Thursday, May 14, 2009
I just completed a sermon series called, "He's Risen and I'm Changed." The focus was the post-resurrection appearances that Christ made to some of His followers and how it changed their lives. I have enjoyed studying and teaching on these great stories. I hope it extended Easter Sunday into Easter Season.
I believe 1 Corinthians 15:58 is a good way to wrap up this series. This verse says, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
After 57 verses of explaining the power and the importance of the resurrection, Paul concludes with three commands and one promise.
The first command is to stand firm. This means to be firmly settled. It means to be standing on solid ground. Don't let anything or anyone move you off the solid ground of Jesus Christ. The other day I noticed that the gate to my side yard doesn't close properly. After some investigation, I discovered that the fence post was not embedded in the concrete anymore. That caused everything to be askew. Similarly, when we are not firmly embedded in the concrete of Jesus Christ, things get wobbly and don't work properly in our lives. Jesus lives, so stand firm!
The second command is to not let anything move you. This means to be unshakable. Don't be tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceit.
The third command takes us a step further: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Pour yourself into it. Don't grow weary in well doing. Don't grow slack. Don't get discouraged. This implies the ability to recreate ourselves day by day; it is the idea of resiliency.
And the promise? That are labor for the Lord is not in vain. We may not always see results like we want to see them but our labor for the Lord is effective because the results of ministry belong to the Lord. As Paul stated, "God gives the increase". The words "we know" are important words in this promise. Sometimes I have to remind myself, constantly tell myself, that what I do for the Lord produces eternal effects. It's easy to fall into the trap of measuring the success of ministry like someone measures the success of a business. We count nickles and noses. We measure success by how many show up or by how much is given. But God has a different measuring standard. I need to be faithful to serving the Lord and trust Him to be faithful in producing eternal effects. Jesus lives and what I do for Him counts!
Jesus died on the cross, He rose from the dead, He gives us the victory..."therefore, my dear friends, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Pastor Tim
I believe 1 Corinthians 15:58 is a good way to wrap up this series. This verse says, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
After 57 verses of explaining the power and the importance of the resurrection, Paul concludes with three commands and one promise.
The first command is to stand firm. This means to be firmly settled. It means to be standing on solid ground. Don't let anything or anyone move you off the solid ground of Jesus Christ. The other day I noticed that the gate to my side yard doesn't close properly. After some investigation, I discovered that the fence post was not embedded in the concrete anymore. That caused everything to be askew. Similarly, when we are not firmly embedded in the concrete of Jesus Christ, things get wobbly and don't work properly in our lives. Jesus lives, so stand firm!
The second command is to not let anything move you. This means to be unshakable. Don't be tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceit.
The third command takes us a step further: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Pour yourself into it. Don't grow weary in well doing. Don't grow slack. Don't get discouraged. This implies the ability to recreate ourselves day by day; it is the idea of resiliency.
And the promise? That are labor for the Lord is not in vain. We may not always see results like we want to see them but our labor for the Lord is effective because the results of ministry belong to the Lord. As Paul stated, "God gives the increase". The words "we know" are important words in this promise. Sometimes I have to remind myself, constantly tell myself, that what I do for the Lord produces eternal effects. It's easy to fall into the trap of measuring the success of ministry like someone measures the success of a business. We count nickles and noses. We measure success by how many show up or by how much is given. But God has a different measuring standard. I need to be faithful to serving the Lord and trust Him to be faithful in producing eternal effects. Jesus lives and what I do for Him counts!
Jesus died on the cross, He rose from the dead, He gives us the victory..."therefore, my dear friends, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Pastor Tim
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