Lesson Eight: The Fruit of Faithfulness
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SUMMARY: In this lesson we will look at the concept of faithfulness. We will come to understand that faithfulness is about commitment and dependability. People in relationship together expect faithfulness, and it is at the foundation of the Christian’s relationship to God. LEAD-IN QUESTIONS: 1.
What are some synonyms of the word “faithful”?
2. When you think of the word, “faithful,” what comes to mind?
Faithfulness and Responsibility
3. Can a person be faithful to Christ and still have periods of backsliding? In other words, how dependable must we be, if we are to be considered faithful?
In the Scripture there are two ways to look at faithfulness. Both are connected to the idea of being dependable and trustworthy, but in two different types of behavior. The first type of faithfulness is related to being dependable with our responsibilities. Jesus gave several parables to illustrate that God expects us to use the time and resources entrusted to us profitably.
4. In what ways did Solomon, Peter, and Judas demonstrate a lack of faithfulness?
The Meaning of Faithfulness D I SCU SS Have you ever entrusted someone with money to invest on your behalf? What were your expectations of them? How does this relate to Jesus’s expectation that we be faithful servants?
marked by trustworthiness and following through on your commitments. It is not based on emotions or rewards.
Faithfulness is simply the quality of being full of faith — that is, someone whom others can put their faith in, someone who is trustworthy. The famous geyser at Yellowstone National Park is named Old Faithful because its eruptions are so predictable. The national park service says that “the famous geyser currently erupts around 17 times a day and can be predicted with a 90 percent confidence rate within a ten-minute variation.”22 It had likely been faithfully erupting long before it was discovered in 1870, and has continued to do so ever since that time. Using Old Faithful to help us define the term, we might say that faithfulness means dependability, continuity, or even longevity. Thus, something, or someone, is faithful if they continue doing the same thing, the same way, continuously, over a long period of time.
On one occasion, Jesus told the story of how a wealthy man gave out money to three of his servants. To one he gave five talents (a “talent” is an amount of currency ranging in value from two to seven million dollars by today’s standards); to another three talents; and to another one talent. These sums were given according to the capabilities of each of the servants. When the businessman returned, he asked them to give an account for what each had done. The first two had doubled their sums by shrewd investments. The rich man gave the same response to the first two servants: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful (or “trustworthy” in other translations) with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:14-30, NIV) However, the last one simply buried his talent until the owner returned, and then returned it to the owner. He was rebuked for being unfaithful—he failed to fulfill his responsibility to make a profit with what was entrusted to him. Jesus is encouraging his audience to get busy using their gifts and talents on behalf of the Kingdom of God. No one knows when the Master of this world will come to settle accounts, so we should be working to produce return on His investment in us. Faithfulness is shown in how we use our time and abilities to further the work of God in this world.
When I was growing up, if you had turned on your television at a certain day and time you would have heard the following words spoken as the sound of the William Tell Overture played in the background, “Hi-Yo, Silver! A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty ‘Hi-Yo Silver’...The Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto!” If you watched the episodes, it quickly became clear that Tonto could be counted on to track the outlaws, help the Lone Ranger In another teaching, Jesus speaks of the servant who think out the proper course of action, and then help win is the “faithful and wise manager” of the other servants. the fight against the desperadoes they faced as a team. “Blessed is that slave (servant or steward) whom his As a faithful companion, he always stood alongside the master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, Lone Ranger, and would never abandon or leave him he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.” when things got difficult (indeed, one wonders why he (Luke 12:41-48) Here again the emphasis is on being busy working for the Lord while we wait for His return. was called the “Lone” Ranger). We want him to praise us for our work, rather than From these and other similar examples we might say question us about our laziness. that faithfulness represents a commitment to someone or something regardless of the cost, and regardless of the benefits to the one who is faithful. Faithfulness is
Jesus explained that it is not the amount of responsibility we have been given, but the degree of faithfulness we
22 https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/oldfaithfulgeyserfaq.htm
