A faithful church is a successful church
Revelation 3:7-10
A missionary struggling in his ministry wrote “sometimes adversity tempts me to discouragement in the faith with seeming failure, but I take courage and press on anew, as I remember that God does not hold me responsible for success but for faithfulness.†Far to often we as individuals and as a church view success by the worlds standard of size, money, etc.
We need to ask ourselves the question, Who ultimately determines what success is?, and what measuring stick is used?
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus states that the church is His to build. It is not based upon man’s definition and the Word of God is our measuring stick. God does not ask us to strive for greatness but to strive for FAITHFULNESS.
The church at Philadelphia, Rev 3, was a successful church because it was a faithful church. Jesus identifies himself in v7 as. “I am holy, I am true, and I am sovergnâ€. This dictates that we as his people do not use worldly methods in the ministry, we accept his evaluation of our ministry and that we recognize that Jesus is in charge of the minisrty thru us.
Jesus gives His approval of their work. He knows what they have been doing, He knows that they are small in size and they have remained loyal to Him. He commends them for their faithfulness in preaching the gospel message and not denying His name thru compromise
The Lord promises them opportunities for continue ministry, protection from their enemies and that they will be kept from the hour of trial (tribulation) that is coming by the return of Christ.
It is not our responsibility to bring in great crowds, it is our responsibility to sow the Word of God faithfully. It is God’s respnsibility to give increase as He deems best.
God is looking for FAITHFULNESS.
(sermon by guest speaker, Pastor Shawn Beliveau, missionary pastor in Vancouver, Canada)