ISBC's 200th Anniversary: Not in Vain

ISBC 200th Anniversary: Not in Vain

1 Corinthians 15:58

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

58 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.

1. Introduction – Can you imagine what life was like 200 years ago? When the 1st Southwold Baptist church was started in 1821 – what issues were they facing? What problems did they have? What lead them to plant a church here I this area?

a. And when the 1st and 2nd Southwold Baptist churches merged in 1903 and moved one of their buildings down the road to Iona Station – what was life like back then?

i. Think of all that has changed in that 200 years? Think of what this entity – Iona Station Baptist church has gone through…

1. Wars, rumours of wars, technological advancements…indoor plumbing…cars…TV, radios,

b. But through all of those things, here is this church – withstanding that to stand for 200 years.

i. When Jesus said at Caesarea Philippi “I will build my church and the gates of hell won’t stand against it…” I believe this is what he meant.

1. No mater what comes and goes…his church will always be here in form or another.

a. So for our 200th Anniversary I have a very simple message for us.

c. Paul, in his lengthy first letter to the Corinthian church, gives us the keys to a solid foundation.

i. Coming at the end of long discourse on the resurrection – Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection of the dead – Paul writes these words…

1. They are simple, but they are profound and deeply moving all at the same time.

a. I have one verse you today – 1 Corinthians 15:58.

d. Really basic instructions here – but sometimes the basics are the most profound.

i. Paul gives 3 words of practical advice in this verse…

1. And if this church and the church in general follow these instructions, we too can know our work is not done in vain.

2. Therefore – Before we look at those 3 instructions, I want us to first look at the first few words of this verse.

a. Let’s look at the very first word – “therefore” – or some translations say “so.”

i. Now, therefore or so, they are concluding words. They bring to a close a previously stated point.

1. Paul could have written, “In conclusion…” or “Let’s summarize…”

a. So what is Paul summarizing? What came before? What is he concluding?

b. Well, Paul is bringing to a close all that he has previously written in 1 Corinthians 15. This chapter is hopeful and beautiful.

i. In vv.1-2, Paul writes about the resurrection of Jesus.

1. There is a wonderful account of the Gospel – what is of first importance…Christ died for our sins…

a. Was buried and was raised on the third day. A succinct recounting of Easter Sunday and the post-resurrection appearances.

ii. In vv12-34, Paul writes about the resurrection of the dead.

1. Not only has Christ been raised from the dead, but those who follow Christ will also be raised from the dead.

a. Paul calls Jesus the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. So Christ’s followers will experience an resurrection, just like Jesus did.

iii. in vv.35-49, Paul writes that we go be resurrected in order to spend eternity as disembodied spirits, floating around, we, just like Jesus, will be raised bodily…with a new body.

1. In vv.50-57, Paul gives a wonderful description of death’s ultimate defeat.

a. When the perishable puts on the imperishable…when the mortal puts on the immortal…

i. Death will be swallowed by in victory…death won’t have the final say…when all things are made new…the sting of death will be taken away.

iv. And v.57 is just epic – thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. And having written all of that – about Jesus’ resurrection, our bodily resurrection, death’s defeat and the victory we receive because of Jesus…

a. Paul writes, therefore…in conclusion…

i. Because of all that he has just written about resurrection…Paul goes on to give 3 instructions that we’ll look at in just a bit.

3. Brothers – Before we look at those instructions, I want us to look at the next few words in this verse.

a. “My dear brothers…” some translations say, “My dear brothers and sisters…”

i. Now, on the surface, these seem like innocuous words…terms of affection.

1. But there are some interesting words when we sit back and consider the nature of the relationship between Paul and the church in Corinth.

b. Paul wrote 2 rather lengthy letters to this church.

i. Maybe more than any other church Paul planted the Corinthians were very anti-Paul.

1. Last year we looked at the letter of 2 Corinthians – and over and over again throughout that letter, Paul defended his ministry, he defends his apostleship…even his decision making.

a. Paul spoke in 2 Corinthians of a previously written hard letter that he sent to that church…spoke of a hurtful meeting that took place…

ii. In parts of 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to correct some very serious doctrinal errors…he writes to correct some very serious moral issues.

1. To put it lightly – the nature of this relationship was rocky at best.

c. Even though their relationship was tenuous…even though this church was anti-Paul, even though they had hard meetings and hard conversations…here’s Paul…

i. And he’s writing with a pastor’s heart…calling the people he ministered to and pastored, ‘my dear brothers and sisters.”

1. It really speaks to the nature of our relationship within the family of God.

a. Even though we may have disagreements…we may not get along all the time – we may quibble and squabble with each other…what joins us together is stronger than what seeks to divide us.

i. Paul was still family with those irrational people…and even in our churches today – we are still brothers and sisters – adopted into the family of God.

d. For Paul, even though the Corinthians caused him to lose a lot of sleep – probably gave him an ulcer or 3…

i. He still affectionately refers to them by this term of endearment…he still cares for them with a pastor’s heart.

1. His love for them is so strong – that he longs to drive this truth home for them…

a. He longs to see confession and repentance and a change in behaviour come to the Corinthian Christians.

i. He loves them too much to leave them where they are.

e. So, concluding all that has come before, in chapter 15, and in the letter as a whole…therefore…in light of what was written, my dear brothers and sisters…

i. Now, Paul moves on to give his people…and us today some practical instructions for our life in the church.

1. So let’s now focus our attention on this practical instruction Paul gives in light of all that he has previously written.

4. Steadfast – Paul’s first word of instruction to the church in Corinth is to be steadfast and immovable.

a. In this verse, Paul moves from the soaring heights of theology, to ground level practicality.

i. Now, why is it that Paul begins his practical exhortation with the words “Be steadfast?’

1. Well, there’s a simple reason for that – the Corinthians were prone to fickleness.

a. They were easily persuaded.

ii. They shifted from one belief to another, to a completely opposite belief.

b. Paul wrote to them correcting many heresies that crept into their church, and then he wrote them again defending his teaching and ministry. The Corinthians were prone to fickleness.

i. Paul tells them that they need to be steadfast in their beliefs – in who God is, in their Christian ethics, and especially in the resurrection.

1. In modern English, I see this verse saying something like, “Be fundamentally sound.”

a. If you even drive by my house, chances are you’ll catch me out in my yard swinging a golf club. I love to golf.

i. And one thing that you have to do in golf, if you want to be any good at it, is you have to practice the fundamentals.

1. Grip, posture, footwork, balance, taking the club back on plane, extending on the backswing, release the club on the downswing…

2. Holding the finish with good posture.

2. If the fundamentals are practiced, its easy to slip into bad habits, hold the club wrong…and if your grip the club with an improper grip, it’s going to be that much hard to make a good swing and have everything fall into place so you can make good contact with the ball.

a. With golf, you have to have good fundamentals. Same with the Christian faith and life in the church.

c. I think the same idea applies in this verse. To the church Corinth, to us today – Paul writes – be steadfast, be fundamentally sound.

i. But than being steadfast or sound, Paul says we need to be immovable in our beliefs.

1. I think the Corinthian church would fit into our world today.

a. Our world likes to think of itself as tolerate and progressive – not run by archaic rules.

i. And unfortunately, a lot of churches have bought into this ideal and philosophy as well.

1. Some churches today have become prone to fickleness – just like the Corinthians.

d. So maybe these words are as relevant today as when they were first written.

i. Be immovable in your belief. Be unshaken in your belief in god, in the power of the gospel, in the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead.

1. But immovable in calling sin sin – be steadfast in your morals, even if the rest of the world looks at you funny.

a. If your work as a church is built on the solid foundation of Jesus – if its members are steadfast and immovable in their beliefs, then the work will not be done in vain.

5. Abounding – I love what Paul writes next. “Abounding in the work of the Lord.” I love that word “Abounding.”

a. This word shows the quantity and quality of what we should be doing for god.

i. Maybe Paul have said it negatively, something like, “Not slacking in your work of the Lord.”

1. Not begrudgingly, or out of duty or responsibility…

b. But Paul uses the word “abounding” – not just getting by – not doing the bare minimum – or enough to ease your conscience or thinking you’ve done your Christian duty.

i. But Paul says, “Abounding in the work of the Lord.”

1. The word shows us the quantity of work for the Lord.

c. But this word “Abounding” also shows us the quality of our service too.

i. Now honestly, I have no hard and fast proof about this, but there’s what I believe this phrase teaches us about the quality of our work.

1. You can’t say “Abounding” without a smile on your face. Go ahead and try it.

a. Try saying ‘abounding’ while scowling. It’s not easily done. You really have to concentrate.

d. How do we make sure your work as God’s church – your work as a local expression of his church doesn’t labour in vain?

i. By abounding in your work for the Lord.

1. Now what does this phrase mean? Does it specifically refer to church work?

a. Yeah, it does. Elsewhere Paul talks about the importance of each member of the body. – how we all have our unique and special roles to play with the church.

ii. But the phrase can also have wider connotations.

1. Abounding in serving in the church – absolutely – abut also abounding in gospel work outside church.

a. Abounding in your witness and evangelism; abounding in disciple making, abounding in opportunities to share the love of Jesus with others.

e. Maybe we can combine this phrase with a verse earlier in 1 Corinthians.

i. Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do…do it for the glory of God.

1. Or Colossians 3:17, whatever you do in word or in deed – do everything in the name of Jesus – abounding in your work for the Lord.

6. Knowing – And finally we come to the pay off. If the church is built on a solid foundation.

a. If the church is steadfast and immovable, holding firmly, with every ounce of its being, to the truth of the gospel…

i. If the church is abounding in the work for the Lord – inside and outside the church…

1. Then we can KNOW that we labour not in vain.

b. And maybe the best way for us to understand the impact of this statement is to look at what it doesn’t say.

i. Paul doesn’t write, “Feeling that your labour…”

1. He doesn’t write, “Thinking or guessing that your labour is not in vain…”

a. But Paul sues the word “Know” – have the fullest confidence.

c. Fullest confidence in what? It goes back to the previous verses.

i. If our hope is grounded in the assurance of Jesus’ resurrection…

1. If we are certain that death has lost its sting and lost the battle.

a. If we believe that just like Jesus we too will experience a bodily resurrection at his second coming…

i. Then we can have the fullest assurance that our work for the Lord is worth it.

d. What Paul writes here is that the reality of the future colours the reality of the present. The hope of a future bodily resurrection; the knowledge that death doesn’t have the final say – should radically influence our present.

i. Paul uses the word ‘labour’ – now to be this word implies a struggle.

1. And he’s being brutally honest – sometimes following Jesus is hard. Sometimes our Christian work will find us in sticky situations.

a. Maybe we get mocked or ridiculed by friends, family or coworkers.

i. Maybe you’ve lost someone significant in your life because of your faith.

e. Whatever struggles you face; whatever struggles God’s church faces in this world – Paul is telling us they are worth it.

i. They are worth it because of what the future holds for God’s faithful people.

f. The future colours the present.

i. As a church, as God’s people, you are called to faithful Christian service.

1. Serving by doing things in and around this building. A church doesn’t exist for 170 years by accident.

a. It exists because your spiritual forefathers in this church took serving seriously. And that has been passed down through the years.

i. People to make sure there was faithful preaching from the pulpit, music during the service, food and drink for potlucks.

g. We are called to faithful Christian service, but Paul tells us that our hope isn’t in results.

i. Our hope isn’t in accolades or congratulations we get.

1. Our hope, our assurance, comes form knowing that we labour not in vain.

a. Your spiritual ancestors in this church laboured not in vain.

i. Because they know that sacrifices made for God’s kingdom will be richly rewarded.

ii. And we too can have the assurance and knowledge that work we do for the Lord is not in vain.

1. We know that our service, whether in leadership, playing the piano, setting tables, weeding the gardens, or sharing Christ’s love with someone…

a. None of that is done in vain – for we know that work for God’s kingdom will be richly reward – maybe in this lifetime, but most definitely in the next.

7. Conclusion – 200 years of God’s faithfulness in this church is absolutely incredible.

a. Praise God for his faithfulness to us.

i. But as you look to the past, look ahead to what God will do in the future, don’t neglect the present.

1. Be steadfast and immovable in the truth of the gospel.

a. Plant yourselves firmly on truth and do not be swayed.

b. Abound in your work for the Lord – work that takes place in this building, and out in your everyday lives too.

i. And know, that even if you don’t see fruit from your labour…

1. And even if you experience hard and trying times…

a. Know that you labour not in vain…for your steadfastness and service will be rewarded in the future.

i. And what a glorious day that will be.