Be Ye Steadfast

Temple Baptist Church - 11-13-2011

1 Corinthians 15:58

Introduction:

A. Chapter 15 deals with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our “gathering together unto him.” One way or the other, we will not be here long! Either by death or by the rapture, we are leaving out of here. “Yesterday,” I was a kid; a little later, a young man raising a family; now, in my 60’s and time is short.

B. The Holy Ghost admonishes the church to be heavenly minded in verse 58 because the real treasures are those that are eternal, not temporal. Everything that we have or hope to have will be left behind. The bible declares that we came into this world naked and we will leave it the same way. The Corinthian Church was a carnal (fleshly) church and spent both their time and resources upon their natural, temporal desires. The “therefore” ties this verse to the preceding verses and is a summation or conclusion. His plea is based upon our blessed position in the body of Christ and hope of His soon return in the rapture of the church.

C. “My” denotes ownership. “Beloved” denotes our dearness to both the Apostle and our Saviour. “Brethren” denotes a family relationship which is important because our dependence is not only upon the Saviour but also upon each other!

1. In our text verse, we find the admonition of Steadfastness – deals with the possibility of quitting - Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (People are quitting on every hand. Pastors, missionaries, evangelists, SS teachers, soul winners, church workers, etc. More and more professing Christians are now comfortable at home when the church assembles. They are out of church and, yet, not convicted?)

2. In our text verse, we find the admonition of Immovability – deals with the possibility of being swayed - 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (We are in the midst of the “falling away.”)

3. In our text verse, we find the admonition of Abounding – deals with possibility of sitting down instead of serving - 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. (The closer to the end of the church age, the more we should labor. Unfortunately, it is just the exact opposite is true. The 75/25 rule has now become the 95/5 rule. 5 percent of the people do all of the work while 95 percent do nothing.)

4. In our text verse, we find the admonition of Knowledge – deals with the understanding that our labor is not in vain - Matthew 10:40-42 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Though we are in the age of “gleaning” or the Days of Noe, God is still in control of the harvest!)

5. In our text verse, we find the admonition of Reward – God will certainly reward us with fullness - 2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (full reward) for our labors (Parable of those who labored through the heat of the day for a penny while others entered the fields much later and received the same.)

ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TWO THINGS:

1. It Takes A Real Conversion – 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (The unsaved have nothing to hold them when the storms of this life begin to blow. They will fall away.)

2. It Takes A Real Conviction – 2 Timothy 4:10a For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world! (Too many of God’s people are in love with world and at enmity with God.)

SOME THINGS WE NEED TO CONTINUE IN:

1. We Need To Continue In One Accord - Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (We have an objective! One of the major travesties of our time is sending our military into hostile environments with no clear objective. You cannot win a war without an objective! We have an objective: to win souls, support missions, and raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.)

2. We Need To Continue In Prayer - Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (The effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much! William Cowper (1731-1800), an English poet, said: “And Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees.” Pray fervently and unceasingly!)

Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

3. We Need To Continue In Doctrine - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. (God’s Word has always been under attack and that attack has only increased in these last days. We have an anchor that holds fast in an ever changing world! The King James Bible!)
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

4. We Need To Continue In Fellowship - Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (The greatest enemy of the local church is division. The enemy within is greater than the enemy from without and Satan knows how to attack the church. Have fervent charity one for the other and be at peace.)

5. We Need To Continue In The Grace of God - Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (Salvation’s Message has changed! As the world gets more “religious,” fewer and fewer people have God’s “common” salvation. We who are saved become the “right wing fundamentalist” and are maligned.)

6. We Need To Continue In Encouragement - Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Hebrews 10:25 commands our assembly with the purpose of exhortation! If you are not here, we cannot encourage you and you cannot encourage us. I have never seen so many families who were once faithful to God’s house sitting at home or our enjoying their weekend instead of being in church.)

7. We Need To Continue In Soul Winning (Both at home and abroad)

Acts 26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great

8. We Need To Continue In Godliness - Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (A clear conscience makes for a soft pillow! Live right and you will never be sorry.)

Conclusion: Standing in a physical fight is not nearly as difficult as standing in a spiritual one.