That’s A Good Grip You Got There

1. Read: 1 Corinthians 15:58

2. The true story:

1) My dad passed away on July 4th, 2026.

2) He was a Texas history teacher.

3) He was a deacon and then an elder in the church.

4) He grew up in Northeast Texas picking cotton as the son of a sharecropper.

5) Cotton sacks were heavy and as dad picked cotton and drug the sack, he developed quite a grip,

6) His grip was so strong it would crush most men’s hands.

7) If you ever matched his grip, he would say “That’s a good grip you got there.”

8) The last time I saw my dad, I told him I loved him.

9) He didn’t recognize me, but he put his hand out to shake it.

10) His last words to me were, “That’s a good grip you got there.”

3. About the text.

1) “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” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

2) To be faithful, we’ve got to stay faithful.

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Dad loved the gospel and supported it all his life – snoring story.

2. “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:2).

3. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

4. “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).

1. Salvation is a way of life.

2. Salvation is a new relationship with God and Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

3. Dad lived the abundant life – sang, enjoyed food, had good friends, etc.

4. “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

5. “But hold fast what you have till I come” (Revelation 2:25).

6. “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” (Revelation 3:3).

1. Exemplifying Christ in your life is the point.

2. Dad’s care of widows.

3. “But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:6).

4. “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” (Hebrews 3:14).

5. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (Hebrews 4:14).

6. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).

1. Summer road trip illustration.

2. Family is worth fighting for and our spiritual family especially.

3. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).

4. “Storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:19).

5. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown (Revelation 3:11).

6. “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” (Philippians 3:12).

1. God wants you to have a good grip on

1) The Gospel

2) Salvation

3) Christ

4) Eternal Life

2. Invitation

1) How’s your grip?

2) If you have a good one, don’t let go.

3) If you don’t have a grip, it’s not too late.