okay so Matthew chapter 25 I just want to focus on one verse in Matthew 25 and
that's verse 21 so Matthew 25 21 the Bible reads his Lord said unto him well
done thou good and faithful servant thou has been faithful over a few things I
will make the ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord and
the title of my sermon today is being a faithful servant being a faithful
servant what does faithful mean well faithful you can think of words such as
trustworthy dutiful loyal and also it can mean someone full of faith as well
which you would hope if they're full of faith they're going to be trustworthy
dutiful and loyal and what a great goal a to be called thou good and faithful
servant and and especially so as being faithful is associated with God so it's
one of the descriptions of God Deuteronomy 7 9 you don't have to turn
there says know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which
keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments
to a thousand generations the faithful God he keeps his promises he's
trustworthy he's loyal in fact he's not just faithful turn to Lamentations
chapter 3 just after the book of Jeremiah guys Lamentations chapter 3
and from verse 22 it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because
his compassion's fail not they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness
okay great is God's faithfulness he's not just faithful great is his
faithfulness and okay well that's God that's just that's God isn't it well
there are men aren't there in the Bible that have been described as faithful to
there's Abraham again you have to turn I'll just do these quickly in Galatians
3 9 they said he said so then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
Abraham Moses in Numbers 12 7 my my servant Moses is God talk he is not so
who is faithful in all mine house Samuel in 1st Samuel 2 35 God says and
I'll raise me up a faithful priest that shall do according to that which is in
my heart and in my mind I'll build him a sure house he shall walk before mine
anointed forever and Timotheus or Timothy and 1st Corinthians 4 17 for
this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus who is my beloved son and
faithful in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in
Christ as I teach everyone every church so these are famous great men of God but
you know there's also some lesser-known faithful men in the Bible again you
have to know Titicius in Ephesians 6 21 is described as a beloved brother and
faithful minister in the Lord Epaphras in Colossians 1 7 is a faithful minister
of Christ Onesimus in Colossians 4 9 a faithful and beloved brother Silvanus in
1st Peter 5 12 a faithful brother unto you and Antipas in Revelation 2 13 gets
an honorable mention to Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you
where Satan dwelleth so you've got giants of the faith you've got pastors
you've got other workers in the ministry but you've also got faithful brothers as
well and a martyr thrown in there for good measure as well now in Matthew 25
21 his Lord says thou has been faithful over a few things okay he's been
faithful over a few things now you could say there's a picture there isn't there
of the gifts he's been given maybe the talents he's been given but for us I
think there's areas in our life where we're expected to be faithful aren't
there yeah aren't there not areas in our life where we're expected to be faithful
now what things or areas of life are we expect to be faithful and like we said
trustworthy dutiful loyal well the most important for me the most important is
the ministry that God's given to you okay the ministry that God's given to
every one of us so turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 4 1st Corinthians
chapter 4 okay whilst you're Tony I'm just going to read 2nd Corinthians 5 18
which says and all things are of God who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ and have given to us a ministry of reconciliation so although in 1st
Corinthians 4 he's referring to himself Apollos and Cephas Peter remember we're
given the ministry of reconciliation ourselves that's all of us 1st
Corinthians 4 1 2 says let a man so account of us as of the ministers of
Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God moreover it is required in stewards
that a man be found faithful a man be found faithful now keep a finger there
and turn to Romans 16 just a few pages over to the left at Romans 16 and
thinking about those those stewards of the of the thinking about stewards here
being found faithful look at Romans 16 and from verse 25 now to him that is of
power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ
according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the
world began but now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets
according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all
nations for the obedience of faith so we are now stewards of that mystery aren't
we the gospel okay we are stewards of that 1st Corinthians 4 2 said it is
required in stewards that a man be found faithful remember that's trustworthy
dutiful loyal now like we said before that's a big responsibility isn't it
that is a big responsibility and in a roundabout way basically we're stewards
of eternal life we're stewards of eternal life because it's down to us to
tell people isn't it it's down to us to tell people people aren't getting saved
without ourselves and other saved Christians preaching them the gospel
okay that's that's clear isn't it from the Bible we've gone over that many
times they're not going to get saved so we're the stewards of eternal life we're
not Calvinists we don't believe that they're just going to automatically get
saved do it I don't think anyone here believes that nonsense and the people
for example last week that went that got saved they got saved because someone
went out knocked on their door and preached them the gospel now had that
person not knocked on their door there's no guarantee that person would have ever
got saved yeah there are people there are people that seem to you know we
knock on the door and they're literally just questioning what must I need to get
to be saved but there is free will in life as well and they might never go
beyond being at home wondering that and there are many that aren't there are
many that kind of well I'll give you yeah go on then you know I've got five
ten minutes and then and then it's the power of the Word of God isn't it okay
but without that knock on that door they wouldn't have got saved okay and in this
country who else is going out and preaching the gospel who else I don't
know of any churches in this country there's a couple that I've been reminded
of in email at the beginning people are a bit defensive of their church saying
oh no no I pastor these street preachers what do you think numbers are getting
street preaching I mean you can miss miss the first line of it miss the first
couple of verses and you ain't getting saved miss the last couple and let alone
as we know when it's been preaching so much different to a personal gospel
isn't it someone actually standing there and going through it with you and
answering your questions are showing you so in this country again I don't see
any there might be a few tracks being given out there might be a couple of
zealous people at those churches that might actually give out the gospel when
they're given attracted so if someone actually asked them when they walk past
but other than that there are 70 odd million people in the UK and there's
what we got in here on an average 50 odd people going out and preaching gospel
maybe a few others that we know who are on UK so when you maybe a few that
aren't dotted around the country I mean that is a big responsibility is it's a
massive responsibility and we'll turn to 2nd Corinthians 4 2nd Corinthians 4
verse 3 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 3 but if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that
are lost in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which
believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the
image of God should shine unto them for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus
the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake for God who commanded the
light to shine out a darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ okay it's not us
we're the few torches in a dark dark land aren't we we're a few torches and
there are different torches aren't there there are different torches out there we
don't want to be that little pound shop torch do we that after a few clicks at
the button breaks you know the pound shop torch which just snaps or it just
suddenly stops working and you got a poor disappointed child who didn't
realize it was a pound shop special we want to be that 10,000 lumen super torch
don't we we want to be that one that blinds them then saves them don't we
that's what we want to be blind and then save them we want to be a faithful torch
though because there are 10,000 lumen torches but they're Chinese gimmicks
aren't they cheap Chinese gimmicks and they break after a few goes again we
don't want to be that Chinese gimmick we want to be a faithful trusty old torch
you know that old torch that you you know the granddad still has in his
garage or in his cupboard under the stairs he's had for for the last 50
years and it's still just working like it did on the first day they don't make
them like they used to do they but we want to be like that we want to be that
trusty faithful torch which is just going to keep going out keep doing what
God wants us to do but that torch uses some batteries doesn't it
I'm just weird D ones D2s those ones you'd never have in the house you know
you need a torches and they're expensive those batteries as well aren't they and
those torches they the good ones the powerful ones they hammer the old
battery as well don't they and you never end up having those batteries well you
need rechargeables there don't you you need rechargeables and where's and where
you're going to recharge those batteries word of God and a church aren't you yeah
this is like the charging station at church well that's where the Ministry of
Reconciliation headquarters are yeah the Ministry of Reconciliation headquarters
of the church that's where you're gonna charge your batteries for your 10,000
lumen flashlight and that's where we're sent out where we go out from and like
we've seen throughout the book of 1st Corinthians it all centers around the
church doesn't it it all comes from the church it's all about the church but
it's about the church to then go out isn't it to be sent out you know how
should they preach lest they be sent and that's what we're doing with sending out
from a church and how different is it it's so different when you're going out
from the church isn't it when we were doing it on our own or going out from a
group it's a different game isn't it and how many are we already getting saved
from this church now God God's given us a church isn't he God's given us his
church yeah and he wants us to be faithful to this church and he wants us
to use our talents for the church like we've already spoken about over the last
few weeks as well but we need to be trustworthy and dutiful to the church
for the church to succeed don't we okay God's given us that it's one of the
things he's given us for us to be faithful okay and and for the you know
there are many things aren't there in a church it's not oh well you've got to be
you know your talents are just going out and giving the gospel well they're jobs
that need doing in a church for church to function as we know we talked about
this before jobs that need doing for the church to be there we need to be fun we
need to be punctual we need to be reliable we need to be faithful don't we
and all those things when you think of a faithful servant that's what you think
about don't you okay what about loyalty as well what about loyalty to the church
now that might sound obvious but don't you think that there are some people at
some of some of our friends churches that maybe found loyalty a problem when
the media criticism started probably a few of them started finding that a bit
difficult when people started talking about those church what would you got
you don't go to that church that we are well yeah yeah I don't agree with
everything that's preached there you know or something along those I'm sure
there were hundred percent there were people in that church that would have
said that wouldn't there loyalty to the church and who's to say that's not
gonna happen here we need to be loyal don't we or what about when when the
protests started at some of those churches when the protests were there
and there people outside were they still lowly that loyally attending every
service do you think I bet they lost some people I bet they did didn't they
when they had people outside the church when they started getting the pressure
okay that's not being faithful is there over the church that God's given you and
I bet when the bombing started okay now I bet we saw a few what maybe we did it
maybe some of them strengthened up I bet a few I bet a few were put off weren't
they yeah and the loyalty started waning where's our line let's hope with
everyone in here there's not a line is there and we're gonna be loyal we're
gonna be faithful to the church that we've been given what about when their
pastor makes a stand against other pastors that they like what about that
is everyone still up to their pastor then I hope so again I hope here every
single one of us is like no that's our pastor we're loyal to him if that's what
he says and that's our pastor he's our leader that's our church yeah or what
about like we said before when when you start receiving a criticism when the
preaching feels that little bit personal you still loyal to the church then you
still lawler do you start having little thoughts about other churches maybe I'll
go back to the old repent of your sins Baptist or something else you know again
are we all loyal are we all feeling loyal to the church are we faithful in
that thing that God's given us but that's the same to work in the ministry
as well so the same to work in the ministry 1st Timothy 1 12 you don't have
to turn there but Paul says and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me
for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry so to work in a
ministry we need to be counted faithful and there might be you know there might
be people here people watch your line that like the idea that at some point in
the future well what is faithful trustworthy due to full loyal and we can
add obviously full of faith to can't we need to be full of faith to work in a
ministry as well and trustworthy that's why Moses father-in-law in Exodus 18 21
in fact you could turn if you like don't know Exodus 18 Exodus 18 and verse
21 he's Moses his father-in-law said moreover thou shalt provide out of all
the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place
such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties
and rulers of tens it's not enough to just not be covetous okay we need to
hate it people who work in a ministry have to hate covetousness it's not just
oh well I'm not very covered you've got to hate it absolutely hate it people
that just think about money thinking about possessions thinking about stuff
you've got to hate that I hate that gotta hate it and we should we should
all hate that anyway but especially to be in a ministry because there are so
many temptations aren't there because and because covetousness can creep up
and there's money to be handled there's other things and as we've seen at the
church what's just ended Nioth it's it sounds to me from what from what I
gather from that covetousness was probably the big problem there wasn't it
that's a guy in the ministry supposedly who it turned out was massively
covetous of ripping off the church absolutely wicked isn't it that is
wicked and and that guy is absolutely wicked how do you steal how do you steal
from God how do you steal from God's people that is wicked and that guy is an
absolute disgrace I never really spoke about it before cuz I don't know him I
didn't really know what's going on there but that guy is a disgrace okay
absolutely and and for me that it's so clear isn't it you can't you have to not
only oh well I'm not really covetous because it does it like we've seen the
reason why people in churches get kicked out for being covetous is because
because it spreads doesn't it because the more people are going on about money
money and this and riches of wealth and how they can earn more money how they
can quickly get cash and everything else it starts to affect other people it
infects the church and let alone for someone in the ministry to be like that
okay but also dutiful and loyal to God's Word so turn to Jeremiah 23 turn to
Jeremiah 23 and from verse 28 the prophet that had a dream let him tell a
dream and he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the
chaff to the wheats saith the Lord is not my word like as a fire saith the
Lord like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces therefore behold I am
against the Prophet saith the Lord that steal my words every one from his
neighbor behold I am against the Prophet saith the Lord that use their tongues
and say he saith behold I am against them that prophesy false dreams saith
the Lord and do tell them and cause my people to err by their lies and by their
likeness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not
profit this people at all saith the Lord so look at verse 28 there verse 28 the
prophet that had a dream let him tell a dream and he that had my word let him
speak my word faithfully okay those preach the Word of God and that extends
by the way to preach in the gospel on the door or out in the streets or in the
parks whatever else need to preach it faithfully don't they okay we have to
preach the Word of God faithfully verse 29 is not my word like as a fire saith
the Lord like a hammer that breaketh the rock in peace we don't have to change it
do we would have to change it a word is a fire the word is a hammer okay verse
30 therefore behold I'm against the Prophet saith the Lord that steal my
words every one from his neighbor so basically they're withholding the word
and there are so many aren't there that grab a verse and then just preach a
whole sermon without going to another verse of the Bible and start putting it
into man's wisdom and there are people that go out on the door and just preach
without you know they wonder why they're getting no one saved and they preaching
the Word of God it has to be the Word of God verse 31 says behold I'm against the
Prophet saith the Lord that use their tongues and say he saith and they preach
their own words as his don't they and many people do that they preach their
own words and say that they're the words of God and and verse 32 behold I
am against the Prophet saith the Lord that use their tongues and say he saith
okay and that is 99% of their pre of the preachers in this world isn't it it's
99% of sermons you you you hear and and by the way half of them will be out of a
full spiral version anyway saying we've got the Word of God there but the ones
are on a lot of the time they're just preaching their own words and that's not
being dutiful and loyal to God's Word is it okay so people that again the
ministry it's about preaching the Word of God so we need to read the Word of
God study the Word of God to be able to preach the Word of God and we're not
always you know we're not going to get it all right are we we're all men we're
all fallible but we should be trying our utmost be loyal to the Word of God and
that's saying whether it's a men's preaching night or whether it's preaching
from behind on the pulpit here and that's why in second Timothy 2 to Paul's
instruction is and the things that thou has heard of me among many witness the
same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also so
anyone aiming to be in the ministry needs to be faithful they need to be
face faithful trustworthy dutiful loyal full of faith yeah and that's to the
church that's to to the people of God that's to God obviously ultimately as
well now David was another great example that we didn't mention of a faithful man
of God in 1st Samuel 22 you can turn there if you like because we're gonna go
go somewhere else in first I'm just go to 1st Samuel 22 1st Samuel chapter 22
and verse 14 a himalek the priest is being blamed by Saul for helping David
okay then him a himalek answered the king and said and who is so faithful
among all thy servants as David which is the king's son-in-law and goeth at thy
bidding and is honorable in thine house so David was renowned wasn't he Paul the
himalek gets killed after that but David was renowned for being faithful even
while Saul was hunting him down to kill him so even though Saul was hunting him
down to kill him he was still described as and still was as we see in a minute
who was who is so faithful among all thy servants as David 1st Samuel chapter 24
go over to 1st Samuel chapter 24 and verse 6 says and this is David speak he
says and he said unto his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto
my master the Lord's anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is
the anointed of the Lord and this is Saul that's trying to kill him and he
has the opportunity to do it and he still won't do it and you could say well
that would be self-defense when it be still doesn't do it fast forward many
years then and this is one of the things that you notice I think in life in
general as well you can't you reap what you sow a lot don't you and now fast
forward and go to 2nd Samuel chapter 15
2nd Samuel chapter 15 now David's fleeing Absalom now at this point okay
I'm from verse 19 then said the king to ittai the Gittite wherefore goest thou
also with us return to thy place and abide with the king for thou art a
stranger and also an exile whereas thou camest but yesterday should I this day
make thee go up and down with us seeing her go whither I may return now and take
back thy brethren mercy and truth be with thee and ittai I answered the king
and said as a lord liveth and as my lord the king liveth surely in what place my
lord the king shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy servant
be so basically he just he's just received this immense loyalty of someone
who's only just come with them didn't have to be fleeing either and David
basically reaps what he's sown many years before I feel and he's just got
this this immense lot in and what happens is David takes back the kingdom's
the kingdom and when he takes back the kingdom of his three generals one of
them is now this newcomer ittai the Gittite and and it's a you know it's a
great example there isn't it of that also that faithfulness that loyalty
being rewarded but but David again was a faithful man wasn't he David was a
faithful man and we see then ittai the Gittite almost rewarding that and I bet
at that point there at that time that probably really helped him didn't it and
to be in the ministry to be in the ministry we need to be faithful we need
to be loyal we need to be trustworthy we need to be we need to be dutiful and we
need to be obviously be full of faith don't we as well so being a faithful
servant things to be faithful over number one was the ministry that God has
given to you okay and that's everyone so whether or not you want to go into
actual the ministry paid ministry or not or whether or not it's it's being at a
church it's doing the things of God it's using your talents your skills your
ability that's God that God's given you to work for God that's one area we need
to be faithful over don't we okay number two about the family and friends that
God's given to you the family and friends that God has given to you so we
should be described shouldn't we as as men and women of God here and boys and
girls of God as trustworthy dutiful loyal yeah shouldn't we to the people
that God has put in our lives now sadly this isn't very common in the world is
it this isn't common in the world and sadly it probably isn't very common
amongst Christians either because we're so affected by the world as well and by
sinful flesh so turn to Psalm chapter 12
okay Psalm chapter 12 and from verse 1 the Bible says help Lord for the godly
man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men they speak
vanity everyone with his neighbor with flattering lips and with a double heart
do they speak okay the faithful failed from among the children of men and you
see this a lot out in the world don't you it's flattery to the face but it's a
double heart yeah we get that a lot don't you see that a lot with many many
people and and you it's one thing amongst associates colleagues but you
also don't see much loyalty amongst friends best friends families even
spouses it's it's it's terrible is if you think back and or you're still in
you know through jobs in other places still in contact a lot with with the
world and with the unsaved especially and hopefully we don't see that amongst
each other we shouldn't do but you see that the friends were nothing but
complementary to each other's faces they're behind their backs it's a
different story isn't it people love that don't they behind their back
talking about their friend saying this saying that turn to Proverbs 11 and
Proverbs chapter 11 and verse 13
barber says a tale bearer revealer secrets but he that is of a faithful
spirit conceal if the matter so someone faithful doesn't go around telling other
people secrets pretty clear isn't it they shouldn't be going around telling
other people secrets someone who's described as faithful especially a
faithful friend wouldn't be doing that would they something we should be
aspiring to be like Proverbs chapter 18 go forward a few few chapters few pages
Proverbs 18 and verse 24 says a man that have friends must show himself friendly
and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother okay and sticking
close that's through thick and thin isn't it because we've probably all
heard a good time friends yeah you know a good time friend is there when the
goings good hanging around when you know things are well but as soon as things go
badly in their friends life they just they don't you know it's not so much fun
anymore they're great when when it's party time and everyone's having a laugh
and everyone's happy they don't want to be there when they go through a bad time
but do you know there's also a bad time friend anyone been around bad time
friends before okay so the bad time friend they're only friends you when
you go through a bad time because they love it when you're going through a bad
time when you don't seem that happy when you seem like you got a lot of stress
and pressure and everything else but as soon as you start picking yourself up
and life's getting better for you they can't handle it they liked it when you
were down and they felt superior and they felt better but they don't like it
when things are going better in your life okay and obviously we don't want to
be bad time friends either turn to Proverbs 17 and verse 17 a friend
loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity so you don't want to
be a good time friend or a bad time friend because a friend should love at
all times and that's a faithful friend isn't it and we should be described as
being faithful faithful to our friends yeah okay that's that's one of the
things I feel that we should be faithful over but how about the families that
God's given to us how about the families that he's given to us the children you
don't have to turn it but so everyone knows this first some 127 3 says low
children are in heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward and
I see that as them being his inheritance the children are his inheritance now
some would say well they're they're an inheritance given of the Lord I think
it's his inheritance and are we faithful with our children are we all
faithful with the children that we've been given are we training them up in
the way they should go in the nurture and admonition of the Lord are we all
doing that we all faithful with our kids those that have kids here turn to
Deuteronomy 6
okay in foot and verse 7 this is speaking of God's Word and thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk at them when thou sittest
in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when
thou risest up now you could look at oh that's quite a tall order well that's
what we're told to do says thou shalt thou shalt teach them diligently unto
thy children not diligent is that's hard work is that's putting effort into it
it's doing it properly shall talk to them when thou sittest in thine house
or when thou walkest by the way and when thou lies down and when thou risest up
that's basically teaching the Word of God talking about the Word of God
constantly that's what our heart that's what should be our family should be
centered around shouldn't it okay that that's being faithful with your children
it's doing what God told you to do with them so kids so kids don't start getting
judgmental here thinking yeah I don't know if my parents are doing that well
I remember going to bed the other night we didn't talk about the Bible
beforehand or we were out you know at whatever at the park and no one
mentioned you know mentioned a commandment well are you kids faithful
with the parents you've been given kids are you faithful with the parents you've
been given are all of us are all of us faithful with our parents while we're in
Deuteronomy go back to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 16 one of the Ten
Commandments honor thy father and thy mother as a Lord thy God hath commanded
thee that thy days may be prolonged and then it may go well with thee in the
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee okay that's obviously as we know the
first commandment with promise that we live long and prosperously but the
command is still there to honor them isn't it well if you want to do if you
want to live long you want to live well then honor them no the command is is
honor thy father and thy mother okay so we should be honoring our fathers and
mothers and and to honor is to revere to respect to treat with deference and
submission and perform relative duties to yeah and that can include financially
as well but that's not the world's way is it the world that's not the world's
way well you know the parents who are they to tell you what to do and it
doesn't say until a certain age there either does it we should honor our
father and mother and obviously if a lot of us maybe maybe many here might have
unsaved family and that's a bit different if what they're telling you
goes against God's Word but we should still be honoring them shouldn't we
should still be honoring them and and that's not packing them off into a care
home is it and that's the way our society does it don't they I mean
they're literally packing them off well there's nothing wrong with me and they
just oh don't worry you love it there it's like a like a holiday home you know
off you come out of my hair now and that's really how it is isn't it they
don't honor life their father fathers and mothers they don't honor their
parents and and it I think it's wicked really isn't it absolutely wicked that
that they'll just pack them off visit them every now and again and that's it
if you ever been to them places they're pretty grim as well there are grim
places well that's not how we should be is it now Ruth gives a great example how
to treat a mother-in-law go to Ruth chapter 1 but just before the book of
1st Samuel after judges Ruth chapter 1 and from verse 15 Ruth 1 15 okay and and
basically Naomi's always already widowed you so her two sons have died and then
from verse 15 she said behold thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her
people and unto her gods return thou after thy sister-in-law so these are the
recently died sons wives and Ruth who is one of them said entreat me not to leave
thee or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go
where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my
God where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the Lord's do so
to me and more also if alt but death part thee and me that's a great attitude
to have isn't it what a great attitude Ruth has there and and she's obviously
rewarded later on for that attitude but are we all like that are we all like
that with our with our mothers and fathers kids are you like that with your
mothers and fathers you faithful to them do you moan about them do you
complain about them in your hearts in your heads maybe to each other to other
people do we do the same with our with our with our parents we should be
faithful with the parents we've been given now what about though are we
faithful with the husbands and wives we've been given everyone here faithful
with the husband and wife if they've got husbands and wives that they've been
given now I know that we have free will and you feel oh you know because there
are people that Oh God gave me that person because they like the look of
them well God must have put them into my path they're just they shouldn't have
got married in the first place but yeah we have free will but God's allowed us
to make that choice isn't he God's given us that free will he's given us the
ability to have a husband or wife so really God has given us that husband or
wife whether or not it was who he he thought he should have had or not and we
have we have a duty don't we have a responsibility both husbands and wives
and we should be faithful to our husband and wife now obviously there's
the most common use of that in our in our in our society of what being
faithful is isn't there and if you said are you faithful to your husband and
wife what they're gonna think about you know about adultery but with that let's
not forget that the Leviticus 20 also has verse 10 in it about adultery and
it's not just well you shouldn't commit it it's it's wicked isn't it I mean the
punishment you don't have to turn it but Leviticus 20 10 says and the man
that committed adultery with another another man's wife even he that
committed adultery with his neighbor's wife the adulterer and the adulteress
shall surely be put to death okay that's a serious punishment there's different
levels of punishment if God decides it's a death penalty that is a serious sin
and obviously as Christians that should never ever be named one once amongst us
should it no way should that sin it is a wicked sin isn't it it is a wicked sin
it destroys families it destroys lives it it and it destroys people who have
been victims have been on the receiving end of that some some women and men will
never get over that will they they never get over that mentally because it's such
an abuse of them isn't it really and it just it's absolutely terrible when that
happens and and that's why that's why God God pronounced the death penalty for
that and we shouldn't it should not be something that ever even crosses our
minds and and even more so where Jesus expanded Matthew 5 28 and said but I
sound to you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her have committed
adultery with her already in his heart and obviously that works the other way
around too doesn't it for women that do the same and that could be a woman going
I wish you were more like that oh I wish you were like this guy I wish you were
like that guy well in the same way she not committing adultery in her heart
like that is she not she desired that her husband was actually someone else
but she was I finally she was married more to someone else the same the other
way around with men who were like that okay and and Jesus is clear we shouldn't
even be looking shouldn't even entertain the idea just turn your eyes away don't
even look don't even look upon him but there are other ways aren't there that
we need to be trustworthy dutiful allure to our spouses so that's the world's only
one but I'm not committing adultery but when I'm slating my wife to anyone that
will listen that's that's not faithful is it I'm not a faithful husband if I'm
just anyone that will listen I'm just moaning about my wife too okay or wives
that are just complaining moaning about their husbands to anyone that will
listen amongst their friends amongst whoever else to their family members to
the kids or vice versa that's not being faithful husband or wife is it and
obviously there's a difference isn't there there is seeking counsel in
turbulent times so there are times when people you know the marriage is on the
rocks and they need to seek counsel but the right if it's all in sundry if
you're not seeking counsel one person you literally just everyone seems to
know your problems in your marriage then that's not being a faithful husband or
wife is it okay and that's really a lot of the time it's just because you want
someone to think bad of them what about so am I trustworthy husband if I spend
all of our money all the money that I've earned for the family on a car or some
other toy is that being trustworthy am I dutiful am I loyal to my wife am I
trustworthy if I'm just spending all the money that comes in on some gadget toy
or something else and now we're really it's really tight or on like I said on
the latest car or something else or a wife who spends all the money on clothes
all day just sitting at home ordering stuff is that being a faithful wife I
don't think so I think that's not being a faithful wife you're not being faithful
over the things that God has given you your husband your family because you're
spending the money on on clothes that you try on once and never wear again am
I a dutiful husband if I'm not trying my hardest to provide for my wife am I
dutiful husband if I'm just yeah well see you know I can't really be bothered
to go into work today and then that's it I lost that job am I being a dutiful I'm
not am I I'm not being faithful not being faithful with my wife it's not
just about not not look not committing adultery or or what about if I'm not
loving nourishing or cherishing her as Jesus does the church am I really being
a faithful husband then I don't think I am I'm failing I'm not I'm not I'm not
being faithful with what I've been given with my wife turn of 1st Peter chapter
3 1st Peter chapter 3 and verse 7 he says likewise ye husbands dwell with
them according to knowledge giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel
and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not
hindered so that honor is the highest esteem and dignity okay if I'm talking
down to my wife if I'm ordering her around and bossing her around I'm not
giving her the highest esteem and dignity yeah I might get the the back
slaps at church people are thinking yeah that's a man that commands his wife but
that's not what it's about yes my wife's should submit to me but I
shouldn't be having to talk down to her for her to submit to me I don't have to
cement that by because then I'm not honoring her am I yeah my wife should
submit to me but I should honor her and it should just work together okay so the
highest esteem and dignity that's when you're honoring your wife okay and and
there can't that it could be a temptation we you know we get a bit
puffed up on their wives submit to your husbands and then treat our wives like
there's some sort of doormat that's that's not that's not honoring my wife
is it oh I think my doormat yeah she should help me yeah she should submit to
me but I should honor her I should love her as Jesus loved the church yeah and
we're not a doormat to Jesus are we but is it a dutiful wife who's not
submitting to her own husband and everything is that being dutiful it's
that being dutiful faithful and that's not just with her mouth in public so
it's not just submitting at church on a Sunday or maybe went out soul-winning or
anything else that's submitting in fact that's submitting in her heart as well
while you're in first Peter chapter 3 just go back to verse 6 verse 6 even as
Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye do
well and are not afraid with any amazement now she's not calling him her
God she's calling him Lord like sir but that's referring and you don't have to
turn there we'll just do this quickly that's referring to Genesis 18 12 I
believe where it says therefore Sarah loved within herself saying after I am
waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also so Sarah in her heart I
believe that's what it's saying is calling Abraham Lord okay sir how many
wives here are doing that in their heart really calling their husbands sir in
their hearts yeah they might do it out out in open they might have got to the
point where they're doing that at home but are they really doing that in their
hearts because that's what the Bible says they should do and again the
feminism of this world the feminism will will will make it how like beneath you
how how pathetic to be like that but but then you have a happy marriage because
when you have that respect for your husband and you treat him like that and
when a husband has that love and honor and cherish for his wife then then what
a great situation by the way that loving by a husband is a conditional is it so
if regardless regardless of if my wife isn't isn't submitting to me at all
regardless of if she's just just completely the opposite I still should
I'm still told I'm commanded to love her aren't I and if I love her on it honor
her and cherish her regardless of what she does then then I'm doing what God
told me to do and then if she does her part what a great great life now I would
be called a mug wouldn't I by the world standards if my wife was walking all
over me and I'm just still honoring her I'm loving her I'm cherishing her I'm
treating her with all that love like someone like a man does his own body
then again I'm called the mug that the women are called for submitting to their
husband aren't I wouldn't you wouldn't wouldn't your worldly mates in the old
days it became you don't have to put up with that well you do what letting her
talk to you like that although sadly nowadays probably they wouldn't and be
like oh you know the boss and everything else and you know but but they should
it should they and really if if if that's if she's talking about I should
still be doing that and it's not you know it's not beneath me is it because
God told me to do it and that's how we should look at it okay and is it a
dutiful wife who's not guiding the house when the place is like some sort of
health hazard when you go when you get home and it's is itchy like rotten food
you know from three weeks ago you're on the floor and stuff that's not that's
not a dutiful wife is it that's not a faithful wife so we all have areas and
it's not like I said I don't think it's just I don't think being a thou good and
faithful servant over the things which God has given you isn't just well I go
out soul winning you know I'm doing that I think there are many areas in life
that God's given us things that we should be faithful with okay so are we
all faithful with the family and friends that God had given us so being a
faithful servant things areas to be faithful over the ministry that God's
given to you the family and friends that God's given to you number three the
work and money that God's given to you okay the work the job the money that
God's entrusted to you God's given to you so turn to Daniel 6 and we did look
at this the other week but we'll just look at one verse here Daniel 6 verse
4 then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel
concerning the kingdom but they could find none occasion nor fault for as much
as he was faithful neither was there any error or fault found in him okay so
Daniel is a great example isn't he of how we should behave in the workplace
isn't he he is it and there was no error or fault found in him because he was
faithful he was a he was a faithful man wasn't he and like we said trustworthy
dutiful loyal now you don't see that in the workplace much anymore do you do you
see that in the workplace much people that are trustworthy dutiful loyal
rarely and and you know I've had I've had times of employing people and I've
had times of being an employee and I've been in some big businesses over the
years or some not and it is rare you see that what about the old days people in
one company their whole life that used to be a thing of the past in this
country now by the way this does work both ways because a lot of companies and
a lot of places of business aren't loyal to their staff are they they're not
they're not loyal to their people they're not loyal to the people they
employ and and they're not necessarily going to then get that in return are they
but there used to be a day where people would be a lot of the time we've just
been a company for their whole life and a company were loyal to them and they
were loyal to them and that was part of the reason because they didn't want to
risk jumping ship and then being you know you know losing out on their job in
the future but also because they had that loyalty they were faithful they
were faithful workers they had that duty they were trustworthy okay God's given
us the ability to work hasn't he God's given us the ability to work and let's
be honest all of us so many of us here could probably look back and see God
having a direct hand maybe in some of the jobs you've been given or maybe at
least in promotions or way things have worked out we could say yeah God's had a
direct hand in that so God God has given us that ability a lot of the time he's
given us those jobs and and we should be a cut above the rest shouldn't we we
should be a cut above the rest like Daniel we should be described as
faithful okay and that's not and the cup of the rest isn't necessarily in skill
is it because it's not we won't necessarily be be the most skillful at
the job but I'll tell you what give me someone give me someone who's got
honesty who's hard-working who's loyal who's trustworthy he's dutiful as an
employer above someone who's just got the skill and none of those any day of
the week for sure because you know what you're getting from them you know
they'll be there you know they'll be consistent Deuteronomy 26 19 says and to
make thee high above all nations which he has made in praise and in name and in
honor that thou mayest be in holy people unto the Lord thy God as he has spoken
and that's how we should be isn't it as well we should be a holy people we
should be someone that that they they look at you in a job they look at you
your employer and yeah you can tell that guy's a Christian wow that person's
different they got a different way they they are loyal they are trustworthy they
they do what they say they're gonna do they've got a work ethic they're honest
Colossians 3 23 says and whatsoever you do do it hardly as to the Lord and not
unto men now that's whether it's digging up the road or hoovering the
church we should be doing it lawly we should be doing it heartily as to the
Lord shouldn't we and not unto men everything we do and like we said that
there are other things it's not necessarily just paid employment either
we all have work to do we all have jobs to do we all have duty to do and we
should do it all faithfully and when we get that work ethic right when we're
faithful in the work that we've been given we're a blessing to employers and
customers alike aren't we so whether or not you you have an employer or whether
or not your employer is is your customers well have a look at Proverbs
25 Proverbs 25 and verse 13 says Proverbs 25 13 as a cold of snow in the
time of harvest so is a faithful messenger to them that send him for he
refreshes the soul of his masters that's how a Christian should be
shouldn't it refreshing the soul of his masters that's how we should be we should
be someone who they just just a delight to be in the workplace and then when
you're faithful like that you get entrusted to more don't you you get
entrusted to more you get you get the promotions you get you get the more
responsibility turn to Nehemiah 13 Nehemiah chapter 13 okay so he's he's
come to Jerusalem he's gone on a rampage he's setting everything in order now and
in verse 13 it says and I made treasurers over the treasuries
Shalini Shalini are the priests and Zadok the scribe and of the Levites
Padiah and next to him was Hanan the son of Zakir the son of Mattaniah for they
were counted faithful and their office was to distribute unto their brethren
okay so basically he's got he he's got a lot of wealth coming in from all of
Judah okay and he sets his men he selects four men as faithful enough to
have charge over all the Treasury and that's everything coming in that's all
the tithing coming in and these four men he decides that they're faithful enough
and we want to be that's that's our goal is it we want to be we should be one of
those that would have been considered for that because we're faithful we're
honest we're loyal we're trustworthy yeah and in the same way we should be
considered faithful enough to have charge over God's money ourselves
shouldn't we now in this time not not not not just the tithing there because
we are entrusted with God's money turn to Proverbs 3 9 Proverbs 3 verse 9 the
the Bible says honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of
all thine increase so part of being a faithful servant with the money that God
has given us is to honor him with the first fruits of our increase isn't it
it's to honor God with that now Malachi 3 8 says will a man robbed God yet ye
have robbed me but ye say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings
so we definitely don't want to be robbing God do we okay we don't want God
to be looking down not only is he not faithful but we're actually robbing him
when we're not giving the first fruits of all thine increase unto God and when
we're faithful with work and money God rewards us doesn't it
Proverbs 3 10 if you're still there says so shall thy barns be filled with plenty
and thy presses shall burst out with new wine which leads me on to my last point
is that when you're a faithful servant and you're faithful over the ministry
that God's given to you the family and friends that God's given to you the work
and money that God's given to you well Matthew 25 21 the verse we start with
his Lord said unto him well done thou good and faithful servant thou has been
faithful over a few things I will make the ruler over many things enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord God rewards us doesn't it God rewards us turn to
Proverbs 28 and while you're turning there Psalm 31 23 says oh love the Lord
all ye all ye his saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully
rewardeth the proud doer okay God preserves the faithful and Proverbs 28
20 says a faithful man shall abound with blessings but he that maketh haste to be
rich shall not be innocent now bounding with blessings sounds good doesn't it
abounding with blessings that's what we want we want to abound with blessings
but he said that but he that hey sorry that maketh haste to be rich shall not
be innocent and you know just to remind you again get rich quick schemes are not
God's way okay they never have been God's way they never will be God's way
okay trying to find a way to make money without putting work in quickly that's
not how God wants us to live is it remember the curse is a ground for thy
sake the hard work the work that that's for our own good there's nothing wrong
with working hard for a living okay it's not all about trying to find that way to
make that quick money because that's not what God wants you to do says here that
he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent but that's a bit of a
tangent there but blessings in this life are good aren't they blessings in this
life are good but also in the millennium now many would say Matthew 25 21 is a
picture of rewards in the in the millennium and and you know there could
be that view like I said that it's all just based on soul winning and I think
we can have that view can't we where we're like got more people say we're
getting more people say more rewards more you know more positions of
responsibility in the millennium well his Lord said that thou has been
faithful over a few things didn't just say the soul winning did he it was over
a few things now I believe I do believe like how do we like we expect I'm gonna
be you know ruler over many I'm gonna be this if you can't be faithful over the
things God's given you you can't rule you can't be described as faithful over
the job the money over the family and and men who want to you know have
positions of responsibility in the millennial reign how are you gonna lead
anyone if you can't lead your family if you can't be faithful to your family
how's that gonna work I don't think that's gonna work so yeah you might you
know you might have got a lot of people say great and that's don't get me wrong
I'm not downplaying our game people say that that's our first that's the first
works isn't it that's a job we should be doing but there are other areas as
some of those things might might seem they might not seem that important a
some of those areas of our life you don't have to turn it but Luke 16 10
says he that is faithful in that which is beast is faithful also in much and he
that is unjust in the least is also is unjust also in much pretty good verse
isn't it that and everything we've been given everything God's put us in charge
everything that he's entrusted to us I think yeah it's clear as day we need to
be faithful in all that and then and then we'll be described as our good and
faithful servant on that let's pray father I think for your word thank you
for thank you for well for entrusting us with that responsibility it's a big
responsibility it could be overwhelming that first responsibility of your
ministry that ministry of reconciliation and going out and getting people saved
please help us to to put put effort into that to want to get people saved to
realize that without us going out preaching the gospel people aren't
getting saved but as well as that as well as that help us to to respect the
other things that you've entrusted to us to be faithful over all those things
those things that you've given to us help us to to want to be that that good
and faithful servant and Lord we ask you to help us now with this afternoon
with the soul winning and help us help us go forward and get people saved and
have a great day and be back here for the evening service in Jesus name we
pray Amen