INTRODUCTION : THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

SERMON 1/5 | 07 & 08 MARCH 2020 | All Services

Rev Stanley Chua, Pastor-in-Charge

Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 7:9; Joshua 21:43-45

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV) – Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Joshua 21:43-45 (NIV) – So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

WATCH | SERMON (Video)

(Click on video below)

READ | SERMON NOTES

SUMMARY | God is always faithful and will keep all His promises to us in His time. When going through trials, instead of looking at our circumstances, we should focus on God’s word and character.

Faithfulness is God’s Character | In this broken world, nobody is able to keep their promises all the time. Only God can. When God told Moses, “I am who I am”, He was referring to His eternal, never-changing and faithful nature. There are several verses in the Bible which establishes God’s faithfulness as a major part of His character – Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 1:9. In fact, the Hebrew word used to describe God’s character is ‘Hesed’ = ‘Steadfast Love’.

Three Certainties of God’s Faithfulness | There are three certainties we can lean upon:

1. Every Word God Says is True. The Hebrew word ‘Emet’ is used to describe God’s Word. It means truth, stability, firmness, or certainty. Therefore if God’s word is truth, everything He says and does is a certainty.
2. Every Promise That God Gives Will Be Kept. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” Joshua 21:45 also tells us, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” However, we must remember that God fulfilled all His promises to the Israelites over a period of time and it was not without setbacks, problems, heartaches and challenges. Unfortunately, because we live in a culture of instant gratification, we tend to carry this into our relationship with God. So when God doesn’t fulfil His promises instantly, we get disappointed.
3. Every Trial Has a Purpose. Nothing happens to us by chance! There are 4 truths from the Bible on this: i) God knows what you and I are going through (Job 23:10); ii) God uses our trials to help us grow (Romans 5:3-4); iii) God calls us to rejoice in our trials (James 1:2-4); and iv) God invites us to submit to Him (1 Peter 4:19).

Our Response | No matter what mountains loom before you, remember that God is still God. If you’re frustrated or angry because your prayers don’t seem to be working, don’t look at your circumstances but turn your eyes on God’s word and promises. We may not always understand the reasons why we’re going through a particular trial or crisis, but we know the God we love and worship is a faithful God.

(Sermon Notes by Desley Khew)

PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the relationship between God’s faithfulness and His character?
2. How does God keep His promises when we study Joshua 21:43-45?
3. What are the three certainties about the faithfulness of God that we can always lean upon?
4. What are the 3 points (or things) that God spoke through this sermon?
5. What are 2 questions (or things) that I struggled with?
6. What is the 1 promise (or thing) that I may act on?

PRAY | LET US PRAY:

• God will grant mercy to those affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
• Many will experience the faithfulness of God as they continue to love and keep His commandments.
• God will give rest to His children as they choose to trust in His faithfulness.

Sermons In This Series:

1. Introduction : The Faithfulness Of God (Deuteronomy 7:9; Joshua 21:43-45) | 7/8 Mar 2020
2. God’s Faithfulness In Every Circumstance (Genesis 50:19-20) | 14/15 Mar 2020
3. God’s Faithfulness To The Defeated (Lamentations 3:22-23) | 21/22 Mar 2020
4. God’s Faithfulness To The Suffering (Psalm 119:67; 71; 75) | 28/29 Mar 2020
5. God’s Faithfulness To The Doubting (John 20:24-29) | 18/19 Apr 2020