The Fruit of Faithfulness

Happy Sunday. Over the past several weeks, we've been looking at characteristics found in Jesus followers. The Bible refers to them as the fruit of the Spirit. They're found in Galatians chapter 5. Today we have made it to the fruit of faithfulness.

Christian people are to be faithful. Some call faithfulness the virtue of reliability. Our world is littered by the casualties left behind by the unfaithful. Want to wreck a relationship? Be unfaithful. Want to ruin your reputation? Be unfaithful. Want to confuse those that watch you, and people are watching? Be unfaithful.

Three thousand years ago, David began the 12th Psalm with these words: "Help, O Lord, for the godly or fast disappearing. The faithful have vanished from the earth." David's words are most appropriate for the world we live in, don't you think?

Most weekdays I try to post a positive thought on Facebook. Earlier this year, I posted this quote by Pastor Mike Bickle. He said, "Radical Christianity is not going on a mission trip or a big conference. Radical Christianity is staying steady for decades." I love that. Radical Christianity is staying steady for decades. That quote is about faithfulness.

Over the years that the churches that I have pastored, I've seen people come and go. I've seen sprinters and marathon runners for Jesus. Give me the marathon runners. Give me the faithful. When we are faithful to God, we will be faithful to others. We'll be better husbands, better wives, better parents, better children, better neighbors, better friends. All of it begins with our faithfulness to God.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 25, you find a story about the final judgment. Jesus is on his throne, and all the people that have ever lived are before him. Jesus divides them into two groups, the sheep and the goats. We are told we will all take part in this one day. I want to read to you from verse 34 to verse 36.

"Then the King will say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you her bless who are blessed by my Father, and here the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'"

You likely remember that part. After Jesus said this, the righteous had some questions. When did we do that? When did we see you hungry and fed you, were thirsty and gave you something to drink? When did we visit or clothe you? Jesus his reply came in verse 40.

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.'" Here at the last judgment, the faithful are rewarded for their faithfulness. Faithfulness takes on many forms, and feeding and clothing and giving and visiting, the things that we're asked to do. And when we do it for anyone, we're doing it for Jesus.

Years ago, I was pastor of a church in Henryville, Indiana. Melvin Burns was a member. He's been in heaven a long time now. Melvin never taught a class or sang a song, never got on the stage, never in the public light. I doubt he ever held any position in the church.

What I remember about Melvin is that he was faithful. He was not in the best physical condition. He had a lot of health problems. He was skin and bones. I have a picture etched in my mind of Melvin coming to church, and it was a chore to get in the sanctuary.

You had to climb six or seven steps. There was a handrail there. Melvin would literally pull himself up those stairs using that rail, and he would always carry a pillow with him to sit on, because he really was skin and bones. Rain or shine, Melvin was there. I don't know if I ever told him how I admired him. I will someday.

Faithfulness is a beautiful thing to watch, and people are watching. As a kid, I remember going to the movie Ben-Hur. All I really remember about the movie was the great chariot race. Charlton Hester, the main actor in the film, was worried about that part of the movie when they were filming.

It is said that he went to the director, Cecil B. DeMille, and said to him, "I think I can drive the chariot, but I'm not sure if I can win the race." The great director replied to Heston, "You just stay in the race. I'll make sure you win." The fruit of faithfulness will make sure that you stay in the race.

Last week I went to Indiana for the funeral of a young man that I've known a long time. While it was a sad occasion, I was able to be with some of the greatest people I've ever known. What makes them great? They're living lives that bear fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. People like that change the world for the better.

May God bless you as you bear fruit. Remain faithful. Remain in the race. The great Director and Creator will make sure that you win.

Let's pray. Lord, our lives have been made better by faithful people: faithful people that sustain churches, faithful people that minister to us and love us, faithful people that we watch and admire. Father, help us to be those people, that as they are watched, people say we are faithful. And let it carry over in everything we do as we bear that fruit. In Jesus' name, amen. God bless.