Faith and Faithfulness
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Series: Faith According to Jesus
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”
“Increase our faith!”
Context: forgiving a sinning brother.
It takes faith to truly forgive because in forgiving, we obey God and then we leave the results to Him.
6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Not the size of our faith but the right kind of faith.
Describe the mustard seed. small but has life in it, it can grow and produce fruit..
In the same way, our faith is living faith and it should empower us to obey God’s commands.
‘tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, but it is so wonderful to serve Him.
1. Faith should result in faithfulness.
7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
Background of servant in Jesus’ story. (this is a jack-of all-trades servant, a farmer, a shepherd and a cook.
Funny anecdote about work — boss making you coffee.
8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
This is a strange parable, but here’s the point of all this...
2. Work for God expecting nothing in return.
the work of God is never about us.. getting thanks and recognition...
Many issues arise from being self-centered in the work of the Lord..
9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
Expect nothing in return.
But when you serve in God’s vineyard, God provides.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Sixteen: Things that Really Matter (Luke 17)
Christian industrialist R.G. LeTourneau used to say, “If you give because it pays, it won’t pay.”
3. Count it a privilege, not a duty to work for God.
Beware of our attitude when it comes to Christian responsibilities.
10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”
What does “unprofitable” mean here?
He cared for the master’s business.. tended his flocks
We are not in need of anything else.. My master does not owe me anything extra! Being chosen by the Lord is itself a reward..
The bonus is this, there is a reaping that happens.. Seeing the bountiful harvest is a greater reward.
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
Good news - I have to balance a teaching on our Christian responsibility with a teaching on God’s grace.
We have to be careful not to make this about a doctrine of works.. that we have to perform in order to be acceptable to God.
True faith indeed leads to faithfulness.
The Person we place our faith, no longer treats us as servants..
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Jesus calls me friend.
Tell the person next to you — you are a friend of God!
Another great truth about the Person to Whom we place our faith is that:
He does not command us something that He Himself did not do.. Jesus called Himself a servant..
27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
So humbling..
He came not to be served:
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Again the title the “Son of Man” - Messianic. Jesus is God. He is saying.. “I am God and yet...”
He planned it from eternity:
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Another study in contrast:
The bond servant in Israel in the story should not expect payment, much less a reward.. because after all - He is a slave, a bond servant... and yet He has to work.
God is not a heartless taskmaster..
We go back to grace..
we do not deserve anything. We should not expect any payment or rewards.. and yet — you know what? He offers to give rewards anyway. Why? Because He owes us? No.. because out of the lovingkindness of His heart He chose to.
That is grace!
It came with a price. The Lord Jesus paid the highest price!
“give my life a ransom for many”
“He was obedient to the point of death, even the death on a cross”
Faithfulness comes because of faith in the Son of God, who loves you and gave Himself up for you.
Would you give your life to Jesus?