ESSENTIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES – FAITHFULNESS

Beloved friends, may I welcome you to today’s broadcast. I thank GOD for you, and for the encouragement we have been receiving from some of our listeners. We encourage you to find a way to let us know how the messages are imparting on your life. We will also endeavor to answer your questions, if you let us know.

We shall continue with our series on, ESSENTIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES. Today, we shall be speaking on Faithfulness.

FAITHFULNESS

Our text will be taken from Matthew 25:14-23

Matthew 25:14-23

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

Let us pray.

PRAYER

Our Dear Heavenly FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR gifts and talents to each of YOUR creations. Help us to be faithful in the use of the grace YOU have bestowed upon us…in JESUS’ Mighty Name we pray. Amen!

:Faithfulness” is our topic today: one of the essential Christian virtues needed in our time. What is faithfulness? Faithfulness is the concept of unfailingly remaining loyal to someone or something and putting the loyalty into consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances. It may be exhibited by a husband or wife who in a sexually exclusive marriage does not engage in sexual relationships outside of the marriage. Furthermore, faithfulness is simply doing what one has been assigned to do. It is an attitude of loyalty, persistence and honesty. Faithfulness does not require brilliance or technical expertise or skill: but persistence.

Our text reveals a Man who left various amounts of money for his three servants to invest. Two were very successful. When their Master returned they received commendation in return. Let me quote what the Master said to these faithful servants: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.

The third servant did nothing with the money. The Master was unhappy with him and called him a wicked servant; and furthermore designated him a worthless servant. You will see that in verse 28 and verse 30.

In the very Words of our LORD JESUS an unfaithful person is wicked. He does the opposite of what is expected of him. An unfaithful servant often exhibits laziness. Such a person resents to work, and being worthless adds little or no value to others. In the Book of First Corinthians 4:2, Apostle Paul admonishes that it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Friends, are you faithful as a leader in the church and in the community? You are appointed an executive member of your community, or you are appointed a traditional ruler or an nze or leader of women in the church or community. Are you faithful? Do you not know that you are occupying a position of trust? Are you the only one qualified to hold that post? Why are you unfaithful? Most political leaders are often the most unfaithful. Our state remains underdeveloped because of the unfaithfulness of those appointed or elected to offices.

Friends, faithfulness is one of the fruits of the HOLY SPIRIT. It is listed in Galatians 5:22. In the Book of Galatians 5:22 you discover that faithfulness is one of the fruits of the HOLY SPIRIT. Invariably you need to be completely immersed in the HOLY SPIRIT to be able to grow this fruit. Faithfulness is a requirement to be a church leader. The requirement for leaders is listed in the Book of 1 Timothy 3. When you go through verse 2 and verse 12 you will discover that faithfulness is a requirement to be in leadership in the church. Christian’s faithfulness is rooted in one’s trust and dependence upon GOD. We can only be faithful because we are born of GOD or born again. Our FATHER is faithful. If you say you are born again, and people complain that you are unfaithful, then your being born again is doubtful.

There are some outstanding examples of faithfulness in the Bible. GOD is not demanding from us what no person has attained before. These examples stand out for us today and make us inexcusable. These men and women lived in such an environment as we are living today, and yet we are certified faithful by the Living GOD.

In The Book of Genesis 36 we read of a young man called Joseph – and he’s our first example. Genesis 36:1-6. That’s what the Bible says – in Genesis 36; I will tell you the story. Joseph was the son of Jacob – the son of Jacob. And it is amazing how this slave [because he was sold by his brothers into slavery]…he became the chief servant of Potiphar in Egypt. And the bible says he was very very faithful in all his works. He was very faithful: he was very faithful. It is amazing that a slave was faithful to an extent that he earned his master’s trust who abandoned the business of his household to him. A slave: not only was Joseph faithful to his human master, he was also faithful to his GOD – the Almighty. He exhibited this in rejecting sexual relationship with his  master’s wife. Tempted on daily basis with sexual advances by his master’s wife, he refused and rejected, and had to take a flight out of the house when it became intense.

Hello friends, can your faithfulness to man and GOD be reckoned with? In Genesis 40, and I want to read from verse 20-23

Genesis 40:20-23

²⁰ Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

²¹ Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. ²² But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. ²³ Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph was faithful that the chief warder or prison superintendent literally left the control of the prisoners in his hand. This is a man who should be bitter with GOD and society for being imprisoned for being faithful. Not Joseph. He sustained his faithfulness. You need not be told that he was greatly rewarded.

GOD will always reward faithfulness. This man was summoned to the palace from the prison and never went back a prisoner but a prime minister. It is doubtful if any living being has propounded the economic theory that Joseph marshaled out to Pharaoh to manage seven years of plenty and seven years of famine or recession. He was faithful even as a prime minister, and saved lives.

Compare it with what’s happening in our own nation today. We cannot manage our GOD-given resources. Instead we take delight in dumping our wealth in foreign countries and end up borrowing from the same nations. The cry of the time is for, faithful men and women in position of governance.

Another example of us is that of Moses. In Numbers 12:6-7 GOD says,

⁸If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
⁷ Not so with My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.

Such is the testimony of our GOD concerning Moses. What a challenge to us today. He is faithful in all my house. Faithfulness marked Moses out from other people. GOD could then speak to him face-to-face.

Hello friends, could it be that our unfaithfulness has shut us out from hearing GOD? GOD speaks, but do you hear?

Let us examine ourselves in the light of faithfulness and make amends. Let us repent of our unfaithfulness and pave way for GOD to speak to us directly. When you depend on others to tell you what GOD is saying you may be deceived and be derailed.

Our third example is Daniel. He was faithful to GOD and his master. As a top public servant he remained faithful. He refused foods possibly offered to idols before distribution. Gluttony remains a powerful vice to many Christians today; but Daniel was faithful in speaking the truth to the king. He remained faithful in his employment. What an example! GOD did not abandon him in time of trouble.

Hello friends, hear the Word of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD to the faithful: I will show MYSELF faithful; they that honour me I will honour. Do you hear that?

Let me mention men who died because of unfaithfulness:

i. Number one is Achan. In the Book of Joshua 22:20. Achan died with his family because he was unfaithful regarding sacred things. He stole accursed remnants and money. It is absolutely right to warn any of our family members who begins to live unfaithfully because of its social implications.

ii. The second example is Saul the first King of Israel. He died because of his unfaithfulness to the LORD. He did not keep the Word of the LORD, and ended up in consulting witches for guidance. What a shame! Is it not prevalent today? Church people consult sorcerers, mediums, priests or deities. GOD has a need today.

GOD desires faithful men like Timothy, like Silas, Like Tychicus described as faithful brothers.

GOD desires to have faithful husbands and faithful wives, faithful employer and employees, faithful governors who will pay workers their due wages as and when due. The incidence of nonpayment, underpayment, surfaced because of unfaithful political leaders. GOD also demands faithful workers who will go to work on time and not falsify attendance, workers who will do their work faithfully. GOD desires faithful lecturers who will not exploit their students monetarily and sexually. Faithfull shepherds are the heartbeat of GOD. Let us all cry to GOD to raise faithful men and women in every area of our lives.

Let us pray.

PRAYER

I am sure you will like to ask GOD to forgive your unfaithfulness. Heavenly FATHER, I am unfaithful. Forgive me. Deliver me. I come to YOU for help. I promise to change with the help of the HOLY SPIRIT. I open my heart to HIM today. Transform me…in JESUS Mighty Name. Amen!

Let me pray for you.

Almighty FATHER, as many as come to YOU YOU will in no wise cast out. Let YOUR SPIRIT transform these genuine seekers of righteousness. Transform their lives. May YOUR SPIRIT indwell them….in JESUS Mighty Name I pray. Amen!

I remain your friend, Pastor Amara Uwaeziozi. GOD bless you.