Working for the Harvest: An Examination of 1 Corinthians 15:58

You know, I think this is the ninth year. I've been Pastor here in my 10th completed 9, which means this is the ninth time I've preached on the first Sunday of a new year and I think every single time I've used the opportunity to exhort us to think ahead on what we might do for the Lord in this coming year and I do that because I know that typically at New Year's people are thinking about self-examination a little more than they normally are where am I where have I been and they're thinking about the future where am I going a little more lots of us resolutions and some of us plan for the future at this time, and I just thought it would be so appropriate. if we took some time to hear from the scriptures on what gods primary goal for our lives on earth is I'm hoping at the end of the sermon we will ask ourselves. The question de my plans for 2021 line up with what God says. My primary purpose is to compare what I'm hoping for when I'm working towards in 2021. And if I compare that to What God Says my primary purpose is is there a line up? Is there an alignment between those two things? I want to thank Stephanie for reading us the scripture. Not only that but getting us a bit about the background are scripture. This morning is 1st Corinthians, 15:58. The primary word in. Verse is the word steadfast. You do when you're reading through a paragraph you can usually identify What's called the topic sentence the sentence that describes what the person with the whole paragraph is all about generally is the first sentence but not always what today we don't have a paragraph. We only have one sentence and usually when you have one sentence, you can identify a topic word a word that describes what this sentence is all about this sentence that we read 1st Corinthians. 15:58 is not about the work of the lord. It's not about Abandoned abounding. It's not about my beloved Brothers. Those are all ideas in there, but the central word of this passage. Does central word of this verse is steadfast everything in the verse every word in the verse Works to describe what steadfast is? So before we examine the verse we should ask. What does this keyword mean in and you're thinking that that's not going to be particularly. Hope I know what steadfast means it means you would have Miss and so forth. You know, it's surprisingly difficult to determine the meaning of words. They can have a wide range of meanings. For instance. If I said to you. Do you know what the word run means? Are you and run? Do you know what that means? You know what that means? What does it mean if your legs means?

And of course Run 10 minutes, but run can also mean operate. Did you know that he runs his own business? Doesn't always mean move your legs. Run can refer to a sequence. I've had a run of bad luck. Ryan can even refer to a physical aspect of some object. She has a run in her stockings. The paint is running down the wall run to mean a lot of different things when you read the word run you need to make sure what it means in this context. Let me give you one other example, I know that you're getting it but let me give you one other example, what does the word bear mean? Bear like it's an animal. What do you mean? What does it mean when there are 10 min and animal? But it can also mean to lift a load I bear a heavy weight. It can also be a metaphor test was a real bear. That teacher is a real bear. Words are complicated and so as we look at 1st Corinthians, 15:58, we will want a get a really good sense of what the word steadfast mean because steadfast is the central word the central topic the central idea of our versus morning 1st Corinthians, 15:58. And what are the ways to get to know what words mean in the Bible is to see where else the Bible uses those words the word steadfast the Greek word translated steadfast appears in 1st Corinthians 15:58, but it also appears in other places and when we look at those other places we get a sense and what the word means for instance here in Colossians 1:23 is indeed you continue in the faith stable and steadfast. Notice here. We get a clue one with this word means first of all positively it means stable. Steadfast memes stable and negatively. It means not shifting. Something that is steadfast is stable. It's not shifting around. Is a matter of fact when you look at a Greek dictionary steadfast has three different nuances of meaning first, it can mean seated as matter fact. They're Greek word translated actually literally means to be seated. Asean, stationary as in I'm not moving.

For those of you reading through the Psalms, you'll remember the very first verse of the very first song blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of Sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers in that verse there's a progression of Mobility decreasing Mobility now, they're standing and they end the first season I am where I am, and I'm not moving. That's what steadfast means it means firm. It means permanent. You know, there's a roof another real clue in our verse about what steadfast means because there's a synonym therefore my beloved brothers be steadfast, immovable and movable is just a synonym for steadfast immovable means unsafe. The earthquake came but the building stood the wind blew but the tree didn't blow down. It means I'm Shakin. It means steady.

Not only can we do a word study on what steadfast means but I want to give you four examples kids find one for your notes. I want to give you four examples in the Bible of people who were steadfast the first one Ruth. Remember the story Ruth and her husband and her son's move to a foreign land her son's marry foreign women and then her husband dies and that her son's dies and they have these three women and a patriarchal society feeling in danger Ruth feel she needs to go back to Israel. And the daughter say we're coming with you. And Naomi says no that doesn't make a lot of sense. You don't know anybody there. You don't have any history there. You should just stay there and or bought one of the women one of the wives says, okay? Yeah, you got a good point. But Ruth says I'm coming. I'm coming and Naomi really needs to stay at one point Naomi. She's not changing her mind and when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her that's steadfast determined to go with you can just see it in the person's eyes. They're not moving. You're wasting your breath. They are seated in a position and they are not going to get out of that position Ruth was steadfast. Another example is Daniel's friends all down and worship me the friends. We won't listen if you do that God will deliver us. But even if it doesn't Vietnam to you, okay that we will not serve your Gods. This is steadfast. I'm not moving you can say what you want. You can do what you want. I will not move steadfast. Daniel's friends Ruth how to cook how to talk with steadfast dr. Carter taught us this book in the summer time in the book opens up with habakkuk saying God, why aren't you punishing Israel? Oh, I will use this nation to do at habakkuk. Oh my goodness. Why would you to these people are more unrighteousness real? How could you possibly do that? Well, you just need to trust my hand have a car. By the end of the book habakkuk says do what you want. I trust you. He's I know you're going to bring destruction on the Israel that I love and in the society that I live in and it is going to Republic but I will praise your name. He says at the end of his book though. The Fig Tree should not blossom North Fruit be on the vines and produce the Olive and the Providence of the olive fail and the seals yield no food. By the way, these are not mere inconveniences. Oh my goodness. The fruit on the vines didn't come out this year. I guess the price of wine. I'll be going up a little bit. No, no. No, this is an Agricultural Society. The very underpinnings of the society or being knocked out the equivalent of this verse were for us would be though the banks fail. Zone flation goes to 50% The unemployment goes to 80% Do you can buy Staples at the grocery store anymore? Everything is collapsing and even if that happens yet. I will rejoice in the Lord. My love for you is not dependent on changing circumstances. I will love and serve you no matter what you do. steadfast

Bruce Daniels friends habakkuk, our Lord is Jesus himself.

When the day is Drew near for him to be taken up, this is Jesus. He set his face to go to Jerusalem. He set his face that steadfast. I'm studying my face. I'm pursuing this course of action and the skies are stormy or the skies are Sunny. I'm going there's nothing that you can say or do this verse 1st Corinthians. 15:58 is all about steadfastness. Steadfastness is the keyword. Everything in the verse answers questions about steadfastness kids. This is the only time this slide comes up and is only up for a short while so start writing requested you're looking for. 1st Corinthians, 15:58 primarily answers three questions about steadfastness first. What is it? We just done that it is immovable. It is firm. It is seated. It's like Ruth. It's like Daniel's friends. It's like habakkuk. It's like Jesus himself. What is it? But the second question Advanced answers is what fuels it. When you really get a sense of what steadfastness you means you can see this is going to require to be steadfast is going to require an enormous output of energy.

Being steadfast is a very energy-consuming thing. You think it was easy for Ruth to say I'm coming with you to a land that I've never been to a people. I don't know to a very unsure situation without a husband without a visible source of income. Do you think that was easy to not stay at home? I think it was easy for Daniel's friends to say do what you want or God will deliver us, but if he doesn't will not bow.

You think it's easy for habakkuk to watch his Society being dismantled piece-by-piece or there goes the agriculture. There goes the firm's we've got nothing. It is hard to be a movable. What fuels this immovability what fuels the steadfastness?

Well, the verse doesn't answer that question, but it gives a pointer tells you where to find the answer. Look at the verse. Could you see the pointer?

What is the fuel for steadfastness it's not in the verse. But the pointer to where to find the answer is in the roost. Do you see it?

Where is it? Where is that pointer?

It's right here. therefore Remember careful readers of scripture when you come across the word. Therefore you have to see what is there for this verse is in the saying be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the lord. It's saying therefore as a result of what I just been saying as a conclusion as to why you should be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord are for referring to let me give you a little bit of help there cuz we're not reading the entire chapter. But this is referring to the earlier part of chapter 15. What's the earlier part of chapter 15 talking about? Talking about the resurrection of Christ. Did you know that Jesus came to Earth? Yes. I did. Did you know that he was killed and crucified won't yes I did but did you know he was resurrected we saw him. And he ascended up to heaven but yes, I did do that. Okay, but did you know this? Here's the big news. Jesus was resurrected. He's only the first fruits.

And if he's the first fruits that means there's going to be a second and a third and a fourth and a fifth fruit. You know, who those other fruits are.

you you just as Jesus was resurrected you're going to be resurrected and we live in that hole but this is not all there is there is a better day coming you believer in Jesus Christ are going to be resurrected with a new permanent indestructible. Perfect body. Just like Jesus had Jesus was not raised in his old Earthly body. He was raised into a new Resurrection body. So will you be that is our hope the trouble we're experiencing now will end and therefore because we're going to be resurrected therefore because we can live in that hole there for because we know this pain and difficulty is temporary therefore my beloved Brothers. Be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Sell my home for some of you you're thinking ways before this whole idea of a future. Hope fueling. Present faithfulness. I seen that somewhere before the where was that friends that was in her previous sermon series. This was all through 1st Peter in 1st Peter. We saw this over and over and over again. Here's the first time in chapter one in this Riu Rejoice for them for a little while. If necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. This is a normal part of the Christian Life. It's coming to test you, but don't worry because it's not it's not going to survive forever. It's going to actually result in praise and glory and honor when at the revelation of Jesus Christ when Jesus Christ comes again, it'll all be over and you may remember from this sermon these words praise Glory and Honor they are coming to us. This verse is not saying we will praise and give glory and honor to Jesus when he returns. We will do that. But that's not what this worse is saying with this verse is saying is when Jesus comes when Jesus returns, he will praise us Glory. He will honor us for our faithful work and because of this Future Hope we can survive some various trials. The fuel for being steadfast is our future. Hope in the Lord. Question 1 what does it look like well as immovable, it's a steady. It seeded. It's firm. It's like Ruth. It's like habakkuk is like Daniel's friends is like Jesus. What is it? What's it look, like what's the fuel to fuel comes from the word therefore? It's it's in the hope of the Resurrection when we see what lies ahead for us. We can be steadfast here right now knowing what's coming for future. And I'll question number 3. What does it look like?

Define steadfast, what would that look like in life?

But let me just point out that there's something that we always do. The Greek word here means continuously. It means in all circumstances good things are going bad. However, things are going not one. We feel like it and not when we don't feel like it no matter how we feel. This steadfastness is a mark always in all circumstances. Can we just be honest with one another brothers and sisters? Sometimes were into it more than other. Sometimes you just wake up and you can't wait to get to the work of the Lord and sometimes it's just not so. for me to steadfastness is always in every circumstance. Not only always but it is a bounding. This word bounding is abounding means over and above. You owe me $10 you gave me 15. I was talking to a man the other week and he says you know what the company pays me for 40 hours. I make sure I give him 4504 and above it means overflowing. It means you got a cop and you're pouring water into it. And not only do you still at that. You're more than feel that it's just overflowing abound it means abundant. It means excessive the steadfast is not only it all circumstances, but it's excessive. What is it excessive in? Is excessive in the work of the Lord?

That's what he expects us to be doing in 2021 the work of the Lord. Which of course begs the question? Okay. I'll bite what what exactly is the work of the Lord? Friends. Do you remember that Jesus came to Earth described in the gospels. You may have heard about this. He taught he did Miracles. He died he resurrected. He visibly left the Earth. Acts chapter 1 the disciples are looking up he's gone. And the angel says why are you looking up there? The Jesus that you saw will come back again in the same way. You saw him leave this Ubly tangibly in bodily form. He's coming back, but he has invisibly left and as he is invisible now as he invisibly reigns as he is not abiding on the earth. He's left us what it was a task.

The task he gave us of The Sermon on the Mount let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven are the work of the Lord is to live and to operate in such a way that we build up those who believe in Jesus and we show Jesus to those who don't that's the work of the Lord.

Why don't more people do that while it's hard. That's why more people don't do it. It's hard people think that you know, if you just serve the Lord every this is the extended absence of the Prosperity Gospel that featured serve the Lord, by the way, they send your checks and money orders in today. I'm sure God will bless you for it. Whole stick. That implies that when you serve the Lord everything is going to go. Well, no, not everything goes well.

Get to that in a moment, but Jesus has left the Earth visibly. He's given us instructions. But remember he is coming back. He's like a man going on a journey when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge. That's where we are. Right. Now. The servants are in charge. We are his feet. We are his and we are his most pieces we are to equip the Saints for the for the work of the Lord and we are to evangelize show people who Jesus is He is not visibly on the earth now, but he's coming back.

And when he comes back, he will be evaluating our work.

when he returns the quality of our work for the Lord will be evaluated by him.

He is watching. He is taking names and he is keeping score.

Is there a setting earlier? Why don't people do this more because it's hard. The Prosperity Gospel tells us that you just serve the Lord. Everything's going to work out not so much here or the Servants of God with that required a great endurance. how to fliction hardships calamities beatings imprisonment riots laborers sleepless nights hunger the work of the Lord means sacrifice It is not easy. It often does not go the way we had intended it wanted it or planned it to go.

I just want to camp out on this verse for a little bit. You'll wonder why but it becomes important later in the sermon. I want to camp out on this word labor. Servants of God labor We misunderstand that word if you say to an English person, what does labor mean? They mean it means work. I'll probably a little more physical then work like work might be paperwork but labor kind of implies physical like a manual labor. That is what it means in English. That is not what it means in Greek. This word here. Labor's means beatings.

It means the suffering and the trouble that come from physical hardship often inflicted by other people. It's a very unpleasant harsh word this important to know because very often the scriptures present the work of the Lord with two words work and labor and they are not the same for instance 2nd Thessalonians, 3:8. Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor work and labor work and labor or not the same thing and this is important because the same Jew add diet appears in our verse always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain work and labor. These are not the same things. What is work and what is labor? What is the work of the Lord the work of the Lord is your duties? Worship team. I thank you very much. As I said before the service. I want you to know that you were doing the work of the Lord.

And Tim and Heidi and Steph and Nathaniel and Andy. And Steve and MJ and Marco did I say you stuff stuff to you are doing the work of the Lord. These are your assigned duties and you are doing them and your blessing the body with them. Thank you. Are you a Sunday school teacher? Are you a deacon? Are you Eli our Treasurer? Are you are a staff member or you are secretary? Are you agreed or are you one of the communion ladies? This is the work of the Lord. This is our assigned duties. This is executing the duties so that you can serve the people of God by serving his church. Dot's abounding in the work of the Lord Labor's different as I mentioned labor is good comes from the word beatings. Labor is not our assigned duties. It is the blowback we get for performing our assigned duties as we serve the body of Christ trouble always come. blowback resistance pressure always come by the way this really up the North American idea of volunteering.

The work of the Lord is not volunteering for church tasks volunteering in North America means I'm going to volunteer to an organization so that I get something back. I feel better about myself. I can put it on my resume. It's some Requirement for my diploma. I am volunteering so that I get something back. If only to feel good about myself and knowing that I made a difference friends. That's good. That's fine. But when we work for the Lord, we get labor we get beatings we get difficulties we get

Resistance we get pressure.

This always happens when we work for the Lord labor always comes difficulty and I just want to add a point here. And this is a wisdom point I cannot support this in scripture. I'm leaving the authority of the scriptures right now. I'm simply sharing my opinion. I'm simply sharing an observation out of my own life and the lives of many I've seen Also take it for what you think it's worth but the disorienting part is very often. The labor comes from the body of Christ. We're in there doing the work of the Lord and people hurt us and they criticize us and they try to make things more difficult by the way. Usually this is inadvertent. I've been I'm in my 10th year of being Pastor almost my 11th have almost completed 10 years. How time flies in my ten years. I have seen this body of Christ hurt each other hundreds of times. But almost never is it on purpose. Usually it's because of our own insensitivities is because of our own personalities, but just no friends. If you about in the work of the Lord, you will experience labor you will experience blowback and pressure and resistance and hurt and disorienting Lee often comes from the body itself.

Soldier on anyway Soldier on anyway, it's part of the work of the Lord.

When we do the work of the lord, we can expect labor but good news. This is not in vain. This is not in vain. What is this word vain mean? What will do the same thing with steadfast will look at it where else it appears in Scripture? Here's a instance from Ephesians 5 and 6. Let no one deceive you with empty words. It's translated the Greek the English word empty. It's the same Greek word empty words. The sense of your work in your labor will not be in vain means that vein is foolish means it's without result doesn't get you anywhere. It doesn't have a purpose is empty. Will this versus a promise if we have bound? Always abound in the work of the lord, we will get labor but it won't be in vain. It won't be empty. It won't be purposeless. It won't be foolish.

friends my observation is this

Every human heart wants to make a difference.

All of us want our lives to count for something. One of the greatest human fears is to get to the end of our life and realize that we've been climbing the ladder of success and not ladder was leaning against the wrong building.

One of our greatest fears in life. Is finally getting the answer and only then realizing and we were asking the wrong question.

Thinking that were doing something meaningful something that count and finding out it's just transitory corporate profits that no one can remember 6 months after they happen. This is why people often experience depression after a great Victory because they win the Superbowl with they've been fantasizing about their whole life and when they win the Super Bowl, it's a trophy and a chat. And it's not what they were expecting and that's why they often say is this it it's so you finally get their big promotion you finally marry the person you want America to get the car. You've been dreaming about very often. There's a sense of letdown because there's a sense of vanity. It's empty. Nobody cares. What kind of car you drive who won the Superbowl in 1975? I can't even remember who won it last year.

When we always abound in the work of the Lord the labor will come. But it won't be empty. God will use our temporary temporal Earthly efforts to achieve Eternal spiritual things.

And that's not all. There's a payoff. Revelation and I Heard a Voice from Heaven saying right this blessed are the Dead who die in the Lord from now on blessed indeed citizen spirit that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them.

God is taking names and keeping score your work for the Lord. Even if it results in painful labor is not in vain your Deeds your efforts will follow you.

By the way, there's a beautiful little Nuance in this verse that they will rest from their labors. This is again underscoring how labor and work. Do not mean the same thing we eat when we get to heaven we will be working hard. We will be the musicians and worship leaders and scientists and engineers and we will be expanding this perfect society and it will be constantly getting better and better and better and we will be cold ruling with Christ. We will be working. Our work will not cease. Our assigned duties will not cease. but our labors will No more resistance. No more Hurt No More pressure. This is this is Eden restored. Do you remember in the Garden of Eden before the fall? No sin, perfect relationship with God was there worker was there not work? There was work. They had to take care of the guards in their mission was to expand the garden. Continually. The original plan was the Garden of Eden would cover the face of the Earth. There was work. At the labor camp with the fall not the work. It was the it was the sin that brought the thorns in the thistles the sweat of the brow the difficulties that labor sees his friends serve the Lord even if the body is self is hurting you keep serving the labor will cease and he's keeping score and your deeds will follow you.

Happy New Year Church. I just want to let you know. That is our goal my beloved brothers that we be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Remember the labor is real serving. The church is hard and you're going to get hurt expect it. Someone is going to hurt you probably unintentionally, but things are not going to work out the way you think that's fine. The labor is real but it is temporary but the world the reward will make it all worth it. Brothers and sisters at Weston Heights. I want to remind you that God is Not unjust.

So as to overlook your work. and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the Saints as you still do.

Let me read that again Wesley Heights Baptist Church, my fellow co-workers in the gospel. Those of you that are working so hard always abounding in the work of the Lord and experiencing some of that painful labor. I just want to remind you that God is Not So unjust as to overlook your work. He is not overlooking your work. Or your love that you're showing for his name in serving the Saints around you even those that are hurting you.

even so

Be steadfast.

immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.

And your labor will not be in vain.