Be ye Stedfast

[0:00] We're going to stand as we read, if we can. 1 Corinthians 15, 51. Now this is a passage that's often used at funerals.

[0:21] It's an encouragement. 51 of 1 Corinthians 15. And this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

[1:13] The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1:27] Therefore, my beloved brethren, being steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

[1:43] Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for this word, that it be a word in season, that it be a word we will act upon, a word we will take to heart. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[1:55] Please be seated. The context is of death. It's of the last trump. It's of the resurrection. It's of the change that will occur.

[2:06] It's of the victory. It's of the victory. And Paul writes, My beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

[2:25] Beloved, beloved brethren, be ye steadfast. Steadfast. God's people are called to be a steadfast people. A steadfast, a strong people. A people with conviction.

[2:39] As a church, to be a church with conviction. Declaring the message of the gospel. The uncompromising message. We must not be sloppy.

[2:51] We must be steadfast. Not at ease in Zion. Not called to some social program. But to revival. To be a steadfast people.

[3:03] Be ye steadfast. I pray that you people will be that people. That Paul writes off here. That you will be that steadfast people.

[3:14] Steadfast about the truth. Steadfast about sin. About righteousness. About repentance. About hell. About the gospel. A steadfast people. Called to a manly Christianity.

[3:26] Not an effeminate one. Because we have absolute truth. There's no new improved version. This is it. Absolute truth. And we must buy it and sell it not.

[3:39] And be steadfast in it. Determined about it. The problem in our land is pulpits. With softened messages. With gutless preachers. With watered down gospels.

[3:52] With a lack of boldness. They won't preach the truth. The steadfastness is missing. It's been watered down and compromised. Such that there's scarcely a remnant of it.

[4:03] And we need to be a steadfast people. It's time to wake up the mighty men. As it says in Joel 3.9. To be ye steadfast. Be ye steadfast.

[4:14] Be that resolute people. It talks of some of a divided heart. In Hosea 10.2. Don't be divided.

[4:25] Be steadfast. Steadfast. Be ye steadfast. It means governed by the book. It means firmly fixed on Christ. That we would be a steadfast people.

[4:36] A steadfast people. This assembly has been gathering in this area for some 13 years. A steadfast people I trust. But look at Noah.

[4:49] How long was he steadfast? 120 years to build the ark. We've got a way to go yet people. A steadfast people. Let's be steadfast. Like Noah was steadfast. Like the disciples of Acts 2.42.

[5:02] It says they were steadfast. They continued steadfastly. It's got the sense of they gave constant attention to the word of God. To Bible doctrine. Bible fellowship.

[5:13] Bible worship. Bible prayer. Bible service. They were a steadfast people. A people not divided. A steadfast people. A people governed by God.

[5:26] For his glory. And I pray that would be true for us. That we would be that steadfast church. A steadfast people. A steadfast message. I pray that it would be true.

[5:38] That if you come to this church. And you end up in hell. You will have no excuse. Because you'll have heard the gospel here. You'll have heard the gospel here.

[5:51] Because it's been faithfully delivered. Woe to me if I preach not the gospel. If you're just getting some feel good positive message. Without the hell fire.

[6:03] Which we need to be aware of. To be avoiding. There is hell fire. It's real. And it's burning. Better to be scared now.

[6:14] Than burning later. Amen. Don't be a sloppy Christian. Be a steadfast one. Be ye steadfast. The word says of an anchor of the soul. It's faith.

[6:25] An anchor of the soul. Short and steadfast. Be ye steadfast. Stand for the truth. Stand while you can. Stand. And having done all.

[6:37] Stand. Resist. The devil steadfast. It says. In 1 Peter 5. Verse 9. Steadfast. In the faith. He wants you to be steadfast.

[6:48] Steadfast. Steadfast like the Hebrew children. They were steadfast. When all the world was bowing down. To the king's idol. In Daniel 3.18. They say.

[7:00] We will serve God. We will not bow down. We will not serve thy kings. Nor worship the golden image. Which thou hast set up.

[7:12] Steadfast. Will you be steadfast. Like our supreme example himself. Our Lord God. Our Lord Jesus. As it says of him in Luke 9.51. He steadfastly set his face.

[7:24] To go to Jerusalem. He steadfastly set his face. To go to Jerusalem. To the cross. He was steadfast. To go to the cross for you. He was steadfast. To go to the cross.

[7:35] For you. One foot after the other. He was heading steadfastly. To the cross. Will your feet. Tread that way. Will your feet tread that path. Steadfastly.

[7:45] To the cross. It's time to go steadfastly. To the cross. How are your feet today? How are your feet? Are they steadfast feet? You know.

[7:58] I was at. I was at a dear friend's house. And they've got the custom there. He says. Take your shoes off. And I was saying. Well. My feet might be smelly. And. And then I said.

[8:08] I said jokingly. He could. Could have an opportunity. To wash my feet. But really. I should have. I should have washed his feet. Because I should have been. Like Christ. You know. We don't make an ordinance.

[8:18] Of foot washing. As such. In this church. But. Maybe we need to. Stoop down. And take a towel. Amen. Maybe we need to be steadfast. Like our Lord. Those beautiful feet.

[8:30] Those beautiful feet. Nailed. Nailed. Nailed for you. Nailed. Beautiful feet. The feet that bring good news. The feet that bring the gospel. Our feet should be steadfast too.

[8:42] Steadfast. God's people have a sure. And certain hope. We are to be firm. To be all out. To stand fast. In the liberty. To stand fast. In one spirit.

[8:53] To be an unwavering. An unrelenting. An unreserved people. To be ye steadfast. Steadfast. Be persistent. Be in the minority.

[9:05] Be. With him. He bore his cross for you. He was on the cross alone. For you. Stand your ground. Be in the minority.

[9:16] Be ye steadfast. Doesn't matter what the crowd does. He bore his cross for you. Stand your ground. Be in the minority. Steadfastness. It's a missing quality today.

[9:27] Steadfastness. In your love for him. Steadfastness. Working out your salvation with fear and trembling. Be persevering in your service.

[9:39] And be ye steadfast. And it takes a great exchange. It takes a great exchange. When we exchange our weakness for his power. For his sustaining power. That's how we can be steadfast.

[9:50] Because it's not of ourselves. It's not of our own doing. Be ye steadfast. Secondly. Be ye unmovable. Be ye unmovable. Unmovable.

[10:01] We're living in a moving world. Things are moving at a rapid pace. And are moving generally in the wrong direction. Things are changing. Changing. Moment by moment. Morals are changing.

[10:11] Churches are changing. Preaching is changing. We've changed. We've come a long, long way people. We've come a long way in Australia. We've come a long way in church.

[10:25] We've taken it to the next level. Yeah. All down. Down. Down. Be ye unmovable. We ought to be unmovable people. An unmovable people.

[10:36] Not going in the wrong direction. But going in God's direction. They're changing God today. They're changing the Bible today. They're changing marriage today. Here's an extract from a UK tract.

[10:48] Our country is in a mess. You could say much of this for Australia today. Increasing violence. More teenage pregnancies than we've ever seen. Alcohol and drugs are rampant.

[11:00] Moral standards and manners are near non-existent. There is a widespread lack of discipline. TV is desensitising people. Making people less sensitive to cruelty and suffering.

[11:12] TV has made people antisocial. People are less thankful these days. People are abounding in immorality. Homosexuality. Adultery. People act like there is no final authority.

[11:27] Everyone has their own opinion. So how can we know what is right and what is wrong? Christianity is being marginalised. People do almost anything for money.

[11:38] Lying has become the norm. Today we expect to be lied to. Whether it's buying a product or a service. Why have we sunk so low? How come watching immorality and violence on TV doesn't shock us anymore?

[11:53] Whether you believe it or not, this country is in a mess. Because we have departed from obeying God's word. The Bible, it's as simple as that.

[12:06] End of quote. The handwriting is on the wall. And it's for our nation too. For the Australian nation. For this nation. Australia has forsaken the living God.

[12:17] We've moved as a people. We've moved as a nation. Australia has moved. We've departed from the book. And on the church front too. We have moved.

[12:27] We've organised God out of church. In the US, mainline churches now have sanctioned gay marriage. And ordaining gay bishops.

[12:40] Judgment is coming. Judgment is coming. Casinos are full. Concerts are packed. Pubs are popular. The masses go and watch the game. Whatever it be.

[12:52] Meanwhile, the church is slacking. Sleeping. Slumbering. We've moved. We've moved. We've moved from God. We've departed from the living God.

[13:03] And God has left us. The Shekinah. The glory has departed. God have mercy on the liberal, lackadaisical, lukewarm church.

[13:15] It turns the stomach of the holy God. That we serve. Meanwhile, Christians, they give lip service. It's lip service.

[13:26] The token service. Or it's programs or concerts or events. We've moved church. We've become soft and sloppy and sicker sensitive. I've got a sticker in my Bible.

[13:37] It says, fight, truth, decay. That's what we need. That's what we need. Fight, truth, decay. There's a decay. And we need to fight it.

[13:49] We need to be unmovable. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. That should be our slogan. The power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.

[14:01] The only thing that should move us is the power of God. The only thing that should move us is the word of God. As we see in Acts 4.31, the church was moved by God.

[14:12] When they prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the word of God with boldness.

[14:23] They were moved. God moved. The word, the spirit, they moved. Things are moving today on the church front. There's new methods. There's new manipulation.

[14:34] New motives. There's a watered down gospel. It's all more palatable today. Yet you are called to be unmovable. Not changeable. Unmovable. Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines.

[14:47] Hebrews 13 verse 9. Now more than ever we need to be unmovable. Unmovable. Ephesians 4.14. That we henceforth be. No more children.

[14:58] Carry to and fro. With every wind of doctrine by the slight of men. Cunning craftiness. Whereby they lie in wait to deceive. We ought to be an unmovable.

[15:09] People. Be ye. Unmovable. Brethren. My beloved. Brethren. Be ye. Steadfast. Unmovable. Unmovable. We will not move from this book.

[15:20] We must not. We dare not. Move from this book. It. It's truth from cover to cover. It needs no correction.

[15:31] No update. The early church hazarded their lives for the gospel. I think sometimes today we get too risk averse. Too risk averse.

[15:44] It's like my day job. They've got posters all over the place. You've got to wash your hands all the time. In the health sector. You know. Wash your hands in between people. And everything's got to be so clean and perfect.

[15:55] You dare not have a bug or a germ. Lest you get sick. And that's a real thing in the health sector. But friends. We're like that in church today. Whoa.

[16:06] Let's be careful. We don't offend anybody today. There could be someone here who's going to be offended. God forbid. That the gospel would offend someone today. Too risk averse.

[16:17] But we need to stand with God's word. We need to declare it. And stand upon it. With love. With compassion. To stand upon it.

[16:28] And like Peter and John. Let's say. We cannot but speak. The things that we have seen. And heard. Acts 4 verse 20. We cannot. We must not.

[16:38] Not be moved. Even when facing the worst of times. The worst of circumstances. And like Paul. In Acts 20 verse 24. As he faced the prospect. Of bonds and afflictions.

[16:49] That awaited him. As he faced the prospect. Of imprisonment. Of suffering. Acts 20 verse 24. Verse 24 he says. And none. Of these things move me. None.

[16:59] Of these things move me. Neither can I. My life dear unto me. So that I myself. Might finish with. Joy. My course.

[17:10] And the ministry. Which I have received. Of the Lord Jesus. To testify the gospel. Of the grace of God. None. Of these things move me. Whether it be chains. Whether it be bondage.

[17:21] Whether it be. Affliction. We ought to have. A militancy. About our faith. This is the confidence. That we have in him. We've got a confidence. In our God.

[17:32] A boldness. In the truth. Of his word. And we ought to be a people. Uncompromised. A people. Unmoved. Unmovable. A people of faith. A people.

[17:44] Who will not compromise. But let him ask in faith. Nothing wavering. For he that wavereth. Is like a wave of the teeth. See tossed. Driven with the wind.

[17:55] Don't be like that. Be a people of faith. Not a people wavering. Cast here and there. By the winds. That blow you from here to there. But be a people. Unmovable.

[18:06] Stand. Stand for something. Take God at his word. Believe that he is. Unmovable. He is. He is. He is. And he will be.

[18:16] He is. Tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. Whether you get up in the morning. Or not. He is. God is. And God is. God is for us.

[18:27] God is for us. That should make you unmovable. Because God is. In the beginning. God. And you have his word. You are his people.

[18:39] If you're saved today. And if you're not. Now's the time. Behold. Now. It's the day of salvation. Don't put it off. But trust him. No matter what. No matter what moves you.

[18:50] Be that. Unmovable people. To fear not. To be not ashamed. To be firm. To be strong. And steady. My beloved brethren. Be ye.

[19:01] Stand fast. Unmovable. Be ye. Always abounding. Always abounding. Read of the Psalm 1. Of the blessed man.

[19:12] Blessed is the man. He walks not. In the counsel of the ungodly. He doesn't sit. In the seat of the scornful. He doesn't stand. In those ways of sinners.

[19:23] He has a delight. In the law of the Lord. And in his law. Does he meditate. Day. Day. Day. Night. Night. Night. And he shall be. Like a tree.

[19:34] Planted. By the rivers of water. And he shall bring forth. Fruit. Fruit. His leaf. Shall not wither. Be like that man. Of Psalm 1.

[19:45] Take that. Psalm. And read it. Psalm 1. And be that. Always abounding one. Always abounding. And how do we abound? We've got to abide. We've got to abide.

[19:55] Like John 15. He says. Abide in me. And you've got to bring forth much fruit. The abiding leads to the abounding. The abiding leads to the abounding. And what does abound mean?

[20:06] It literally means. To go over the bounds. Abounding. It means to exist in large amounts. To overflow. And God says to us here.

[20:18] Be ye steadfast. Unmovable. Always abounding. Always abounding. Always. Bless God. It's still abounding today.

[20:29] That abundant life. It's still more abundant. It's still abounding. It's still real. It's still overflowing. Life. More abundant. Excelling. Exceeding.

[20:40] The measure. It's like you could say. And you know. Sometimes we say. Someone's a bit radical. They're over the top. Well that's what it means. That's what it means people.

[20:51] We're meant to be over the top. We're meant to be abounding. Overflowing. Going over the bounds. We're meant to be flowing over the edges. We're meant to be a radical people. We're meant to be considerably more than what would be expected.

[21:05] We're meant to go above and beyond. To exceed in measure. To exceed the requirements. And God says to us in 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 1.

[21:16] Brethren, you ought to walk and to please God. So you would abound more and more. There's many scriptures we could touch on of abounding.

[21:26] For example, here's to some. Abound more and more. Some of the things that you as God's people are called to abound in. Abound in faith.

[21:39] Abound in hope. Abound in joy. Abound in love. Abound in the work. Abound in giving. Abound in consolations.

[21:50] Abound in fruit. Abound in blessings. The word of God is full of abundance. And abounding for you, for me. As God's people. Abounding. Always abounding.

[22:02] In his service. It's not so much in material things as some would see that. But it's more in that abounding of what really counts. That abounding of his grace.

[22:12] That abounding in that walk with him. That fruitfulness. That flourishing that he wants you to be. A fruitful people. A people bearing fruit. As you witness. As you reach out.

[22:23] You're going to have those beautiful feet. Those beautiful feet that are steadfast in his ways. Those beautiful feet that will carry the good news to others. And you will be fruitful.

[22:34] God will bless you as you bear fruit for his glory. And is it worth it? Is the question we think of the Christian life. Someone questioned that. Someone mocked and scoffed.

[22:45] And said, is it worth it to follow him? Is it worth it? What you've lost. What you've sacrificed. What you've given up. You could be enjoying yourself in sin this morning.

[22:56] Instead of listening to God's word. Is it worth it? Is it worth the pain? Is it worth the toil? Is it worth the hardness? It is not in vain in the Lord.

[23:09] My beloved brethren. Be ye steadfast. Unmovable. Always abounding. In the Lord. Always abounding. For as much as you know that.

[23:20] Your labour is not in vain in the Lord. It's not in vain. What you do for Christ. If it's in him. It is not in vain. It is very much worthwhile. Very much of value.

[23:32] Of eternal value. God is doing a work in you. And through you. And what you do for God. What little things you may do. What small trivial things that others may not see. They're valuable unto him.

[23:44] If it's not in the energy of the flesh. If it is in the Lord. It is valuable in his sight. And yet in contrast to that. There is much that is in vain.

[23:56] There is much that is in vain. When we fail to serve. When we fail to worship. When we fail to love him. When we fail to do his will. There is much that is in vain.

[24:06] Think of the wasted years. Wasted years. Wasted hours. Wasted days. Wasted time. Wasted lives. God forbid that would be true for you.

[24:18] Wasted. Wasted. Wasted. It is not in vain. If it is in the Lord. What you do. There is a certain reward. If your work is in the Lord.

[24:29] Things may be difficult. You may be like Paul. Bonds and afflictions await you. Yet. It is not in vain. If it is in the Lord. You may seem fruitless for a season.

[24:40] It may seem like there's nothing to show. For your faithfulness in prayer. For your faithfulness. In following him. For your faithfulness in doing. What you perceive to be his will for your life.

[24:52] But your work has value. His promise to you. It is not in vain. It is certainly of value. You may feel like losing heart. You may weary in well doing.

[25:03] Friends. Wait on the Lord. Renew your strength. Trust in him. Right now. Counts forever. Let it not be. That you'll look back on this time. And think how vain it was.

[25:14] But think how valuable your life has been. As he committed it in the way of righteousness. Weary worker. It's not in vain. It's not in vain. Those things you do for the saviour.

[25:27] It is not in vain in the Lord. Take heart. And be encouraged today. Someone said. The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it.

[25:37] But what he becomes by it. God is making you his own. God is making you a vessel unto his honour. Be that workman that needs not be ashamed.

[25:48] Do what God has sent you to do. Do not be veered away. Do not be diverted. Do not be steered from that steadfastness that he calls you to today.

[25:59] Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. As someone said. It's the work of the Lord. Because it is the work which he has assigned to you.

[26:13] And it can only be done in his strength. And as we are well pleasing in his sight. Make your life count. And do his work. Cleave unto the Lord your God.

[26:25] As it says in Joshua 23 verse 8. And friends. Take this personally now. Therefore. My beloved.

[26:37] He says you're beloved. He says you're beloved. He says he loves you today. He says he loves you. He loves you with an everlasting love. It's the same beloved that the Father said of the Son.

[26:50] Hear my beloved Son. That you are as beloved as Christ today. In him. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. My beloved brethren.

[27:01] Being ye steadfast. Unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that. Your labour is not in vain.

[27:12] In the Lord. You are aยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยยย