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 

Who does Paul encourage to be, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord? He calls them, my beloved brethren. He includes all his readers. This is significant because when it comes to a discussion of, the work of the Lord, we are inclined to think of those who are in the ministry. We think of pastors, teachers, missionaries; anyone who we associate with, fulltime service. Paul does not see it that way. After clearly expounding the gospel, establishing the truth of the resurrection, explaining the long-term implications of the resurrection, and proclaiming victory over death, he encourages all who are his beloved brethren, to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. This is not the province of ministers alone. We have all received the blessings and benefits of Christ’s redemptive work. He has saved us all; is sanctifying us all; will change us all; and glorify us all. Therefore we are all stakeholders in the work of the Lord. His work is our work. His kingdom is our kingdom. We are the beloved brethren to whom Paul speaks. 

Our Glorious, Living Savior, 
we rejoice that we are one in You. 
We praise You that we are members of Your family, 
and Your beloved brethren. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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 

How are we to hold the truth of the resurrection? There have been, are now, and will be many in the earth who deny the resurrection. When Paul wrote this chapter, he was addressing the issue, ‘some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead.’ He went on to prove Christ’s resurrection and our eventual resurrection. He concluded with the song of victory over death. On the heels of that glorious statement of Christ’s victory and ours, he tells us to be steadfast and unmovable. Thus, we allow nothing and no one to shift us from the truth revealed to us of the resurrection. This was key in the ministry of the New Testament Apostles. They constantly proclaimed the resurrection of the dead and Christ’s resurrection in particular. The Greek philosophers refused to hear it. The Jewish religionists violently opposed it. The Apostles would not shift from it. We believe the Apostles. We believe Christ has risen from the dead. We cannot and will not move from the truth we know and are called to declare. 

Our Gracious God and Heavenly Father, 
We rejoice that You have raised Christ from the dead. 
We praise You that You have confirmed it 
by many infallible truths. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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

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 practical result of the resurrection as far as how we live life? As Paul draws his discussion of the resurrection to a close, he concludes with our text. He encourages his readers to ‘be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.’ He gives the reason as, ‘knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord.’ To summarize Paul’s remark, ‘Continue to make much of Christ. You are not wasting your time.’ This is tremendously encouraging for anyone who seeks to promote the Person and work of Christ. Often it seems as if very few are interested in Christ or any message that speaks of Him. Every other message seems to draw a larger audience. At times the person who is making much of Christ can become discouraged because it may seem the labor is in vain. The Apostles, ‘ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.’ Paul determined not to know anything else but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Their message is our message. Their mission is our mission. We make much of Christ knowing it is not a waste of time. 

Our Wise and Sovereign God, 
we rejoice that Your plan is perfect. 
We praise You that in due course of time, 
You will bring everything to pass 
that You have purposed. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. 

I Corinthians 15:54 

Death fails in the end. When Christ returns in all His glory, ‘at the last trumpet,’ He will transform all His people into immortal, incorruptible individuals who will be with Him for eternity. Here is where Paul has been going all the way along the line. He began with the gospel; went on to prove the resurrection of Christ; went from there to prove our coming resurrection, and expounded the victory of Christ over all His enemies. From there, he explained how Christ will change our body into an incorruptible, immortal body. The end result of that is, ‘death is swallowed up in victory.’ This means death fails. Ever since death came into the world because of sin, death has reigned. Everyone living eventually dies. High and low, rich and poor, good and bad all die in due course of time. None of us can successfully defeat death. Christ has defeated death. His resurrection was the initial defeat. Everything He has done since is the ongoing defeat of death. Ultimately, He will defeat death for the last time and destroy it entirely, ‘the last enemy that will be destroyed is death.’ Thus, at the second coming of Christ, He changes us completely and, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ Death dies and we live. 

Great God of Life, 
we rejoice that You have defeated death. 
We praise You that because You live, 
we shall live also. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning