faith in him, and he will give you stability and protection against all that is evil.”
4. When so many other things are undependable, it’s wonderful to know that we can “utterly depend on God!”
III. FAITHFUL TO KEEP HIS PROMISES
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” Heb. 10:23.
A. QUESTIONING THE DEPENDABILITY OF GOD
1. Our walk with God is based on faith in God’s promises. The devil frequently questions God’s faithfulness, “Has God really said…?” He tries to make us think God won’t keep His promise or is duplicitous.
2. But the writer of Hebrews encourages the early Christians – many of whom were suffering persecution – that God is faithful. He WILL keep His Word.
B. APPLICATION OF THE TRUTH
1. How this plays out? If God promises to save your family members, you can rest assured He will do it, no matter how impossible it looks.
2. Since God has promised to help you, He will. Since He’s promised to be with you and give you grace, You can be confident that will happen.
3. God has promised to heal your body; you can claim that promise and receive your healing.
4. In fact, every promise God made in His Word, the Bible, you can claim for yourself.
5. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” Heb. 10:23.
IV. FAITHFUL TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 1:9.
A. YOU ARE CALLED INTO FELLOWSHIP W/ JESUS!
1. God WANTS YOU to fellowship with Him. You are wanted in the throne room; you are wanted at the throne of grace.
2. God likes you! He wants to be around you forever! He’s made a place for you at His table and a place for you to stay at His house!
3. God’ wants you to come live with Him for eternity! Wow! I’m welcomed by God. You’re “wanted,” but not in a bad way, but a loving way!
B. IT’S GOD’S FAITHFULNESS THAT OPENS THIS TO YOU
1. It’s His good pleasure to give you the Kingdom! God wants to reveal Himself to you. He wants you to know Him.
2. He’s committed to helping you come to know Him. That’s awesome!
V. FAITHFUL TO FORGIVE YOU
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
A. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID
1. Many times we’ve done something we think is unforgiveable. Other times we’ve fallen for the same temptation over and over until we begin to think God will no longer forgive us.
2. The message of this verse is that God is FAITHFUL TO FORGIVE US. That means He goes out of His way to forgive us. He gives us assurances He will forgive us. He binds Himself to His promises to forgive us.
B. FORGIVES COMPLETELY
1. He doesn’t just forgive us for most of our sins, but for ALL of them, if we confess them to Him.
2. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
3. He forgives us AND He cleanses us. One is at the Court of Justice, the other is the actual scrubbing and removing of the stains of sin!
4. Thank God He’s faithful to forgive and cleanse us!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. During WWI, King Emmanuel of Italy was called on to view the troops. A caravan of five automobiles came to a mine that blew up four of the cars. The car that King Emmanuel was riding in stopped just before they got to the mine.
2. The captain and one lieutenant were badly hurt—the lieutenant more than the captain. The captain went over to the lieutenant.
3. Thinking that there might be another explosion, he begged the captain to go away and just let him die. But the captain refused. He stayed there and cradled the boy’s head in his arms.
4. While he was holding him, he heard the car drive away. There he was, out on the battlefield, near the frontline trenches, and no car. Shortly, the lieutenant died in his arms.
5. The captain fell across his body and said, "My God! The king has left me to die on the battlefield! The king has left me to die on the battlefield! The car has gone, and there is no hope!"
6. About that time he heard a quiet voice behind him saying, "The car is gone, but the king is here."
B. THE CALL
1. I want us to rejoice in God’s faithfulness!
2. What area are you struggling with? Let’s go to God and ask Him to give us strength, establish us, forgive us, bring us into fellowship with Him, and give us power over our trials and temptations.
3. Prayer time.
