Commitment Issues | Week 3 | Pastor Troy Maxwell

Through Generation Church FL, Pastor Troy Maxwell delivers a message on what Jesus calls faithfulness and why it matters for individuals, churches, and the communities God has placed them in. The message explores Revelation chapter 3 (the letter to the church in Philadelphia), reflects on the image of the vine and the branches in John 15, and shares personal stories about weakness, dependence, and how God uses ordinary people to change the world.

Why This Message Matters: A Timely Invitation to Faithfulness

You might be wondering why we’re looking at Revelation. John the apostle, not John the Baptist, receives a revelation on the island of Patmos. He sees Christ, seven lampstands, and seven angels, and Jesus dictates seven letters to seven churches across Asia Minor. Each letter praises strengths and points out problems. The church in Philadelphia is singled out as faithful, a small congregation that refused to be swallowed by the culture around it.

Why should that matter to you? Those seven churches are not just historical footnotes; they are mirror images of churches and believers in every generation. The traits Jesus addressed then show up in our lives now. If you want to be faithful not just in name but in life, you want to know what Jesus calls faithful.

The Headline From Revelation 3: An Open Door and a Faithful People

Jesus begins his letter to Philadelphia with the following statement: “I know your works. Behold, I have set an open door before you, which no one can shut.” That declaration carries several implications: God sees the effort, even when the congregation is small and under pressure; God provides an opportunity; and God protects that opportunity. The promise is radical, an open door that no one can close.

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” – Revelation 3:8

That open door is practical, not only prophetic. Paul said he had an effective door opened to him. There are seasons when opportunities arrive for the spread of the gospel. Right now, we are standing in a season of open doors. That means ordinary places like your workplace, gym, neighborhood, and family table are windows for the gospel. You don’t have to wait for a microphone or a stage. This is why faithfulness matters.

Context Matters: Philadelphia’s Faith Under Pressure

Philadelphia was named for brotherly love; it even minted coins in honor of love between brothers. It was a city known as “little Athens,” full of idol worship and competitive philosophies. The church there was small and vulnerable, under pressure from Judaizers and from a culture steeped in idolatry. Yet Jesus calls them faithful. That’s significant: faithfulness isn’t measured by size or applause but by obedience, perseverance, and truthfulness under pressure.

Jesus’ Definition of Faithfulness: Five Marks of a Faithful Life

In the letter to Philadelphia, Jesus highlights certain behaviors that identify faithful believers. I distilled five practical marks of faithfulness from that passage and related teaching. These are not abstract virtues to admire from afar; they are habits to adopt, daily practices that shape how we live, relate, and serve.

1. Faithful is fruitful
2. Faithful is dependent
3. Faithful is truthful
4. Faithful is loyal
5. Faithful is persevering

1. Faithful is Fruitful: Faith Produces Visible Fruit

Jesus tells Philadelphia, “I know your works.” That is a word about fruitfulness. Fruit is the reproduction of Jesus through us: lives changed, families restored, people rescued from addiction, and generosity that builds future ministries. Fruit is kingdom influence multiplying. Simply showing up on Sunday is not the same as being fruitful. Faith that saves is never alone; a genuine faith will produce works that demonstrate that belief.

To make this practical, Jesus uses the image of the vine (John 15). He describes four conditions a branch might find itself in, and they show a path of growth:

• No fruit grows on the branch that is removed. This is the danger of a faith that stagnates until it fades.
• Some fruit on the branch is pruned. Early obedience is often imperfect; God prunes to help us bear better fruit.
• The more fruit the branch grows, God uses the Spirit to magnify what we have started.
• Much fruit the branch sacrifices, builds a legacy, and multiplies for generations.

Fruit often begins small, with a seat in the parking lot, a hand extended to a mother with kids, and a conversation that plants a seed. Over time, God prunes, shapes, and multiplies those seeds into harvests. Fruitfulness requires seed-planting, patience, and risk outside the safety of church walls. Fruit is not immediate; it’s seasonal. Expect waiting, expect pruning, but expect harvest.

Practical Questions to Test Fruitfulness

• Is your faith visible in treating your family, neighbors, and co-workers?
• Are you sowing seeds, serving, inviting, sharing Jesus, or only attending?
• When God prunes, do you resist or allow the process to shape you?

2. Faithful is Dependent: Weakness Reveals God’s Power

Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia, “You have but little power.” That isn’t a rebuke; it’s a recognition that they were small but clung to God and therefore had an effect. Dependence on God, not self-reliance, is a mark of faithfulness. God often works most powerfully through our weakness.

Seasons of weakness are not unfamiliar. In 2006, a panic attack struck while sitting in the front row of a church, and then at a meeting in an elementary school. Just moments before preaching, the world seemed to close in, and it felt like life was slipping away. That moment began a long, humbling season that no one would plan for, yet it ultimately became a lesson in deeper dependence on God.

Paul called his hardship a “thorn in the flesh.” His response was not to hide it but to talk about it, and through that confession, he experienced Christ’s promise: “My grace is sufficient for you.” If we’re honest about weakness, God’s grace shows up bigger. Weakness is not a disqualification; it’s a platform for God’s power.

How Dependence Looks in Daily Life

• Confessing struggles to trusted leaders or community groups.
• Allowing others to help and to pray for you rather than pretending everything is fine.
• Trust God for the next step instead of shouldering the whole plan yourself.

3. Faithful is Truthful: Holding to Truth When Culture Resists

Jesus praised Philadelphia because they “kept my word.” To be faithful is to be truthful and hold to God’s revealed standard even when cultural pressures you to change. Truth is not determined by popularity or social media trends. When absolute truth is removed, absurdity fills the void. That’s blunt, but it’s necessary.

We live in a time when strong currents oppose biblical truth. Standing for truth does not mean unkindness; it means loving people enough to speak truth into their lives. At times, this will provoke anger or create tension within families. Yet it is far better to risk a temporary strain in a relationship for lovingly leading someone toward truth than to mislead through silence.

Being truthful also means knowing what you believe. A faithful person has convictions shaped by Scripture, not the latest cultural fad. That takes discipleship, prayer, and time in the Word.

Practical Ways to Be Truthful With Love

• Study the Bible and know what you believe and why.
• Listen before you speak; love before you correct.
• Speak truth in humility, trusting the Holy Spirit for conviction and change.

4. Faithful is Loyal: The Power of the Name of Jesus

Jesus praised Philadelphia for not denying his name. Faithfulness is loyalty to Jesus’ name, not an abstract or cultural Christianity, but a submission to Jesus’ way of life that taps into the authority and power of his name.

There are stories in Acts where people tried to use spiritual power without being under Jesus’ authority. They were exposed because they knew the name but didn’t operate under its lordship. Loyalty means walking under Christ’s authority so that when we pray, minister, or step out, we do so with Kingdom alignment.

Why is this important? Because the name Jesus represents identity, sacrifice, and resurrection power. To be faithful is to stay under that name even when persecution, mockery, or misunderstanding comes. That loyalty is the source of spiritual authority and effective ministry.

How to Grow in Loyalty

• Prioritise spiritual disciplines, prayer, Scripture, and worship that keep your allegiance to Jesus clear.
• Choose a community that encourages submission to Christ, not to celebrities or ideologies.
• Remember the Gospel daily: Christ lived, died, and rose and now intercedes for us.

5. Faithful is Persevering: Staying When It Hurts

Finally, Jesus commends Philadelphia for patient endurance. Perseverance is one of the hardest marks of faithfulness because it asks us to hold on when prayers seem unanswered, when doors stay closed, or when grief and loss come. It is easy to run when life hurts; faithfulness is staying.

Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Their faithfulness didn’t depend on a prior guarantee that God would rescue them. They declared, “God may not show up. But even if He doesn’t, we will not bow.” That kind of commitment is the raw core of perseverance. God did show up in their case, but sometimes His timing and method were not what we expected.

Perseverance doesn’t mean passivity. It means persistence in prayer, in obedience, and in hope. It’s a daily decision to step forward even when results are unclear.

Putting It Together: Fruit, Dependence, Truth, Loyalty, and Perseverance

These five marks belong together. Jesus describes a fruitful believer who is dependent, truthful, loyal, and persevering. He describes this kind of person in Philadelphia, a small church with a significant impact. The reward Jesus promises is not merely safety; it’s positioning. He promises protection in the coming hour of trial, the title of a pillar in God’s temple, something people can lean on, and the inscription of God’s name and the name of the New Jerusalem on those who conquer.

Faithfulness leads to legacy. We don’t serve only for the applause of our time; we steward resources, relationships, and influence so the next generation can know and follow Jesus. That’s why I talked about legacy earlier: giving, investing, and sacrificing so that today’s seed grows into tomorrow’s harvest.

Personal Invitation: A Step Toward Faithfulness

If what has been heard stirs conviction to be more honest, to step into service, to depend on God in weakness, to speak truth in love, or to remain in faith when the furnace is hot, then let one practical step be taken.

• Put your hand on your chest as a sign of the decision to move forward in faithfulness.
• Decide what one behaviour you will change this week: begin serving in a team, join a life group, tell one person about Jesus, confess a struggle to a trusted leader, or give sacrificially to support the church’s work.
• Pray, asking the Holy Spirit to show you precisely what the next faithful step is, then take it.

If You Don’t Know Jesus Yet

Maybe this is the first time you’ve heard the Gospel clearly. God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for you, to take the penalty of sin, and to make a way to the Father. The Bible says that you will be saved if you believe in Jesus, that He died and rose again. The Greek word is sozo: saved, healed, rescued, made whole. That rescue includes forgiveness for sin, the gift of new life, and a place in God’s family. All it takes is a simple step of faith.

If right now you want to trust Jesus, say this prayer aloud if you can and mean it:

Heavenly Father, we believe that Jesus died for us. We believe that His blood washes away all sins and mistakes. We believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Father, we will serve You and worship You forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Practical Next Steps for Those Committed to Grow in Faithfulness

Faithfulness is a journey, not a destination. Here are practical next steps to help you move from intention into consistent action:

• Join a small group. Community prunes and shapes us; it’s the sandpaper of spiritual growth.
• Serve regularly. Pick a team (kids, parking, greeter, worship, tech) and show up faithfully.
• Start a spiritual habit. Read Scripture daily, even if it’s just ten minutes. Journal what God speaks.
• Be honest about weaknesses. Tell a trusted leader or friend and invite prayer and accountability.
• Set a faith goal. This week, invite one person to church or to grab coffee and share the gospel.
• Give sacrificially. Financial stewardship is a way to extend a legacy beyond your lifetime.

Final Encouragement: God’s Open Door and Your Place in the Movement

The church is the most significant movement ever created, not because of buildings or programmes, but because God uses ordinary people to meet extraordinary needs. If you’re part of a church growing and making a difference, celebrate it. Growth is not a threat but an opportunity to reach more people.

Right now, there is an open door. It may look like a news moment, a cultural shift, or a chance conversation that leads to eternity-changing decisions. You are not too small; God can use the least likely instruments. Philadelphia was a little church in a culture of idols, and because they were faithful, their impact lasted centuries. That’s the kind of legacy God wants to build through faithfulness today.

Take Heart

If you feel weak today, good. God’s strength shows up in weakness. If you’re tempted to soften convictions to keep friends, don’t. Love people enough to speak truth. If you’re hurting, don’t give up. Persevere, God often shows up in the furnace. And if you’ve never committed to Jesus, this is the open door: step through by faith and begin the life-changing adventure of discipleship.

Faithful is fruitful. Faithful is dependent. Faithful is truthful. Faithful is loyal. Faithful is persevering. Take a step. God will meet you there.

Blessing and Charge

May the Holy Spirit meet you where you are. If you’ve taken a step today, whether it’s a personal commitment to follow Jesus, a fresh resolve to be more faithful, or a decision to join a community, we celebrate that with you. Keep walking in these five marks; let them guide your choices. The reward is a blessing in this life and a pillar in God’s house, a person and a church that others can lean on for years to come. God bless you.