February 6, 2000 - LESSONS: Proverbs 28.20; Luke 16.10-13, NRSV

SERMON TITLE: Like a Rock

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INTRODUCTION:

1. It was an incident at a track meet as told by J. P. McCamey, Indianapolis, IN
1. During a track meet in Florida, a fine athlete came within one second of breaking a state record in the mile run.
1. A few did not finish, and workers were setting up the hurdles for the next race when the judge noticed another runner.
2. He came across the line staggering, then fell into the cinder track, cutting his face.
3. The judge turned him over and, wiping the blood from his face, said, "What are you doing in the mile race anyway?"
4. The runner gasped out, "Sir, my school had a good miler, but since he was sick, the coach promised to have someone run the mile race."
5. The judge said, "Son, why didn't you drop out, since you were over a half lap behind?"
6. The boy answered, "They sent me here to finish the mile race, and I did!"
2. What is exemplified here is "FAITHFULNESS."
2. There are words to a song which ought to be the Christian's theme

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   I Have Decided to Follow Jesus⁽¹⁾

   1.
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.

   2.
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   No turning back, no turning back.

   3.
   Though none go with me, I still will follow;
   Though none go with me, I still will follow;
   Though none go with me, I still will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.

   4.
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
   No turning back, no turning back.
    

   1. These words are also describing"FAITHFULNESS."
   2. God despises faithlessness and honors faithfulness.

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MAIN BODY:

1. Note what it says in the lessons for today
1. Proverbs 28:20
   
   The faithful will abound with blessings
   
2. Luke 16:10-13
   
   "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
   
   1. Wealth here is not necessarily money.
   2. It includes what one possesses as having value.
2. There are a number of ways in which faithfulness ought to be expressed.
1. The First Is Faithfulness to God
1. Without this there can truly be no other
2. Mother Teresa, 1979 Nobel Peace Prize-winner, quoted in Donald E. Demaray, Laughter, Joy and Healing, says this is how we co-create with God to bring good out of evil.⁽²⁾
3. What she said was:
1. Loving as He loves,
2. helping as He helps,
3. giving as He gives,
4. serving as He serves,
5. rescuing as He rescues,
6. being with Him for all the twenty-four hours,
7. touching Him in His distressing disguise.

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4. When Mother Teresa meets someone who is particularly obnoxious, or hateful, or mean, or disturbed, she says only that he or she is Jesus in a "distressing disguise," and on that basis she reaches out to touch them.
5. What is being described here is faithfulness to God as expressed in totality of one's life in relationship with God..
2. Second Is Faithfulness in Marriage
1. Tammy Wynette was a Country Super Star
2. One of her famous songs was written by her and Billy Sherrill, STAND BY YOUR MAN
   
   Sometimes its hard to be a woman
   Giving all your love to just one man
   You'll have bad times
   And he'll have good times
   Doing things that you don't understand

   But if you love him you'll forgive him
   Even though he's hard to understand
   And if you love him
   Oh be proud of him
   'Cause after all he's just a man

   Stand by your man
   Give him two arms to cling to
   And something warm to come to
   When nights are cold and lonely
   Stand by your man
   And tell the world you love him
   Keep giving all the love you can
   Stand by your man

   Stand by your man
   And show the world you love him
   Keep giving all the love you can
   Stand by your man

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3. My grandmother provided a beautiful example of what this might mean.
1. My grandparents went up into the high meadow to bring down a cow who had recently calved.
2. The young cow was very protective of her calf.
3. When grandfather tried to lead the calf, the cow went after him, knocked him to the ground and continued to but him.
4. Grandmother took her cane and rallied to defeat that cow by driving her off.
5. In the meantime, this, sort of, city child, had climbed a tree and was watching from a distance.
4. Grandmother stood by her man.
5. I realize that there may be times when this is virtually impossible.
1. Even Tammy Wynette sought a divorce from her man.
2. The circumstances were extraordinary.
3. And that's the way it ought to be.
3. The Third Is Faithfulness in the Family.
1. It is recognized that, generally speaking, the children of two-parent families, where the parents are faithfully engaged in the lives of their children have the greatest opportunity for leading well-adjusted and successful lives.
2. This is generally speaking.
3. It does not always hold true.
4. The Fourth Is Faithfulness to You Church.
1. Other than the Mayflower Compact, the first true covenant in the new world was the Salem Covenant of 1629 which says:
   
   "We covenant with the Lord and one another; and do bind ourselves in the presence of God, to walk together in all his ways, according as he is pleased to reveal himself unto us in his blessed word of truth."
   
2. The first sentence of our Church Covenant states:
   
   "We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the Holy Scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord, made known or to be made known to us.

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   1. Our covenant is missing the phrase, "and do bind ourselves in the presence of God."
   2. But it is implied in, "Our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord,"
3. Here we have some examples of faithfulness and how the principle may be applied in our daily lives.
1. There is a commercial for Chevy Trucks which declared that it is,
2. "Like A Rock."
3. So is faithfulness.
4. Faithfulness is the foundational rock on which life, to be successful, must be built.

CONCLUSION:

1. Faithfulness cannot be acquired in the same way as the purchase of a Chevy Truck.
2. Faithfulness can only be acquired through use of divine resources, and the intelligent use of intellect and will.
3. Leonard Sweet in Homiletics Magazine writes about a song that he and his brothers used to sing. It is a "motion song" that they sang more lustily with their hands than with their lips.
1. It went like this:
   
   We are building every day,
   at our work and at our play;
   Not with hammer, blow on blow,
   not with timber, sawing so.
   Building a house not made with hands,
   following God's own perfect plan.
   Little builders all are we -
   Building for eternity.
   
   
2. And so may we!

1. COPYRIGHT: Arr. Copyright 1993 by Howard Publishing Co., Inc.

2. Quoted in Donald E. Demaray, Laughter, Joy and Healing (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986), 175.

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