The Work Of The Lord

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 

I Corinthians 15:58

What is the work of the Lord? As Paul concludes his discussion of the resurrection, he makes a practical application to his readers to be, ‘steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.’ We can only follow that advice if we know what the work of the Lord is. When he began to write about the resurrection, Paul delivered his primary message, ‘For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.’ When he had come to the Corinthians originally, he had a definite purpose, ‘For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.’ The Apostles ‘ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.’ Thus, the work of the Lord is to make much of Christ. This does not involve preaching alone. Rather it includes the imitation of Christ as we follow Him, ‘Who went about doing good.’ As we follow Christ and contemplate Him, we will learn to imitate Him in word and deed. Thus, whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, we seek to do the work of the Lord by the imitation of Christ. This is the worthwhile work that our understanding of the resurrection produces. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You have given us Your work to do. 
We praise You that You are the theme of it, 
and receive the glory for it. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning