The Completion by Grace

Today we continue our series on The Power of God by looking at something we all need in our lives… the grace of God.

So far, we have talked about starting points regarding His power at work in our lives.

First, we talked about the importance of understanding that we are made in His image. His power works within as our identity and purpose is found in God our Father.

Second, we talked about taking the step of faith. We talked about trusting God as we take that first step into the impossible.

Third, we talked about the need for less of us, and more of God. As we continue to walk in His power, we need to understand that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Our self can get in the way of His strength! Therefore we must allow the Spirit and power of God to reduce our dependency on ourselves and the things of this world. God will get us through!

We’ve covered our purpose, what taking the first step looks like, and trusting in God’s power… this is HOW we take on the journey… if you will… but to what end?

Mountains in life can be difficult to overcome… but if there is one thing I know about mountains… as challenging as they might appear to be… THEY DO NOT GO ON FOREVER.

There IS a summit. There IS a finish line. There IS an objective… a goal… A POINT OF COMPLETION. Even if the top of the mountain rises up into the clouds… beyond our sight… we know it is there. You might find yourself at the base of the mountain or even starting the climb, but rest assured, so long as you remain faithful in God.... you WILL reach the top!

This is especially true if… God has called you to conquer the mountain ahead! God doesn’t call you to do something only to leave it undone… God will lead you to the finish line... HE WILL carry it on to completion.

Paul says it this way in Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 NIV

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

This morning, we talk about The Completion by Grace. Today we look toward the finish line… we aim high for the goal ahead… and we do so with the power of God as our greatest resource.

Imagine being given a task by God… that seemed absolutely impossible. It is a task so great… a task so large… that the very thought of completing that task causes you great worry or anxiety.

Someone might say, “Pastor, I don’t have to imagine what that might feel like, I’m living in that reality right now!”

It’s not an easy place to be in, right? How in the world are you going to get this done? How is completion possible when you have no idea where or how to even begin?

Consider the example… of rebuilding the temple. We are talking about a massive construction project without the machines or technology that we have today. We are talking about constructing a building from materials made with hands… not purchased at the store.

Every piece, every timber, every brick, every door, etc… had to be made!

I don’t know if we can even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the task ahead! But Zerubbabel had accepted the task… as led by the Lord.

This was a MOUNTAIN of a task… a difficult job to see to completion for sure. It was going to require a lot of the builders… in fact, it was going to require more than they had to give.

How can I make that assessment? Because of the word that was given to Zerubbabel by the Lord.

Zechariah 4:6–7 ESV

6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ”

God gives the reminder that the task ahead would not be completed by might. It would not be completed by earthly power or strength. The task ahead would be completed through the SPIRIT of ALMIGHTY GOD.

God makes clear that the “mountainous” task ahead would become a plain before Zerubbabel.

What does this mean? It means that the Mt. Everest-sized project would become a north-central Kansas walk in the park! BUT NOT BY MIGHT OR EARTHLY POWER. This would ONLY be possible by the Spirit of God.

And hear me clearly on this other reminder as well: No matter how big or small ANY task might be, we need to trust God for completion not ourselves. God’s Spirit will help us through.

Think about it… some of the “regular” or “normal” routines can become some of the most difficult challenges.

Family, finances, job, community… just daily life. It will take a toll if we try to take it all on our own shoulders. But God’s Spirit is given… to make these mountains a plain before us!

And in Zerubbabel’s story when God speaks of the completion of the temple, God tells him that the capstone… the finishing touch… would be set in place with shouts of “LOOK WHAT I JUST DID! LOOK WHAT I JUST DID!” To it!

Uhhhhhh… NO! The capstone would be placed with shouts of GRACE, GRACE TO IT! Whose grace? GOD’S GRACE! The source of power was God’s Spirit and the road to completion was God’s grace!

So how does the power of God’s grace help us make it to the top of the mountain before us? How does His grace make the tallest mountain become the most level plain?

In order to answer this we need to have an understanding of what grace is today.

God’s Grace Defined.

We talk about it all the time, we sing about it in songs, and we thank God for it daily (or at least we should). But do we have a good understanding of what God’s grace is?

Grace defined is favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it AND in spite of what that same person deserves.

I heard Max Lucado once describe grace as more than we deserve and greater than we imagine. And he’s right on both points!

As God gave Zerubbabel the task… He also gave him the way forward… the Spirit of God would be GRACIOUSLY given for the completion of the temple.

Zerubbabel simply needed to stay on task… and operate in God’s grace.

These words are easy to say… and easy to give a hearty “amen” to, but do we really know what it means to operate in His grace?

I ask this… because we often lose sight of it. I ask this… because there appears to be a constant inward struggle. We wrestle with the concept and truth of God’s grace because we cannot fathom this next statement: Grace means there is NOTHING I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make God love me less.

Grace is not about the recipient deserves… it is all about what the giver is willing to pour out!

We struggle to believe God could have really loved us in our deepest, darkest moment when we said or did the thing of which we are most ashamed.

We struggle to believe God could love us in the midst of addiction.

We struggle with the idea that grace can only truly cover our past, sustain us in the present, and even extend into our future.

We cannot fathom that grace is a bottomless, limitless resource that will never run out.

Here’s why we struggle in these areas: BECAUSE WE ARE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH OUR FAILINGS AND SHORTCOMINGS. We know our mess ups. We know where we have fallen short. AND… we have an enemy, who is identified as the accuser in Revelation 12:10, whispering in our ears that:

You’ll never be good enough.

You’ll never make it over that mountain.

You’re sins are too great.

You’re faith is too small.

The enemy wants you focused on… you. He wants you to believe that you’re… bad, broken beyond repair, incapable, inadequate, and unqualified. The devil wants you asking yourself, “WHY WOULD GOD HELP ME WITH ANYTHING?”

First off… because God LOVES you. And there is nothing you can do to change that truth.

Secondly, you need to understand something very important today: God’s grace is really wide enough, broad enough, deep enough, high enough, to erase the shame of your past and to deliver you into God’s glorious future! His grace is bigger than your issues! The blood of Christ is STRONGER than your sins!

YOU WILL FALL SHORT ON YOUR OWN… BUT GOD’S GRACE IS ENOUGH TO GET YOUR THROUGH!

Think about the words that we sing. God’s Amazing grace saved a wretch… a sinner… a rebellious person… like me!

I once was lost… unable to find my way on my own. BUT BY GOD’S GRACE I AM NOW FOUND!

The mountain… was turned into a plain!

I was blind… not physically blind but spiritually blind… I could not see the truth, I could not see His way. BUT BY GOD’S GRACE I CAN NOW SEE!

The mountain… was turned into a plain!

If you are a believer in this place today… DON’T YOU DARE try to tell me that you have not seen God turn a mountain in your life into a plain! You wouldn’t be here today… I wouldn’t be here today… without the POWER of God’s amazing grace at work within my life!

And I’ll be the first to say I DON’T DESERVE IT… Just as Zerubbabel didn’t deserve it! Do you know why the temple had to be rebuilt int the first place?

Zechariah 1 tells us that the people of God did not listen to His instruction to turn from their evil ways and practices. Verse 4 says “they would not listen or pay attention” to God!

They fell into a season of hardship because of their rebellion.

Those that did not listen were no more… but the words of the Lord remained true! Therefore, God gives them this word in verse 3.

Zechariah 1:3 NIV

3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

The people had walked away from the Lord! They had ignored His commands to not partake in the evil things of the world. God graciously called out to them to return back to Him! God could have left them were they were… but instead desired to RESTORE the situation as only He could - by GRACE. And when the temple was finished… it would be completed with shouts of grace, grace to it!

He did that for the people then… He does that for all people now. God, by grace, finished a work we could not finish on our own and today… we stand in victory because of what He did.

It IS Finished.

Those are three POWERFUL words spoken by Jesus as He breathed His last breath on the cross. All that needed to be fulfilled had been fulfilled. Jesus COMPLETED the work He was sent to this earth to do.

The work He completed… was a work we could not do. The work He completed was beyond our ability.

Jesus came to this earth to make a way for all people to overcome the great mountain that is… sin. It is a mountain we all face as all have sinned and fall short.

No matter how hard we tried… no matter how much work we could do… this mountain was something we could not overcome. The price was simply too steep.

And… just like the people of God in Zechariah… WE CREATED THIS MOUNTAIN. This impossible obstacle was a result of our hands, our behavior, our rejection and rebellion.

So God… in His amazing love for us… sent Jesus to do what we could NOT do on our own.

Jesus didn’t go half way, or 75% of the way… Jesus went ALL the way... giving His life for the penalty of our sin.

What He did was a tremendous act of grace on our behalf! Remember the definition of grace for a moment… favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it AND in spite of what that same person deserves.

We didn’t deserve what Jesus did… but He did it anyway. We were not worthy of what Jesus did.. but He did it anyway.

Jesus’ death and resurrection brought us victory over sin and the grave - a battle we could not win on our own.

AND… with our sins now forgiven, our bodies, our SOULS become the dwelling place of God’s Spirit… much like how the temple was God’s dwelling place in ancient Israel!

God COMPLETED the work that needed done through an amazing act of love and grace. His Spirit… the very thing Zerubbabel needed in his day to complete the task, now resides within our hearts. Our fellowship with God and His power has graciously been restored through the blood of the Lamb.

God did not go half way and expect us to meet Him in the middle.... God finishes… what He starts. God, through His Son… took the greatest mountain - our sin problem - and reduced it to a level plain.

We now overcome this mountain by calling on the name of Jesus! We stand in victory with shouts of GRACE! GRACE to it!

It’s not by might or by our power that we overcome… it through God and His Spirit… God and HIS POWER, LOVE, and GRACE that we make it to the top of the mountain!

Not by Might, Nor By Power...

So what mountain are you trying to climb today? What task lies before you… that appears to be impossible for you?

Some of the mountains we face… we create… for our desire to do our own thing. I’m curious… how many of us believe today that God has good things ins store for you? How many believe that God’s plan is the BEST plan for your life?

Now… with that belief must come the willingness to go as the Spirit of God would lead us to go. God’s Spirit led Zerubbabel to complete the temple by way of God’s grace. It couldn’t be done without it.

God may not be leading you up certain mountains… He may be leading you away from certain mountains.

But God is willing to give the grace needed… if we are willing to follow His leading. God will give you what is needed to reach the finish line… but you’ve gotta be running the right race. You’ve gotta be climbing the right mountains!

So again I ask… what mountain are you trying to climb today?

Have you been trying to climb this mountain with all your might and power? DO you find yourself a bit discouraged, out of strength and limited on resource? Then today is a good day to remember that His grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in our weakness. God will give us what we need to make it through.

Maybe it’s a mountain of… calling. Maybe God is calling you to do something you know is beyond you.

Maybe it’s a mountain of… resource. Maybe God is calling you to give more than what you have.

Maybe it’s a mountain of… excuses. Maybe God is leading you but the only responses you can give are excuses why you can’t do it.

Maybe it’s a mountain of... uncertainty. Maybe God is laying out the path but you struggle to get beyond the unknown details.

Maybe it’s a mountain of… bondage. Maybe God is wanting to set you free today but you fear the chains are just too great.

Maybe it’s a mountain of… bitterness. Maybe God is leading you to forgiveness but you haven’t been able to let go.

There is NOTHING our God cannot do today! And He wants you to know that the way to completion… the resource you need to reach the top of the mountain… is not more of your might and power… it is more of His Spirit given by grace!

And want you to realize one more thing today. God has promised… say that word with me… PROMISED… to pour out His Spirit in these last days. He knows these days will be full of mountains… so He is promising His people… at least those who are open to receive… will be full of His Spirit!

Acts 2:17–18 NIV

17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

I can tell you that in recent months, I have been hearing more and more believers speak of visions and dreams. God is revealing His plan and power to His people. He is empowering His church through the gracious outpouring of His Spirit. And He is asking you today… if you are open and ready to receive.

The Call

The original question we set out to answer this morning was this: how does the power of God’s grace help us make it to the top of the mountain before us?

The answer is simple: God graciously provides what is needed for the task ahead.

Zerubbabel completed the rebuilding of the temple through the Spirit of God that was given by grace. The mountain was overcome with the help of the Lord.

God is calling you to press on. God is calling you to not quit. God is calling you to keep climbing, to continue the work, to finish the race. Maybe you’re exhausted. Maybe you’re questioning your ability, your resources, or your qualifications. Honestly, that’s a good thing. Why? Because when God calls us to do something… it is often BIGGER than ourselves, but not bigger than our God.

So are you willing to lay down your might, surrender your power, and trust in His Spirit that is available to you by grace? Then stand to your feet, and call out to Him. Stand to your feet, lay your self aside, and allow His to fill you with His Spirit and presence today as we worship.