Introduction:
1. The command came, "On your mark, get set," and then the pistol cracked and the race was on. A fine athlete sprang to the lead, and when the race was over he had broke the state record. Only a few other runners even finished the race. Many dropped out when they saw they could not win. As the field crew was bringing out the hurdles for the next race, one of the judges yelled, "Get those hurdles out of the way. This race is not over. Look!" And around the turn came a runner, panting, & staggering. The crowd stood in silent disbelief as he made his way over the last hundred yards, and literally fell across the finish line, grinding his face into the cinder track. One of the judges ran to the boy, turned him over on his back, took his handkerchief and wiped the blood from his face. "Son, why didn’t you drop out? What are you doing in the mile race anyway?" Between gasps, the boy explained that his school had a good miler who had gotten sick just a few days before. The coach had promised to have a man in every event, and so he had asked the boy to run the mile. "Well son, why didn’t you just drop out when you saw that you had lost?" The boy answered, "Judge, they didn’t send me here to quit. They didn’t send me here to win. They sent me here to run this mile, & I ran it!" (Carter, Following Jesus, p.119-120) 10
2. Far too many people stop doing what they know God put them here to do, long before they accomplish their task. All too often what should be a natural expression of the Spirit’s work in our lives is sadly missing. Many different studies that have compared the lives of Christians and those who don’t know the Lord have shown that there is relatively little difference. I believe it was Charles Colson who said there was a time when Christians told the world to stop sinning, tragically, now sometimes it’s the world telling the church to stop sinning. How sad!
Cell #1--
3. ** Our lives as believers should be different because we have God living in us. The Holy Spirit is working in us to produce fruit. How can our lives not be changed? That’s a valid question. The fruit of the Spirit speaks of the outworking of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian.
Cell #2--
4. Bill Hybels has written that ** One of the most common responses to the question of, "What trait in other people do you dislike the most?" is unfaithfulness. 3 When a person is a Christian they should demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in all ten of the areas mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. In other words, if you are a believer then you have the Holy Spirit inside of you working to produce the things we read about here. Let’s read about the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.
Cell #3--
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (NAS 95)
Cell #4--
I. What Does It Mean to Be Faithful?
1. In Galatians 5:22, circle the word, "faithfulness," in verse 22. It’s actually the Greek word PISTIS, which in translated in a number of different ways in the New Testament, sometimes, "faith" at other times, "faithful" & at still other times, "faithfulness." In fact, three of the ways which the word is used are represented in the book of Galatians. I want to look at all three ways. This word can mean. . .
Cell #5--
The content of the Christian message. Look at . . .
Cell #6-- Galatians 1:23
23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." (NIV)
1) The word is used here to speak of the faith in terms of "the content" of the Christian message. The verse is speaking of the faith as what Paul believed in. He had formerly prosecuted the Christian faith, now he became a follower of the Christian faith. Let’s look at another use of the word faith in . . .
Cell #7-- Galatians 2:16
16 And yet we Jewish Christians know that we become right with God, not by doing what the law commands, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be accepted by God because of our faith in Christ— and not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be saved by obeying the law." (NLT)
2) Faith can also mean. . .
Cell #8--
Accepting the Christian message.
3) Here Paul speaks of faith in Jesus Christ. The idea is of us placing our confidence in Jesus’ death on the cross for us. It’s not enough to merely believe the facts about God, which was the first meaning of faith, we must also place our faith or trust in Jesus and what’s He did for us on the cross. In fact, it is this way that the word faith is most often used in scripture. Over 400 times in the New Testament, we find reference to faith leading to salvation, or believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. You might say it’s "the theme" of the New Testament. However, as important as the first two ways the word for faith is used, our focus this morning will be on the third way the word is used. Let’s look at this meaning together.
Cell #9-- Galatians 5:22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (NAS 95)
The concept Paul is speaking of here is . . .
Cell #10--
Living the Christian message.
4) When the word is used in this way it is most often translated "faithfulness." It’s the concept of living the truth of God’s message in our lives. It’s committing ourselves to Jesus Christ and then letting the reality of that faith permeate our lives on a daily basis. It’s being faithful to the life God has called us to. This aspect of faith speaks of faithfulness, or fidelity. In a practical way it’s the quality of being true, trustworthy and reliable in our dealings with others. It’s the characteristic of doing what we know we should even when it’s not easy. This is the trait that William Carey demonstrated when he asked his friend John Williams to pray for him after serving eight years in India with few visible results. He needed encouragement and asked, "Pray for us that we may be faithful to the end." 5
2. This type of attitude isn’t nearly as common as you might think, even among Christians, but it should be. Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived spoke about that. Consider his words in . . .
Cell #11-- Proverbs 20:6
6 Many a man proclaims his loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man? (NAS 95)
3. I want you to circle the word "trustworthy." That word corresponds to the word "faithfulness" that is our focus this morning. Many people think they are a lot more faithful than they really are. The scriptures place a high premium on this kind of person. When you find a person like this you know you have someone special. The fact that this is a fruit of the Spirit says that God wants this kind of character to characterize His followers. To put it another way.
Cell #12--
It’s not enough to Look Good, we’re called to actually Be Good.
4. There are a lot of people around who will be happy to tell you what a good person they are, but when it comes right down to it, their "goodness" is more a matter of convenience than commitment.
5. The truth is that faithfulness is remaining committed to doing right even when you feel like giving up. I love the way Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, a congregation that has a ministry similar to Saddleback, has defined faithfulness. He writes, "Faithfulness means you stick to a commitment after the shine wears off... Faithfulness means you keep saying no a thousand times if you must to the temptation of cutting a corner and taking the easy way out... Faithfulness means you refuse to jump ship even when the waves of adversity are splashing over the decks of your marriage, your relationship with your children... or your relationship with others. Faithfulness means you stay true to your relationship with Jesus Christ no matter what it costs you." (3)
6. That’s what it means to be faithful. It’s important that we understand what faithfulness is, but there is an equally important second question that must be answered as well.
Cell #13--
II. What Does Faithfulness Look Like?
1. Let me explain why I’m asking this question at this point in the sermon this morning. I’m trying very hard to connect what we’re doing and where we’re going to the commitments we’ve made during 40 Days of Purpose. What should faithfulness look like in our lives at this point? In some ways that question seems so simple. It looks like "being faithful," right? Well, yes, but how are we to be faithful?
2. For the answer to that I want to look at what scripture says in Revelation 2:10. Let me set up this passage with just a bit of background. This passage is the second letter John wrote in his series of the seven letters to the churches. This particular letter was written to the church at Smyrna. He will teach us something important about faithfulness, if we are paying close attention. Let’s read what he has to say.
Cell #14-- Revelation 2:8-11
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
9 ’I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 ’Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 ’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ (NAS 95)
3. This was a church that had gone through some very difficult times. You will notice in verse 9 that he’s speaking in the present tense. These were the things the church was going through at that time. However, notice in verse 10, he moves into the future. He says, "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. He was speaking of what was on the way. To put it another way, times were hard and they were going to get worse. Now how do you prepare someone in that situation for what’s to come? I have a better question, how do any of us prepare for the uncertainty of what lies ahead?
4. At the risk of being overly simplistic, may I suggest that the way we’re to prepare for any future, is always the same. You will want to fill in your notes as I explain what I mean.
Cell #15--
According to Revelation 2:10 we are to be faithful to The Point of Death. In other words faithfulness is, being Totally Committed to God.
5. You see regardless of what comes in the future, our preparation for those uncertainties begins with being committed the way we should be now. For the believers in Symrna, it meant being committed to the point of death. Doesn’t it mean the same for us? Oh, I know that none of us are likely to face literal death, but shouldn’t we be that committed whether we’re ever called to make that particular sacrifice or not? I think the answer to that question is obvious. Yes!
6. There were likely some in Symrna who would have said when a believer gave up his or her life for Christ, "What a waste." However, our calling is to be committed. At that point we must leave the results of whether we live or die in His hands. We never know how dramatically God may use our faithful commitment to Him.
In his book, When God Whispers Your Name, Max Lucado tells the story of John Egglen, who had never preached a sermon in his life before the Sunday morning when it snowed and the pastor wasn’t able to make it to the church. In fact, he was the only deacon to show up. He was not a preacher, but he was faithful and that meant on that particular Sunday morning he preached. God rewarded his faithfulness, and at the end of his hesitant sermon, one young man invited God into his heart. No one there could appreciate the significance of what had taken place that morning. The young man who accepted Christ that snowy Sunday morning was non other than Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the man who has often been called, the "prince of preachers." God blessed his preaching and when he was still less than 30 years old he became the pastor of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle. His sermons were so powerful that although the building could hold 5000 people, the crowds who came to hear him were so thick that they would line up outside trying to hear his sermons. That amazing life of faith all started on a cold Sunday morning with the faithfulness of a deacon who had never preached a sermon before that day. Faithfulness means being committed to what God lets us have the chance to do, whether it looks like a big assignment, or a small one. Giving the sermon to a handful of people on a Sunday morning when almost no one shows up doesn’t seem all that significant, but it demanded faithfulness & God blessed John Egglin’s faithfulness
Cell #16--
III. Why Is Faithfulness Such a Challenge?
1. Part of the problem is that we live in a society where faithfulness isn’t in style. People aren’t accustomed to someone being what they should be and living the way they should. Many people aren’t committed to God, to their church, to their friends, or to their family.
2. Let me give you an example that ties in to what I’m talking about. Pastor Melvin Newland shared this insight in a sermon he did on this passage. He said if a husband says, "I really love my wife," & then he has an affair, you might call him a liar, or a cheat, but most of all you would probably call him, what? That’s right, "unfaithful." Because no matter how loudly he proclaims, his love, he has shown himself to be unfaithful in that love. 8
3. The truth is that faithfulness is such a challenge, because we are all deal with the temptation to be unfaithful to God. To not keep our promises to Him. In fact, we all face that challenge with others as well, because although many times we mean well, we don’t always do well. However, each time we are faithful, it helps us move closer to the overall faithfulness God has called us to live. Let me share a passage that at first glance, may seem to have nothing to do with what I’m talking about. However, a second glance will reveal an important insight.
Cell #17-- James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NIV)
4. In James 1:3, I want you to circle the word, "faith." It speaks of more than just faith as we typically think of it. Could it be that part of the issue here is not only the testing of our faith, but also of our faithfulness. Let me show you what I mean.
Cell #18--
The word translated "faith" is the same word as Faithfulness.
5. While it’s true that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, it’s also true that the testing of our faithfulness produces perseverance as well. We are not only called to be people of faith, we are also called to be people of faithfulness. When we withstand the temptation to be unfaithful we’re taking a step toward the perseverance spoken about in James 1:3.
6. We each face the challenge of being faithful. Many couples decide to live together without the benefit of marital commitment. They want to keep their options open & they don’t want to get hurt. Ironically, they nearly guarantee the very thing they are so anxious to avoid. Even secular studies show that couples who live together before they marry are significantly more likely to end up divorced.
7. Faithfulness is doing the right thing, whether it’s in style or out of style. It’s being faithful to remain sexually pure, whether it’s currently in style or not. I frequently hear of adults who want their children or grandchildren to have high standards sexually, but who aren’t faithful to those same standards themselves. We all need to be morally faithful!
8. Faithfulness is doing the right thing when it comes to our spiritual commitments as well. Now is the time when we are faced with the challenge of whether we’ll be faithful to the things we’ve learned during the last 40 days. The benefits of 40 Days of Purpose will become evident if we are faithful to what God has challenged us to do. Faithfulness is reading your Bible & setting aside time to pray & let God speak to you. We often lose sight of the big picture. We may never be rewarded for our faithfulness here, but in eternity, we will be given our due.
In his book, Talking to My Father, Ray Steadman tells the story of a missionary couple who served abroad many years ago. They eventually returned to the United States with their health gone & broke. They happened to be on the ship that former president Teddy Roosevelt was on as he returned from a big game hunt. When their ship docked in New York, the former president received an exceptional homecoming. The missionary work was much more significant, but no crowds greeted them. When the man told his wife how he felt overlooked she encouraged him to go into their bedroom & tell the Lord. When he came out a short time later he had a completely different attitude about the whole thing. He said, "The Lord settled it with me by showing me that we aren’t home yet. They too would experience a homecoming one day. It wouldn’t be crowds who greeted them when they arrived. When they got to heaven, the Lord Himself would greet them. 6 That realization makes all the difference for us!
Cell #19--
We struggle with faithfulness when we forget that we will ultimately answer to God in eternity.
Conclusion:
1. Faithfulness is the natural fruit of the Holy Spirit as He works in our lives. That doesn’t mean however, that it happens without us being a willing participant. God wants us to honor Him by being faithful to the things we know He wants us to do and be involved with in our lives.
2. As I alluded to a few minutes ago, nothing takes the place of being faithful to God. When we simply do our best to faithfully serve God right where we are, our efforts can accomplish more than we could dare dream. The launch of Pioneer 10 in 1972 was amazing. The craft was intended to photograph Jupiter & send the images back to earth. It went farther, at 1 billion miles it passed Saturn. At 2 billion miles, Uranus, Neptune at 3 billion miles & Pluto at almost 4 billion miles. However, the craft continued to operate even then, and it was still going in 1997 25 years after it was launched. At that point it was 6 billion miles from the sun but it was still sending signals to the earth. According to Leon Jaroff, of Time Magazine, those signals radiate from an 8 watt transmitter which about as much power as a night light. The signal reaches earth more than 9 hours after the vessel sends it. Pioneer 10 was more faithful to her mission than anyone ever dreamed when she was launched in 1972. The tiny craft kept doing what she was designed to do. I hope the same can be said about us, that we will simply be faithful to do what God designed us to do. . . namely, serve Him. 6
3. Prayer asking God to help us be faithful!
1) Bruce Barton, Linda Taylor, David Veerman, Neil Wilson, Life Application Bible Commentary: Galatians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers) 1994.
2) Frank Gaebelein, Ed., The Expositor’s B ible Commentary: New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1976-1992.
3) Bill Hybels, Fruit of the Spirit, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1997.
4) Donald Guthrie, The New Century Bible Commentary: Galatians, (Grand Rapids, MI: The Wm. B. Eerdsman Publishing Company) 1973.
5) Timothy George, The New American Commentary: Galatians, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press) 1994.
6) Thomas Trask & Wayde Goodall, The Fruit of the Spirit, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 2000.
7) Philip Kenneson, Life on the Vine, (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press) 1999.
8) Melvin Newland, A sermon. (Browsville, TX)
9) R David Reynolds, A sermon.
