FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - FAITHFULNESS

Matt 24:45-51Pastor Keone

Definition of Faithfulness:• Reliable, Trustworthy• Trust in others and , in turn, earn their

trust

Review:• Love, Joy, Peace– Found in God, guards our minds and

hearts • Patience, Kindness, Goodness– Relating to others– Rooted in the first three

 • Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control– General conduct of a believer

Why be faithful? • When being unfaithful doesn’t seem to

have any consequences…• Just because it’s a good thing to be

Because God is faithful

If fruit of the Spirit are things produced in us by the Spirit of God and not by our own self-effort, then we need to understand God’s faithfulness in order for us to desire to be more faithful.

Experiencing God’s faithfulnessshould compel us to more faithfulness.

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to Israel (formerly

called Jacob)– Genesis 46:1-41 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am." 3 He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes."

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to Israel (formerly

called Jacob)– Genesis 46:1-4– Genesis 48:2121 Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.”

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to Israel (formerly

called Jacob)– Genesis 46:1-4– Genesis 48:21– Genesis 50:24-2524 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to Israel (formerly

called Jacob)– Genesis 46:1-4– Genesis 48:21– Genesis 50:24-25– Exodus 12:40-4140 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt.

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to the nation of

Israel–Deuteronomy 31:16-2116 And the LORD said to Moses: "You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?' 18 And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods. 19 "Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. 20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. 21 And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath."

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to the nation of

Israel–Deuteronomy 31:16-21–Deuteronomy 32:43 43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to the nation of

Israel–Deuteronomy 31:16-21–Deuteronomy 32:43 – God’s forewarning to Moses: 1406BC–Northern Kingdom exiled: 722 BC

(684 yrs)– Southern Kingdom exiled: 586 BC

(820 yrs)– First exiles return: 538 BC (48

yrs)– Temple rebuilt: 517BC (70

yrs)

God’s faithfulness in the past:• God’s faithfulness to the promise of a

Savior– Genesis 3:1515 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."– Jesus 1st coming

God’s faithfulness in the present:• Temporary Use permit• Awana

God’s faithfulness in the future:• Jesus 2nd coming• Day of accounting• New Heavens and New Earth

Stocks…Past performance is NOT a guarantee of future results

God…Past performance IS a guarantee of future results

Parable on the need to be faithful while the Master is awayMatthew 24:45-51 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In what is God asking you to be faithful in? What has he entrusted to you?• Work• School• Family• Relationships• Time• Words• Money• Knowledge of Himself