A Strong Finish

Jn. 4:34 “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me...”

I. Finding Pleasure In the Work of the Lord

A. Note the “servanthood” of Christ...His desire is “to do”

B. My food is to do the Father’s will (“I have been eating all the while!”)

1. He had been giving spiritual food to a hungry soul...and she had accepted... what joy He must have felt

a. This food gave Him strength...he rose above the natural hunger

b. Food brings enjoyment (it satisfies the craving from within)...she would now give unto others

C. Did not get bogged down in the “good” things

1. Jesus stayed committed to His purpose

2. Acts 6:2 - the apostles did not not get weighed down w/the serving of tables

Jn. 5:36 “... the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”

II. Your Works Are A Witness of Who You Are

A. Let Your Light Shine

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Mat. 5:16

1. No man lights a candle to hide it...he lights it for the purpose of shining forth that light (Mat. 5:15)

2. “Our whole conduct s/b a perpetual comment on the doctrine we have received...” Adam Clark

B. Your Deeds or Kindness to Others

1. “And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”Luke 10:37

C. Nicodemas

1. “...no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”Jn. 3:2

2. Jn. 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

III. We Must Work While We Can

A. While there is an opportunity

1. Acts 3:12 “And when Peter saw [it], he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham...”

2. Acts 21:40 Paul stood and gave a defense of the gospel to those gathered about him.

B. We must act now

1. Jms. 4:14 “ For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour , that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Jn. 17:4 “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

IV. Finishing Strong

A. Christ’s work on earth was about to be completed

1. All the types and shadows of the O.T. pointing to the suffering Saviour were about to be fulfilled in His death

2. He came not only to complete the work before Him, but to perfect it (telios)

a. To do it the best that He could, without reservations

1. Sometimes we complete a thing, but it’s not the best that we could have possibly done