Stewardship and Faithfulness

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-22-2023

2 Corinthians 13:5

 

Introduction:  Steward – a house overseer, manager, or distributor.  One in possession of another’s goods.  Each believer is a steward, either good or bad of the Lord’s.

I believe that Dr. Bob Jones Sr. is the one who said, “The greatest ability is dependability!”

 

A. The First Mention of Faithfulness: Numbers 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

 

The Last Mention: Revelation 22:6  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

 

B.  During these days of the “falling away,” we find that unfaithfulness has become a way of life to most. 

 

1.  Faithfulness is one of the greatest attributes because, no matter how great a

We see more and more of God’s people carelessly living for self in this present evil world.  If a person is not on his or her job, they are not productive.

 

2.  Today’s motto is “It’s my life; it is my business, and NONE of yours.”

 

C.  Faith is the basis for our faithfulness.  We are faithful because it is commanded; because it is right, because it is rewarding!  When Christ returns, will He find us with enough faith in Him to keep us faithful?  Faithfulness is important.

 

Proverbs 20:6  Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

 

D.  I know that I am growing old and time for me is growing short, but my spiritual desire is to continue in faithfulness.  So many of God’s men have laid down the “sword of God’s Word” and stepped aside to live out their days in self-satisfaction.

 

E.  God said that faithfulness is a requirement, not a choice. 

 

1.  Am I faithful? Is a question that only I can answer. 

 

2.  Are you faithful?  It is a question that only you can answer.

 

F.  Alright, what is all the fuss about faithfulness and who or what does unfaithfulness affect?  To whom is our faithfulness important?

 

1.  Our Faithfulness is important to the Lord.  Matthew 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

 

a.  If we are faithful for no other reason, we should be so because it pleases the Lord!  This should be our primary motive. 

 

b.  Paul said, “For me to live is Christ!”  Unfaithful people care little about what the Lord thinks.

 

2.  Our Faithfulness is important to the faithful.  John 20:19-24  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  (20)  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  (21)  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  (22)  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:  (23)  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.  (24)  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 

 

a.  I am sure that the disciples knew and missed Thomas because later they told him that they had seen the Lord.

 

b.  Think about what Thomas missed:  he missed seeing Jesus, peace, seeing the wounds of our Lord, and (at that time) receiving the Holy Ghost.

 

3.  Our Faithfulness is important to our family.  Psalms 78:2-7  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  (3)  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  (4)  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.  (5)  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  (6)  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  (7)  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 

 

a.  We want our families saved and serving the Lord but, often, we fail to tell them with our lives.  Thus, the saying, “Do not do what I do, do what I say do!” 

 

b.  We cannot expect our families to love God if we do not love God; we cannot expect our families to be faithful if we are not faithful!

 

4.  Our Faithfulness is important to your pastor.  Philippians 4:2  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 

 

a.  One of the most heartbreaking parts of pastoring is watching the unfaithfulness of God’s people.  We have a great church with, for the most part, faithful people and it is an encouragement to this pastor. 

 

b.  Pastors work hard to prepare something to feed their flocks each time they come to church, and it discourages them when God’s people do not come faithfully to hear God’s message.  Every service: every message is of the utmost importance to God’s people.

 

5.  Our Faithfulness is important to your church.  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 approaching.  

 

a.  The faithful are provoked unto love and provoke others unto love.  Provoked – motivated or incited.

 

b.  The faithful are exhorted and exhort others.  The faithful experience spiritual growth and edify the body.  The faithful are blessed.

 

6.  Our Faithfulness is important to your missionaries.  Philippians 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 

 

a.  When tithes and offerings are not there or come in late, the missionary often does without. 

 

b.  Missionaries on the field suffer the ups and down of support each month.

 

c.  Churches take on more new missionaries based upon the consistent level of finances that come in.

 

7.  Our Faithfulness is important to the unsaved.  Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

 

a.  If the unsaved see our unfaithfulness, they will not desire what we have, nor will they “glorify” our Father which is in heaven!” 

 

b.  In every family, mine and yours, there are those who are not saved.

 

Conclusion:  Our Lord’s question: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”