VHG – The Cost of the Crown – Part 3: Faithfulness – The 3rd Expense!

Summary:

One of God’s great attributes is His eternal faithfulness. So wonderful is this quality that the prophet Jeremiah describes it with these words, “…great is thy faithfulness,” [Lam. 3:23]. These words would ultimately become the title of one of the church’s most beloved and enduring hymns. It is this quality of steady consistency, reliable dependability, and unrelenting commitment that God expects of His people. In fact, it is a requirement for all who will serve the Lord, [1 Cor. 4:2], and it is the qualification for those to whom the Lord’s ministry is to be entrusted, [2 Tim. 2:2]. Now, it must be stated that when it comes to the faithfulness of the believer, it is not a spiritual gift or an impartation by the laying on of hands; it is a quality that must be cultivated and time-tested. Whether through valleys, waters, fires, tribulations, or trials, faithfulness should be one of the fruits produced by whatever God, life, or the enemy throws our way.

Discussion Questions:

• King David, Israel’s sweet psalmist, knows something about faithfulness, and perhaps this is why his songs of worship resonate so deeply with us. Having endured attempts on his life, wilderness wanderings not once but twice, the death of his children, the conspiracy of his son, he knows what faithfulness looks like, whether from God to him and from him to God. Using David’s story as a backdrop, discuss how your many life experiences have taught you about God’s faithfulness or have cultivated faithfulness in you toward God.
• The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is as old as Sunday school. Everyone knows the story, but not everyone is prepared for the level of faithfulness required. The many fires of life, along with the pressures to conform to this world, are often the crucibles in which our faithfulness is forged. Discuss openly how the pressures of life have produced your level of faithfulness, and how a believer can stand in the face of these pressures without ever bowing.