Message intro:

• Continuing our series on Faithful and Focused
• Last week we looked at the first parable of Matthew 25, this week we’ll look at the second parable. 

Hebrews 3:1–5 (NLT) — 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. 2 For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. 3 But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4 For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. 5 Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later.

Hebrews 11 has “hall of faith”

The Bible has a “hall of faithful people”

• Abraham was faithful in God’s house
• Joseph was faithful in God’s house
• Joshua was faithful in God’s house
• David was faithful in God’s house
• Nehemiah was faithful in God's house
• Paul was faithful in God’s house

Faithfulness is the gold standard for God- Matthew 25:23 (NLT) — 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

Four signs of a faithful servant

1. Faithful servants receive assignments
   1. Moses was at the bush and God gave him an assignment
   2. Kids receiving an assignment is hilarious “Go to the car, in the center console is a pen, bring it to me”. Two things are going to happen, one they come back twenty minutes later with nothing, two they bring the wrong thing back. 
   3. I had a man come to me that really wanted to be used by God in the church. I gave him a very clear thing to do, and he said “whatever you need me to do.”
   4. Receiving an assignment has to do with LISTENING.
      1. Faithful servants of the Lord check in
      2. Faithful servants of the Lord are sensitive to His voice
      3. Faithful servants of the Lord pick up assignments
2. Faithful servants get to work
   1. Once you get an assignment from the Lord, can you get moving?
   2. Moses immediately packed his bag and headed across the desert. 
   3. Moses worked HARD for years and years of his life after receiving the assignment 
   4. Bro. Roy was a hard worker
      1. He could finish large projects fast because he found the ring leaders that were causing people to loaf, and would send them on a task
   5. Do you know that THERE IS WORK TO DO? 
      1. Kingdom WORK! 
      2. Most of our work is vanity! 
      3. Story about man at funeral
3. Faithful servants stay on the job
   1. Kids that act like they want to help, but they have NO endurance. 
   2. Moses was 80 years old when he received his big assignment. He served that one assignment for 40 years. 
   3. He often wanted to quit. 
      1. Numbers 11:10–16 (NLT) — 10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the LORD, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you.
   4. Faithfulness is seeing the job through until completion
   5. Galatians 6:9 (NLT) — 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
   6. People who exemplify this: Pictures will be airdropped
      1. Houma - Lloyd Lapeyrouse
      2. New Orleans - Ariana Williams 
      3. Mobile - Joe Wooten 
      4. Ascension - Rhonda Carpenter
      5. Baker - Steve Armstrong
      6. LP - Steve and Missie Elmore
      7. South - Marlin Johnson
4. Faithful servants bear fruit
   1. It’s not enough to just “still have” your assignment. You must turn it into something better. 
   2. Moses was given a people
      1. Without a law
      2. Without civility or morality
      3. Without a religion
      4. Without a relationship to God
      5. Without the ability to fight
   3. Moses delivered a people
      1. With a law, culture, identity, way of worship, confidence to enter the land
   4. Moses was an excellent steward of God’s house. 
   5. God is looking for people who will make excellent, prosperous, and fruitful, what he puts in their hands. 

Let’s talk about you:

• What’s the Lord been speaking to you to do for him
• What’s the Lord put in your hands?
• How can you take what he’s given you and make it better, make it multiply?
• It starts right here in the house

There are general assignments for EVERYONE, and specific ones. If you don’t know a specific one, do the general ones WELL!