1 Corinthians 15:58

A lot of times we preach this text at funerals, but this is not so much of a funeral text as it is a life-application text. This text is for us, for all of us who are in the middle of life’s struggles, trials, and dilemmas. How uplifting to know that our labor, our hardships, our servings, our hustle, our sweat and toil and travail – are not in vain! They are not without success or results. The Lord takes notice. The Lord knows exactly what you are going through and He will adequately reward and compensate you in due time. It is not in vain in the Lord.

Knowing that our labors and toils are not in vain and that they do not go unnoticed, the apostle Paul then admonishes us to be steadfast, unmovable and to be even more involved and given over to the work of the Lord. What an encouragement for us, especially in these last times.

Instead of drawing back, we are seriously challenged to become more constant, dedicated, devoted, and devout. We do not have the leisure of drawing back and becoming unsteady or wishy-washy. Today, we wholeheartedly stand for God and righteousness! We are true-blue Christians. We are not ashamed of declaring that we are born-again, sanctified, Holy-Ghost-filled, and fully committed members of the Church of God. We live for Christ and mean to die for Christ if need be. His word declares “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). We keep keeping on, striving, working, holding fast and holding on!

The apostle Paul was steadfast and unmovable in spite of all the hard trials that came against him. To the Corinthian saints, he testified, “. . . In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned,thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:25-28). This was a brief run-through of his rather dramatic life, yet in spite of all the persistent drama, he was steadfast and unmovable. He lived what he preached. He was more than just an administrator; he faithfully pastored and shepherded the sheep.

Now is certainly no time to become shaky and shilly-shally in the faith, but with a made-up mind, we are determined to hold out and press forward. Paul’s admonition concluded in the most powerful way. He affirmed, “. . . forasmuch as ye know your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (v58).

As we continue on our journey until we depart for the portals of glory, steadfastness is indispensable. The Word reminds us that “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong . . .” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). The Savior also strongly admonishes, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). It was Paul’s greatest desire to finish his course with joy. In Acts 20:24 he calmly declared, “But none of these things move me . . . so that I might finish my course with joy . . .” Now is no time to draw back with inconsistencies and unfaithfulness. Saints, Be steadfast and unmovable to the very end!