First Mennonite Church
March 9, 2025
On Being Faithful and Fruitful
Matthew 25:31-46
Let us say you are visiting a friend or a relative who does not go to any church, and suddenly the conversation turns to the subject of faith, or the importance of trusting God, or the way by which people get saved, or about the importance of going to church. Then your friend or relative seriously asks you, “So, please tell me, why should I go to your church? Sell your church to me.”
What would you say? Will you try to find things physical about your church to talk about? Or that it has a section of historical value, of the cushioned pews that we have, of the arch ceiling in the sanctuary, resembling an inverted Noah’s ark, or of the most recent heating/cooling equipment installed? Or, will you tell about the traditional hymns we sing, the easy-to-follow order of worship that we have, or that we have a monthly potluck, or about the history and theology of the Anabaptist movement the Mennonite church shares?
You see, when it comes to local outreach oftentimes those doing the outreach are tempted to have something to offer or to attract the unchurched. Therefore, with that goal in mind, churches sometimes operate as convenient stores filling their shelves with wares to keep the customers coming and satisfied. And, the reason is because, in church business oftentimes pastors and churches want to lure people away from their competitors by packaging their goods to keep the customers happy in growing numbers. Having a large clientele is often suggested as a sign of success and having small numbers, of failure. Numbers have often been the metrics by which church success or failure is measured.
Should numbers be the only metrics or measuring stick with which to measure church success? Could there be something else?
In the Old Testament reading for today in 2Samuel 24, we see a David, who probably had nothing in his mind to worry about, decided to take a count of how many abled-bodied men ready to fight were there in the entire country. So, he commanded his military chief Joab to carry out a census. It seems that even Joab thought it was not a good idea, but David’s order prevailed.
Let me say in parenthesis that in this original account, the writer if indeed it was Samuel, we do not know, says that it is the Lord who incited David to carry out the census, which later is described as an evil act. In other words, seems to say that the Lord tempted David to do what was evil. Later generations when retelling this same story had trouble with the idea that it was the Lord who tempted David to do what was evil. Therefore in Chronicles 21:1, we read:
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”
The census had the purpose of collecting data about how strong of a fighting army David would have at his disposal should there be a war. When the report was given to David, the large numbers made his heart puff up with pride and self-confidence, and that was the issue that made it sinful before Yahweh.
So, let me just make it very clear. Numbers, and more precisely having large numbers, in and of itself are not a bad thing in the church. Relying on it or making it the only means to measure church success misses the whole picture God wants for the church.
The church needs to be faithful but also fruitful. Let us take a look of these two qualities, one at a time.
The Lord wants us to be faithful. Jesus says in Luke 16: 10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Being faithful does not require the church to do anything. Being faithful reflects the church’s relationship with the Lord. It is a relationship where the church’s love, devotion, and joyful worship of the Lord are demonstrated. In other words, being faithful reveals the internal life of the church, the spiritual vibrancy of the church. It is about its readiness to serve the Lord by participating in church activities: group Bible study, personal devotional time, generosity, caring for each other, and giving attention to all its members. Faithfulness requires the pastor to seek the Lord’s face in prayer on behalf of each and every precious soul God has placed under his or her care. Faithfulness requires the pastor to diligently search the Holy Scriptures to provide guidance and food for the sheep of the Lord’s fold. Faithfulness requires the whole congregation to do all it can, securing that the new generation within it grows and gives continuity to the congregation’s life and ministry. It requires rejoicing when young couples bring their children and dedicate them to the Lord. It requires securing that the little ones are trained and taught in the Lord’s fear. Faithfulness urges us to work our salvation with fear and trembling. Faithfulness is the collective effort to see that “no one falls away from the grace of God (Galatians 5:4; Heb. 12:15). Faithfulness is the collective effort to remain in the True Vine. Jesus is the True Vine. As a result of remaining in the True Vine, we will also become fruitful.
Fruitfulness is also one of the metrics by which the Lord’s church should be measured. Again, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). If faithfulness has to do with the church on its being, fruitfulness has to do with its doing. Faithfulness and fruitfulness are sides of the same coin, therefore, being and doing are sides of the same coin, too. Fruitfulness has to do with the church’s mission, a mission characterized by doing works of mercy, as its Lord did. In Matthew 25, Jesus reveals that on the Day of Judgment, his followers will be rewarded for six works of mercy they did without knowing they had done them to their Lord. Those rewarded will be shocked at the news that their deeds of mercy had been done to their Lord without them knowing it. That means, Jesus’ followers carry out works of mercy so naturally and so generously that they do not even notice to whom they are doing it. There in Matthew 25, Jesus says to the surprise of his followers, I was hungry and you gave me a drink. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was sick and you visited me. I was a foreigner and you welcomed me. I was in prison and you came to visit me. I was naked and you clothed me.
So, the question is, what should we do?
Let us double our effort in being faithful. Let us recommit ourselves to truly love the Lord our God with all our strength, heart, mind, and soul. Let us worship the Lord with joy, fervor, and reverence. Let us seek to encourage one another, even more as the day of the Lord approaches. Let us give generously so that the church would do its work. As babies do, let us crave the spiritual milk of the word of God. Let us join our hearts in prayers, supplications, and thanksgiving for those within our family of faith and for those who need to have faith.
As for fruitfulness, let us engage our neighbors with the gospel message. Let us live mercifully towards others. Let us explore together ways in which we as a congregation can respond to specific needs within our community, the school children, the poor, and the infirm.
Today, I want to give you a piece of paper with a list of things that can be done in the area of fruitfulness. Please go over this list and let your imagination of what could be possible be shaped by Jesus’ love. Consider each item prayerfully or write a list on the back page of the things you feel the Spirit is whispering to you.
And as we come to take part in the Lord’s Supper, let the Lord feed you and revitalize your spirit to serve him with love and passion. Amen!
Pastor Romero