On Faithfulness:
Two statements that are true:
1. Faithful has nothing to do with God.
Faithful simply means consistency. “He’s faithful” could as easily be said, “Trust him to do that.”
2. Every man is faithful.
Men are “faithful” to what they are persuaded is the best thing.
Two questions worth asking:
1. Is what we have to offer enough to persuade a man to pursue it?
2. What do we (the church) have to offer and are we caught up in pursuit of it?
Paul wrote a letter to Timothy in the New Testament:
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2 Tim. 2:2
In this verse the word faithful is from the Greek “pistos” which means:
1) trusty, faithful
a) of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties
b) one who kept his plighted faith, worthy of trust
c) that can be relied on.
Interestingly the word “pistos” is a variation of the word “peithÅ” which means persuade.
Paul instructed Timothy to find faithful men and tell them what he had heard of Paul that could be confirmed by witnesses.
“You tell them about me, Timothy. Tell them about who I serve and what it has cost me. Tell them about my shipwrecks and beatings, tell them about my visions and the near death experiences I’ve had because of this message that has wrecked my life and secured my eternity. Tell them I have stood before kings and sung hymns at midnight in the darkest dungeons. Tell them I have seen miracles and that God has opened up the heavens and shown me things I can’t even talk about. And then you invite them to be a part of it, challenge them Timothy, to walk away from mediocrity, to give their all for Christ. Let them know it won’t be free if they do it right. Give them the names of the other martyrs who’ve already given their all and of those who were with me and can collaborate every one of these events. Lay all of the cards on the table, Timothy, don’t try to make it pretty, and of the willing ones, find those who won’t be satisfied to just know these things, but who will look for others who they can instruct also.”
Of course Jesus Christ is implicit in his story. Paul had come away blinded by a face to face encounter with Him. He had led a life of adventure, hardship, betrayal, and revelation. He was a living martyr, his name already listed among a company of men and women who had died violently, who had been persuaded that his whole life would be consumed in the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the death.
Now, at the end of his amazing life, he was instructing Timothy to seek out faithful men, men who were persuaded about something, men who were committed and consumed by something. For us, the American church, it’s easy to think that Paul meant he should look around the church for men who attended faithfully and gave their tithes and offerings. But…
1. Faithful has nothing to do with God.
Faithful simply means consistency. “He’s faithful” could as easily be said, “Trust him to do that.”
There are people who have committed everything to an idea or a lifestyle that they are persuaded is the best thing for them or their families that have not been introduced to Christ yet. These people are all around us, everyday, in all walks of life. They are faithful to their concept. They are doctors, lawyers, students, gang members, alcoholics, drug addicts, atheists, among others. Some are respected some are despised. Some live in mansions others live in government projects. Some are lawmakers others are troublemakers. Some have devoted themselves to saving lives and others wouldn’t hesitate to take yours.
There are gang members that would follow their leader to death because that man or woman has totally given themselves to their concept. They have the harrowing stories that they share with their followers, they have the respect and admiration of others because they live the life outside of the meetings. Many of them would kill or even die for the name of their gang, for their neighborhood, for the color of their skin, for their other gang members. They are persuaded by an idea that for them is a reality.
What do we have that is so compelling that it would arrest these people, capture their hearts and imaginations and change their minds? If you were to sit down with these men and women and share your story with them would it be so convincing? What has our passion cost us? These men and women have mortgaged their lives to pursue their concept. How real is this thing we have?
What are we calling them to?
Are we calling them to this building, to become a part of this group? When they came would they find the same intensity and passion in us that they would find in their own life? Are you consumed in the pursuit? Have you been persuaded that this is so fulfilling and compelling that nothing else matters?
Or have we narrowed it down so much that it isn’t so compelling?
In the subsequent verses he uses three natural examples of faithfulness: soldier, athlete, and farmer.
A soldier must focus on his mission so he can excel. (Integrity)
An athlete must know the rules of the game so he can win. (Knowledge)
A farmer must work the field so he can eat. (Discipline)
Then he says, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.”
Soldier: Integrity… Persuaded that his mission is worth everything.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2Ti 2:4
Why are we here? I don’t mean here in this building on a Sunday, I mean here on this planet in God’s kingdom. We should ask ourselves everyday: Is what I am doing fulfilling the mission that God has given me? Do I know what that mission is? To what degree has this mission consumed me?
Athlete: Knowledge… Persuaded to learn.
And if a man also strive for masteries, [yet] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2Ti 2:5
We must know. Jesus said truth would make us free. We need to know what God’s kingdom is about. How does it work? Knowing the rules of the Olympic wrestling that were common in Roman times mattered as much as strength and skill. You could master your opponent and still miss the crown if you broke the rules.
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
1 Cor. 9:24-27 NLT
Farmer: Discipline…. Persuaded to do.
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 2Ti 2:6
If the farmer is going to see a harvest he must plant. He can have silos full of seed, barns full of equipment and all of the best intentions but somewhere, sometime that man must walk out of his comfort and break the ground. In Paul’s day that man would have to commit to days of hard, back breaking labor. He would yoke the oxen, plow up the field, push holes into the ground, push seed into that ground and then he would wait. He would pray for rain. He would wait. He would go out and dig up the weeds that came up so much easier than his crops. He would have to fight off the birds and animals that would come to try to steal his harvest. When the crops finally matured he would have the even greater task of bringing the harvest in, of threshing it and breaking away the stems and chaff. Then one day he would sit at a table with his family, and with rough calloused hands he would bow his head and give thanks for what God had done. He knew that every bit of his effort would be of no value without the blessing of God, but the blessing itself would simply take up space in the silo or rot in the field if he wasn’t persuaded to do the work of the farmer.
Jesus life, death and resurrection were a beautifully orchestrated declaration of the love of God. His life was a blazing adventure, focused on His mission, that ended in a violent death that included kings and priests. He was executed in one of the most brutal and horrifying methods known to man. He was publicly shamed and humiliated with no mercy without a verifiable cause, but with a purpose. He knew that He had mastered satan in the desert but the rules said His blood while it coursed through His veins would save no one. He didn’t spill it, He poured it out. His resurrection was designed to give men a vision of His power over death.
Jesus had resurrected and showed Himself to His disciples, but Thomas was not there. He couldn’t be persuaded to believe until he saw for himself.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless (apistos), but believing (pistos). Jhn 20:27 KJV
History says that the Apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in
King Agrippa heard the Gospel message but wasn’t persuaded to follow Christ.
“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest (peitho) me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” Acts 26:28-29
Every man is faithful. The difference is to what they are faithful.
If they are going to give their life to something, they will need to be persuaded that it is worth pursuing.
March 23, 1775
Excerpts of a speech by Patrick Henry
“No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at the truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.
Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation.
There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight!
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of
It is in vain, sir, to extentuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
Patrick Henry was persuaded that the idea of liberty was so compelling that he would risk his life to attain it.
Martin Luther was convinced that men should have access to the word of God and under threat of death translated the scriptures into common German from Latin.
William Wilberforce risked his entire political career and was physically consumed by a passion to end the slave trade in
Unknown numbers of men and women risked everything to end slavery in
Courageous families with nothing to gain risked everything to hide Jews from the Nazi party, saving them from terrible deaths.
We could stand here all day with example after example of people who were consumed by a passion so great they risked it all or we could fall on our faces before God and ask Him to stir us, to compel us and consume us. That He would kindle something in us that would drive us out of this building our comfort zones into the field around us and we would empty our silos of seed and plant it in the brokenness and that we would work to bring in the harvest that is already ripe on the stalks, faithfully, no matter the cost.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-39
