The Charge!
November 14th, 2008
Scripture:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Observation:
Paul, with confidence, tells the Corinthians here to be steadfast, immovable and to abound in God’s work because there is hope in the fact that Christ defeated death and the grave and they have an eternity to share with Him. Also, their work has value. The work that the believers were doing in the name of the Lord mattered.
Paul, with confidence, tells the Corinthians here to be steadfast, immovable and to abound in God’s work because there is hope in the fact that Christ defeated death and the grave and they have an eternity to share with Him. Also, their work has value. The work that the believers were doing in the name of the Lord mattered.
Application:
This is an extremely encouraging verse for me. The same truth for the Corinthians is true for me this morning. I have to admit there are many days that I grow weary in the work of the Lord. There are days that I wonder if what I am doing is making an impact for the Kingdom. Paul charges me here to be steadfast in God’s work, to abound in it and know that there is value in it and that it’s not in vain. How that encourages my heart. Encouragement and affirmation are big things to me. I put more value in them than I really want to and I trying to get better at that. I think sometimes I give in to the deception that if somebody doesn’t say something encouraging to me regarding the work that I am doing that I must not be working hard enough or that I am doing a lousy job. What Paul says here blows all that out of the water. He says to keep pressing into the work of the Lord and to KNOW that what is done for the sake and name of Jesus is not done in vain.
This is an extremely encouraging verse for me. The same truth for the Corinthians is true for me this morning. I have to admit there are many days that I grow weary in the work of the Lord. There are days that I wonder if what I am doing is making an impact for the Kingdom. Paul charges me here to be steadfast in God’s work, to abound in it and know that there is value in it and that it’s not in vain. How that encourages my heart. Encouragement and affirmation are big things to me. I put more value in them than I really want to and I trying to get better at that. I think sometimes I give in to the deception that if somebody doesn’t say something encouraging to me regarding the work that I am doing that I must not be working hard enough or that I am doing a lousy job. What Paul says here blows all that out of the water. He says to keep pressing into the work of the Lord and to KNOW that what is done for the sake and name of Jesus is not done in vain.
Prayer:
Thank you Jesus that my work for Your kingdom is not in vain. That You use my life in ways that I will never know. I trust that. Release me from the need to desire approval for the work of my hands. Help me to press into You alone and may all of my life, every ounce, be for the glory of Your name in all the earth!
Thank you Jesus that my work for Your kingdom is not in vain. That You use my life in ways that I will never know. I trust that. Release me from the need to desire approval for the work of my hands. Help me to press into You alone and may all of my life, every ounce, be for the glory of Your name in all the earth!
— Jason Elam, worship pastor
