Holding Fast in Faithfulness

Temple Baptist Church - 1-24-2016

Matthew 24:32-47

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I started off the New Year of 2016 by preaching on “Tightening Your Grip.” 

 

1.  Tightening your grip does not change what you are hold, it just allows you to hold on to what you believe more securely.  We have a church full of, for the most part, mature believers.  We are not anchored in what a man says; we are not anchored in a creed; we are not anchored in what a denomination traditionally believes; we are anchored in the Word of God, the King James Bible, an unmovable rock!  We are Biblicists!

 

2.  But among us, there are some more recently saved or have come from different churches that may or may not have taught doctrine on a consistent basis.  Then, we have our children who have not yet begun to hold fast that which they believe because, under the care of their parents, those beliefs are kept secure.  But, one day, our children will have to make the beliefs of the parents their own.

 

B.  The First Mention of the word “faithful” is found in the Book of Numbers: “My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.”  (Numbers 12:7) The LORD declared Moses to be “faithful in all mine house!”

 

1.  In the First Mention of a word, God declares His mind concerning its meaning and continuation.  “Faithful” means to foster as a parent or a nurse; it means to hold something in trust; faithful of long continuance!

 

2.  As Moses was trusted with “all mine house:” put in trust with a) the Nation of Israel (a complaining, murmuring mixed multitude that gave Moses a constant headache), b) God’s Law given from Mt. Sinai (Moses faithfully delivered the Law to Israel and faithfully recorded the Law), c) and with the commission to lead Israel into the Promised Land (which involved 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until the rebellious crowd died).  Moses spoke unadvisedly with his lips when he once loss of patience with the murmuring of the people but delivered the Nation of Israel to Canaan twice before he died.

 

3.  Thus God has entrusted us with all that He has delivered and preserved!  We are to be faithful in “all” things, not just what we pick and choose. “Faithful” means faithfulness in all things today just as it meant in “all mine house” when the LORD vindicated Moses!

 

C.  Our text for this morning gives the First Mention of “faithful” in the New Testament. 

 

1.  My message is the application of the Parable of the Fig Tree.  A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning or spiritual truth.  The Fig Tree is Israel; Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948.  The tree has bloomed and we live in the last days. 

 

2.  Now let us look at verses 44-46.  What does God expect of His stewards in the light of His coming?  It is summed up in one verse: 1 Corinthians 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

 

1.  Let us be faithful to our Lord and Saviour!  Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

2 Timothy 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

 

2.  Let us be faithful to our families.  Ephesians 5:31-33  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  (32)  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  (33)  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

 

Ephesians 6:1-2  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  (2)  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

 

3.  Let us be faithful to the local church.  Acts 2:41-42  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  (42)  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 

Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

4.  Let us be faithful to one another.  Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25)  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day

 

Acts 2:44-46  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  (45)  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  (46)  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

 

5.  Let us be faithful to our missionaries.  Philippians 4:14-16  Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.  (15)  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.  (16)  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:25  Brethren, pray for us.

 

6.  Let us be faithful to sinners.  John 4:4-7  And he must needs go through Samaria.  (5)  Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  (6)  Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.  (7)  There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

 

Romans 1:14-17  I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.  (15)  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  (16)  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  (17)  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.