Be Steadfast
0 Amens
Be Christ's Disciple
"Be Steadfast"
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Introduction
Consider with me the following information taken from the diary of John Wesley:
Sunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John's. Deacons said "Get out and stay out."
Sunday, A.M., May 12 Preached in St. Jude's. Can't go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else's. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn't return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.
Here is a man who was Steadfast. Nothing was going to move him away from what he believed and what he was called to do.
Are we Steadfast, allowing nothing to move us away from the Truth of the Gospel and our call to share it through our lips and lives?
This is what we are called to do.
Exposition
~ Join me this morning as we study 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and discover 2 Truths that will Empower and Encourage us to Be Steadfast to the Glory of God.
Before we discover these 2 truths, please look at the first word in verse 58.
‘Therefore’
This introduces the Imperative or command in our passage this morning which is:
be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
The ‘Therefore’ is obviously pointing to the truth that precedes it.
And based on this truth, he calls these believers in the church at Corinth and us to be Steadfast.
What truth is this “Therefore” pointing to?
~ That brings us to the 1st Truth found in our passage this morning that will Empower and Encourage us to Be Steadfast to the Glory of God.
1. The Foundation to Be Steadfast
~ As we discover The Foundation to Be Steadfast lets first consider:
a. The Explanation of the Foundation
In other words, what Truth does the “Therefore” point to?
What is the Foundation on which Paul calls these believers to be Steadfast?
He most definitely points to the Truth taught in verses 50-57, but in reality he is pointing to all of chapter 15.
In verses 1-49 Paul deals with things like the evidences of the Resurrection, results of the Resurrection and the description of our Resurrection bodies.
Chapter 15 is about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Resurrection is the Foundation and Truth on which Paul bases his call to be Steadfast.
The Resurrection is The Explanation of the Foundation to be Steadfast.
~ Let’s now examine the more immediate context of verses 50-57 in order to dig deeper into The Foundation to Be Steadfast.
~ We will do this by looking at verses 50-53 where we see:
b. The Transformation of the Foundation
First notice what we cannot do if we do not benefit from Christ’s Resurrection with Resurrection bodies of our own.
Look with me at verse 50:
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
This verse consists of 2 lines that are parallel to each other. They are synonyms.
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God
~ is parallel or a synonym to ~
nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable
Notice the words:
flesh and blood = this is speaking of our corruptible earthly body that is dying daily
Now notice the word in the second half of this verse:
Perishable = this is a synonym for flesh and blood and further describes the nature of our earthly bodies.
Our earthly bodies are perfectly suited for life on earth, but the rest of this verse tells us something for which they are not suited.
Look now at the phrases:
the kingdom of God (first part of the verse)
the imperishable (second part of the verse)
These 2 phrases in context are referring to the eternal state in the presence of God.
This verse teaches that our earthy bodies in their current state, which are perishable or corruptible, cannot enter into the eternal state in the presence of God.
Our bodies must be made different in order to inherit the kingdom of God, and Paul has already taught that they will be made different in:
1 Corinthians 15:42-44
Look there with me as Paul teaches on the fact that our bodies will be changed:
42 … It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Obviously our bodies must be changed and Paul teaches here that they will be.
Now look at verses 51-53:
First notice the word:
Mystery = in the N.T. this refers to a truth that has been hidden and unknown which is now being revealed.
Paul explains this mystery with the remaining words in verses 51-52:
we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Here Paul says that not all Christians will see physical death (sleep) in order to get a new resurrected body.
What will happen?
Paul says of those who will not die physically that they will be changed.
Their bodies will be transformed from perishable bodies to imperishable bodies fit for the kingdom.
Notice also that this will happen:
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
These 2 phrases are synonyms which point to the smallest amount of time possible.
We would say “in a split second or in a fraction of a second.”
Almost instantaneous.
When will this happen?
Verse 52 says this will happen
at the last trumpet
Of what is this speaking?
~ Look with me at:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
This Transformation of the body will happen at the Rapture of the Church for those believers that are still alive.
Not only that, it will also happen for those who have already died in Christ.
Notice what the last part of verse 52 in 1 Corinthians 15 says:
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Every Christian, whether physically dead or alive will experience a transformation, from a natural body to a Spiritual body that will last forever.
Now look at verse 53:
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Here Paul just reiterates the fact that in order to inherit the kingdom of God or live eternally in the presence of God, we must undergo Transformation.
Because Christ has been raised and has a resurrection body, we too will be raised and be given a resurrection body.
We will experience a Transformation.
This transformation will enable us to live forever in the presence of our ALL Glorious and Holy God.
This is great news!
~ Since The Transformation of the Foundation is such great news it leads us to the next aspect of The Foundation to Be Steadfast:
c. The Celebration in the Foundation
Look with me at verses 54-57:
Here we see a Celebration of the fact of the Resurrection.
It is almost like a cheer or a shout of celebration.
Look with me at verses 54-55 where Paul explains what will happen when this Transformation of our bodies takes place (perishable puts on imperishable or the mortal has put on immortality).
He says:
then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
This is a quote from Isaiah and Hosea.
It points to the fact that, because of Christ’s resurrection - Death has been defeated
It seems to almost mock death with the last 2 phrases:
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Of course the answer is that death has no victory and no sting.
This verse always reminds me of an illustration I heard when I was in college. “A family was driving along in their car when they noticed a large bee buzzing around inside the car. The children started to scream and cry to their dad for help. The dad reached out and grabbed the bee in his hand for a moment. Then he let the bee go and the bee began buzzing around in the car again. The children began to scream in fear again and ask their dad why he let the bee go. He told the children they had no reason to fear and then he held out his hand where the bee had left its stinger. All the bee could do now was make a bunch of noise, for its painful sting had been taken away by their father.”
In an even greater way Jesus bore the sting of death, so that we would not have to bear the sting of eternal death.
Paul then goes on to explain the sting of death in verse 56:
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
Here Paul explains that death is caused by sin and that we understand our sin due to the standard of the law.
The Law declares us guilty of sin which leads to death as is so clearly put in:
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, …
Then Paul sums up The Celebration in the Foundation to be Steadfast in verse 57:
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice the word ‘but’, which of course denotes a contrast.
Here the contrast is that although we have sinned and we deserve the sting of death, Christ has overcome death which is evidenced by HIS resurrection.
HIS victory gives victory to those who are HIS by faith.
Our Victory over sin and death comes through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is the message of salvation and is why it is called the Gospel = Good News.
The truth of the resurrection is worth Celebrating.
Do we thank HIM enough for the Resurrection that brings us victory?
When is the last time you expressed your extravagant thanks to God for the Resurrection which conquered sin and death on your behalf?
Can we cheer or chant with Paul:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Can we exclaim in Celebration with Paul:
but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
People of Lakeside, I urge you to be people who are constantly Celebrating the Resurrection with words similar to Paul’s here:
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ We have now discovered the 1st Truth found in our passage that will Empower and Encourage us to Be Steadfast to the Glory of God.
The Foundation to Be Steadfast = Resurrection
~ Now we come to verse 58 and the key word:
‘Therefore’
We now know that this ‘Therefore’ points to the fact that we have victory over sin and death, because of the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of our own resurrection that comes through HIM.
Now based on that, Paul Exhorts these believers to do something.
Great truth in Scripture always leads to action.
Orthodoxy always leads to Orthopraxy.
~ Lets now discover the 2nd Truth found in our passage that will Empower and Encourage us to Be Steadfast to the Glory of God.
2. The Exhortation to Be Steadfast (v. 58)
~ Lets begin by noticing:
a. The Recipients of the Exhortation
Look with me in verse 58 at how Paul refers to the people he is Exhorting to Action. He calls them:
“my beloved brethren” “dear brothers”
Paul Exhorts these believers in love.
Consider the fact that these people lived in Corinth which was known for its gross immorality and drunken debauchery.
The very name of the city became a synonym for moral depravity.
One commentator writes of the depravity of Corinth considering their pagan worship practices. He writes, “It also held a famous temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love. The temple normally housed some one thousand priestesses, ritual prostitutes, who each night would come down into Corinth and ply their trade among the many foreign travelers and the local men.”
The worst part was not necessarily that these things were going on in Corinth, but that many of these immoral practices were taking place among professing Christians in the Church at Corinth.
What made matters worse is that the Church as a whole was putting up with this kind of behavior and Paul had to rebuke them for not disciplining a professing believer for incest.
Not only was the sin of immorality creeping in to the church, but there were also divisions in the church. (I.e. Paul & Apollos)
There was also the mistreatment of the poor.
They were also abusing their spiritual gifts.
Many of the people were questioning Paul’s call as an Apostle and were beginning to listen to false teachers.
Yet, Paul still refers to these people as:
my beloved brethren
He was treating them like children in the faith who needed a loving yet firm hand to instruct them.
They were under great temptation and persecution and needed a loving exhortation to be steadfast.
The Recipients of the Exhortation were the brothers and sisters in the church of Corinth that in spite of their faults and immaturity, Paul Loved them and was committed to Exhorting them to the Glory of God.
The Recipients of this Exhortation are not just the original recipients of this letter.
The Recipients of this Exhortation also include those of us gathered here this morning.
Many of you are struggling with temptation, trials and persecution.
Be encouraged, The LORD through Paul is Lovingly, yet firmly Exhorting you today to hang in there and not give up.
Others in here are struggling with complacency and need to be challenged and motivated.
Know that this Exhortation is for you as well.
Others are caught up in the pursuit of the pleasures, the power and the possessions of this world.
You too are a Recipient of this Exhortation.
In fact everyone here this morning is a Recipient of this Exhortation.
Know that it comes from God with great love, but also with great urgency and expectation.
~ Not only do we see The Recipients of the Exhortation to be Steadfast, but we also see:
b. The Description of the Exhortation
Look with me at the words in verse 58:
be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
Here we see The Description or Contents of the Exhortation.
Look with me first at the words:
be steadfast (stand firm)= this is an imperative; a command and points to the entire verse
steadfast = literally means to be seated or to be settled firmly
Now look at the word:
Immovable = it is similar in meaning to steadfast, but is even more intense; it means - not capable of being moved from its place; it is firm
Not only is this an imperative, but it is a present imperative, which means it is to be an ongoing thing.
We are not to be steadfast, immovable once in a while.
Paul’s Exhortation is for one to be steadfast, immovable at all times.
In fact the very next word is:
always
This strengthens the fact that this Exhortation to be steadfast, immovable is to be a constant.
What is it in which we are to be steadfast, immovable, always?
Verse 58 tells us that we are to be steadfast, immovable, always in the work of the Lord.
What is the work of the Lord?
Throughout this Epistle Paul addresses and gives specific examples of the work of the Lord.
He also gives the general and overarching principle & foundation to the work of the Lord when he writes in:
1 Corinthians 10:31
31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
In the midst doing the work of the Lord and therefore bringing HIM glory in all things through Obeying HIM, we find the greatest joy we can ever know.
~ This truth is captured perfectly in:
Psalm 16:11
11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Most of us have heard the question asked in the Westminster Confession or Catechism:
What is the chief end of man?
To Glorify God and enjoy HIM forever.
I like how John Piper states the answer to that question: “To Glorify God while enjoying HIM forever.”
Our Purpose in life is to Glorify God.
Anything that would Glorify God would be considered the work of the Lord.
Spreading the Gospel message that Paul had taught the Corinthians would be the work of the Lord.
Working for Unity in the Body, abstaining from immorality, caring for the poor, using spiritual gifts to build up the body, etc… would have all fallen under the work of the Lord.
The Description of the Exhortation is that it is a command to constantly and firmly, without any wavering glorify God in all you do.
be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
Noah is a great example of one who was steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. The Bible teaches that Noah was a preacher of righteousness for 120 years. At the end of this 120 year ministry before boarding the ark, where were all of his converts? There were none outside of his family possibly. Was he a failure? No, instead he was steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
~ Lets now look at the next aspect of The Exhortation to Be Steadfast:
c. The Extent of the Exhortation
Look with me at the word:
abounding in the phrase - always abounding in the work of the Lord.
= this word means to exceed the requirements or overflowing
This same word is used in Ephesians 1:7-8 when speaking about the Grace that God has poured out on us in Salvation.
~ Look there with me:
Ephesians 1:7-8
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us.
The word lavished here in Ephesians is the same word used for “abounding” in 1 Corinthians 15:58.
The LORD went over and above in HIS Grace towards us.
The Extent of our call to constantly be steadfast, immovable in the work of the LORD is also to be abounding – going beyond what is required.
The LORD was and is abounding in HIS Grace towards us, how can we be anything less than abounding when it comes to the work of the LORD?
It is so sad to see Christians who just want to get by. They ask questions like, “what do I need to do just to keep above water spiritually.”
If our plans to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord – include plans that will not stretch us and cause us to cry out to the LORD for help, then we are not Abounding.
One commentator says of this Abounding Aspect, “What a word Paul gives to the countless Christians who work and pray and give and suffer as little as they can! How can we be satisfied with the trivial, insignificant, short–lived things of the world? How can we “take it easy” when so many around us are dead spiritually and so many fellow believers are in need of edification, encouragement, and help of every sort? When can a Christian say, “I’ve served my time, I’ve done my part; let others do the work now”?
Reasonable rest is important and necessary. But if we err, Paul is saying, it should be on the side of doing more work for the Lord, not less. Leisure and relaxation are two great modern idols, to which many Christians seem quite willing to bow down. In proper proportion recreation and diversions can help restore our energy and increase our effectiveness. But they also can easily become ends in themselves, demanding more and more of our attention, concern, time, and energy. More than one believer has relaxed and hobbled himself completely out of the work of the Lord.”
So often I hear people say things like, “I need to slow down in the ministry the LORD has called me to before I burn-out.” yet those who use this term are not the ones burning out.
I once heard it said, “It is better to burn-out for the LORD than to rust out.” AMEN.
I do not think that I have ever met anyone who has ever really burned out in serving the LORD.
Most people that say they are burned out, are those who have poured there life into the fruitless pursuits of this world.
What does it look like when someone is abounding in the work of the Lord?
Near the end of Philippians 2, Paul writes about a man name Epaphroditus. He was from Philippi and had been sent to Paul by the Philippian church to deliver a gift to Paul to help his ministry. Paul says in his letter that he is sending Epaphroditus back to them. IN Philippians 2:25-27 we learn that Epaphroditus was longing to see his friends in the church at Philippi, because they heard he was sick. In fact verse 27 says, “he was sick to the point of death.” Then in verse 30 we learn the reason he was sick to the point of death, when Paul writes, “he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life…”
That is what it looks like when someone is abounding in the work of the Lord.
He held noting back.
The good news is that the LORD will grant us the grace to Abound.
~ Paul teaches this truth earlier in chapter 15:
1 Corinthians 15:10
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
I don’t know about you, but I know that I am not abounding in the work of the LORD, like I know the LORD could empower me to do.
People of Lakeside, are you being steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord?
Does this statement characterize you life?
If not why not?
Are we Abounding or are we just getting by?
Let’s be people that Rely on the Strength of the LORD in us and be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Just imagine what the LORD would do through us if we made it a point to rely on HIM to daily carry out this Exhortation.
As Charles Spurgeon once said, “If you are going to be weary, be weary in the LORD.
This only happens if we are Abounding.
~ Lets know look at the final Aspect of The Exhortation to Be Steadfast:
d. The Motivation in the Exhortation
Look at the last phrase here in verse 58:
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
First notice the word:
toil (labor) = working to the point of exhaustion
This points again to the Extent to which we are to be Steadfast for God’s Glory.
How can we know that our toil is not in vain in the Lord?
This goes back to the truth of the resurrection.
Because of the Resurrection, no amount of work done in the name of LORD will be in vain.
The Bible teaches that we will be rewarded for those things done in faith and then it teaches we will cast our rewards (crowns) at HIS feet knowing that even the ability to be rewarded came by HIS Grace.
I love what Spurgeon says about this phrase when he says, “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, therefore what we do is not done for a dead Christ. We are not fighting for a dead man’s cause; we are not contending for a week dynasty, or a name to conjure by, but we have a living captain, a reigning king, one who is able both to occupy the throne and to lead on our hosts to battle. Oh, by the Christ in glory, I beseech you, brethren, be ye steadfast!”
We must know that what we do for the glory of God is never in vain.
When we give generously, it is not in vain.
When we serve sacrificially, it is not in vain.
When we Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than ourselves, it is not in vain.
He sees our toil done in HIS Strength for HIS Glory.
~ Listen to what Jesus says in:
Revelation 22:12
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
As I have said before, I believe the greatest reward we will receive is God Himself.
My Response
What will be our Response to God’s Word this morning?
Consider the Steadfast response of Charles Simeon. He was a pastor in the Church of England from 1782 to 1836 at Trinity Church in Cambridge. He was appointed to his church by a bishop against the will of the people. They opposed him not because he was a bad preacher but because he was an evangelical—he believed the Bible and called for conversion and holiness and world missions.
For 12 years the people refused to let him give the afternoon Sunday sermon. And during that time they boycotted the Sunday morning service and locked their pews so that no one could sit in them. He preached to people in the aisles for 12 years! How did he last?
His ability be Steadfast in Faithful Obedience to God’s call on his life to Preach the Word, can be summarized by something he told his friend Joseph Gruney In April of 1831, when Simeon was 71 years old. He had been the pastor of Trinity Church, for 49 years. One afternoon, Joseph Gurney, asked him how he had surmounted persecution and outlasted all the great prejudice against him in his 49-year ministry. He said to Gurney, "My dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ's sake. When I am getting through a hedge, if my head and shoulders are safely through, I can bear the pricking of my legs. Let us rejoice in the remembrance that our holy Head has surmounted all His suffering and triumphed over death. Let us follow Him patiently; we shall soon be partakers of His victory"
Charles Simeon was steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that HIS toil was not in vain in the Lord.
Will this be true of each of us?
What changes do we need to make in our lives to obey the LORD’s command to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord?
Steadfastness is our Response to the truth that Christ has been Raised and we too will be Raised to be in HIS Glorious Presence forever and ever.
It is a Command and a Joy.
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