Always Abounding (Bible Study)

I Corinthians 15:1-12…50-58

This chapter is a treasure of hope… It is a argument for the resurrection of the body. This is distinctly a Christian teaching. Notice that the Resurrection was primarily not a doctrine but a fact. It is not necessary to argue it, but simply to say that Christ arose, therefore all will arise, because Christ is the Son of man. V. 19 of this chapter says… If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

 As we approach the final verse of this chapter 15, we notice that Paul is giving the people of God instructions on how to be prepared for the end of days. In fact there are 3 truths mentioned that we are to strive for… Let’s look at these truths together, and while we do let’s consider that Satan wants us to be unprepared at the return of our Lord…

 Be Stedfast
 D: STEDFAST; 1. Fast fixed; firm; firmly fixed or established; Constant; firm; resolute; not fickle or wavering.

Acts 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

-We are trying to figure out every way possible to fight the multiple warfares that Satan wages on us except for getting down in the trenches and getting our knees dirty… one thing that God’s people of days gone by understood that we don't today is the value of prayer… laboring in prayer!

Q:“What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men, men of prayer. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men” -E.M. Bounds

Hebrews 3:12-14  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Unmovable 
D: UNMOVABLE, adjective That cannot be moved or shaken; firm; fixed.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 121:1-3 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Colossians 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

-It seems as though we are all so quick to forget that Christ is our help and our hope, when confusion compasses us… its not then that we should fold and run… but it is then that we should stand firm, unmovable on Christ our Great foundation.

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Always Abounding
D: ABOUND'ING, participle present tense Having in great plenty; being in great plenty, being very prevalent; generally prevailing. Increase.

Colossians 2:6-7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

-Abounding in what?… The work of the Lord, laboring. while all the while realizing that what you are doing for God matters to God.

Matthew 9:35-38 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, [4] and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Concluding Thoughts: Are we stedfast, unmovable, and always abounding?