Faithfulness in Your Place of Service

1 Chron.12:16-18

Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.” Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: “We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.

Proverbs 13:17

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, But a faithful ambassador brings health.

Intro:

I was saved in in March of 2000, since then I have gone through a lot of situations and transitions that have affected me in various ways. Believe it or not clothing was the one thing that kept me out of church or even coming to Christ. It wasn’t until I got saved that I was able to really understand the meaning of “come as you are”. I did! Jeans and t-shirt was my attire for a while. I started my Christian walk much like everyone else trying to find my way. Praying, reading my bible, and going to church became the normal way of life. The church I was attending asked if I would teach some Sunday School classes and I did. I taught that for a while and then I hit a transition. My buddy whom I was going to church with, left the church. I want to through this in. I was learning a lot quickly, but I wasn’t maturing as fast as I was learning. I left the church because he had left. So now I didn’t have a church. (Don’t follow others in their error.) No matter how it may feel. I ended up going to a church he was going to. I went to that until it moved, and I was no longer able to attend because of distance. I struggled and struggled in my walk with the Lord, I had one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world. I tried walking the fence and it wasn’t working. Finally, I called out to God…I said Lord where do you want me to be? Where am I to go? And our Pastor showed up at my door and couple of days later. I hadn’t seen or heard from him in a while, it had been maybe a year or two.

I shared some of my story to show you my journey. I was moving and shifting in all areas of my life. I was completely unstable in all my ways. But God had a plan. No matter where we find ourselves, God has plan for your life and it starts right where you are at. It’s birthed in your local church through faithfulness.

Your called to faithfulness:

One the most overlooked characteristics in the local church is faithfulness. The body of Christ cannot accomplish the will of God without faithful Christians.

1Cor.4:1-2 NKJV

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

1Cor.4:1-2 NIV

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

We have all been given a trust, a stewardship, and ministry to fulfill.

You may not know it at this moment. It’s revealed through service. Don’t limit yourself from serving in any capacity that’s needed.

For one to be found faithful, that same person is committed to the cause, to the vision.

Faithfulness is birthed in commitment.

What does it mean to be faithful?

1. Careful to fulfill a promise; reliable; they are believable

2. Dedicated to carrying out your duties and responsibilities.

3. Dependable in completing assignments

4. Thorough

5. On time

6. Faithfulness is not idleness

These are just a few characteristics of faithfulness. Faithfulness is developed through commitment. Commit to a task and be faithful to follow it through. This is ministry. God has given us a task, a commission. And we are saved through Jesus Christ and therefore committed to God. We come together every Sunday morning because of our commitment to God and now it’s time to become faithful to His vision in fulfilling the commission He has given this church.

Gal.5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Deut.7:9

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Faithfulness is a characteristic of God. Jesus is our faithful High Priest according to Heb.2:17.

A faithful person will have greater faith in God because they understand what it means to be faithful. They and God have this in common. They are committed to one another. God’s faithful to you and you are faithful to God.

Faithfulness is tested during times of trials.

James 1:2-4

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

There will be times when trials and obstacles come up. They will be emotional, physical, and spiritual trials. They will involve every aspect of your life. Are you going to remain faithful during the trial or test? Are you going to overcome the obstacle? There is a promise for those who endure:

1. Maturity in that situation

2. Completeness, rest, and peace

3. Nothing lacking.

You will have a greater faith and a higher reliance on God. You must endure the trial to see the fruits of your endurance.

Faithfulness in your church:

1 Pet.4:7-10

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The Holy Spirit through the apostle says we are to be serious and watchful in our prayers meaning we are to be wise and clear in mind and spirit in our prayers, in other words we are to have a focused prayer life. We are to intensely love one another.

“love will cover a multitude of sins” my belief is that this means you won’t be looking for faults in others. You carry a heart of compassion and mercy. We are to be gentle and encouraging to one another and we all have a gift from God to be used for a blessing to others. This is one of the ways God reveals Himself to His people and communities, through us loving one another.

Heb.10:24-25

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

We are here because of the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. Chapter 10 of Hebrews contrasts the two covenants of the old and the new. In which the High Priest had to continually offer sacrifices for sins. Jesus was offered once for all who are to be sanctified by His blood. He was resurrected from the dead for our justification and was made High Priest over the house of God. (Heb.10:21).

This church is a house of God. You are here because God placed you here. He chose for you to be here. We often say “there are no coincidences with God” if that is so, and it is, you didn’t just stumble up in here. You were led here by the Spirit of God. We were placed in the care of our pastor. We are to be faithful to our pastor, our church family, as well as to the work of ministry.

Heb.13:7;17

7: Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct…17: Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Pastors are given the assignment by God to feed the flock of God, to cover and protect the flock. They are to train us and raise us up to maturity, so we can carry on the work of the minisrry. As the word says we are to be submissive and faithful to them. God set them in the church according to Eph.4:11 and 1 Cor.12:27.

Everyone of us has been placed accordingly by God in this ministry or the local church you may currently attend. We have a responsibility to God, our pastor, and one another to help in bring God’s vision to pass through this ministry or the local church you are a part of.

Conclusion:

What I’m trying to convey to you is this. God has a purpose for your life. That purpose is a kingdom purpose. We are to be faithful to God in order to fulfill that purpose. God has placed us in the church we are in to fulfill that purpose. When you are faithful to where God has placed you, you will be faithful to where God will send you. Let’s be a faithful church and follow our pastors and the vision God has given them. Decide today:

Be faithful to God.

Be faithful to my family.

Be faithful to my pastor.

Be faithful to my church family.

Be faithful to the vision God has given my pastor.