Steadfastness

The New Testament please back to the book of Colossians chapter 2. We're going to begin at verse 1. I am reading especially for the last half of verse 5, but I will say this, the opening verse tells us that Paul wrote it, the epistle, and Timothy was with him there. Colossians chapter 2 verse 1. For I want that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, be knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hid, and I suggest that verse 3 is speaking of the link with Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, for though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, join and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. I'd like to think a little for a few minutes on the thought of steadfastness. It's Paul's desire and he uses the language of a conflict in his soul.

That's not setting aside the thought, as he says in chapter 1, that he does not cease to pray for them. These people, for the most part, these saints he had never met by face. Chapter 1 tells us in verse 7 that Epirus, our dear fellow servant who is for you a faithful minister of Christ, had apparently been the one who had carried the gospel to the Colossian assembly, the area, but includes Laodicea as well, with a burden for them in regard to their spiritual care and steadfastness.

It shows that this dear apostle, regardless of who may have been the means of bringing the gospel to these people, he was interested in their steadfastness. In other words, the life that they were living was a testimony not only to the Lord Jesus, but you think of the present conditions of that part of the world, Colossian and Laodicea are in known, in areas known as Turkey today. The Lord done a great work in that first century, in that part of the of the world.

When we think of the burden and Paul is lying in a prison, for the prison epistles, and he's thinking of these dear saints, and he's thinking of their, that they might be comforted, knit together in love, and the very fact that they were found in Christ, and he says, though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in spirit. Join and behold in your order and steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Here are our saints, lying way distant away in the heart of the apostle, was his concern for them, and so to bring it down to our day and age.

I think of a brother in the Lord, he's now with the Lord many years, but he left impressions on a number of us younger men in our early Christian experience, got us moving a bit. And when you think of examples in the word, for a moment or two, but turn back to the book of Ruth. We notice this in our own reading, chapter 1, the book of Ruth.

The beginning of the book, there's a Lamanic, there's Nehemiah, their two sons, a famine in the land, and Bethlehem, Judea, in that area. Verse 1 of the beginning there says they went to sojourn in the country of Moab. Very soon, within approximately 10 to 12 years, not only a Lamanic passed on, the two sons who had married women of the Moabites, they died.

And here's three widows. The recovery of Nehemiah is a remarkable story in itself, and her burdens to began to think about the land that they'd left the place of where the Lord had placed them. And on the way now, they're returning, look down at verse 14 of chapter 1, she said to those two daughter-in-laws, go back to your people and to your gods.

Verse 14, and they lifted up their voice and wept again. They were weeping in verse 9. And Orpha kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth claimed unto her. And she, that is Nehemiah, said, behold thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her gods.

Return thou after thy sister-in-law. I want to read for these words. And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee.

For whither thou goest, I will go. Where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

Where thou diest, will I die. There will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.

When she, that is Nehemiah, saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. We thought of this the other day. Here was a woman, a widow, and through the stirrings of Nehemiah's heart, as she thought of the circumstances that had beset their life, Ruth is one.

And as we'd say, you can put it in New Testament language, a true conversion. Thy God will be my God. Thy people shall be my people.

And she claimed unto Nehemiah. And you follow this through and you'll find that Ruth became the bride of a Boaz, and a great-grandmother, I believe it is, to David, at the close of the book. And so as we think of the thought of being steadfastly encouraged to cleave unto the Lord.

This is what Paul had a burden for those Colossians. We bring that down now these 20 centuries and more to our day, and we are thankful for what we enjoy as to our fellowship, not only with God and the Savior, the Lord Jesus, but with one another. And the thinking of life as it quickly goes by, and impressions that have been left upon us.

And so to look at what the order, I'm lifting that word there in Colossians 2, to what Paul heard by others of the movements and the desires of the saints, their faith in Christ, that they might show that in their life. So let's look at what the pattern really is all about. The reason I got to thinking about this, I told this here in La Crosse before, five days after I was saved, back in 1950, that weekend was a conference here in La Crosse.

I think there was four of us fellows came over, and on Lord's Day morning, the late Lawrence Larson, he said to us, boys, I've got the seat for you fellows. Putting in our terminology, the front seat of the back seats. We weren't in the fellowship, but he knew that we had gotten saved.

And you know, as I think of those of us who are sitting there, I remember the first time that I really enjoyed witnessing the Lord's Supper as the saints remembered Him. Look with me for a few moments in Acts chapter 2, because when we think of the thought of the desires of the Lord as He writes to His servants, Peter is speaking. He's preached to those fellow Jews as to what they had done.

Ye men of Israel, verse 22 of chapter 2, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know, Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Now go to the end of the chapter.

He reminds you that this one, the Lord Jesus, He's risen. He's both Lord and Christ. That's verse 36, but down to verse 40.

And with many other words did He testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward or perverse generation. Then they that gladly received His Word. We've been hearing of that time of deliverance and salvation.

What a joy it was when we had God's Word for it, that our sins were gone, we are saved. The Word became a real joy and assurance to the gospel. They that gladly received His Word were baptized.

So that was one reason that Brother Larson, he knew where we belonged as young believers. We had not yet entered into baptism. And it says, these very ones had received His Word, were baptized.

They were added unto them about three thousand souls. It's interesting that unto them is in italics in our King James Version. That's linked with the 120 of chapter 1 that was established as the church at the at the Day of Pentecost.

So what's next? And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine. And I got to thinking, I pass this along, Luke is writing this possibly 50 years later. If you look at some of the suggested dates in some Bibles, and yet this was the characteristic of these saints as they not only listened to what the Apostles taught, not only Peter, but he's referring to the others that came into the scene, into the picture, and they were teaching the order of Christian testimony collectively, the local assembly.

How wonderful to recognize that these dear saints established in the faith what follows, a fellowship. A fellowship not only with the Father and the Son, but with one another. And I remember the first Lord's Day that I sat down to remember the Lord Jesus.

There was a brother sitting beside me. He was received that day as well. Sad to say, he married a lady that was not sympathetic to the assembly and was soon gone as far as being seen amongst us.

When you think of the fact, there had to be not only salvation, obedience to believers' baptism, recognizing positionally what we are in Christ, and the position as to what the local assembly, Christ is to be known and upheld as Lord, and thus the fellowship is established in the last two, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. Notice in verse 42, in the Apostles' Doctrine, and fellowship, there's a commas in each of these, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. What an honor conveyed upon us to uphold these truths in 2012.

Now there's some assemblies small in number. We're thankful for others a little larger, but you know as you think of time, it's always given me this joy. No matter the size of the individual collective of testimony, it's the same Lord Jesus that's in the midst, the risen Christ.

And so that steadfastness. Now, just for a few moments, these Colossian believers, we have another example from Paul's pen, 1st Corinthians 15. We'll come to the end of that chapter.

Turn with me, 1st Corinthians 15, 58. It's the thought of the resurrection. It's the change for the body.

When we lay away a loved one or a beloved brother or sister, we recognize just the earthly tabernacle is there. But notice 58, chapter 1st Corinthians 15. Therefore, my beloved brethren, he's addressing believers, and he's speaking about the victory that we enjoy in the Lord Jesus, where the corruptible will eventually put on in corruption, and the mortal living will put on immortality when that great change comes.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast. In other words, don't be moved from what convictions you uphold. Don't be turned aside, immovable.

The Lord Jesus set his face as a steadfastly to move towards Jerusalem. As Calvary came into the focus, he knew soon the time when he would be not only dying, but would rise again in resurrection power and glory. Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding.

So there's not only convictions, commitment, but there's a thought of being engaged in endeavoring to further the testimony, as we've been thinking of so many around us, loved ones including, that are still without Christ, abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as ye know, your labor is not in vain in the Lord. We came by a funeral home here this morning on the way over.

I'm not sure, but I'm thinking it's the one where Mr. Hamilton's remained laid in. I'm right over here, and I remember the story told by Mr. Mick. Dear Mr. Hamilton, who was a faithful plotter, and he and Mr. Mick, I forget the place here in Wisconsin, there was someone that they were concerned about, but he had loved ones that were Christians, but he wouldn't come to the meetings.

Mr. Hamilton says, I'm gonna go see him again. He says, Dear Mr. Mick says, there's no use. Mr. Hamilton went, and to the amazing of both of them, that man got moved to come to meetings, and God saved him.

So let us keep on. Let us press on. Steadfastness.

Ruth determined, as she recognized something in Nehemiah, that she had the true God of Israel and knew him. The years of sadness had intervened. Nevertheless, the restoration had led to that young widow's conversion, and eventually, as we think of it, the very position that he took, she took.

Nehemiah saw she was so steadfastly determined, I'm not going to go back to what I've been, where I've been from. So may the Lord encourage us, in view of what's our little lot and privilege here, to bear testimony to the Lord in heaven, to carry on till traveling days are done.