TITLE: A STEADFAST SERVANT
SCRIPTURE: I CORINTHIANS 15:58
I am honored this afternoon to be at the First Baptist Church of Purcell to help you celebrate your Pastor, A STEADFAST SERVANT. It has been a few years since I have been here and I am glad to be back in the District. I want to honor your Theme as we celebrate this afternoon and work through the Scriptural Text you have selected for examination during this occasion.
Not so long ago, people would be raised in their birth town – GROW UP – GET A JOB – GET MARRIED – HAVE A FAMILY – GROW OLD – DIE WITHOUT LEAVING THEIR OWN TOWN OR GENERAL AREA. They would spend their entire life in their town. It is still that way in much of this world, but no longer in America.
• We are living in a very mobile society
• People will move across the country for jobs, education, or often just a whim!
• Young people want to see the World, no longer want to stay in the small town where they were raised
• That mindset has carried over to other areas of their lives as well
• No longer stay at your job for 35 years – okay to move around
Unfortunately, even when it comes to spiritual matters we take the same approach. Not only do we have folks who hop from church to church, but we also have some who have little concern over the doctrine and practice of the churches they choose! Not only do we want to recognize the steadfastness of the Pastor, but I also want to shed some light on the membership as well. I want to encourage you to be Steadfast as well. Listen again to the charge of the Apostle Paul to the folks in the Church at Corinth –
--I CORINTHIANS 15:58 “THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN BE YE STEDFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.”
Paul said, be STEADFAST -- UNMOVEABLE – ABOUNDING – These are interesting Words that Paul selects for this verse. I have learned in my many years of Preaching, every Word in the Bible is important. If we are not careful we will have the tendency to simply read passages of Scripture and miss its many Treasures because we don’t take time to understand its significance. Paul offers up three critical words in this passage you have selected for your Theme – STEDFAST – UNMOVEABLE – ABOUNDING. Your Theme -- A STEADFAST SERVANT is wonderful, therefore; to be “Steadfast” Paul is suggesting to us, it must be Partnered with “Unmoveable” and “Abounding.”
In your Theme – “STEADFAST” means “Stay Put” and “Don't Quit!” I like this text because oftentimes we miss the real message. Every Word in the Bible is important. Firstly, the text tells us, God wants us to stay steadfast. The dictionary defines the word “Steadfast” as "FIRM IN BELIEF, DETERMINATION, OR ADHERENCE; LOYAL OR FAITHFUL." What does that mean to us?
• It has to do with our faithful service to God
• Not Service to God, but Faithful Service to God
• Paul specifically tells us here that we are to abound (or go beyond the norm) in the work of the Lord
• The Work of the Lord is what is important
• It means reaching people with the simple message of God's love
• It means teaching others in His ways
• It is the most important function that we have here on this earth
Steadfast - carries the meaning of ‘Support’ and ‘Foundation.’ In other words, you can only be steadfast with a foundation.
• No Foundation - No Steadfastness
• No Foundation - No Stability
• No Foundation - No Longevity
• The same goes for us
• We cannot be steadfast without Jesus the Rock the firm foundation in our lives
• To Remain Steadfast, we must be Spiritually Grounded
Oftentimes we cannot be “Steadfast” because we are grounded in the wrong stuff. We want to be grounded in –
• Aspirations to hold position in National Convention
• Our Baptist Doctrine
• Constitution and By Laws
• Our District or State Convention
• We Have Always Done It Like This
There is a Promise found in this short verse for examination. The promise is extended to those that remain STEDFAST – UNMOVABLE – ABOUNDING.
• The knowledge that our labor is not in vain
• We are not wasting our time when we invest it in the work of the Lord
• We may not see the immediate results of our investment
• But one day we will when we reach out to Christ
• And He says to us, 'Well done thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of the Lord' we will be glad we stayed!
God Wants Us to Stay Unmoveable. This is very similar to being Steadfast. The difference is this speaks more about what we are than about what we do. It reminds me of the importance of being anchored.
• If a Ship loses its Anchor, it is no longer stable
• The Ship would begin to drift along with the ocean currents
• Paul talks about being blown about with every wind of doctrine
• That will not happen if we are unmovable
• Watch the News and saw the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship caught in the Hurricane and how frightened the passengers were to the point of fearing for their lives
• Ship being Tossed To and Fro in the Storm
• When we are Anchored in the Lord we will be “Unmoveable”
It was DOUGLAS MILLER who penned the song – MY SOUL HAS BEEN ANCHORED.
Though the storms keep on raging in my life
And sometimes it’s hard to tell the night from day
Still that hope that lies within is reassured
As I keep my eyes upon the distant shore
I know He’ll lead me safely to that blessed place He has prepared
But if the storms don’t cease
And if the winds keep on blowing
My soul has been anchored in the Lord
--Does not suggest to us that our Soul has been Steadfast – but Anchored!
We must know what we believe and why we believe it. Most of the time it is not the Steadfastness that gets us in trouble, it’s the Anchored.
• We are easily tossed to and fro
• Tossed because we are mad at the Pastor
• Tossed because we don’t agree with the Deacons
• Tossed because vote did not go my way
Remember what Paul told us in EPHESIANS 4:14 “THAT WE HENCEFORTH BE NO MORE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO, AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE SLIEGHT OF MEN, AND CUNNING CRAFTINESS, WHEREBY THEY LIE IN WAIT TO DECEIVE.”
• Too many in the Church are like that movie – “Gone With The Wind”
• Chasing every time the Wind blows
• We are tossed To and Fro
• Every time we look up the Wind has blown you into another Church
• Wind blows you to First Baptist this month
• Wind blows you to Macedonia next month
• Wind blows you to Corinth in the Spring
• Wind blows you to New Zion by Summer
• Tossed To and Fro, and Carried About With Every Wind of Doctrine
If we believe something because that is what our church teaches, or that is what such and such Pastor teaches - then we will change if they change!
• We need to base our belief on the Word of God - because it will not change!
• Jesus said, "He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow"
• He alone is the Word!
God wants us to stay with the Savior. Many times we forget that Jesus started out with 70 that followed him. ST. LUKE 10:1 “AFTER THESE THINGS THE LORD APPOINTED OTHER SEVENTY ALSO, AND SENT THEM TWO AND TWO BEFORE HIS FACE INTO EVERY CITY AND PLACE, WHITHER HE HIMSELF WOULD COME.”
• Jesus sent out 35 teams of 2
• Would not that be wonderful if we could do that today from our local Church
• Send out 35 teams of 2 to evangelize and witness throughout the community
Jesus began to tell the 70 – don’t take Scrip, or Money, don’t purchase Private Jets to get around, don’t buy Mercedes and Bentley’s, don’t buy Mansions to live in, at that point many of his disciples left. Look at what Jesus said in
--ST. JOHN 6:66-68 “FROM THAT TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK, AND WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM. THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY? THEN SIMEON PEPER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? THOU HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.”
• Many have left Him today
• They may still be in Church, but they have left Him
• They may still Sing – Teach – Pray – but are Far from Him
Stay with the Word of God.
• It is to be our rule, authority in faith and practice
• Nothing is to take precedence over it in our lives and decisions
• It is the Truth
• It tells us that we need to be saved
• It tells us how to be saved
• It gives us the assurance of our salvation!
• Stay with the Book
• Don’t replace it with anything or anyone
Stay with the Local Church.
--HEBREWS 10:25 “NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER, AS THE MANNER OF SOME IS; BUT EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER: AND SO MUCH THE MORE, AS YE SEE THE DAY APPROACHING.”
• All that we do for God is to be done in and through the local church
• The local church is the only organization commissioned to take the Gospel to the world
• No other organization has God's authority
Therefore, my Brothers and Sisters, we hear through this text giving us the assurance that our labour is not in vain. How do we know this?
• The word “Steadfast” is used to suggest fixed in position, solid and firm, unshaken and resolute
• The word “Unmovable” is used to indicate that a person or thing is unalterable, firmly secured, and not subject to change
• It also signifies the quality of being unyielding and incapable of being diverted from one’s purpose
• Thus, a person who is steadfast and unmovable is solid, firm, resolute, firmly secured, and incapable of being diverted from a primary purpose or mission
Isn’t it interesting the text does not use the word IMMOVABLE but UNMOVABLE. There is a big difference between the two.
• A building or structure that is stable and immovable must be built upon a strong foundation
• The building is immovable
• You can’t walk up to a building push it over
• The new Devon Tower built a few years ago in Oklahoma City, now the tallest building in the City
• Built to withstand the strong winds of Oklahoma
• Winds can’t move it or knock it over
If you and I desire to become Steadfast and Unmovable disciples of the Master, we must build appropriately and effectively upon Him as our foundation. As A STEDFAST SERVANT you are not Immovable but Unmovable which means we “CAN” be moved, but we “WONT” - we stand strong in the Lord and Refuse to be moved.
This Man of God is celebrated today as A STEDFAST SERVANT. That means you understand that he is Steadfast and Unmovable because he is ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.
• The word translated "Abounding" means " -- exceeding a fixed number or measure"
• The word translated “Abounding’ means -- "Over-and- Above"
• Some people do what is expected
• Your Pastor out of love, goes far beyond that
• His Life Pours Out and Overflow
--Abounding in Edifying our Brethren
--Abounding in Giving
--Abounding in Every Good Work
--Abounding in Love and Discernment
--Abounding in Joy
--Abounding in Thanksgiving
--Abounding in a Life that Pleases God
Paul closes his thought by saying OUR LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD. Notice there is no ‘Period’ after “Our Labour is Not in Vain” – He goes on to say “IN THE LORD.” This is a reminder to us that much of our Labour, if it is outside of the Lord is in Vain.
• Labour and Work hard to buy latest Clothes and Shoes – Out of Style or Can No Longer Fit
• Labour to save Money we can’t take with us when we leave this Earth
• Labour to save Money our Children or Grandchildren will Fall Out and Fight Over when we are gone
• Labour to pay off that Car that is out of style when we make the final Payment
Paul says, when we Labour in the Lord, our Labour is NOT in Vain. Pastor, are you weary in the work? Keep looking unto Jesus for the Grace and Strength you need to continue in service to Him. The solution is not to back off from our spiritual walk and devotion to the Lord, but to cling that much closer to Him, to plead His promises, and trust His Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen our hearts.
--Do you get Discouraged along the Way?
--Do you get Tired Every Now and Then?
--Do you Ever Feel Like Throwing Your Hands Up?
--I know you Do
--But God keeps reminding us
--Don’t Give Up
--Don’t Give In
--Don’t Throw In the Towel
--Stay Steadfast!
--Stand Unmoveable!
--Strive to keep Abounding in the work of the Lord!
--For Your Labour Is Not In Vain in the Lord
--A Steadfast Servant
