Faithfulness

Faithfulness is long obedience in the same direction and is seen in stories.

Come all ye unfaithful - to Jesus and be transformed.

Psalm 139:23–24 ESV

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

How we think of Faithfulness

Fidelity in Relationship - Wife

An Action that is repeated:

Financially - retirement

Health - Diet, and Exercise

Faith is a religious idea that we don’t know how it will happen. (blind faith)

Faithfulness requires 2 aspects

1) Being trustworthy and dependable

2) Being faithful over a long period of time “Long obedience in the same direction.”

How the Bible shows Faithfulness

Israels story

Consistently OT/NT God is called faithful

Hebrew word EMET can be translated Steady, Faithfulness, Truth.

Related to:

AMEN - untranslated Hebrew word meaning “That’s truth”

EMET means steady or stable

Exodus 17:12 (ESV)

12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were “EMET” steady until the going down of the sun.

When EMET is used of people, it means trustworthiness

When Moses appoints leaders, he says they have to be people of EMET

Exodus 18:21 (ESV)

21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are “EMET” trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

The 1st person in the Bible to call God EMET “trustworthy” is Abraham

- God promise - and even when they are old, Abraham has “trust and Faith” in God.

4 generations later, there is a nation called Israel.

David walks in EMET, and his kingdom will have EMET

But then exile happens… Is God Steady, Faithful, Trust worthy?

The beginning of the new Testament shows Jesus coming from the line of David.

Jesus, the son of David, the son of Abraham

Romans 15:8–9 (ESV)

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

Jesus came on behalf of God’s Faithfulness

TO say God is full of EMET means that he stands for truth and is faithful and trustworthy.

God has been Steady, Faithful, and True throughout the bible/History.

My story

Prophecy - Strong as a lion and as genital as a lamb

Even when I misused my gift - God forgave me and didn’t take it back.

Your story

Has God been faithful in your life?

What has God given you?

What does Faithfulness Look like?

Faithfulness requires 2 aspects

1) Being trustworthy and dependable

Honesty

Integrity

Reliability

2) Being faithful over a long period of time

“Long obedience in the same direction”

Camera - Kids

Matthew 25:21 ESV

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’