Sermon Central
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Hold On To The End
Contributed by Troy Shifflett on Mar 4, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: this sermon is to encourage people to not give up Jesus, but stay a christian until we reach Heaven.
HOLD ON TO THE END
. connected with Ec 7:7. Let the "wise" wait for "the end," and the "oppressions" which now (in "the beginning") perplex their faith, will be found by God’s working to be overruled to their good. "Tribulation worketh patience"
In the beginning there may be oppression, heartache, and tears, but for the saints of God that’s not the end.
5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Weeping endureth for the night- but that’s not the end. In the beginning you may do some weeping, but in the end joy is coming in the morning.
We should not be too much elated with the prosperous beginning of the world, but rather wait to see the final end; since many a work has began with gladness and ended in sorrow, while "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
That was the beginning. But then he went to the sanctuary and saw the end of the wicked. He saw when the wicked ceased from prospering never to arise again.
This old world may be rocking in pleasure, but in the end they are going to pass away forever.
You say my burdens are so heavy. My troubles are so great.
When Paul started out, they wanted to kill him. You will find the many times he was beaten, stoned, and ship wrecked. If you stop reading there, you will say what a sad story. But that’s not the end.
At the end of Paul’s life, we have his words.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
He held on to the end and he found a crown of life. He kept the faith until the end.
There may be high mountains you have to climb.
They may be dark lonely valleys you have to walk thru.
There may be times of suffering.
But hold on until the end.
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
There will be times when you will be persecuted.
There will be a cross you will have to carry.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The enemy will tell you there is no way you can win.
Things will never get any better.
God will lead you to no waters He cannot part, no brink He cannot cross, no pain He cannot bear.
George Washington fought nine major battles in the Revolutionary War. He lost six of these battles but won the war.
When the battle is over we shall wear a crown.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
You may be hurting now. Life may have left you wounded.
Don’t look around and give up the faith. But with eyes of faith, look toward the east.
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
In the beginning you are hurting- but in the end there is healing.
When we get to our lowest point, we think that is the end.
But that is not always true.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
