1 Corinthians 15:58 is a reminder for us to keep on the narrow road when the going gets rough, when we are tempted to depart for the apparently smoother, easier road, seeing other commitments as more important than the work of God. This passage points out that our labour will not be in vain.
There are undoubtedly times in the life of a Christian when our walk is not rosy. Sometimes the narrow, rugged road can be distracting and even discouraging. We can slip, have bruises, even broken parts leaving scars and deformity. Should these adversities so affect us that we resort to complaints and murmurs about the roughness and narrowness of the road? Should we deviate to the smoother, broader road, like Israel of old who murmured in the wilderness and longed for the exotic foods and their previous life as overworked slaves back in Egypt?
Keep the goal in focus
The way of a Chnstian can be very frightening sometimes. However, if we can keep in sharp focus the goal of life for evermore in the kingdom of God, then, even when death faces us, we will be prepared to hold on, because we know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Daniel 3 tells us about three young brethren who were “steadfast, unmoveable.” Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made a great image of himself and commanded all his subjects to bow down and worship it. Modern day dictators do the same thing in subtler ways! But these three brethren remained steadfast and unmoveable in their trust in the God of heaven, and adamantly refused to carry out the king’s commands, despite the fierce fury of this tyrant and his terrifying threat of burning them alive. These three brethren knew that their God had made the universe, and sustained them — unlike the lifeless god of gold and wood and stone which this megalomaniac tyrant had made. They just could not bnng themselves to bow down to this idol.
An unexpected result
The outcome of their faith was remarkable. Nebuchadnezzar, who earlier had so aggressively challenged the ability of their God to save them from his hand, after witnessing God’s overwhelming power, publicly acknowledged His might and extolled Him above all gods. The Almighty was able to demonstrate His mighty power to this heathen and idolatrous nation of Babylon only because of the steadfastness and unmoveability of these three brethren. Their faith was not in vain. The steadfastness that was maintained, despite this persecution, resulted in the spread of the Gospel to the nation among whom they were captives and exiles. From this blessed result, we see that their steadfastness was not in vain.
Unmoveable Jesus!
This morning we look to Jesus. Why? Because the steadfastness of all those who have laboured for the Gospel’s sake cannot be compared to his. Because he was unmoveable, we have hope. Let us use his example to inspire us to be steadfast, unmoveable. Then we will know that our labour, too, will not be in vain in the Lord.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One