INTRO: When Paul Penned These Words He Was Alone Without One Person To

“ARE YOU LOYAL?”

2 TIMOTHY 4:16-18

INTRO: When Paul penned these words He was alone without one person to

stand with him. Friends, there are many lonely times in our lives,

especially when we our true to Christ and follow the Lord in all things.

Not only do people forsake us as individuals but the Church suffers

from those who turn their backs on the work and walk away, leaving

the Church to struggle and perhaps die. The Bible encourages us to

be faithful in our service to God and others. In fact, the Bible

promises great reward to those who live faithfully for the Lord.

In Revelation 2:10 the Lord promises—“…be thou faithful unto death,

and I will give thee a crown of life.” This means “Be firm, hold fast

the faith, confess Christ to the last, and at all hazards, and thou shalt

have a crown of life — thou shalt be crowned with life, have an eternal

happy existence, though thou suffer a temporal death.” (CLARKE’S

COMMENTARY NT, VOLUME 6B I THESS. – REVELATION by Adam Clarke. The Master Christian Library

I want to ask you a personal question tonight, “ARE YOU LOYAL?” To

answer that question we need first to understand what it means to be

loyal. What is it to be loyal? It is to be true blue. It is to be a person

that can be counted on to stand when others fail. It is to be one

who you can depend on. I want you to answer this question tonight,

“ARE YOU LOYAL?” Let us consider three things. First…

(1) WHAT LOYALTY EXCLUDES

A. INDIFFERENCE IS EXCLUDED. We see so much indifference today in

our Churches. Few seem to care. They are indifferent in the attendance,

attention, and affection. We need to see more concern in our Churches

today.

1. THE PERSON WHO IS LOYAL WILL BE CONCERNED. They will be:

· CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THE CHURCH.

ILLUS: The story is told of a man who had a new home, two new cars, and a

bright shiny boat. He had a large plasma TV, and a house full of all

kinds of gadgets to make life comfortable and enjoyable. This man

went to Church only when there was nothing else to do. When he did

go, which was seldom, he did nothing but find fault with the Church:

the sermon was too long and boring, the singing was not stirring

enough, the young people were too noisy, they asked for too much

money. The list of things he saw wrong with the Church could go on

and on. After he had been absent from Church for over a year he

became seriously ill and was placed in the hospital. When nobody

from the Church came to see him he asked someone why no one from

his church came to visit. The person he asked replied, “That Church

went out of business and closed its doors nearly a year ago.” The poor

sick man replied, “That is a shame they let it die. I wonder why they

let that happen?”

Friend, Are you concerned about the welfare of this Church? What are you

doing about it? It is time we quit worrying and gossiping about what

someone else is not doing and get busy doing what we need to be doing.

· CONCERNED ABOUT THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH. How concerned are we about our Church’s image in this community? Do we represent our

Church well? Do our actions bring glory to God? or Do our actions limit our

influence for God?

ILLUS: God fully expects the church of Jesus Christ to prove itself a

miraculous group in the very midst of a hostile world. Christians of

necessity must bein contact with the world but in being and spirit

ought to be separated from the world—and as such, we should be the

most amazing people in the world. –A. W. Tozer (1897–1963) (Draper's Book

2. THE LOYAL PERSON WILL BE COMMITTED. Jesus did not say, “Come to

me and get it over with.” He said, “If any man would come after me, let him

take up his cross daily and follow me.”Dailyis the key word. Our

commitment to Christ, however genuine and wholehearted it may be today,

must be renewed tomorrow . . . and the day after that . . . and the day after

that . . . until the path comes at last to the river. –Louis Cassels (1922-

will be:

· REGULAR IN THEIR ATTENDANCE. One who is loyal will not have to be badgered, begged, or bribed into coming to Church. They will come without coercion. They will look forward to coming together with God’s people to feast on the Word and fellowship with God’s people.

· REAL IN THEIR AFFECTION. Loyal people are loving people. They love the Lord. They love the Lord’s people. They love lost people.

B. IDLENESS IS EXCLUDED. When a person is loyal to Christ and the

Church that person won’t have to be begged, coaxed, or coerced into

serving. A loyal person will not stand by and idly say, “There is nothing to

do,” or “I don’t know what to do”. They will find something to do. They will

find things around to the Church to do. Ecclesiastes 10:18 warns us—“By

much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands

the house droppeth through.”

C. IDOLATRY IS EXCLUDED. Friend, do you know what idolatry is? It is

loving something more than you love God. Whatever a man seeks, honors,

or exalts more than God, is idolatry. –William Bernard Ullanthorne (1806-

of man is bent to idolatry. Over and over in the Scripture we see God’s

people falling into idolatry and then having to suffer the consequences

because of their disobedience. John wrote in 1 John 5:21—“Little children,

keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

(2) WHAT LOYALTY INCLUDES

A. FELLOWSHIP IS INCLUDED.

1. REALIZE OFFENSES WILL COME. Even though we are the body of Christ

we are all different. We have different likes and dislikes. We have different

looks and outlooks. Sometimes disagreements will arise. A Church where

the members are easily offended will be a weak Church. The fellowship

will be limited and the love of the brethren will be lacking. James 3:2 tells

us—“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the

same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

2. REMEDY OFFENSES WHEN THEY COME. Because offenses will come

and offenses do come in the life of a Church, we need to know what to do

when they come our way. When offenses come the parties involved ought to

get things straightened out. The Bible tells us what to do in case like this.

Matthew 18:15-17 says—“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against

thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear

thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with

thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word

may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the

church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an

heathen man and a publican.”

B. FRIENDSHIP IS INCLUDED. Friendship is one of the great blessings of the

Christian life. The kinship we have with other believers, even those who are

miles apart from us, is special. Sadly today, many of our so-called friends

are not truly our friends at all. Many speak well of us when we are around

but speak ill of us when we are not present. There are two things we need

to remember about friends:

1. FRIENDS REMAIN. Someone has given the definition of a friend as “One

who is there when everyone else is gone.” A real friend no matter what

you are facing will be there for you. A friend is someone who understands

your past, believes in your future, and accepts you today just the way you

are.

2. FRIENDS RESPOND. Many times, in our darkest hour, those who say they

love us and care for us are nowhere to be found. Someone said, “A friend is

one who comes in when everyone else walks out.” A friend will joyfully sing

with you when you are on the mountaintop, and silently walk beside you

through the valley.

C. FINANCES ARE INCLUDED. The Bible has much to say about money.

The best plan for supporting the Lord’s work is the Biblical plan. Malachi

3:8, 10 tells us—“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,

Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Bring ye all the tithes

into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me

now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of

heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to

receive it.” Money is like manure: If you spread it around, it does a world of

good; but if you pile it up, it stinks to high heaven.

We have considered WHAT LOYALTY EXCLUDES and WHAT LOYALTY INCLUDES but finally let us see..

(3) HOW LOYALTY CONCLUDES

A. THE LOYAL WILL BE REWARDED. The apostle Paul after years of faithful

and loyal service to God could look back and remember the faithfulness of

God and look forward to the glory that awaited him. In 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Paul declares—“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my

departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I

have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of

righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:

and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

ILLUS: As he neared the end of his life, Paul could confidently say that he had

been faithful to his call. Thus he faced death calmly, knowing that he

would be rewarded by Christ. Is your life preparing you for death? Do

you share Paul’s confident expectation of meeting Christ? The good

news is that the heavenly reward is not just for giants of the faith, like

Paul, but for all who are eagerly looking forward to Jesus’ second

coming. Paul gave these words to encourage Timothy, and us, that no

matter how difficult the fight seems—keep fighting. When we are with

Jesus Christ, we will discover that it was all worth it. (Life Application Bible

Application is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files

B. THE LOYAL WILL BE REJOICING. In the Lord’s parable of the talents,

both faithful servants were told—“Well done, thou good and faithful servant:

thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many

things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:21, 23). Although

believers are to rejoice continually in the prospect of their Lord’s coming

again, they are not to sit back in idleness and do nothing. Saving faith is

serving faith. On the other hand, they are not to become so caught up in

serving the Lord that they forget to contemplate and rejoice in His return.

CLOSING: Friend, let me ask you once again, “ARE YOU LOYAL?” Or “Do you

suffer from INDIFFERENCE, IDLENESS, or IDOLATRY? “Are you

loyal in FELLOWSHIP, FRIENDSHIP, and FINANCES? If so, your

loyalty will be rewarded and you will be rejoicing.

(PREPARED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, PASTOR OF BEECHMONT BAPTIST CHURCH, BEECHMONT, KY FOR SUNDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 22, 2009).