HAVE YOU LOST YOUR “WHY”?

Someone wise once said, “You’ve gotta know your ‘why’.” Those who know their “why”, will go to impressive lengths for it.

For example:

• They will spend extra time and money to eat nutrient-rich foods.

• They will do the intimidating home-reno project.

• They will sit at the living room table helping their kids with algebra homework.

• They will put in extra hours on the job.

• They will have hard conversations and do the thing they don’t want to do.

• They will expend their time and energy to serve those who can’t offer them anything in return.

Behind every worthwhile task is an equally-worthy “why”.

And that’s great…until we find ourselves tired, or cynical, or burnt out…until we lose sight of what that “why” even was to begin with. Have you ever found yourself here?

• “Is it really going to matter if I give a gentle answer this time, when all I will get in return is an insult hurled back at me?”

• “Is it really going to matter if I stay on that serving team?”

• “I’m just going through the motions. I feel ragged and I keep doing things because I know I should, but I don’t feel anything anymore.”

• “Living the Christian life isn’t easy. In fact, in a lot of ways, my life was easier before I gave it to Jesus. Is this really worth it?” 

If you’re here – or in a similar space, then take a deep breath and let these words set up camp in your soul:

“THEREFORE, my beloved brothers; be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

This sounds so good, right?! We know deep down that we need this steadfast, immovable quality. We need a rock-solid assurance that yes…it really is worth it. At the end of the day, Yes - it really is going to matter.

Regardless of the task at hand, we need to remember our deepest, most essential “why”, and Paul reminds us of it with crystal clarity. In order to see it, we have to zoom out and observe the chapter as a whole.

1 CORINTHIANS 15

Paul wrote this chapter because the Corinthian church was flirting with some dangerous false teaching. They lived smack-dab in the middle of a culture that scoffed at the reality of bodily resurrection. Paul saw the massive problem caused by that kind of thinking. So, he laid out a scenario to give some perspective:

“If A, then B.”

IF A,	Then B.
If resurrection wasn’t real,	it wasn’t real for Jesus. (15:13, 16)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	Paul's preaching and the Corinthian's belief would have been useless. (15:14, 17)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	Paul and the apostles would have been misrepresenting God. (15:15)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	believers had no hope of Christ’s finished atonement for their sins. (15:17)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	those who had died had believed in vain and would have no hope of heaven. (15:18)
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected,	believers wouldn’t have any hope beyond fleeting, earthly pleasures. (15:19)
And if all of that were true,	no one on earth would be more pitiful than them.  (15:19)

That’s pretty grim. But then, on the heels of the worst-case scenario picture Paul painted, he declares the greatest news:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (vs. 20)

(Can you hear the mic drop?!)

Christ HAS BEEN raised! And we who are united to Him by grace through faith, will follow Him in resurrection – not only the resurrection of our bodies in the future, but a resurrected hope, life, purpose, and existence for today! And because we are united to the Victor, we will also come out victorious over sin and death through Christ. (vs. 56-57)

Good thing that “IF A” isn’t true!! Thank God that we don’t live a “Then B” existence!

It’s with this context that we return to verse 58:

“THEREFORE, my beloved brothers; be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (vs. 58)

Paul was addressing a specific danger to the Corinthian church. But the truth he delivered actually speaks into the rhythms of our daily lives as followers of Christ:

If you’ve ever felt like living for God doesn’t matter…like your attempts to share Christ don’t matter…like your unseen acts of compassion don’t matter….then Paul is shouting, “THEY’RE NOT IN VAIN!…THEY MATTER!” And here’s why:

We have resurrection life right now and forever. Jesus’ resurrection, as Theologian John Boys said, “is the Amen of all His promises.” It infuses every act with eternal significance. It is the reason we have hope for more than this life only. Our faith would be in vain, HAD JESUS NOT RESURRECTED.

Our “Why” is that He DID.

OUR “WHY”

Our “why” is that He really did rise and validate everything He said on earth and everything that was prophesied about Him. He really did take away our bondage to the law and our slavery to sin. He really did give us eternal life that doesn’t end in death. He really did give us a purpose that will last for eternity and He really did free us from having to try and satisfy souls created for Heaven with hollow and fleeting earthly trinkets.  

God does not make a mockery of His children.
We never have to fear that all He promised is not true.
We never have to fear spending our lives in vain.
God did not give us a hope for this life only.

And, as believers, that is our “why”.

That is why we can remain steadfast in an uncertain world.
That is why we can remain immovable when circumstances change and people fail.
That is why we can abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

If you’ve lost your “why”, then let Paul place it back into your hands.
Your belief system and your Biblical worldview is safe in the finished work of Jesus.
You are united with Him and can find freedom from addiction to sin – and the misery of trying to earn right standing before God.
You are liberated from trying to find your purpose in people or possessions or popularity.

Jesus really rose.
That means you don’t have to live for things that will pass away.
That means that you have a purpose that death can’t touch.

So, let this “why” fill your spiritual sails and propel you into the good works God has ordained for you to walk in today.
Every act done for His glory will never return void.
What you do is eternally valuable, and Jesus’ resurrection guarantees it.