"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT NOT LOSING HOPE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT NOT LOSING HOPE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE"

1st 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. NKJV

1st Cor 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. NLT

Some explanatory thoughts and applications:

1. It's encouraging to see how God views us, "beloved" that's how this verse opens up. Paul called them, the Corinthians, "my beloved" And, that's who you are with God. You are "His Beloved" He loves You.

2. We are then given a number of very specific encouragements to act on, and live out, and a reason why. These are good rules for the road as it were, especially if you may be struggling in the area of losing hope, and wondering if you are making a difference in your life for Jesus Christ.

3. Here are the things said to us. (1) Be stedfast. (2) immovable. (3) always abounding in the work of the Lord) The NLT says it this way. 1st Cor 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.1st Cor 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

4. Let's take a closer look at these 3 specific exhortations, To be stedfast means, "sitting, sedentary, firm" Or, be strong and to stand firm. To be immovable, means, to let nothing move you, to be steady, to not be moved from it's place, unmoved, firmly persistent. And, then finally, to be alway abounding etc, means, to always be busy in the Lord's work. Be enthusiastic about the Lord's work. It means, to abound, to remain, to exceed, to be great, to overflow. "Abounding" is used of a flower going from a bud to full bloom.

5. And, here's the real encouragement, it's found at the end of the verse, this encourages me to not lost hope, and to stay at my post as it were, and to know, that I am making a difference. It's a statement and a promise from God who cannot lie. Or as the NLT says, "for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless" Or as the Phillips translation says, "Be sure that nothing you do for him is ever lost or ever wasted.

6. By the way, this entire word of encouragement flows out of the earlier part of 1st Cor 15, which deal with the truth of the resurrection of Christ, and of our own future resurrection, or rapture by the Lord. We are on our way to heaven.

A prayer:

Lord, You encourage us, and You explain why we can be and should be encouraged. You have won the battle over sin, and You have brought us into Your eternal victory, and we get to serve You down here, as we wait for Your plans to unfold. Thank You for what You have done, and help us to not lose hope, and to know that in serving You, and being busy in Your work, we are making a difference. In Jesus' name, amen

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.