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(Various scriptures)

INTRODUCTION: Today is the last message in our Called series. So far we have looked at being called to community, called to holiness, called to communicate, called to contribute, and called to pray. Today we will finish up with Called to Persevere. The book of Herbews says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1) The Christian life is not a stroll through the park. Nor is it a 100-yard dash. It is a long-distance marathon, and we are called to run with perseverance the race marked out for us. So let us pray and ask God to help us with this message this morning. (Pray)

As Christians we are not simply called to put our faith in Christ at a moment in time. We are called to persevere. Perseverance is a major theme throughout the New Testament. What does it mean that we are called to persevere as Christians? Why does the Bible talk so much about perseverance?

I. God does not promise you an easy life.

Perseverance is important first of all, because God does not promise you an easy life. Some preacher may have promised you an easy life if you came to Christ, but God never promised that. Have you ever heard a preacher say something like, “Just come to Christ and put your faith in him and all your problems will be over?” We really shouldn’t say things like that, because they’re not true. We mean well. I certainly believe your life will be better if you come to Christ, but that does not mean your life will be easy. In fact in some ways it could be even harder.

Why is it that God doesn’t promise us an easy life?

    A. We live in a fallen world. (Romans 8:18-21)

Well one reason is because we live in a fallen world. Paul talks about this in Romans 8 where he says:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)

Paul compares this world with the next and describes this world as: our present sufferings, not worth comparing, subjected to frustration, in bondage to decay. God created the world good, but we no longer live in paradise. We live in a fallen world where sin has affected our relationship with God, our relationships with each other and our relationship to the created order. The entire creation was subjected to frustration because of sin and waits for the day when God will restore creation and make all things right.

But in the meantime, this is where we live. God doesn’t promise us an easy life, because he knows we live in a fallen world. Sin hurts. Sin kills. Sin destroys. And we live in a world that is filled with sin.

    B. We should expect trials. (John 16:33; Acts 14:21-22)

Another reason God doesn’t promise you an easy life is because he knows that as Christians we should expect trials. Jesus said it plainly: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus knew that for the Christian, the world spells trouble. The world stands opposed to God and Christ, and so the world stands opposed to those who would follow Christ.

When you stand up for Christ and your faith, you will face opposition, not only from other people, but from the spiritual realm as well. The Bible says that we are involved in a great spiritual battle, and everyone who takes a stand for Christ basically paints a big target on themselves for spiritual warfare. As Christians we should expect trials.

When Paul and Barnabas, the first missionaries, brought people to Christ, they were quite clear about this. We read in the book of Acts:

They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. (Acts 14:21-22)

Did you catch that? Not just a trial here or a trial there, not just a few struggles at the beginning. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” We are called to persevere as Christians because life is not easy. We live in a fallen world, and as Christians we should expect trials.

II. God does promise to be with you.

God doesn’t promise you an easy life, but he does promise to be with you. And that’s why I like to say that although becoming a Christian will not necessarily make your life easier, it will make your life better. You are going to go through trials anyways, whether you are a Christian or not, so why not go through them with God by your side? God offers you two things in particular as you go through life’s trials.

    A. He gives you his peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)

First of all, he gives you his peace. Philippians 4 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

This is one of the wonderful promises of Scripture that every child of God should memorize and store in the heart. When you hit those trials in life, and you will, do not give in to worry or anxiety but simply bring your requests to God in prayer. There are a lot of things in life that are bigger than you, but you can take comfort in the fact that nothing is bigger than God. When you bring your requests to God, you know that God has heard and will answer according to his wisdom, power and love, and so you may rest secure in him.

And so God gives you his peace. It is a peace unlike anything this world has to offer. It is a peace unlike anything this world has ever experienced. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and his peace passes all understanding and will guard your heart and your mind in him.

    B. He gives you his presence. (Matthew 28:20)

Not only does God give you his peace, but he also gives you his presence. Jesus said in Matthew 28: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) When you are going through the white-hot trials of life, you can take comfort in the fact that God has promised never to leave your side, never to leave you, never forsake you. You may not be able to see him visibly with your physical eyes, but he is there as sure as his word.

You’ve probably read the “Footprints” poem before where the person looked back on his life and saw two sets of footprints in the sand and asked the Lord about it, and the Lord said that the second set was the Lord walking with him throughout life. And then the person noticed something strange. He noticed that whenever he had met a particularly difficult trial in life, there was only one set of footprints, and so he asked, “Lord, why was there only one set of footprints during the hard times? Why did you leave me then?” And the Lord answered, “I never left you. The one set of footprints you see are mine, for it was then that I carried you.”

God does not promise you an easy life, but he does promise to be with you and to help you and to carry you through the hard times. And knowing that should help us to persevere when life gets tough.

III. God promises great benefits to those who persevere.

The last thing I want to say about perseverance this morning is that God promises great benefits to those who persevere.

    A. Your faith is shown to be genuine. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

One benefit according to the Bible is that your faith is shown to be genuine. Listen to these verses from 1 Peter 1:

“For a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

The book of 1 Peter in the New Testament was written to Christians who were experiencing severe persecution for their faith. Peter wrote to encourage them in their faith and especially to encourage them to persevere. And it’s a little hard to see it here in the NIV, but what Peter is saying is not that their faith itself is of greater worth than gold, but that the testing of their faith is more valuable than gold.

When you go through the trials of life, it is like gold being tested by fire to reveal all the impurities and melt them away. You put the gold through the fire to see what is genuine and what is not. Sometimes the trials of life can feel like you’re going through the fire. That is when we need to remember that we are called to persevere, and one of the benefits of perseverance is that your faith is shown to be genuine.

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: her tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators.

When a calm reigns on the sea, spread the sails as you will, the ship moves not to its harbor; for on a slumbering ocean the keel sleeps too. Let the winds rush howling forth, and let the waters lift up themselves, then though the vessel may rock and her deck may be washed with waves and her mast may creak under the pressure of the full and swelling sail, it is then that she makes headway towards her desired haven.

No flowers wear so lovely a blue as those which grow at the foot of the frozen glacier; no stars gleam so brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky; no water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand; and no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. (Charles Spurgeon; Morning and Evening, November 12)

Perseverance shows your faith to be genuine.

    B. Perseverance develops character. (James 1:2-4)

Another benefit of perseverance is that perseverance develops character. James 1 says this:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

We don’t rejoice in trials for the sake of the trials themselves. Rather as Christians we may rejoice in the trials we face because of the results they produce in us. The testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance develops character. Some of the most solid, mature Christians I have ever met in life are those who have gone through extreme trials and have persevered. You don’t develop character in a vacuum. You develop character in the trials of life as you persevere and become mature.

    C. He who perseveres to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:12-13; James 1:12)

And then a third benefit of perseverance is God’s promise that he who perseveres to the end will be saved. Jesus, speaking of the end times, said: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12-13) God promises that when you stand firm and persevere in your faith, even under the worst conditions imaginable, you will be saved; you will be delivered from the fiery trial.

The book of James says: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12) Some Christians have paid the ultimate price of perseverance, even giving up their lives rather than denying the faith. We call them the martyrs of the church. Yet even they are ultimately victorious in Christ, because although this world can kill the body, it cannot kill your soul. All those who persevere will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. This is a beautiful picture of God’s deliverance and salvation even in the face of death. He who perseveres to the end will be saved.

CONCLUSION: As Christians we are called to persevere. We are in this for the long haul. That doesn’t mean you are going to be perfect. Trust me, you will stumble and fall along the way. We all do. It does mean that when you fall down, you will get back up again and keep going.

When you commit to Christ, it is a lifetime commitment, regardless of whatever trials or persecution you may face along the way. As a Christian you are called to set your face towards the goal and never look back.

I think of the old Christian spiritual, “I have Decided to Follow Jesus.”

I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back.

The cross before me, the world behind me
The cross before me, the world behind me
The cross before me, the world behind me,
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
No turning back, no turning back.

I have decided to follow Jesus for the rest of my life, no matter what the trial, no matter what the challenge, no matter what the cost. How about you?

© Ray Fowler

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By Ray Fowler. © Ray Fowler. Website: http://www.rayfowler.org

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