1 Cor 15:58

“GROW OLD WITH ME, THE BEST IS YET TO BE.”

»We have victory in Jesus because of his resurrection.

»Thus, we have much to be thankful for.

»We have victory in Jesus because of his resurrection. »Thus, we have much to be thankful for. »“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (vv 56-57, ESV).

»We have victory in Jesus because of his resurrection. »Thus, we have much to be thankful for. »“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (vv 56-57, ESV). »Therefore, we know that “The best is yet to be.”

WE SHALL HAVE THE VICTORY!

How shall we live in light of triumph in the face of tragedy?

WE NEED A CONQUERING FAITH!

»A CONQUERING FAITH is: »A FIRM FAITH. »A FIXED FAITH. »A FLOURISHING FAITH. »A FATHOMING FAITH.

A FIRM FAITH “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast.”

»The Gr term “steadfast” means to be seated, settled, or fixed.

»The idea is steadiness.

»The Gr term “steadfast” means to be seated, settled, or fixed. »The idea is steadiness. »Paul used the term to refer to the fixedness of a foundation.

»The Gr term “steadfast” means to be seated, settled, or fixed. »The idea is steadiness. »Paul used the term to refer to the fixedness of a foundation. »He prays that the Colossians will “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Col 1:23, ESV).

»The Gr term “steadfast” means to be seated, settled, or fixed. »The idea is steadiness. »Paul used the term to refer to the fixedness of a foundation. »He prays that the Colossians will “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Col 1:23, ESV). »“Stable” refers to the laying of a foundation.

»The Gr term “steadfast” means to be seated, settled, or fixed. »The idea is steadiness. »Paul used the term to refer to the fixedness of a foundation. »He prays that the Colossians will “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Col 1:23, ESV). »“Stable” refers to the laying of a foundation. KJV–“grounded.”

»A foundation does little good if it fails in a storm.

»“A foolish man... built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Mt 7:26- 27, ESV).

»A foundation does little good if it fails in a storm. »“A foolish man... built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Mt 7:26- 27, ESV). »Why did his house fall?

»A foundation does little good if it fails in a storm. »“A foolish man... built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Mt 7:26- 27, ESV). »Why did his house fall? It lacked a solid foundation.

»What storm is Paul concerned that the Corinthians’ faith might not withstand?

»Remember that some in Corinth denied the resurrection.

»What storm is Paul concerned that the Corinthians’ faith might not withstand? »Remember that some in Corinth denied the resurrection. »“Some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead” (v 12, ESV).

MANY IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH WERE MOVED OVER ERROR ABOUT THE RESURRECTION.

»“Avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some” (2 Tm 2:16-18, ESV).

»“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming t be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way” (2 Thess 2:1-3, ESV).

PAUL’S MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. “You know that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. You know that he has conquered death. Therefore, stand firm in that conviction.”

HOW FIRM ARE WE IN THE FAITH OF THE RESURRECTION?

A FIXED FAITH “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable.”

»It might seem that being steadfast & immovable is the same thing.

»“Steadfast” emphasizes steadiness & “immovable” emphasizes not being moved even in the worst of circumstances.

»It might seem that being steadfast & immovable is the same thing. »“Steadfast” emphasizes steadiness & “immovable” emphasizes not being moved even in the worst of circumstances. »Luke uses “immovable” to describe Paul’s shipwreck.

»It might seem that being steadfast & immovable is the same thing. »“Steadfast” emphasizes steadiness & “immovable” emphasizes not being moved even in the worst of circumstances. »Luke uses “immovable” to describe Paul’s shipwreck. »“Striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf” (Acts 27:41, ESV).

»It might seem that being steadfast & immovable is the same thing. »“Steadfast” emphasizes steadiness & “immovable” emphasizes not being moved even in the worst of circumstances. »Luke uses “immovable” to describe Paul’s shipwreck. »“Striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf” (Acts 27:41, ESV). »The ship was going nowhere!

»The Corinthians were being moved from their faith in the resurrection.

»They couldn’t understand how the body was going to be raised, so they said there was no resurrection.

»The Corinthians were being moved from their faith in the resurrection. »They couldn’t understand how the body was going to be raised, so they said there was no resurrection. »How egotistical is that?????

»The Corinthians were being moved from their faith in the resurrection. »They couldn’t understand how the body was going to be raised, so they said there was no resurrection. »How egotistical is that????? The Corinthians basically said that God could do nothing they could not understand.

»The Corinthians weren’t the only ones to struggle with the resurrection.

»Peter: “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Mt 16:22, ESV).

»The Corinthians weren’t the only ones to struggle with the resurrection. »Peter: “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Mt 16:22, ESV). »“When they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted” (Mt 28:17, ESV).

HOW FIXED IS OUR FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION?

A FLOURISHING FAITH “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

»The idea in the Gr word for “abounding” is over abundance.

»“They all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over” (Mt 14:20, ESV).

»The idea in the Gr word for “abounding” is over abundance. »“They all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over” (Mt 14:20, ESV). »“When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’” (Lk 15:17, ESV).

THE IDEA OF ABOUNDING IN THE LORD’S WORK STANDS IN SHARP CONTRACT TO THE ATTITUDE OF MANY.

»We need to be those who abound in the Lord’s work.

»“Let us not grow wearing of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9, ESV).

»We need to be those who abound in the Lord’s work. »“Let us not grow wearing of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9, ESV). »“We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10, ESV).

ARE WE ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD?

WHY IS IT THAT WE WORK FOR THE LORD?

A FATHOMING FAITH “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

»A CONQUERING FAITH fathoms that our work in the Lord is not in vain.

COULD THERE BE A WORSE FEELING THAN KNOWING YOUR LIFE’S WORK MATTERED LITTLE?

»“What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity” (Eccl 2:22-23, ESV).

»Solomon: “I’ve worked & worked & worked, but it’s all useless. My life’s work amounts to nothing.”

BECAUSE OF THE RESURRECTION, OUR WORK IN THE LORD IS NOT IN VAIN.

But, it often seems that way!

HOW CAN OUR LABOR IN THE LORD NOT BE IN VAIN?

»God rewards richly.

»“Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Mt 10:42, ESV).

»God rewards richly. »“Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Mt 10:42, ESV). »“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award t me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tm 4:7-8, ESV).

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God.

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God. »“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16, ESV).

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God. »“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16, ESV). »How can honoring God ever be vain?

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God. »Our work is a command of God.

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God. »Our work is a command of God. »“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Tm 6:18, ESV).

»God rewards richly. »Our work honors God. »Our work is a command of God. »“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Tm 6:18, ESV). »How can doing what God requires ever be vain?

HOW VAIN IS YOUR LIFE?