Your Work for God Makes a Difference! (1 Cor 15:58)

Your Work for God Makes a Difference! (1 Cor 15:58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί, ἑδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι, περισσεύοντες ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τοῦ κυρίου πάντοτε, εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κόπος ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστιν κενὸς ἐν κυρίῳ. Therefore brethren my beloved, steadfast be! immovable while abounding in the work of the Lord always, having come to know that the labor of you is not vain in [the] Lord. 1. The Logical ________________ (of 15:1-57): “Therefore” Therefore = “With the result that” “so then” 3. Do Not Be ________________: a. “Immovable” “unshifting” “undisturbed” “Hold the line!” b. The term is only used here. The opposite is found in Col 1:23 Col 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. c. “I ________ to be _______ from the Gospel and God’s promises.” 4. Keep ________________ Greatly: a. In _____________?: “In the work” – serving is work “of the Lord” – God’s “to do” list as opposed to ours… (cross) Spiritual “of-the-Lord” effort is needed continuously b. How _____________?: “abounding” – Not a little, but exceeding, abundant, excelling c. _____________ Do We Do This?: a. Our salvation is _____________: The death & resurrection of Jesus “Always” abounding in the work of the Lord b. Our resurrection is _____________: Immortal & incorruptible Unceasingly, to obey, maintain, and advance God’s work now 2. The ________________: “Steadfast Be Becoming!” a. “Be”: _____________ tense – continually be!… b. “Steadfast” (___________): Only here, 1 Cor 7:37, and in Col 1:23 1 Cor 7:37 Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. Col 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. As noun, it is used only in 1 Tim 3:15: 1 Tim 3:15 but if I am delayed, [I write] so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. c. This is a heart attitude due to our _______, not our circumstances d. This also comes from affirming the _____, not from our emotions e. “I ___________ to ___________ the Gospel and God’s promises.” Rapids Street Baptist Church – Pastor Kevin Subra – May 7, 2023 5. Understand Your Eternal ________________ a. Know the _____________ “having come to know” b. Embrace the Ongoing _____________ “your labor” = hard toil; exhausting physical or mental exertion Ongoing “fatiguing activity” by each of us Not giving up, not giving out, not giving in c. Believe the Ultimate _____________ “is not vain [empty]” d. Understand the ________________ “in the Lord” 6. Summary Statement: Because of my certain salvation and my certain resurrection, God commands me to choose to be continually and immovably settled on these truths, while abounding in the hard work of the Lord, knowing that He promises to use my efforts to make eternal impact.