1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian FAITHFULNESS | Page 13

SUNDAY
2 Timothy 2 v 13
Today I would like to end on a glorious note and ask you to focus with me, not upon our
faithfulness to God, but upon God’s faithfulness to us.2 Timothy 2 v 13 tells us that even
though we are faithless, He will remain faithful. What a Glorious God we have, that His
faithfulness is not dependent upon ours. This is a glorious theme that runs from Genesis to

Revelation. We see God’s faithfulness to the children of Israel that, even though they really
messed up, worshipped other gods and did not obey Jehovah, He still remained faithful to
them, forgiving them, restoring His relationship with them and pursuing the purpose for
which He had originally ordained for them. Not only do we see God’s faithfulness to the
children of Israel, but we see His faithfulness to the church today where God, despite our
frailties and fallibilities,still continues to use the church to be His agent through which He
would bring hope to the world. God is faithful to us as individuals as well; Philippians 1 v 6
tells us that, He who began a good work in us will complete that work.
Could it be today that as you lookat your Christian life you are confronted with the truth that
your Christian experience is nowhere near where it should be? Maybe in light of all that we
have said this week you feel like a dismal failure? Well, I would hate for you to live in the
condemnation that a legalistic outlook would portray and maybe you would even look at it
cynically to think that God is done with you, that you have nothing left to offer and you would
almost facetiously laugh when you think that God still has a plan for your life. Well, let me
take you to an Old Testament story that would illustrate so beautifully the fact God never
gives up on us.
In Genesis 18 we read of the incident where God told Abraham, who waswell into his aged
years, that he would soon have a child. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, however, heard the
conversation between Abraham and the angel and laughed to herself. She thought this could
not possibly happen; I am far too old to bear a child. The angel perceiving Sarah’s cynical
response asked Abraham why Sarah was laughing. Without Abraham giving an answer, the
angel said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to youat the appointed time next
year and Sarah will have a son.” (Verse 14). The beautiful aspect that portrays a picture of
God for us, is seen inthe fact that Isaac was born exactly a year later, just as the angel had