Faithfulness in Quiet Service: A Legacy of Authenticity

let me ask you a question what did Jesus do when he was 23 does anyone know I mean we know he was a carpenter what' he do at 25 I mean we know he was a carpenter 28 probably a better Carpenter I mean we're talking about Jesus how is it that we don't know what he was doing when he was 23 it's almost like he made it his ambition to live a quiet life and to work hard with his hands [00:00:04]

you see there's a principle in scripture in Luke 16:10 it says that he who is faithful in little will be faithful in much and I'm just I get concerned um I love the passion that I see in young people today for Jesus I gets me so fired up and it's out of my love for for you that I'm saying you got to be faithful in the little before you can be a voice to the world [00:58:16]

we have a lot of people clamoring to be voices we need fewer voices and more examples in 1 Timothy 3 he says in verse for when he's talking about Elders in the church in 1 Timothy 3 he gives this principle again verse 4 he must manage his own household well with all dignity keeping his children submissive for if someone does not know how to manage his own household how will he care for God's church [01:38:56]

he must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil moreover he must be well thought of by Outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into a snare of the devil again he's saying look if if you can't manage your house if you can't even if your own kids don't respect you if you don't even have a right relationship with your wife what are you doing leading the church [02:21:28]

and then he says be careful like you you don't want to give too much to a young young convert because it's going to lead them into this trap the condemnation of the devil it's going to lead to this Pride you give a platform to a young man you better be careful with that man I I became a Believer when I was like 15 years old and something in me was like man you you like like I knew I had something in me like I'm supposed to be teaching [02:43:92]

and I remember my youth pastor was so wise he never let me teach he seriously didn't I seriously I would listen to him teach and in my head I'm going I could say that better I really just sat there as a teenager thinking that and and I still believe it to they I probably could have but in his wisdom he says no go clean the bathrooms go stack the chairs you're not preaching cuz he loved me and he says look I don't want you falling into this [03:30:28]

there's something about these lights that aren't good for you one of my mentors is this guy in India and I remember him telling me this story he goes you know everyone's chasing a bigger and bigger platform he goes but if God wants to give it to you he'll give it to you and then he said he goes you know I remember just he goes I remember my friend Teresa I'd visit her all the time we would just go serve the poor do our thing whatever and then one day God decides I want the whole world to know about you [04:21:52]

so everyone knows about Mother Teresa and he goes you know never in her wildest dreams would she think to promote herself just quietly do her thing and then God decided to make her a household name and I just always thought that I'm like wow God you if you want to lift someone up you can do that but my wife asked me something the other day it was actually a couple months ago she was reading in Matthew chapter six [05:00:84]

where in verse one it says beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them for then you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven thus when you give to the needy sound no trumpet before you as the Hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the street that they may be praised by others truly I say to you they have received their reward but when you give to the needy do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [05:36:16]

so that your giving may be in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you and when you pray you must not be like the Hypocrites but they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others truly I say to you they have received their reward but when you pray go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who's in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you [06:09:19]

my wife was reading that and she just asked me she goes does anyone do anything in secret anymore we're so into posting things that even your quiet time is your Bible with a coffee and a little muffin time with Jesus and this passage she goes does anyone do anything in secret sadly I go yeah sinful stuff and I'm not judging and I understand forgiveness I'm just saying God could we have another generation rise up that has nothing to hide [06:46:40]

because we hide our sin and then we post our good works the Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another and hide our righteous Deeds I mean it's the exact opposite of what scripture tells us to do he says man we've got to tell each other confess your sins to one another make it known look this is what's going on in my life I need to walk away from this and then if you're praying then just close a door lock the door pray in tongues pray in English I don't care just pray [07:51:08]