INTRODUCTION

1. The faith of Christianity has an eternal outlook.  Its precepts are timeless and unchanging, and its promises are for eternal rewards.

2. It is only fitting that those who have this faith would be steady and unwavering.  They do not change their beliefs and conduct to conform to the world, but instead they are steadfast and immovable.

    

BE STEADFAST AND IMMOVABLE

1. Following a discourse on the resurrection, Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1Cor. 15:58).

   1. This discourse was given because some Christians at Corinth said that there is no resurrection.

   2. Paul used Christ's resurrection as proof that we will also be raised, showed that the resurrection is essential to our hope in Christ, and explained the resurrection thoroughly.

   3. Because the resurrection will certainly occur and we will obtain victory over death through Christ, we must work persistently and diligently toward our goal.  Our work in the Lord is not in vain.

2. To be steadfast is to be steady, firm, and unwavering.

   1. One who is steadfast will not move himself from his established position.  His commitment does not waver, and nothing from within his heart will cause him to change.

   2. To be steadfast in Christ, we must have a deep-rooted faith that is genuine and unwavering.

      1. We must commit ourselves fully to belief in Christ.  We cannot be double-minded and wavering between belief and unbelief, for a double-minded man is "unstable in all his ways" (Jas. 1:8).

      2. Furthermore, we cannot shift our hearts between Christ and some other master.  In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth."

   3. Steadfastness is a condition of your salvation, for Colossians 1:23 states that Christ will present you holy, blameless, and beyond reproach "if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard."

   4. Synonymous with the quality of steadfastness is the commandment to stand firm, which is given in at least eleven verses of the New Testament (1Cor. 16:13; 2Cor. 1:24; Gal. 5:1; Eph. 6:11, 13-14; Phil. 1:27; 4:1; 1Thess. 3:8; 2Thess. 2:15; 1Pet. 5:12).

3. To be immovable is to be unyielding to external forces.

   1. An immovable person does not succumb to outside pressure that pushes him to change.  Regardless of what happens around him, he will not be moved.

   2. To be immovable in Christ, we must cling to Him, for He does move or change.

      1. In Hebrews, 13:8, the Scripture states that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  If He does not change, then our faith in Him should not change regardless of the changes in the world around us.

      2. Concerning the Father, James 1:17 says that "there is no variation of shifting shadow."  God is not moved by the opinions of man, and we should not be either.

      3. We are not to be "tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" (Eph. 4:14).  Instead, we are to be unmoved by these outside, worldly forces.

      4. The "faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3) has not been altered by the ways of the world since the time it was first delivered by the Lord.  As we live by this faith, we will not be moved from its unchanging message.

   3. If indeed we are immovable in this spiritual sense, then we will be able to withstand threats, ridicule, persecution, hardship, and temptation without giving up or even compromising our faith.

       

STORMS ARE COMING

1. A steadfast and immovable Christian is grounded and anchored upon the rock of Jesus Christ in order to weather life's storms.

   1. At the end of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described those who would be immovable and those who would fall in the midst of life's storms. Notice Matthew 7:24-27:

      ²⁴"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  ²⁶Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  ²⁷The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell -- and great was its fall."

   2. In the parable of the sower, Jesus described those who are not steadfast in their faith.  Notice Matthew 13:20-21:

      ²⁰"The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away."

   3. By the words of our Lord, we see that forces are at work against us from without and within.  Whether we will be steadfast and immovable depends on whether we hear, apply, and retain the Lord's words.

2. We have already faced storms in this world, but many more are coming.  Will we be steadfast and immovable?

   1. Different generations of Christians endure different trials in their times, but all must remain steadfast and immovable through these trials in order to emerge victorious.

   2. We are now facing a barrage of storms on the horizon, and many are already here.  Therefore, we must prepare to endure them.

      1. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for failing to see the obvious signs before them (Matt. 16:1-4), and He surely expects us to discern the signs of our times.  These signs are not about His coming, but rather they are about the world in which we now live.

      2. These trends and developments are warnings for us to prepare for the trials that we will soon endure.  We can see them coming, but are we ready to face them?

   3. Consider some of the storms that now threaten us.

      1. Many sexual perversions, most notably homosexuality, have taken hold of our society. Homosexual marriage is quickly becoming legal across the country, and other perversions are developing.

      2. The demise of marriage, the family, and the home has been underway for decades.  This trend is a vicious cycle, for each generation has less understanding and experience concerning God's design for the home than the previous generation.

      3. A further erosion of morality has continued as a result of ignorance of God's word.  The doctrine of relativism teaches that truth and righteousness are relative to each person's point of view so that lying, stealing, and even murder may be considered moral.

      4. A disregard for the lives of others has led to an increase in violence that is likely to continue.  Disbelief in God, belief in evolution, and exposure to graphic violence in entertainment are all directly related to the rate of murders and abortions.

      5. For generations in our nation, parents have expected to see their children prosper more than themselves.  This is no longer likely because present circumstances will probably produce significant hardship and the loss of affluence.

      6. The rise of Islam in the world is having a significant impact that will certainly continue.  Wars and violence are likely to continue and increase, and the threat is likely to come closer to home.

      7. Even if we escape these other trials, each of us will experience a decline in health, the ravages of age, or at least the certainty of death.

   4. As these storms swirl around us and the world is moved by every blowing wind, will we remain steadfast and immovable in our faith in Christ? What are we doing to prepare ourselves, our families, and the church for the trials to come?

       

CONCLUSION

1. Change is one thing that never changes, for "there is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl. 1:9). The people of God have always lived in changing environments, and we always will as long as we are in this world.

2. Many changes are inconsequential, but in matters of our faith in Christ we must remain steadfast and immovable.  Regardless of what the world does, we must not conform to its sinful ways.