He'll Finish What He Starts

Introduction

How many of you were blessed by last week’s word “Under Construction.” Let me do a survey real quick, is there anyone here who’s God is working on? The Lord reminded us that we are a work in progress and he wants to work on and in us. I’m glad about it because there are somethings, I can’t do for myself. It’ll only happen by the hands of an Almighty God. Tell somebody that God is working on me.

Well that leads me to today’s message. As always I asked God what do I need to say to the people today? What is it that needs to be brought to sheep needing to be fed? I am excited because I was preparing for worship this week and God spoke to my spirit and said, “I’m going to finish.” I was wondering God what should I do, what should I say to the people about finishing. I prayed and prayed and he led me to this scripture, where he tells us from the ESV, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Background

In our text we find the greeting and opening to the letter written by Paul to the Church at Philippi. This church has strived from the moment that it was established by Paul on his Second Missionary Journey. The Roman colony of Philippi was located in Northern Greece, then called Macedonia.

This letter is often called Paul’s Joy Letter. The concept of rejoicing or joy appears sixteen times in the book. He writes this book to thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent Paul and to strengthen these believers by showing them that true joy comes from Jesus alone. Is there anyone here that can agree with Paul and myself and say that you have found out that true joy comes from God. Paul tells the Philippians in the text that he thank God for them every time he thinks about them and when he prays for them, he prays with joy because of the Philippians partnering with him in the Gospel from the First Day until that present moment.

Body

Move #1- In order for God to finish, you must be consistent

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The Philippians were consistent with the Gospel. They were not unsteady, they were not erratic, they were not irregular, or varying. They were not in and out, they were not sometime-y. They were consistent with the Gospel of Jesus. May I submit when you want God to finish working in you, you must learn to be consistent with God. Scripture tells us in James 1:8 that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

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I often watch my wife doing my daughters hair. Most of you can tell during worship sometimes, but my daughter can sometime be hand full. So I watch my wife try to do my daughters hair and I notice that it is a bit of a struggle when my daughter is all over the place. It’s not easy when she trying to move from here to there.

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That’s the same thing with God. Sometimes, it’s not that God is not working on and in us, sometimes we can’t get still enough to allow him to finish what he started in us. Psalm 37:7a says Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

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You can’t be here and there all the time, sometime you got to get still and allow God to continue to work on you. The Philippians were consistent and stayed focused on the Gospel. We must learn to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. When we lose our focus, we find ourselves out of the place where God can finish.

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Consider Matthew 14: 22-32 when the Disciples was in the middle of a storm and Jesus came walking to them on the water. Peter said, Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water. Jesus says come. Peter steps on the water and makes his way to Jesus. Look at it, as long as Peter had his focus on Jesus, Peter did not sink. He was the only Man other than Jesus to walk on Water. Peter was focused on Jesus and he walked, until he looked at what was going on around him, got distracted and then began to sink. When your focus is on the Master, I don’t care what is going on around you, you’ll be at peace where there is turmoil. You’ll be smiling, when you should be frowning, you’ll be laughing, where you should be crying, ALL BECAUSE God is finishing what he started and you’re staying focused on him. Look at your neighbor and say, “stay focused.”

Move #2- In order for God to finish, you must give him credit that he started.

Stay focused on HIM. Not your Pastor, Deacon, Trustees, Mothers, Fathers, Children, Friends, NOT EVEN YOURSELF, no no no, Stay focused on HIM. The text says it clearly, Paul says, (in the ESV) that he who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. We got to learn that in order for God to finish, we must have a clear understanding that it is God that started.

Remember, Paul was the one that brought the Gospel to Philippi on the Second Missionary Trip. But Paul says I want you understand that I am not the one who began the work in you. Yes, Paul brought the Gospel, but Paul didn’t start the work. Yes, the doctor gave you the medicine that started making you feel better, but the doctor didn’t start the healing, Yes, your boo came in your life and made you begin to forget all the no good negros you had dealt with in your past, but it wasn’t that man or woman, that started the restoration. It was God. Paul says, I thank God for you and your gifts, your care for me, but I got to make sure you know and understand that it’s not about me.

A lot of us need to understand, you’re not Jesus jr, it’s not about you. We got to learn to get the spotlight off of us and put it back on the Savior, back on God’s only Begotten son, back on Jesus. Sometime the reason we go through is just for God to remind us that he is the one that get the Credit. Just like the Man born blind in John 9. The Disciples asked Jesus, who sinned this man or his parents, that he was born blind, Jesus responds and say that neither this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. In other words, Jesus says he is born blind just so God can get the credit that he is God. Ok, y’all didn’t get with that one let me try another one. On January 2, 2023 at 8:56pm, God allowed Damar Hamlin to collapse on a Football Field from a Cardiac Arrest, Heart Stop beating on National Television, brought back put on life support, just for the world to pray to God, even on National Television. Who sinned that Damar Hamlin had to go through all that, NOBODY SINNED, it was just so God can get the CREDIT. The Soul Seekers Said it wonderfully when they said,

I've got money in the bank, cars in the drive way I've got a house I can claim, clothes in my closet I've got a bed for my head, shoes for my feet I've got breath in my body and if I was just anybody I'd say it's all good, but I know better it's all God But I know better it's all God

Tell somebody near you, IT’S ALL GOD!!!

Move #3- In order for God to finish in you, you must know God will finish

Paul tells the Church at Philippi, he says, in the KJV being confident of this very thing, the NLT says “And I am certain,” the AMP says I am convinced and Confident, The ESV say “I am sure of this,” and the Message Bible say “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind, that the God who this started this great work in you would keep at it, and bring it to flourishing finish.” Just like Paul tells the church at Philippi that God will complete what he started in them, I came to tell all those under the sound of my voice, that God will finish what he started in you. I know you had to go through some rough days, I know there were times that your tears had stained you pillow, I know there were times where you had to be quiet even though you had something to say, but I came by this way to tell somebody, God will finish what he started. God is a finisher, what he starts he finishes. And if you hold on and let the Lord fight your battle, victory shall be yours. Tell somebody, God will finish.

Conclusion

I must close but as we prepare for the Lord’s Supper, my mind rolls back to Calvary, you know Calvary don’t you?

Mercy there was great and grace was free Pardon there was multiplied to me There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary

At Calvary, I see Jesus hanging on the cross has been there for 3 hours in agonizing pain. Hanging on a cross, not for himself but for me and you.

Hanging on the Cross, when he had completed everything he came for, when he had redeem us back to the Father, Jesus declared, It is Finished!!!

And I believe that not many day from now, you going to be able to say that same thing. It is finished. My children is saved, it is finished, my body is healed, it is finished, my marriage has come back together, it is finished, my joy is replenished, it is finished, my peace is restored, it is finished, I was able to forgive those who did me wrong, it is finished.

And that’s what I came this way to tell somebody, You’re under construction right now, but I am convince and confident, there no doubt in my mind