In his sermon 'Faithfulness: The Path to True Riches,' Mike Davenport discusses the biblical perspective on faithfulness as depicted in Luke 16. The sermon emphasizes that true riches, which are heavenly and eternal, can only be attained through faithfulness in earthly matters such as money and resources. The central themes include stewardship, accountability, and faithfulness. Davenport explains that everything we possess is ultimately God's and we are merely stewards, accountable for how we manage these resources. He cites scriptures such as Matthew 6 and 1 Timothy 6 to illustrate the difference between earthly wealth and heavenly treasures, urging believers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. The sermon also discusses the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to highlight the consequences of neglecting eternal investments in favor of earthly wealth. Davenport concludes by urging listeners, especially young people, to prepare for life not just materially but spiritually, emphasizing that faithfulness in the little things leads to eternal rewards.

I want to speak to you for the next few minutes here about faithfulness, the path to true riches. Faithfulness as the path to true riches. And what I want to do is just read a portion of text that we looked at last night from Luke 16, Luke 16, the middle of verse eight through 12. For the sons of this world are more shrewd, we've been hearing a lot about that, in their generation than the sons of light. Christ says that as if that's not the way it should be.

And he says, I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches and if you have not been faithful and what is another man's who will give you what is your own. When Jesus deals with the subject of money here in this text the three themes that come to the surface are the following, and we've heard them throughout the whole thing.

Stewardship, accountability, and faithfulness. Stewardship, accountability, and faithfulness. When we look at these three things we are forced to conclude that the things we have dealt with in this conference are no small matters. First, stewardship. A lot has been said about that already.

Everything you have has been given to you, it all ultimately belongs to the Lord. But second, because it is a stewardship, don't forget there is accountability. We will be called to give an account to him on the last day. Just like the servants who receive the talents that our brother Kelly just talked about, we too will have to demonstrate at the Lord's return what we have done with our time, our finances, and our talents. And the third thing that we find here is faithfulness.

Paul states in 1st Corinthians 4, 2, moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. Faithfulness is the overarching theme of the Christian life. We are to be faithful in all things. Well, my purpose in focusing on this text is to drive home the reality that there is more to the story than all the financial well-being that we have covered in this conference. There's something greater.

Are you aware of that? Jesus mentions it right here in this text, right here in verse 11. Did you catch it? True riches. True riches.

I believe these riches are heavenly riches with eternal significance. But Christ states that if you are not faithful with this earthly financial stuff, who in the world is going to commit to you into your trust anything of eternal value? The much-loved Bishop J.C. Ryle states it bluntly and emphatically, The doctrine is that he who is dishonest and unfaithful in the discharge of his duties on earth must not expect to have heavenly treasure or to be saved. Eternal life is called that which is your own.

It is the only property which endures forever. Grace and peace once given are an everlasting possession. Once are ours, they are ours to all eternity." End quote. And so we see here that the path to those true riches is faithfulness. Faithfulness.

You may be here today wishing that you had heard all of this stuff before today. Maybe you wish you had heard these things five years ago, or 10 years ago, or 30 years ago, but there's no rewind button. We can't go back. Maybe you've not made wise decisions. Maybe your portion right now is a small portion.

My dear friend, this passage tells us that faithfulness over the least, over the least, has its reward. It has its reward. But be faithful where you are and with what you have. Faithfulness is not just the duty of those who have more. And consider the fact that your circumstances today, your accounts, your portfolios, your possessions, are not the only measure, are not the only measure of your net worth.

Not according to this passage. As one of the brothers said yesterday, if you have Christ, you have everything. That factors into your net worth. And what factors in as well is are you being faithful whatever your net worth is today. The Bible is not silent about investments.

Consider the words of Christ in Matthew 6, 19 and 20. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Consider also the words of Paul to his son in the faith Timothy in in 1st Timothy 6 17 to 19. Our brother Kelly read this text last night.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Well, this text here in Luke 16 closes with this verse, and if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own. The uncertain riches you hold in your hand, they are another man's. In what sense?

In what sense are they another man's? Well, in one sense, like this, you're just a steward of these things. What you really have belongs to God. But not only that, consider with me the fact that any riches that you have in your hand today, it was once another man's. And if they didn't belong to anyone in the past, you're the first to have these things, then certainly when you leave this world, those riches will belong to another man.

But if you will be faithful in that which has been and will once again be another man's, if you will be faithful as that wise steward, then you will have for all eternity what is your own. There is a surety in those riches that cannot be found in this world. There is an eternity to those riches, riches that moth and rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot steal. Jesus drove this point home when telling the parable of the rich man and his barns. The rich man's entire focus was on the here and now, not thought about eternity, no thought about his soul.

His whole life was about acquiring simply so that he would be well taken care of for the many, he thought, years of his life. And what did God say to him? God said this, fool, fool not because he hadn't prepared well for his future here on earth, but he said, this night your soul will be required of you. Then whose will those things be which you have provided? Another man's.

And then Jesus issued a warning to his followers, so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Can you describe your life as rich toward God? Can you do that? You see our banking, a banking account, they'll all be different. Our portfolios will look different.

Our homes and cars may be different in size and newness, But here's one thing that we must all have in common, faithfulness. Faithfulness. What kind of steward are you? Are you being faithful with the possessions entrusted to you? What kind of character are you exhibiting in regard to even the smallest things that you hold in your hand?

Are you doing what is good, ready to give, willing to share. If you prove to be unfaithful in the riches of this life, who will commit to your trust the true and eternal riches? Are your patterns of life revealing a heart that is set on laying hold on eternal life. One of our great desires in having this conference is to prepare you young people for life in this world, to help you be prepared. But God forbid that any of you go out of this place knowing how to gain the whole world and yet lose your soul.

We want you to prosper in this world, but we want more than that the prosperity of your soul. And Christ teaches that the two are tied together. How you handle the things of this world can prepare for you true riches for eternal life. Jesus goes on in this very chapter of Luke 16 telling the story of a rich man in Lazarus. It's a story of true riches.

It's a story of real worthwhile investments with a sure return. There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. He made the wise choices. He knew what he was doing. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. We don't know how he got there. We don't know how. It's not important. So it was, we read, that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.

The rich man also died and was buried. And if you remember in our study in Ecclesiastes, Solomon said the same thing happens to the rich that happens to the poor man. They both die. You can't prevent death. It comes.

And being in torment in Hades, the rich man lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. But here's the answer that Abraham gave him. Son, remember that in your lifetime, you received your good things and likewise Lazarus' evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented.

God forbid that you should receive all your good things in this life only. Better, better my friend, that everything that you've heard just goes in one ear and out the other, lest you die a rich man whose good things will be tied only to this earth and only torment on the horizon for all eternity. But may you hear the things that are being said and may you prepare and be wise. But the man who built the bigger barns was not condemned because of the building. He was condemned because there were other preparations that he had left out, left undone.

So in the doing of these things, use them in a faithful way that you may lay hold of the true riches. Amen.