The Faithful Servant

The sermon begins by emphasizing two essential qualities for servants of God: faithfulness and humility. The pastor notes that while love, faith, biblical knowledge, and leadership ability are important, without these two qualities, other talents become meaningless and hold no value for God's Church and Christ. The sermon uses Billy Graham as a living example of faithfulness and humility to help the congregation understand the significance of these virtues.

The pastor presents in detail the life and message of Billy Graham, the greatest evangelist of the twentieth century. During 58 years (1947-2005), Graham preached God's word directly to 215 million people in 185 countries across six continents, and according to 2008 estimates, he reached more than 2.2 billion people through media channels. Graham's core message was simple: because God loves the world, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for humanity's sins, and whoever believes will have eternal life. Graham was honored by presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama as America's Pastor, yet his stories of humility are truly moving: when praised, he responded with humor; when asked what he would say to God in heaven, he immediately replied, "Please forgive me." Two important quotes from Graham frame the sermon: "I was saved not because I preached to great crowds but like the thief on the cross next to Christ" and "My home is in Heaven. I am just traveling through this world."

The second section develops the concept of faithfulness. The pastor defines faithfulness as a compound word combining loyalty (keeping trust and promises despite changing circumstances) and trustworthiness (fulfilling all that is entrusted). Faithfulness is a crucial quality for those investing in God's kingdom, and faithfulness is more important to God than success. Citing Proverbs 20:6, the pastor demonstrates that it is difficult to find a faithful person because many speak but few act, many try but few persevere, few remain steadfast to the end. Faithfulness requires perseverance, strong will, and unwavering trust in God's word regardless of circumstances. Following Christ is not a sprint but a long-distance race (marathon) requiring fellow runners to encourage and support one another. The example of Timothy—who remained faithful in serving alongside Paul until the very end—clearly illustrates this. Paul advises entrusting the teachings to faithful people who will pass them on to the next generation.

The third section focuses on humility. The pastor teaches that a humble servant understands what God uses. Quoting 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, the pastor emphasizes that God chooses foolish, weak, and lowly things to shame the wise, strong, and great, so no one can boast before God. Humanity was created from dust, not from some precious material, and the English word "human" itself derives from the Latin "humus" (dust or decomposed matter). When we understand this, we do not become overly attached to the material and visible, for the visible is temporary while the invisible is eternal. All glory belongs entirely to God the Creator, who gave us breath to live. The pastor uses biblical examples: Moses—whom God used after 40 years of unnamed, humble shepherding in the wilderness, with only a shepherd's staff to perform miracles; David—who used a sling and a stone from a stream to defeat Goliath; Jesus—born in a humble stable. The sermon concludes by teaching that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and emphasizes the respect for women in God's service, from Mary as an ordinary maiden to the women in Jesus' genealogy such as Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.