| Introduction Edmund's baptism today gives us the opportunity to consider God's faithfulness, particularly as it relates to his promises. The concept of faithfulness is very important to us. The idea of one sticking to his word, the idea of trust, of doing what you said you were going to do are all desired in our relationships. A friend who sticks closer than a brother is highly valued. A completely devoted husband or wife is more precious than rubies. We hear stories about the devotion of a husband to a wife or vice versa and we think, "that's what I want for me!" Stories like the one about Dr. Robertson McQuilkin. He was the president of Columbia International University in Columbia, SC till 1990. He decided to step down at the height of his presidency because of his wife's poor health. In order to explain to the college supporters the reason for his resignation, he wrote the following letter: My dear wife, Muriel, has been in failing mental health for about eight years. So far I have been able to carry both her ever-growing needs and my leadership responsibilities at CBC. But recently it has become apparent that Muriel is contented most of the time she is with me and almost none of the time I am away from her. It is not just "discontent." She is filled with fear – even terror – that she has lost me and always goes in search of me when I leave home. Then she may be full of anger when she cannot get to me. So it is clear to me that she needs me now, full-time. Perhaps it would help you to understand if I shared with you what I shared at the time of the announcement of my resignation in chapel. The decision was made, in a way, 42 years ago when I promised to care for Muriel "in sickness and in health…till death do us part." So, as I told the students and faculty, as a man of my word, integrity has something to do with it. But so does fairness. She has cared for me fully and sacrificially all these years; if I cared for her for the next 40 years I would not be out of debt. Duty, however, can be grim and stoic. But there is more; I love Muriel. She is a delight to me – her childlike dependence and confidence in me, her warm love, occasional flashes of that wit I used to relish so, he happy spirit and tough resilience in the face of her continual distressing frustration. I do not have to care for her. I get to! It is a high honor to care for so wonderful a person. We hear stories like this one and we desire to have this type of stuff in our lives. Yet, as great as faithfulness in the horizontal level is, it pales in comparison with God's commitment to what he has said (vv. 18-20). 2 Cor. 1:18-20 – But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. One of the greatest promises God has made to us is that he is our God and the God or our children. When Leland was baptized, we considered Judges 2, one of the saddest chapters in the Bible. It includes probably the saddest verse in the Bible. Jud. 2:10 – When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Even in the depressing context of Judges 2 where a whole generation was walking away from the Lord we read: Jud. 2:16 – Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Thus, as we raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we can have the greatest confidence that our God will be their God. I. The Basis of God's Faithfulness: His Own Character. A. God will stay true to what he told us he is going to do for us, not because of his love for us, though he loves his people with infinite love. B. God will follow through with his promises because of whom he is; he cannot do otherwise. 2 Tim. 2:13 – If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 1. Do you see the beauty of this? a. It is not because of whom we are. b. Rather, it is because of whom he is that he is faithful to us. 2. Can you imagine if God's allegiance to us as his people was based on our allegiance to him? a. Can you imagine if he used the same standard of faithfulness that we use in our relationship with him? b. More often than not, our allegiance to God is nothing more than a relationship of convenience. 1) "Today is not convenient to serve the Lord, so I'll skip it." 2) "You know, I worship the Lord most Sundays, so it is ok to skip this one to take care of my own interests." 3) "I already fulfilled my duty on the Lord's Day by giving an hour to him, now it is my time." 4) "I have been so good more days than I have been bad, so it is ok to indulge in sin." 5) "It is a special occasion, God will understand if I don't do what he wants me to do this one time." 3. Praise be to his name that he doesn't deal with us in the same way we deal with him! 4. A great example of this is in Ezekiel 36:22-32. Ez. 36:22-32 – Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!" C. And the proof we have that this is all true is the incarnation of God the Son, vv. 19-20. 2 Cor. 1:19-20 – For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 1. All the things God promised were declared and sealed to be yes in Christ. a. This does not mean that God's promises weren't true before Christ came and then became true after he came. b. Jesus Christ is the ultimate demonstration of God's faithfulness. c. He is the final declaration of God's unwavering commitment to bring to pass all his promises. 2. We know that this is true objectively because Christ has come, but we also know it subjectively because of the indwelling of the Spirit, 22. 2 Cor. 1:22 – … who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 3. Thus, because of Christ's fulfilling all things on our behalf and because of the testimony of the Spirit in our hearts we are able to say with the prophet: Lam. 3:22-23 – Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. II. God's Commitment to His Promises Meets Everyday Life. A. We embrace what God says is true regardless of what is going on around us. Heb. 13:5-6, 8 – Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Rom. 8:35, 37-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NO DAMAGED GOODS) Romans 8:28-29 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 1. Parents, sometimes this is going to be all that you have. 2. "It doesn't seem like God is the God of my children, but he promised to be and I'll trust him." B. We do what God says, trusting that all the promises attached to obedience will come to pass. Pro. 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Pro. 13:24 – He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. Pro. 22:15 – Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him. Dt. 6:1-9 – Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you – 'a land flowing with milk and honey.' 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." 1. Because of God's unfailing faithfulness, parents are to be all the more diligent. 2. We can't say, "it doesn't work." 3. Parents must be encouraged to be parents because what God says he is going to do, he is going to do. 4. This is true in all areas of life, not just parenting. Ps. 37:4 – Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Conclusion
So, what do we do? We trust in the Lord with all our heart. We believe that all his promises will come to pass in Jesus Christ. We listen to the testimony of the Spirit of God in our hearts. And we do what God commands. Great is his faithfulness unto us for his name's sake.
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