One of the things I believe that is probably
on the mind and heart of many believers over
the last several weeks is the public, or the
repercussions we could say, or the consequences
of public witness in this world. Have you considered
over the last several weeks, or have you counted
the cost of what it may require of the church
and of believers to publicly bear witness to
the truth of the gospel? That's one thing that's
gone through my mind so many times. Am I willing
to suffer for the sake of the gospel and faithfulness?
Because it seems as though there's a shift taking
place in our world, in our culture, where on
one side there is, we could say, public capital
or societal capital to be affiliated with the
Church of Jesus Christ. There's capital involved
in that. There's benefit to that. But there's
a growing consistency on the other side. where
there's capital to be opposed to the church.
There's benefit to be against the church. So
the church of Jesus Christ in every age, in every
period, has to make up its mind. Is it willing
to suffer the repercussions and consequences
of public witness in this world. We see in the
Apostle Paul, this is something he has done and
he's had to do time and time again. He's had
to count the cost of faithfulness in his life.
Today we're going to consider what faithfulness
meant for the Apostle Paul. And our text will
be verse 24. We're going to consider what faithfulness
required of the Apostle Paul. But we're also
going to consider what was the motivating force
of Paul's faithfulness. What was the motivating
cause? What was it that compelled Paul? to this
willingness to suffer for the sake of faithfulness.
So first, we'll consider what faithfulness meant
for the Apostle Paul. Now, as we consider this,
we have to consider who it is we're thinking
about and what he was doing and the uniqueness
and how he was special, in a sense, because he
was an Apostle. Paul was, first, A Christian,
brothers and sisters. He was saved just like
believers today are saved. By faith in Christ.
Because the power of God was exerted in his life
and he was born again. He was granted faith and
repentance. He was saved and brought into the
kingdom just like every other believer is saved
and brought into the kingdom by the grace of
God. He was a Christian. But Paul was also an
apostle. And the apostles were unique to that
age and that period of time where we see it in
the book of Acts, brothers and sisters. So yes,
will his faithfulness look a little different
than our faithfulness? Absolutely. There's not
a mirror between Paul and us, and so what we
do exactly mirrors what he does. But we also
learn this from the Bible, that Paul is put forth
in the New Testament as a model Christian, as
an exemplar of the Christian faith, someone to
be imitated, someone to be followed. Someone
whose example we can look at and say, that's
what it means to be a Christian and I'm going
to be like him. He's put forward as a model believer.
But he's also put forward as a model minister.
And what it means to serve Christ. And what it
means to minister and serve the people of God.
So there's no doubt. Though we can look at the
Apostle Paul's faithfulness today. And we can
find applications and encouragements for our
own lives in our faithfulness. That's what we're
going to seek to do today. So what was faithfulness
for the Apostle Paul? Well, listen to verse 24.
But I do not consider my life of any account
as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course
and the ministry which I receive from the Lord
Jesus to testify solemnly of the gospel of the
grace of God. For Paul, faithfulness meant finishing
the course of his Christian life. He says in
verse 24, so that I may finish my course. Now
this is language and terminology that we see
used throughout the New Testament. It causes
the reader to think about an athletic or a sporting
event of the day. It's the idea of a race. It's
the idea of a competition. Paul wants his readers
to understand that his whole, or Luke wants his
readers to understand, I apologize, that Paul's
whole life was a course. It was a race. It was
his Christian life, brothers and sisters. It
wasn't just his spirituality and his piety and
his godliness. It was everything about his life.
Everything that it involved. Every aspect and
every part of it was involved in this race. It
involves discipline. It involves diligence. It
involves perseverance. It involves getting...
Outside of that which is comfortable and that
which is pleasurable for the sake of running
well. It involves his whole being, his whole
character. We find this same language in 1 Corinthians
9, 24 -27. And we also find it in 2 Timothy 4,
verse 7, where Paul talks about having fought
the good fight of faith. When we think about
a race, it's something that you have to be engaged
in. It's something that you have to focus your
mental powers and you have to gather your physical
forces and your physical ability to be involved
in because you know that you have a task in front
of you. This is what Paul wants us to take away.
But a race, a course, is not indefinite. There's
a start, and there is an end to it. And Paul
knew this. He knew that his race was only so
long, and that it would come to an end one day,
and that following that race in his life, then
he would enjoy rest. Then he would enjoy leisure.
Then he would enjoy his time off, we could say.
Paul intended to run his race, and he intended
to finish well his Christian life. It was all
-consuming. He was completely and totally involved
in it. Every aspect of his life was brought under
the disciplinary hand of Paul. that he might
run well and not be disqualified. When we think
about Paul and his life as a race, it was intentional,
brothers and sisters. When we think about a large
majority of professing Christians today and the
Christian life and the end of their life and
the glory that is to come, Would we say that
the majority of those pursuing and seeking to
be faithful in the Christian life treat it as
though they have a specific task, a specific
goal, a specific thing that they're giving themselves
to, to bring glory to God? Or do they treat it
more like a theme park? Something that you enter
into. And you go over here and you... Have to
walk up the hill to go to the water slide. That
was a little hard. But I'm going because this
will be fun and I'm going to slide down. But
I'm going to go over here and take a respite
and grab a drink. I'll maybe lay down over here.
Take some time. Wander around. There's a certain
aimlessness and purposelessness. And it's all
about pleasure. Self. Paul did not treat his
life as a theme park, brothers and sisters. And
this is where we find immediate application to
every believer. This language is consistently
applied to every Christian throughout the Bible,
throughout the New Testament. Every single believer
has been given a course to run. To bring glory
to God. For Paul, faithfulness meant finishing
this course well. But it also meant finishing
the ministry that he had been given by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Notice that he says in verse 24,
that I may finish my course and the ministry.
And what does he say about this ministry? He
says, which I received from the Lord Jesus to
testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of
God. Paul's ministry was special and unique.
We read in Acts chapter 9, verses 15 through
16, a little bit about his unique and special
commission. As an apostle of Jesus Christ. In
Acts 9 verses 15 through 16 we read this. But
the Lord said to him. Go. For he is a chosen
instrument of mine. To bear my name before the
Gentiles. And the kings and kings. And the sons
of Israel. For I will show him how much he must
suffer for my namesake. This is where Ananias
is being sent to the apostle Paul. Paul's been
converted. And Ananias is a little bit concerned
because the apostle's a dangerous man. He knows
who Saul of Tarsus is. He's been going around
arresting Christians. He's been going around.
dragging off men and women who claim to be a
part of the way who know Christ. And this is
the man that Ananias is being sent to. And what
does the Lord Jesus say to compel, to encourage
Ananias? He is my chosen instrument. Meaning
I have handpicked him for this commission, for
this task, for this assignment, for this purpose.
So go to him. He's not the same anymore. He will
be willing to suffer for my sake in the future.
We read in Galatians chapter 1 of Paul's ministry
these words. Paul, an apostle, and here it is,
not sent from men. nor through the agency of
men, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead. So Paul has a unique
commission upon his life. One that the Lord Jesus
Christ has directly and personally given to him
and called him to. So there's no way that Paul
can be faithful in life if he is not faithful
to his calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
So for Paul, faithfulness means running this
race as a believer, but it also means being faithful
to the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the task that
he has given to him. As an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Now. Faithfulness also for Paul. Is to be a witness
of the gospel of the grace of God. He says this
in the latter part of verse 24. To testify solemnly
of the gospel of the grace of God. What is the
heart and the essence. Of Paul's. It is to bear
witness to the truth about Jesus Christ and the
grace of God that he himself has personally experienced.
He's a witness to that which he knows about,
that which he has seen, that which he has experienced
personally, and he has been tasked with proclaiming
that gospel to Jews and Gentiles. in this world,
brothers and sisters. So Paul, if he is to be
faithful, he has to run his race, he has to finish
his ministry, and he has to proclaim the gospel
of Jesus Christ. Notice this involves every area,
every part, and every aspect of the apostle's
life. We could say it's a well -rounded, whole
-life faithfulness. for the apostle. This is
what it involved for him. Now, in Paul's mind,
what does faithfulness require of him? This is
the second thing we have to consider. What does
faithfulness require of the apostle Paul? In
the context of this passage, this text, we know
because we touched on it last week and the week
before. It means going to Jerusalem and walking
into bonds and afflictions. We read this in verses
22 and 23. Bound by the Spirit, I am on my way
to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to
me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly
testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds
and afflictions await me. So in the immediate
context of this scripture, faithfulness requires
that the apostle... literally go to Jerusalem,
bring the gifts, proclaim the gospel, lose his
freedom, become a prisoner, and be led around
for a long time, but ultimately come to the place
where he proclaims the gospel in Rome, under
house arrest. So, it's obvious and clear. That
Paul is required by faithfulness to endure hardship
and trial if he wants to maintain fidelity to
Jesus Christ. But what about in a more general
way if we think about Paul and his ministry?
Well, just think about those three things that
are faithfulness for Paul. The race, the ministry,
and... Being a witness. If Paul's going to run
his race as a believer, does that require hardship?
Self -denial? Sacrifice? Is there a cost associated
with being faithful to Christ for the duration
of your life? Absolutely yes. What about for
Paul to fulfill his ministry as an apostle? Well,
we read in Acts chapter 9, What did the risen
Lord say to Ananias? I will show him how much
he must suffer for my namesake. He's required
to submit himself willingly to hardship in order
to fulfill the ministry that Christ has entrusted
to him. What about bearing witness to the gospel
of grace? Why have the Jews So adamantly opposed
the Apostle Paul throughout the book of Acts.
Why does he have so many enemies? Why is there
people always plotting to kill him? Why is there
always people that want to stop him from what
he's doing? Because he's bearing witness to the
grace of God in the gospel. telling people that
the Messiah has come. He's bearing witness to
the truth that the Jews killed the Messiah. And
that if people want to have eternal life, they
have to trust in Jesus Christ, whom they crucified.
Therefore, he has enemies. It required great
endurance and diligence and perseverance on his
part. because affliction was commonplace as a
witness for the gospel of the grace of God. We
can think about several different passages. If
we go to 2 Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 23
-28, Paul lists many of his afflictions. that
he willingly endured, 2 Corinthians 11, 23 -28.
Are they servants of Christ? I speak as if in
sin. I more so. In far more labors, in far more
imprisonments, beaten times without number, often
in danger of death, Five times I received from
the Jews 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten
with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was
shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in
the deep. I have been in frequent... journeys
and dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers,
dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the
Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the
wilderness, dangers in the sea, dangers among
false brethren. I have been in labor and hardship
through many sleepless nights, and hunger and
thirst, often without food, and cold and exposure.
Apart from such external things, There is the
daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
What was required of the Apostle Paul in order
that he might be faithful to Jesus Christ? That
he endure hardship, brothers and sisters. He
refers to, in other places, The fact that he
is like a drink offering being poured out on
the sacrifice and service of others' faith. He's
a drink offering that's being sacrificed to God
for others. And he willingly does this. So in
a more general way, Paul certainly believed and
taught that faithfulness always comes with...
A cost. In fact. For Paul. His faithfulness.
Depends. On his willingness. To sacrifice. For
the gospel. If he is unwilling. To sacrifice.
Then he cannot be faithful. To the risen Lord
Jesus Christ. Listen to what he says in the first
half of verse 24 in Acts 20. But I do not consider
my life of any account as dear to myself, so
that, so that, brothers and sisters, why does
Paul hold his life lightly? that he might finish
his race, his ministry, and that he might bear
witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was
necessary for him in order that he might be faithful
to the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Faithfulness
always comes with a cost. That's not just something
that's true for the Apostle Paul. We come to
this text, and I think the modern believer has
a little bit of difficulty with it. Honestly,
you can't tell me that Jesus Christ expects me
to be willing to die for him. He died for me.
Honestly, you can't expect me to be willing to
give up everything for the gospel. Isn't that
radical? Isn't that a little bit crazy? Isn't
that a little bit fundamentalist thinking? Require
all of you? Does Christ require everything of
a sinner when he saves them? Is that radical?
Is that crazy? Brothers and sisters, this is
not something that was simply true of the Apostle
Paul. This is true of the believer in every day
and every age. that has been purchased by the
blood of Jesus Christ, is required to give everything
to Jesus Christ. Their heart, their mind, their
soul, their belongings, their time, their money,
their family, their friends, their attitudes,
their will, their affections, everything. He
did not die just to get your heart, brothers
and sisters. Jesus Christ died for all of you
and all of your life. And he did in fact purchase
all of you and all of your life if he has died
for you. Every Christian of all time is required
to give everything to Christ. This is a Christian
paradigm, pattern, and principle. One of the
reasons I think we have so much difficulty with
it is because that's such a foreign idea for
us in our nation. The fact that we would have
to give up and sacrifice certain things. There's
many people all around the world, brothers and
sisters, even to this day, that willingly give
their lives because they refuse to deny Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior. There are fathers
who are martyred in front of their families.
And there are families that are martyred in front
of their fathers. Why? Because they won't recount
that Jesus Christ is in fact Lord. In the modern
world. Just not here. This is not radical. This
is basic Christianity, brothers and sisters.
That when Jesus Christ died for you, he purchased
all of you, and he requires all of you. Isn't
this what the Lord himself taught in Matthew
chapter 16? In Matthew 16, the Lord Jesus says
this. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone
wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever
wishes to save his life will lose it. But whoever
loses his life for my sake will find it. For
what will profit a man if he gains the whole
world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man
give in exchange for a soul? For the Son of Man
is going to come in the glory of his Father with
his angels, and will then repay every man according
to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some
of those who are standing here who will not taste
death until they see the Son of Man coming in
his kingdom. True followers of Christ are always
brought to a place of self -denial and sacrifice
on behalf of faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every single time. Does your Christianity cost
you? What does your faith require of you? Does
it force you to give up certain things? Does
the Spirit of God dwelling within you bring conviction
into your life and say, that's wrong? You can't
live like that. You're not allowed to be like
that. you forced to deal with issues in your
heart and in your mind and in your life? Are
you ever brought to a place where there's humility
and shame that you willingly embrace in order
to be faithful to Christ? What does your Christianity
cost you, brother, or you, sister? Because true
Christianity is always costly. Following Christ
is always It's as though you come to faithfulness.
And faithfulness says, if you want me, pay up.
Give me that. Get rid of that. You're not allowed
to do that. You can't have that, but you can
have me. And you can have Christ. You can have
the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ
in greater measure, in greater degree. You can
know God in all His fullness in greater measure,
in greater degree. You can be more encouraged.
You can have more joy. You can have greater peace
in your soul. But give that up. You see, the
problem, brothers and sisters, is that we live
in a context of the world, the flesh, and the
devil. That is why faithfulness will always be
costly. Because we live in a world of unbelievers.
We live in a world of men who don't understand
Christianity. They don't know Christianity. And
they can't receive Christianity unless God saves
them. We are the light walking in darkness. And
we are walking among dead men. Dead men don't
want to hear the truth. So there will always
be hardship associated with it. We are people,
brothers and sisters, that dwell in the context
of the flesh and corruption, our own and that
of others. Our flesh does not want to let go
of certain sinful tendencies, but You, as those
being made in the likeness and image of Christ
in the inner man, long for righteousness and
holiness. There's something that's propelling
you to that which is good and that which is godly,
but there's part of you that is clinging to that
which you ought not to be. What does that require
if you are to lay hold of that which is faithful
and good? To let go. To give up, to sacrifice,
to mortify. Faithfulness is costly. But it's
also costly because we have a real enemy that
hates faithful Christians. We have a real enemy
who's out to get faithful believers. To bring
a stain upon the name of Jesus Christ. To bring
you down or to puff you up. That's what the enemy
wants to do. He wants you to fall into the trap
of being so despairing or so arrogant. And he
will take any road that he can get there. He
will do anything that he can to bring you to
those points. We have an enemy that does not
want us to be faithful. Therefore, it will cost
the Christian to be. Isn't this what Romans 12
teaches us? That we are to be living sacrifices?
That we are to constantly be giving all of ourselves
to Christ because of the work that He has accomplished
in our lives? Faithfulness always requires A
cost. Now this brings us to the last thing we
have to consider. What motivated the apostle
in his willingness to sacrifice for the sake
of faithfulness? And this is really where the
rubber meets the road for us, isn't it, brothers
and sisters? Every born -again believer in this
room wants to be more faithful. I know you do.
Because that is true of every single person who
has tasted of the grace of God. Every single
person who has the Spirit of God's one within
you, he gives them a desire for holiness. He
is the Holy Spirit of God. So every true born
-again believer in here has a desire for greater
faithfulness. So what is it, brothers and sisters,
that compels us, that drives us, that motivates
us to faithfulness? Faithfulness isn't what produces
faithfulness. There's something underneath faithfulness
that gives us a willingness and a desire to be
faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. So what is
it? If you can figure out what that is, if we
can figure out what that is, then you can grow
in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ. If you can figure out how to be and what
it is that causes you to be more faithful and
to grow and desire to grow in your Christianity
and your faith. And brothers and sisters, you
can run wild in the grace of God and seeking
out Christ. You can grow and be godly, mature,
holy Christians and bring more and more glory
and more and more honor to Christ. So what is
it? We see that something in verse 24 is bringing
Paul to a point. Where he is able to say, I do
not consider my life of any account as dear to
myself. What is it that compels and enables Paul
to be able to say that? Well, this motivation
begins by knowing, brothers and sisters, that
Jesus Christ died to purchase you. And your life.
Listen to what Paul says. A little bit later
in verse 20. In chapter 20. He says this. Be
on guard for yourselves. And for all the flock.
Among which the Holy Spirit. Has made you overseers.
To shepherd the church of God. Which he purchased.
With his own blood. Christ has purchased the
church with his own blood. He has purchased uniquely
and distinctly the people of God. The church
is not its own. The hope of the believer in the
church is in fact that they are not their own.
That means that if... Christ has purchased you.
You are not your own in this life, but it also
means that you are not your own, but you belong
wholly unto the Lord Jesus Christ in life and
in death. You are His possession. You belong
to Him. And He is a good Lord, and He is a good
Master, and He has good things in store for you
in this life. but He also has greater things
in store for you in the next and the age to come.
So we have to start with the fact that Christ
died to purchase sinners and their whole life.
It requires that a person not just know that
Christ has died and purchased them on the cross.
But brothers and sisters, it requires that a
person personally experience the power of God,
the grace of God to change them and transform
them. This is why we read in 1 Corinthians 15
about Paul and the Lord Jesus revealing himself
last of all to Paul and that the grace of God
has changed him and it is by the grace of God
that he is what he is. and that the grace of
God with him did not prove vain, but he worked
more than all the others. You have to experience
the grace of God personally by being transformed
by the Spirit of God if you are ever to be faithful
unto Christ. One of the primary reasons that
professing believers struggle with faithfulness,
and the reason that they are unfaithful is because
they've never known the grace of God. They're
living moral lives, good lives. They're riding
the wave of tradition and family faith. For they've
never tasted of the grace of God themselves and
their own souls. Morality is insufficient for
faithfulness, brothers and sisters. Legalism
is insufficient for faithfulness. You have to
taste of the grace of God yourself and be made
a new creature in Christ if you are ever to truly
and genuinely and sincerely from the heart Glorify
God and enjoy Him. So it requires that God Himself
change you supernaturally by the Spirit of God.
Have you been changed by the power of God? Have
you been transformed by the grace of God? Do
you have a true and a genuine and a sincere desire
to bring glory to Christ and to exalt the name
of Christ? Do you have a desire for Christ and
His purposes to succeed and prevail in this world?
Do you have a desire to worship the living God
that only comes by tasting of the Spirit of God
personally yourself and coming to a place Where
you see your own sin and you turn from your sin
and you trust in Christ and Christ alone. There's
many today who attend church, who use the name
of Christ, who say they're a Christian, but they
don't know the glorious gospel of grace. You
must know it personally. You must be in a saving
union with Jesus Christ. And being dwelt by the
spirit of God. If you are ever. To walk in faithfulness.
To the Lord Jesus Christ. Now. This motivation
and desire. Is cultivated. In a believer's life.
Somebody who has been transformed. It is cultivated.
By continually. And increasingly. Setting your
heart's affection supremely upon Jesus Christ.
We read in Philippians. We'll go ahead and turn
there. Philippians 3. This is where Paul is talking
about the goal of life as a believer. He goes
through and lists all these things that were
true of him. Before he knew Christ. And here's
what he says. But whatever things were gained
to me, those things I have counted as loss for
the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all
things to be loss in view of the surpassing value
of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things and count
them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ and
may be found in Him not having a righteousness
of my own derived from the law, but that which
is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which comes from God on the basis of faith, that
I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
and the fellowship of His sufferings. Being conformed
to his death in order that I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead. What is it that compelled
Paul to let go of everything else? Brothers and
sisters, what is it that compelled Paul and drove
Paul to say everything is lost? It is personal,
experiential communion and fellowship with Jesus
Christ. That is the only thing that will compel
a person to willingly suffer and willingly give
up for Jesus Christ. It is to know Him by faith.
Head knowledge won't do for this task, brothers
and sisters. This has got to make its way down
into your heart. You can know Christ as you can
know a person sitting next to you. You have to
do away with the theories and you have to do
away with the conceptual Christianity and seek
Him as a person. And have fellowship with Him
as a man on the throne of God. You have to know
Him better. Know Him in greater ways. And that
has to increasingly grow. must be supreme in
your heart and in your life. And as that supremacy
settles in and grows in your soul, what happens?
The glory and greatness of Christ begins to outweigh
everything else in your life. The glory and greatness
of Christ, as your heart's affections are set
upon Him, begin to eclipse every other affection
of your heart. All your desires are consumed
by His greatness. All your longings are consumed
by His person and His being, brothers and sisters.
This is the only way that a person will ever
be compelled to willingly embrace the race, the
ministry, and being faithful to Christ in all
things. This is the only way that a person is
compelled to willingly sacrifice for Jesus Christ.
You must love him above everything else in your
heart and in your life. If other things are the
supreme object, that thing will inform how you
relate to Christ in Christianity. Now, earlier
we read from Matthew and Christ's call to disciples
to die to themselves and the fact that they would
have to have self -denial as a result of being
a true disciple. And that being a true disciple
always leads to self -denial. But I want us to
read Luke chapter 14, verse 26 as well. In Luke
14, we'll read verses 25 through 27. Now, large
crowds were going along with him. And he turned
and said to them. So that's the context of Luke
14. Large crowds. Lots of professing disciples
are following Christ. Christ had many disciples
who loved to get fed by his miracles. Christ
had many disciples who loved to get from Christ.
Christ had many disciples who loved to receive
and loved to see what he could do. But he didn't
have as many disciples who were willing to leave
their homes. willing to give up everything they've
ever known to follow him. Here's what he says.
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own
father and mother and wife and children and brothers
and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot
be my disciple. Those are strong words, aren't
they, brothers and sisters? Now, is Christ saying
that you have to literally hate your relatives?
No, he's using hyperbole. And what is he trying
to convey in this hyperbole? Using this grandiose
language. He's trying to convey the fact that
love for Christ must be superior and supreme
and inform and overwhelm every other love in
your life. Our love for Christ must direct and
dictate every other love in our life. Brothers
and sisters, I love you. I love the people of
our church. I love my brothers and sisters in
Christ. I love my family. I love my dear wife.
I love my... But I love Jesus Christ more than
I love you. I love Jesus Christ more than I love
my family. And the day that that is called into
question will be a sad day for me. That's the
meaning of being a true disciple. That our heart's
affection are supremely set upon Christ, His
person, His will, and all that He requires of
us, and everything else is filled in as a result
of that. I cannot love you or my wife or my children
more than I love Christ, because then my love
for Him would be informed by that love. The same
must be true of every single person in this sanctuary
if they are to be a true and genuine disciple
of Jesus Christ. This and this alone, brothers
and sisters, results inevitably in a willingness
to suffer for the sake of faithfulness. So if
you, as Grace Fellowship Church, want to cultivate
and nurture faithfulness in your life, what do
you need to do? You need to cultivate love for
the person and the work of Jesus Christ. You
need to fill your mind with the scriptures that
speak of Christ and teach about Christ and his
work. You need to nurture your heart in the grace
of God. You need fresh views and fresh glimpses
of Christ that the Spirit of God would bless
that faith and grow you through that faith. You
need to come to a point where you love Jesus
Christ more than everything else in your life.
If we want to love Christ, if we want to love...
and be faithful to Christ, brothers and sisters.
We must cultivate and nurture love for Christ
in our hearts and let that order everything else
in our lives. So we've seen what faithfulness
meant for Paul. We've seen what faithfulness
required. And that faithfulness still requires
a cost for believers. But we've also seen, brothers
and sisters, a glorious reality that when a person
comes to know Christ truly and genuinely and
they come to love His grace and have Him supremely
in their heart, that they will be willing to
do anything Christ says because of their love
for Him.