He Who Endures To the End Will Be Saved

Matthew chapter 24 and 25 is a section of scripture that's known as the Olivet Prophecy.

The section is also known as the Little Apocalypse because of the apocalyptic language that's contained within those two chapters. Jesus is warning to his followers that they will suffer tribulation, persecution, and they will walk through serious and significant trials before the establishment of the kingdom of God. Jesus thought that our faith would be tested by deception, by false prophets, and by the increase of wickedness. And many who considered themselves to be followers of Jesus Christ and part of the Church of God would actually have their true spiritual standing revealed under such conditions, with actually many, it says, turning away from the faith. It's a very stark warning that's given to us by Jesus Christ, and I'd like to turn there and at least take a look at a portion of Matthew chapter 24 and see his warning and instruction for us today. So if you'll follow me there, please to begin today, Matthew chapter 24, and we're gonna start in verse 9. Matthew 24 verse 9. Again, this is the Olivet prophecy. And here, Jesus, speaking to his disciples, says, then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. Then many will be offended, they will betray one another, and they will hate one another. He says, the many false prophets will rise up and deceive many, and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

And so this is very personal and direct because this isn't talking about the world around us per se. It is actually talking about most directly the condition within the church at the end time.

Through all of us, the wearing down of the saints will continue. There will be the grind and the push on them to become offended, to become discouraged, and to simply turn and walk away. Christ said, that will increase all the way through the time of the end up to the end of the age.

When you look at the scripture, the time of the end is generally referenced as having begun when the Holy Spirit came and the early New Testament church was established. That was the beginning of the time of the end, and they went through many of these things. But what we come to understand is that ramps up dramatically towards the end of that time. And so verse 13 is what I'd like to focus on today. In verse 13, after giving this warning about what will take place within the church, Jesus Christ says, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. He who endures to the end shall be saved. In light of all these things which will take place that will try the people of God, in terms of the integrity of God's people and the solidity of their faith, Jesus Christ said that many will fall away, but there's also those who will be saved, and as those who would endure to the end. So the question I have for us today, brethren, that we need to consider as God's people, as we look at this section of Scripture, is will we be among that group, among the faithful, among those who have the endurance to, you know, we're not trying to avoid these things, these trials, these obstacles, just as Israel went through a lot of things that Egypt faced, all right, certainly in the beginning of the plagues. There's things as God's people we're going to go through with this world, and it's going to wear on us, and there's also going to be Satan's attack to try to disrupt the church internally, and the question for us becomes, do we have the endurance to remain steadfast to the end? He who endures to the end will be saved.

For those of us who have covenanted with God through baptism, we've committed ourselves to a particular course of action, that if we remain steadfast to the end, it will lead to eternal life in the kingdom of God. And having the attitude, having the grit and the willpower to stay the course, no matter what obstacle, is something that God has called us to, and He's given us His spirit to aid in that. But again, we must have that attitude and determination in order to complete this Christian race.

So the title for the message today is taken from Matthew 24 13, he who endures to the end will be saved. And we're going to take time during today's message to look at this topic of endurance and consider what steps we can put in place in our life to see that we are among those those who don't wax cold in our love, but those who remain with the zeal and the fire and endure to the end.

Hebrews chapter 12 is an encouraging set of scriptures. It follows Hebrews 11, the profiles of faith of those who have come before, and in light of that it gives instructions for us to consider as well. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 1, and it addresses the topic here of the endurance that we must have. Hebrews 12 verse 1 says, therefore we also, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, those who have gone before, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance that race which is set before us.

You know, endurance is the power to withstand hardships, to withstand stresses. It doesn't mean that you somehow are able to skirt around them and, you know, they don't touch you. The point is, when they do come and you walk through them, you have endurance and steadfastness to endure those things and come out the other side intact. It's the power to keep going despite all the obstacles and the setbacks.

And so if you and I are going to be successful in our calling from God, then we must run with endurance the race that has been set before us, despite whatever the challenges may be. And as Mr. Oliver was talking about in the first message as we're running this race, we're not comparing ourselves among ourselves. You know, we're looking at ourself for growth, and we're comparing that to the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ.

But again, it's a race that we endure until the end. Hebrews 12 says we're surrounded by so great of a cloud of witnesses. And I kind of imagine in my mind the stands being full. You know, like we're in a stadium, and symbolically, the stands are full of all those faithful people who have gone before us, who have set the example. And they're cheering us on, they're encouraging us.

You can make it, you can do it. God is with you, and you know, you're feeding off the crowd and the enthusiasm of the faithful. That's what I think of about being surrounded by so great of a cloud of witnesses, those encouraging us by their example. So today, brethren, I'd like to look at three points that must be in place in our lives if we're going to endure to the end, just like the heroes of faith who have gone before. Three points on enduring to the end. I've pulled a bit of this material from a presentation that I gave about a year and a half ago in Portland at a Friday night Bible study.

So there may be two or three of you that have heard some of this before, but I think it's essential in terms of the concept we're discussing today, and the endurance that God has called us to. So three points on enduring to the end. Point number one, and I'll just tell you up front, this will be the longest point of my three, so you don't worry about a three-hour sermon here, but point number one, I believe, is critical and essential, and that is if we're going to successfully endure unto the end, we must maintain a brightly burning vision of what God has set before us.

You know, if you're going to get there, you have to know where there is and what it's all about. So if you and I, brethren, are going to endure to the end, we must maintain a brightly burning vision of what it is that God has set before us.

One of my favorite quotes, and I've mentioned it before, it comes from Yogi Berra, who's a famous baseball player back in the 50s, 60s, turned manager as well as baseball team, but he had a lot of, he was quick-witted, I'll just say, and he had a lot of interesting quips and remarks, a number of them which are quotable, and Yogi Berra made this comment. He said, if you don't know where you're going, you'll probably wind up somewhere else. So just think about that for a minute, brethren. If you don't know where it is that you're going, right, you'll probably wind up somewhere else. And the point to that is that there needs to be a vision. There needs to be something that gives us direction and gives us meaning to our lives. Otherwise, we're just going to simply wander aimlessly, and you're not going to end up at a particular destination. But you fix that in your focus, and you take steps towards your focus. That is where you'll wind up. But if you don't know where you're going, you're probably going to wind up somewhere else. Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 18 says much the same thing. And the New King James, it says, where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint. The original King James says, where there's no vision, the people perish. And the word revelation, or vision, actually means a prophetic vision. It's the ability to see and understand something that lies yet in the future as a prophetic vision as God would give. You know, an understanding of what lies ahead. And so without that vision, or that revelation from God, the point is people simply cast off restraint. They step aside, they do their own thing. They set their own goals and take steps towards those, and they become unrestrained. The James and Fawcett and Brown commentary says this about this term unrestrained. It says it shows the people who are deprived of moral restraints. And so basically what the context here is of Proverbs 29 18 is that we're looking at a people who lack a prophetic vision. They're going to put off self-discipline. They're going to loosen restraints. They're going to become unrestrained, essentially chase after their own wants and their own passion without any real direction in their life. And isn't that in some ways how we could evaluate the world around us? That without the prophetic revelation from God as to their purpose, their existence, and where it is that they're going, this world has become unrestrained from the ways of God and are doing things their own way. Brethren, God has called us to do differently because I think this unrestrained attitude, if we're not careful, it leads to the lawlessness that Jesus Christ described at the end of the age. Restrain is cast off because the vision is lost, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

If you and I are going to stay the course unto the kingdom of God, we must have the vision of that kingdom burning so brightly in our minds at all times. We need to remember who God is, that he's our Father and our Creator, and who we are. We're the people whom he has created and called to be a part of his family for eternity. He has set that before us. That is the vision. That is the goal. And each and every day we restrain our steps by that vision. There's no vision that people cast off restraint, but God is bringing us into a wonderful and remarkable place if we can see it. In Matthew 6, verse 33, Jesus Christ said, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. These two go hand in hand. But he said, Seek it first. Make it the priority. Build the framework of your life around pursuing that kingdom and that righteous character of God, and everything else will fall in place. But it takes dedication. You and I must never lose sight of where it is we're going, what it is that God has called us to be, because if we ever do lose sight of that, then this world is going to be quick to provide an alternate vision for us. And it's going to take us on a course away from the destination to which God has called us. Hebrews chapter 11, just a page back from where we were, Hebrews 11 shows us that vision was essential to the men and women of faith. I just want to skip through a few of these examples quickly so that we can see what focus and vision meant to them, how it directed their steps along the way. Hebrews chapter 11, beginning in verse 1, tells us, Now faith is a substance of things hoped for. It's the evidence of things not seen, for by the elders obtained a good testimony. And again, we'll just hit on a few of these individuals. Verse 8, it says, By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Abraham, his life and the reason he took those steps was restrained by the vision of the kingdom of God, what God had set before him as a promise and an inheritance, not just physically, but ultimately eternally as a member of his family.

You know, sometimes we may look at the scriptures and sometimes questions arise, well, what did the patriarchs know? Did they know the Father as well as the Word? And clearly, from the Word of God, they had God's Spirit, all right, dwelling in them, and they had a relationship and an understanding of who God was and the plan of God and what it was that he had set before them as an inheritance. They understood the gospel which had been taught to Abraham and the Messiah which would come. And the scriptures of Hebrews 11 says they looked to that and they grabbed hold of the promises of God as that vision before them. And that is why Abraham could just pick up and leave everything behind, go to a place he knew not because he was following God in the vision that he had laid before him. If we continue on in verse 24, here it says, by faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer the affliction of the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches than their treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. He had that vision, that future that was set before him. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. Moses' life was directed, in the course of his steps, were directed by the vision of ultimately the kingdom of God, not just a physical promised land, but what God would do through the people whom he was calling and giving his spirit to. His passage goes on to describe others who remained faithful as well, and some of them unto death. You know, they're all dead now. They're in the grave, they await the resurrection, but you know, we would say some died worse deaths than others. And yet they're all listed among the faithful. They weren't shaken loose from that vision, no matter what it was that they endured. The Apostle Paul also saw the vision of the kingdom of God clearly in his mind, and it motivated him on how he lived his life. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 12. Philippians 3, I go through Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Galadians. These are prison epistles, and just turning to these always kind of heighten my senses a little bit when I think about, you know, the the atmosphere where Paul was, and he was he was under arrest, he was under detainment, and yet these are some of the most inspiring vision-filled epistles here in the Bible. But Ephesians chapter 3 verse 12, here Paul says, not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So Paul says, you know, I press towards that. I put in the effort and the struggle and sometimes even the the loss and trauma that I have to walk through because, you know, our treasure isn't of this age. It's looking towards the kingdom, and Paul says, I press towards reaching that goal. Brethren, it takes effort not to become discouraged.

It takes effort not to become distracted because we have so many things that are thrown at us to try to derail us from that vision, to take our sights off of it. You know, we're in the middle of this pandemic right now. People are losing jobs. Businesses are collapsing. There's financial uncertainty and other unrest, and it can be easy for us if we're not careful to take our vision off of what God has set before us because there's something that seems maybe more immediate right in front of us today. Well, there are immediate things in front of us today that need dealt with and cared for, and we do deal with those things, but not at the expense of forgetting the long-term perspective that God has set. We deal through these things today in light of what God has set before us.

At our baptism, we said, yes. Yes, I've counted the cost. Yes, I've committed myself to this way of life and to following through in my calling no matter what. But, you know, it's often until not until we get down the road aways from our baptism that we face things that maybe we never really thought was going to be a part of this way of life, or an obstacle or a challenge, something that tests our faith, that threatens to derail us or cause us to shift our vision. And the danger for us as humans, again, is that we can be distracted by these difficulties and think, well, this immediate urgency is what needs my attention more so than the long-term goal. And suddenly, you've taken this side road that can take you to a completely different place. Vision, framing your life according to that vision, is critical if you're going to endure to the end and achieve the kingdom of God by God's grace and blessing.

In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul recognizes that trials are a part of a Christian's journey. And it's not like, oh, what has happened? I'm not supposed to have a struggle because I serve God. Well, if you look at Paul's life, Paul was struck down on the road to Damascus by Jesus Christ and given this mission to go and, you know, be someone who defended the gospel and preached the gospel. And he would say, he's doing the work of God. He has a hedge about him. And he did, okay? But that doesn't mean there's not trial or persecution. And Paul said, we all need to understand and accept that there's going to be challenges as we make our way through this life. Acts chapter 14 and verse 21. Acts chapter 14 and verse 21.

Here it says, And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Again, Paul's acknowledging this race is not without difficulties and challenges, but in spite of all of that, he exhorts the brethren to remain steadfast, to continue. And again, you might say, Well, what did Paul really know about it? Well, let's just go back to verses the verse 19 of Acts 14. It says, Then the Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. You think Paul didn't know a little something about what it would take, the determination, the willingness to carry on. Verse 20 says, However, when the disciples gathered around them, he rose up and went into the city. You know, just kind of brushed the dust off, and wiped the blood out of his eyes and walked right back into the city. Endurance unto the end. Brethren, when we breach this calling, when we accept it and we receive it from God, again, we've committed to a course to which there is no turning back. If you recall from your American history, Cortez, when he reached the New World, Cortez burned his ships. What do you think the motivation of his men were after that? Well, there's no going back. We must go forward. We must succeed. And in the same light, you and I at baptism buried the old man, and there is no going back. God has called us to go forward, and he's given the vision that guides and directs our steps.

Hebrews chapter 10, verse 32. There's just so many good examples and so many appropriate words about this concept in Hebrews 10, 11, 12. It's a good study just to pull those scriptures, those chapters out and study through them as a block. But Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 32, again, as the concept of what must be endured for this vision, it says, but recall the former days in which after you were illuminated your mind was open, light of the gospel shone upon your heart.

The former days in which you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle by both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became the companions of those who were so treated. For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. He says there's actually some who joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods.

Because you're living this way of life, the door got knocked down, you were drug out of your house, and the people carted off what it was that you had for physical possessions. But that was okay because you knew you were serving God, and you knew of the kingdom that was set before you. That's what this is saying. And despite our challenges, brethren, how many of us have endured to that level? Well, it carries on.

Verse 35 says, therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. You have need of endurance. Verse 37, for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

Brethren, God does not delight in those who begin the race, but then once opposition comes, they draw back and return to where they came from again. God says, you know, there is no pleasure in that. My soul has no pleasure in him. Verse 39, he says, but we are not of those who draw back to perdition or destruction, but are those who believe to the saving of the soul. We don't draw back. We endure to the end. Those who endure to the end will be saved, and we've been called to believe unto the saving of the soul, which means our actions will follow. There's an illustration from American history that I think it's interesting to consider.

It's the story of a man who had a vision, but each step along the way, it seems like an obstacle would present itself and there would be a failure, or there would be a setback, but he kept trying, and he kept trying, and at some point you would wonder, well, wouldn't this guy just give up?

And to me, it's an interesting story to consider. I've used it before, but this person persevered through setback after setback until they ultimately were victorious. I want to share with you an excerpt from an article. I'll give you the title at the end, but this was written by Anita Estes from theexaminer.com copyright 2012 by Clarity Digital Group, and I just want to read you a portion of this article as it pertains to this individual. It says, in 1831, his attempts at business venture failed.

In 1832, he lost the election for state legislature. In 1833, he had another business venture which had proved unsuccessful. In 1835, his first, his future wife, passed away, practically destroying him. In 1843, another attempt at politics proved unsuccessful as his election for Congress was defeated. In 1848, he failed again to win a seat in the Congress. In 1855, his attempt at politics had been defeated again as he lost the U.S.

Senate elections. You know, it's just failure after failure, you would think, well, why don't this, doesn't this guy just call it quits? You know, go get a job like everybody else. Go, you know, whatever it is, but you know, you're chasing after a pipe dream, not a legitimate, you know, vision, maybe. Well, he didn't give up. In 1856, he attempted to run for vice president. Once again, he was defeated. Another attempt in 1859 once again failed. Finally, after many attempts, Abraham Lincoln's perseverance paid off, and he became the 16th president of the United States in 1860, 30 years after his first business venture failed.

Abraham Lincoln. The title of the article is Abraham Lincoln's recipe for success, perseverance. Perseverance. Stictuativeness. Steadfastness. Endurance. Whatever it is we would like to call it. You know, just think of what this country would have missed out on if Lincoln had drawn back. If he had lost the vision. If he simply thrown the towel in and said, enough's enough. There's opposition. Why am I bothering? And he'd simply walked away. He remained dedicated to the vision that was set before him.

When he came to this earth, Jesus Christ had a vision as well. His vision was to redeem mankind from the penalty of sin, which is death, to lay his life down in a way that opened the door unto salvation, so that reconciliation with God could take place and mankind could be saved. That was his vision. I want you to notice Hebrews chapter 12 because Christ maintained this vision all through his life. It was the driving force behind his ministry, and it was the reason that he could endure the things that he endured on our behalf. Again, vision. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1. This is where we started. Therefore we also, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race which has been set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. And actually, as it is written in the original language, it could even be translated, he is the originator and perfecter of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and it sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Well, what was the joy that was set before him? You know, was that joy the fact that I can get out of this flesh and I can go to the right hand of God? Was that the joy? That wasn't the joy, brethren.

No doubt he rejoiced in going to his father, but the point was this. The joy was the reconciliation in the relationship that would take place between God and man. It was the purpose that he came. It was the vision that was set before him to open that door, and that is how he could endure the cross, despise the shame, and ultimately ascend to sit down at the right hand of his father.

Verse 3 says, for consider him, consider Christ, who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. And so when your trials and struggles start to become heavy, look to Jesus Christ. When you become discouraged, you become to the point where you feel like, why not just drop out and limp off the course? Look to the example of Jesus Christ. As an example of doing this in a perfect way that was set for you and me. Think of what he willingly went through. Think about what he was willing to endure. Again, for the joy that was set before him. And then you and I need to think about the joy that has been set before us. To be members of the family of God and the kingdom of God. And we need to be willing to have that same endurance, just as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus told his disciples in John 16 verse 33, he said, in the world you will have tribulation. That's a guarantee.

You know, that's a reality. If you're going to be the people of God in this world, you will have tribulation. But Christ said, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. The door has been opened by God's Spirit. That same strength has been lended to us. And you and I can overcome this world if we endure steadfast to the end as well. And so, let us maintain a brightly burning vision, brethren, on what God has called you to be, what it is that he has set before you. It is the essential element to enduring to the end. Point number two, if we're going to successfully endure to the end, we must be willing to submit to God's lead. We must be willing to submit to God's lead. I talked about this a bit on the first day of Unleavened Bread. You know, the journey to the kingdom of God is not something that we devised on our own. It's not our vision. It is God's vision for us that he has set before us. And we embrace it when we come into this reconciled relationship. But we didn't devise it. We don't have the power to get there on our own. But God has laid it before us. And he will bring us along the way. But again, we must look to his lead in our life.

The need to submit to God's lead is a lesson, again, that we looked at during the days of Unleavened Bread. It's something that Israel had to learn as they came out of Egypt. And it's something that they actually, to a large degree, failed at. But God has called us to do it differently. And he's given us their example. God brought Israel out of Egypt by great power and might. He went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, in a pillar of fire by night. He was ever before them and leading them. And he would have led that group of people straight into the promised land had they only looked to his lead and trusted fully in him. God said, I'll be your defender. I'll go before you. I'll be your rear guard. What more could they have wanted?

But you see, they took their eyes off God. They began to look around at themselves and they became distracted. They looked at the physical conditions on the ground and physically they were in over their head. There's no way that group of slaves could have walked away from the Egyptian army on their own. There's no way they could have trekked across the desert on their own or conquered the land of Canaan on their own. You know, physically by human eyes they were in over their head, but their eyes were set on self. They were set on the conditions around them. They were not set on God. And again, it's a lesson that God gives us to learn over and over and over again. Look to me.

Look to my son. Look to the example. Look to the strength I provide.

Don't look to yourself and don't look to the conditions around you. When Israel sold the armies of Egypt, they became fearful. When they saw the desert lacking food and water, they began to complain. And when they saw the Promised Land, they said, there's giants. Their cities walled up to heaven. We can't take it. Let us select a leader and return to Egypt. They lost sight of the vision and the God who would get them there. Brethren, you and I must not. We need to recognize that reaching the kingdom of God is not something that we have the power to do on our own. Again, we're coming through this spiritual desert of this world. And if we don't look to God, we will die in the desert. Or you will die if you try to go back to Egypt. All right? There's no option but to go forward. And there's no option for going forward but looking to God, keeping your eyes on Him. On my sermon on the first day of Unleavened Bread, I told you I would give you three scriptures that pertain to the promise that God had set before us and His desire for us to get there. And I inadvertently gave you two out of the three, so I'm going to give you the third right now. In that sermon, I quoted for you, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. And I also quoted for you that it's your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So that's in your notes. You can go back if you like and add this third one. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 23, because this must be our response to God's lead. Hebrews 10 verse 23, it tells us that we must hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And that is what Israel should have done in sight of the Egyptian army bearing down on them, right? They should have held fast the confession of their faith without wavering, but they wavered. God in His mercy still intervened and opened the sea.

But time and time again, their confession of faith faltered, and they wavered, and they stumbled. Ultimately, all of those 20 and older, except for just a couple of individuals, died in the desert, not having received the promise, the promise physically that was set before them. For then you and I have been called by God to complete what He has started in us, and when we face challenges, you and I must hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, calling to mind, always remembering that He who promised is faithful. And if we look to God, He will bring us there. God will see us through. Let's notice Paul's encouraging words in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15, it's what we generally call the resurrection chapter. It's a chapter of victory. The dead in Christ rising, you know, life conquering death, conquering the grave. Death is swallowed up in victory. This is a very encouraging chapter, and at the end of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 57, Paul says, But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Where does the victory come from? It doesn't come from our strength and our power. It comes from God. He gives us the victory, but you see, we still have to do our part, brethren. We have to submit as well. Have that spirit that's yielded to Him. Have that vision that never falters, and that determination to put one foot in front of the other, relying on God to do His part, which He will. It is His good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Verse 58, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Submit yourself to God. Submit yourself to the lead of Jesus Christ, and your labor will not be in vain.

That leads us into point number three for today. Point number three, if we're going to successfully endure to the end, we must trust that the outcome is well worth the effort.

If you're going to get there, then you're going to go through all the trial, all the trauma, at times, frankly, you have to be absolutely convinced that the outcome is well worth the effort.

And so this point comes back to our motivation. You know, why are we doing what we're doing? No one begins in a great undertaking without first considering whether the result is worth the effort, and the same is true for us as well. Is what God has set before us worth it, brethren?

If you truly understand what it is that God's offering, you will agree, yes, indeed, it is worth it, and it is worth whatever we may have to walk through to get there. If we're going to remain steadfast to the end, we must trust that the effort's worth it, because we will simply lose interest, we'll become discouraged, we'll send something else to put our sights on, and we'll go down the path of another way if we don't keep that absolute conviction. First Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8. First Timothy 4 verse 8. It's to me an amazing passage, because it reminds us that it's worth the effort, not just someday. You know, this life is about delayed gratification in the ultimate sense of what we receive from God, but we also understand that there's blessings that come from this effort along the way. So remaining steadfast is well worth it, not just tomorrow, but today as well. First Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8. Paul says, For bodily exercise profits a little. It says, But godliness is profitable for all things, having a promise of life that now is, and of that which is the come.

So we understand that living God's way of life has benefits for the future. Be eternal, to be glorified in a spiritual state as God and Christ are is a huge benefit. To never face death is a huge benefit, but you know there's benefits to living this life today as well as we apply these things. There's benefit in our marriages, in our families, rather than there's benefits in our finances, in our health, benefits in our relationships with one another if we simply apply these things and we reap the effect of doing it God's way. In terms of the future, we know the outcome of enduring to the end, again, is eternal life as members of the family of God, and that's the greatest of reward. It's worth the greatest of efforts.

Romans chapter 8 and verse 18, we won't turn there. Romans 8, 18, Paul says, well, let's turn there actually. Excuse me. Romans 8 verse 18.

Paul says, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. He's saying, you know what, compared to the future benefit of what God has laid before you, what it is that we walk through today pales in comparison. Now, what we go through today and what some people go through, because some people go through some very difficult things in this life, what we go through is difficult by this standard of this physical life we know and this physical world we know. So, I'm not belittling that. But the point is what God has set before us is so incredible, so magnificent, that whatever it is we are going through today pales in by comparison to that. And, brethren, that should give us hope. That should give us encouragement to endure. That no matter how difficult the trial, what God has in store for you, will be so much greater even than that.

And so, we continue to endure. 1 John chapter 3 verse 2 tells us that when God is revealed, we shall see Him as He is. And that's because we will be as He is of the same form, the same likeness, glorified spirit beings that were destined for the family of God. That's the incredible vision and destiny that God holds before us. And it is why we're willing to endure what it is that God allows us to endure. God allows us to endure today, just as Jesus Christ endured what was set before Him.

Brethren, never take your eyes off the prize, off our incredible destiny. Never become confused when you're walking through hardship, questioning whether it's really worth living this way of life. It is well worth the effort. Let's conclude today in 2 Timothy chapter 4.

2 Timothy chapter 4. It would appear 2 Timothy is the final book the apostle Paul wrote before his life came to an end, before he was, it would seem, beheaded. He's in prison. He knows what's coming. This is Timothy. He's writing to a young man whom he is mentoring. And again, there's different portions of the Bible that sort of raise my radar of attention for different reasons. Here, these are the final words of the apostle Paul. What would he find important to convey? 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 5, again to Timothy, he says, but you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. He says, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Does it sound like Paul had regret?

Does it sound like he was complaining, thinking, well, what in the world did I get myself into through the preaching of this gospel? Again, he knew his life was coming to a conclusion. All the things he'd been through, stoned, counted for dead, a night and a day in the deep, you know, troubles by robbers and his own countrymen. And the fact is, now it had all led to this point in service to God. And did he question whether the effort was worth it or not? He didn't. He didn't. He looked to the glory that God held before him, wholeheartedly. And, brethren, you and I must as well. God has called us for an incredible purpose.

He has set before us this race so that we might show forth our commitment and our desire to overcome and endure to the end. And there will be challenges, right? There will be obstacles along the way. And God knows that. And he opens the sea for us if indeed we look to him and trust fully in confidence without the wavering of our hope that he who is promised is faithful and will see us through these things. Jesus Christ warned that in the end the love of many would grow cold. But he also gave us encouragement, brethren. He says, those who endure to the end would be saved. Brethren, let you and I be among the faithful who endure. Those who hold fast to the vision that God has set before us, not wavering, not faltering, continuing day by day to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes that's what you have to do. Just look at your feet and just take one more step and then one more step and one more step. And with God's help you can do it, heading in the direction that he has laid before us. Let's keep that vision burning brightly of the kingdom of God and let you and I, brethren, be of those who endure to the saving of the soul.

Have a wonderful Sabbath.