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The Household of God and Loyalty
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod's loyalty to us stands as a profound testament to His enduring commitment. His faithfulness is evident in His covenant-relationship with His people, a bond of permanent love from which no saint can ever be severed. Because of God's loyalty to us and our loyalty to Him, nothing can separate us from our intimate, loving relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. His faithfulness is defined as a determined loyalty to a gracious covenant, often linked with loving kindness, uprightness, justice, and righteousness. Throughout Scripture, God's works, judgments, and paths are done in faithfulness, firmly establishing His loyalty to His people. He is enthusiastic about His covenant and extends this same fervor to His church and to us as individuals and as the household of God. In response to our actions, God remains just, acting with loyalty when we are faithful, yet responding accordingly to disloyalty. His mercy shines through as He promises to betroth His people forever in righteousness, justice, loving kindness, mercy, and faithfulness, affirming that He will faithfully own and bless those who loyally serve and worship Him. God's faithfulness calls for a dutiful response from His people, obligating us to be freely loyal to Him. As Creator, Redeemer, and Judge, He can be trusted in all His attributes, never abandoning His purpose until it is fully accomplished. His loyalty demands our faithfulness to His commands, a total response in both character and actions, reflecting the gracious covenant He upholds with unwavering dedication.
Are You a True Friend of Jesus Christ?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsIn every platitude and truism about friendship that we have read, all point to loyalty and faithfulness as the most desired attributes.
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part Nine)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe loyalty of the Laodiceans did not extend far beyond loyalty to self. Loyalty and friendship are inextricably bound together.
Lamentations (Part Five; 1989)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughGod's loyalty to His people ensures that they are not consumed even amid severe punishment and affliction. This loyalty stems from His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which He proposed and maintains because of His love, the primary attribute of His character that motivates all His actions. Although He may turn His hand against His people and drive them through darkness and hardship when they fail to respond to gentler correction, His compassions never fail and remain new every morning. His faithfulness and loyalty persist unchanged, for He cannot go back on His promises or abandon what He has begun. The poet therefore recalls these unchanging qualities and finds hope that the affliction will not last forever, that God will yet carry through His purpose, and that restoration remains possible because He is dependable and will deliver those who continue to hope in Him.
Psalm Genres (Part Five): Psalms of Praise
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod's loyalty to us, as expressed through His covenant love, is a profound reason for praise. His steadfast love, often termed "hesed," appears frequently in the Psalms, reflecting His commitment to fulfill the promises He made through covenant. This love is not merely an emotion but a binding obligation He has placed upon Himself to act with kindness, mercy, and grace toward us. He loves righteousness and justice, and the earth is full of His goodness, demonstrating His covenant loyalty in countless ways that we should recognize and celebrate with praise. This loyalty is evident in His enduring character, as His name and fame persist through all generations, signifying His unchanging nature. He is a God who can be trusted to keep His promises, ensuring that we are not consumed by our failings because of His merciful and gracious disposition. His memorial name serves as a reminder of His covenant-fulfilling acts, prompting us to remember and praise Him for all He has done, even when the immediate outcomes seem challenging, knowing His ultimate purpose is for our good. Furthermore, God's loyalty manifests in His judgment and compassion toward His people. Even when He judges, it is with the intent of correction and restoration, ultimately showing compassion by providing a path back to Him. His interventions in history, His personal interactions with us, and His provision and protection are all expressions of this covenant love. We are called to trust in His reliability, to act in faith on His promises, and to experience the blessings that follow, for He remains true to Himself and to what He has pledged. In response to His boundless love and unwavering commitment, our natural reaction should be one of continuous praise. His goodness, everlasting mercy, and enduring truth compel us to never cease glorifying Him. As a loving Father, He works tirelessly for our benefit, often in ways we may not immediately perceive, reinforcing that we have every reason to offer Him our gratitude and worship at all times.
Trial by Fire
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's loyalty to us is a steadfast assurance woven throughout His interactions with humanity. He is omniscient, fully aware of all that transpires in His creation, and His eyes are constantly upon us, never wandering or forgetting. As seen in Hebrews 4:12-13, nothing is hidden from His sight; all things are open to Him, ensuring that He is always present in our lives. His closeness is evident, as Deuteronomy 30:11 reminds us that His Word is near, not distant or unattainable. In Romans 8:28-32, we find His promise that all things work together for good to those who love Him, according to His purpose. He did not spare His own Son, delivering Him up for us all, which guarantees that He will freely provide all lesser needs as we progress toward His Kingdom. His faithfulness is unwavering, as He has predestinated, called, justified, and fully intends to glorify us, ensuring that no need along the way is overlooked. Psalm 136 repeatedly extols His mercy that endures forever, highlighting acts of grace such as bringing Israel out of bondage and remembering us in our low estate. Despite our instability and frequent failures, His loyal love persists, rescuing us even when we resist Him. Genesis 8:1 shows this with Noah, where God remembered him and all with him in the ark during catastrophic turmoil, watching over them without fail. Similarly, in Genesis 9:14-15, the rainbow serves as a reminder of His everlasting covenant, affirming His constant mindfulness of His promises. In Genesis 19:29 and Exodus 2:24-25, God remembered Abraham and His covenant with Israel, delivering Lot and hearing the groans of His people, demonstrating that His timing and solutions are always perfect, never constrained by human limitations. Titus 1:2 and Ephesians 1:4 further reveal that His thoughts of us extend before time began, choosing us before the foundation of the world, a testament to His enduring memory and intent for our salvation. Even in our trials, as seen with Job, His presence remains. Job 23:10 reflects the faith that when He has tested us, we shall come forth as gold, knowing that He is aware of our path even when we cannot perceive Him. Proverbs 15:3 confirms that His eyes are in every place, beholding all, offering comfort to those who trust in His watchfulness. His loyalty ensures that He never abandons us, providing strength and correction through trials to refine us, not as punishment, but as a means to shape us into His image, as affirmed in Hebrews 12:5-11 and Isaiah 53:3-8, where Christ bore our iniquities, turning our suffering into remedial growth. Thus, His unwavering commitment stands as a pillar of hope, assuring us that He will never forget or forsake us, continuously supplying what we need to reach the ultimate goal of His Kingdom.
Our Hope
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Our hope is based on having a living Savior. At times we are discouraged and overwhelmed, but God has not left us—though unseen, He is in the trials with us.