Fulfilling Finnish

Okay, and that's always succumb to celebrate the house and what it is finished means in our lives today Father's we come in your house again where you do so mindful that we have the freedom to do so, we should never take that for granted. Thank the Lord that you are here and welcome us into your house and we sent your presents today thankful for each one that is here and he didn't mind full of pennies that are not with us today. We just pray your blessing for each one of them. Those are dealing with different kinds of illness and those who are traveling. Thank you Lord that we know that by your spirit. We are united together, even when we're not together physically Lord. We just want to open our hearts to you today and to offer back to you Thanksgiving in a praise and worship that you alone are worthy of Elvis to do that by your spirits enabling and thank you again for each one. That's your prayers special blessing needs heart of mine. I give you praise in your son's name. Amen and greet someone you haven't had a chance to yet. Tell him I'll glad you are there here.

Already, let's return our Focus to worship as we begin this morning. As always. You may remain standing or be seated. However, you worship best or up and down as we go through. I want to say a word about these songs. This one it is finished is a Gaither Vocal Band song. It says very loves it. It's not really one of those songs. You might be familiar with to be able to sing all the way through but just seeing the long as you can and that sets the tone for worship and because it is finished Christ is our Living Hope again the key words from that song is the cross has spoken. The cross has spoken and then you could have called Ten Thousand Angels, but he decide to finish what the father it sent him to Darla that to used to be Jimmy's pennies. Now it's every spinneys Jimmy's daughter heavy. Anyway, it's good to give the last night for the Lord's work. What's that? Look on your face?

Okay back in the day when Jimmy was that age in a little bit older they used to call it. Jimmy's pennies take this offering and then we renamed it at some point something more spiritual children's change the world off right now, but your Indulgence for my voice is appreciated this morning your prayers as well and our readers have moved into place. And so we're going to continue in the series we've been in for the last this is not a week 6 on the final words from the cross and we've counted them down. I'm not going to recount all of them. We come to the next-to-last Declaration of Jesus on the cross the last week, of course we talked about I thirst thirst the truth and it picks up right at that very Point, Allenwood. Read that again from either the front of bulletin or what you got there, John 19:30. When he had received the drink juice said it is finished with that. He bowed his head and gave up his Spirit. But the series is not over today. It's not finished today because out of Luke's gospel. We also have this insertion that he said father into your hands. I commend my spirit and then he bowed his head and died. So we will finish without next week, but it's important to understand what it means when Jesus said it is finished the applications of that before us are Guided by some earlier words. Jesus had spoken to his disciples when they was talking about food that he ate we see this in John chapter 4. My food said Jesus is to do the will of him who sent me. And to finish his work don't you have a saying it is still four months until Harvest? I tell you open your eyes and look at the fields. They are ripe for Harvest, even though the one who reaps drowsy wage and harvest a crop for eternal life so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. That's the same one source. Another reaps is true. I sent you the report you if not worked for others have done the hard work and you have reap the benefits of their labor. Jesus says that his work is to do the will of him who sent me in to finish his work. This was all that Jesus was about came from the outermost to the gutter most to finish the work so that he and we with him could return to the uttermost. This was all he was about to finish that work and so he had been preparing them and telling them all along what he was going to do what was going to happen. It was hard for them to accept and understand but in this these words that also makes the application dust is also often do your work. He's implying look under the Harvest under the fields are ripe for Harvest and there's work for us to do along with each other. It's not just my work. It's not just your work. We work together Reapers and Sowers together. So that when they've done the hard work, we reap the benefits of their labor and it will continue for those that we passed the Baton on to write very sorry. I couldn't resist it just 30 assists the cyclist the way it works. Everyday, probably I think of mom and dad in the work they've done did here for 25 years before we came we were at a now 21 years others are picking up and we'll then we finish but we're all in it together with Jesus is the point his food was to finish his work our food ought to be to finish the work the God has given to us as well. We need to understand it does have eternal consequences. Look under the on the fields that the Harvest is there. Let's be about it while we can and I'm speaking to myself today as much as anyone else perhaps more. You wouldn't really want to know what's all in my heart in my mind when we approached these kinds of things cuz I look at varying I go home, or maybe I'd like to be there. You know when you get my age you begin to think about these things you got more days behind. Just a kid. I know yeah, I know compared to some but anyway, there is work for us to do in the question is what we finished. Well as Jesus finished. Well, he also spoke of his body as a temple which would be discarded and rebuilt in 3 days and that points us then back to the construction of the original Temple and what it means to finish or complete something well and so you have their to fill in complete construction completion. What does that mean? Let's look at First Chronicles 28 David also said they saw him and his son be strong and courageous and do the work do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord God. My God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the Temple of the Lord is finished. All Solomon's work was carried out from the day the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was laid until it's completion. So the Temple of the Lord was finished and it was a foreshadowing of course of what Jesus came to do and for our a work to be finished as well be reminded as we shared together when we were talking about feeling forsaken as Jesus said father. Why have you forsaken me he will not fail you or forsake you until all the work of the service of the temple. The Lord has finished Danny for steaks this right? Sorry, I just had this kind of stuff that are on course not the Lord is with us. He's the one who enables us to do what we need to do. He's the one that helps us to finish what he has called us to do later followed make that direct application to us as Gods temple in 1st Corinthians chapter 3 don't you know that you yourselves are God's Temple and God's spirit dwells in your midst if anyone destroy is God's Temple. God will destroy that person for God's Temple is sacred. And you together are that Temple do not know their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have received from God you are not your own you were bought at a price there for honor God with your bodies. I have a resurrected wife here whose work was not finished and I'm speaking of something that was really really serious. But the passage you are not your own you were bought at a price. Very key for her at a critical time in her life when it could have been all over but because of God's work and her recognizing that he's got more for me to do the work still to be finished and it's going to be finished. Well because of that we are the Temple of God's Not Just our bodies the paulist talking about here had represents kind of the 10th. We live in but it represents all of who we are here. We are his because we were bought at a price and a serious business to be about the Lord's business in to do the work that he has called us to it's not completed yet. We're still working at word of still work in progress. And so we have that very serious word for us there for honor God with your body, but also with all that you are All goes on then to remind us that we are God's Temple together as well in the Ephesians chapter 2.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the Chief Cornerstone in him. The whole building is join together and Rises to become a holy Temple in the Lord and in him you two are being built together to become a dwelling and which God Lives by his Spirit some sort of reminded. It's not just my work that needs to be finished. But I am also working together with everyone else in the body of the building Seattle is a whole lot of different the illustrations for that but we can't do it alone. God designed it that way for us to do this work together and to be mindful of that and commit ourselves to it as well. And then Paul encourages us to finish the work along with his coworker Octopus as we'll see in the second part of that that you're going to reach Now finish the work so that you're eager willingness to do. It may be matched by your completion of it. According to your means for if the willingness is there the gift is acceptable according to what one has not according to what one does not have tell archippus see to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord knows who wrote CR2 Colossians his friend archippus that God has put you about a work now. It's yours to be mindful to complete that work commit yourselves to that so that they will not fall short. Then finally Paul declares his gratitude and is confident that God will complete the work that he has begun with the Philippians and with each believer look in chapter 1 I thank my God every time I remember you in all my prayers for all of you. I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now 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. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion again, it's God's work. He's the one that's actually doing it in us and through us just as with Jesus. And so we open ourselves. We commit ourselves we offer ourselves to the Lord for him to do his work in us and we need to keep that commitment to the end in order for him to be able to complete the work that he has designed for us to do. The race of faith is we call it is a marathon is it not for some depending on when you began the race? It's a longer than others, but it's a marathon than the less. It does require a strong finish. It does require a strong Sprint just to keep the alliteration going in that second point. I think my wife got lost somewhere. She's busy taking notes. She's a good note taker. So give her that there is Strong's. whole spirit weird I had down strong Sprint somehow the commute in the communication, but it's both is true. Right requires a strong Spirit Lee Spirit requires a strong Sprint at the end to complete the race. Well, sorry about that Paul declared his determination to do just that and Acts chapter 22 going to Jerusalem not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task. The Lord. Jesus has given me the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace complete the task that God has given to him. That was just focus. That's all you wanted to do to testify to the gospel of God's grace and his life to the very end. And then it goes on to remind his readers that they must also run in such a way as to get the prize 1st Corinthians chapter 9.

Do you know not know that I raced in all the runners run but only one gets the prize run in such a way as to get the prize everyone who completes in the game goes to into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore. I do not run like someone running aimlessly. I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave. So that after I have preached to others. I myself will not be disqualified for the price. Literally that you'd be this body. We've seen those in history who have taken that literally and they just went with themselves because of their sinfulness and all of that and try to beat that body into submission. I don't take it that way is just as I don't take literally Jesus saying the couch out your eye if it offends you release talking about I will enabling the spirit to Bear the fruit of self-control and our lives just one aspect of finishing the race well to bring all these things under the control of the spirit and our lives to surrender that to him in order that we can complete all that he's brought us to it's well for us to recognize that that also to understand the key to it is that it's only God's in his Spirit and the spirit of than the fruit of the spirit living in us that will enable us to finish what we need to So then we hear again Paul's Bowl declaration about finishing the race very familiar passage in 2nd Timothy 4 poured out like a drink-offering and the time for my departure is near I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord direction is Judge will warming award me on that day and not only to me but also to all who have long for his appearing in are we glad that I did that last phrase? They're not only to me but also to all who have long Forza. Are you longing for his appearing? I have to confess sometimes I'm going Lord just come. I mean it's just getting crazy. This is ridiculous even so Lord come quickly. We're longing for that none the less the more the longer he carries the more work. We still need to finish. It's not over until it's over. I guess we can put it that way. And so we keep our focus on what the Lord wants us to do in order that that day will come sooner. So the writer of Hebrews then declares a therefore for us in this and he is calling upon that cloud of witnesses that Hall of faith that he speaks of in Hebrews chapter 12.

Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith for the joy set before him. He endured the cross scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God consider him who endured such opposition from Sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart consider him keep your eyes on him focus on him. He endured the cross. He said it is finished. He took it to the very end. He could have called Ten Thousand Angels, but he didn't write. He gives us the example and they also enables Us by his Spirit to do the same thing. We must keep the focus on that in order to follow his example so that you will not grow weary and lose heart so easy for us to do and I confess that as well or things that can really get us down and discourage us and just had enough. think about Jesus He had enough way before we've had enough and yet he endured as an Sol. We continue to look to him the Perfecter of our faith. That means he finished it. And all we have to do is accept it and receive it and as we saw before with the when we were considering being forsaken or filling forsaken, sometimes that I require some perseverance often in order to get through those periods when we're feeling forsaken the unknowing he hasn't forsaken us, but in consideration of that we see that there is for us if we will literally a persevering prize just as Paul spoke of the prize. There is one for those all who will persevere. The writer of Hebrews again and courage is us than this in Hebrews chapter 10. So do not throw away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded you need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what he has promised for in just a little while he who is coming will come and will not delay and but my righteous one will live by faith and I take no pleasure in the one who strikes back but we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed but to those who have faith and are saved. Do you believe that I do accept that do you say Amen to that? Are you allowed to do not shrink back and are destroyed but of those who believe and are saved I want to hear everybody say, that's me. Okay, I'll go ahead and put your hands up in the air to that's me Amen to that. We have that Assurance in this moment. We're going to be tougher moments after we leave God's house and through the week and all of that but we're going to feel like maybe not so much keep your focus on Jesus. He's the one who enables you to keep that commitment that you made under him. Then Paul encourages his son in the faith Timothy his direction to Timothy is also to us as well and 1st Timothy 4. Be diligent in these matters give yourself wholly to them. So that everyone may see your progress watch your life and Doctrine closely persevere in them. Because if you do you will save both yourself and your yours. There's another key thought you're not only going to save yourself in this process what you're going to be used by God to help others to persevere as well and be honest love times when I kind of catch myself and you know in the discouragement or whatever things well and that would actually is a consequence of this going to be a little young to be my failure as great as I am. I have a lot of influence on lot of people going to be bad for them as well. I kind of jealous but that's true for every one of us we each have influence in people's lives. The God is using and so we all must keep you in mind them as well. I think it's the key reasons why Jesus went all the way with it wasn't for his own sake as I said before wasn't only to fulfill what had been prophesied but it was for me it was for you. And so we ought to have that hard in mind as well that were persevering not only for our own prize, but for the sake of others that we love and care for also and then James Echoes what we've heard before about never being forsaken in James 1 and following Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face Trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance let perseverance finish its work so that you may be so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him as you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered you have heard of job's perseverance and I've seen what the Lord finally brought about the Lord is full of compassion and mercy consider the case of Jobe and a previous message from your don't have to review that story. I would just save me that story. Consider and use that example another examples to be an encouragement to you to know. The Lord is faithful. He's not going to forsake you he's going to keep his side of the promised his side of the deal the Covenant that we make with the Lord blessed are those who persevere and so many more ways we can even imagine we don't even know yet what it all is going to include but as with Jobe it'll be at least doubled and then and then more so I encourage you to just persevere. Hang in there. Let God do his work in you and through you and it's going to be way way more than worth. Whatever the cost is finally then the spirit revealed to the Apostle John what we might call. Overcoming outcomes what are the outcomes of being an overcomer the spear review the out to John and Revelation and these promises are many that the Lord gives to us. And so Harlem has the privilege to read a rather lengthy passage is a compilation of the promises that God gives to us if we overcome and that the first portion of Revelation go ahead darling. Are you are you on Harlan? There's a switch there, I think. Whoever has ears. Let him hear what the spirit says to the church look. You're the one who is Victorious. I will give the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the paradise of God. Whoever has ears let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. The one who is Victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Whoever has ears let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. To the one who is Victorious. I will give some of the Hidden Manna I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it known only to the one who receives it. I will also give that one the Morning Star. I will also give the one who is Victorious will like them be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from The Book of Life, but will acknowledge that name before my father and his angels. The one who is Victorious I will make a pillar in my temple in the temple of my God never again. Will they leave it? I will write on them the name of my God in the name of the city of my God the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of Heaven from my God and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. To the one who is Victorious. I will give the right to sit with me on my Throne just as I was Victorious and sat down with my father on his throne. Whoever has ears. Let them hear what the spirit says to the churches need. I remind you. I have ears Whoever has ears. Let him hear. And they repeatedly repeatedly whoever overcomes whoever is Victorious. This is what you get. This is what you get. This is what you get it goes on and on and on I didn't count how many times you might want to go back and do that yourself and see what all the promises are. Does this exhaust the list? I don't think so. I think these are just a few things that the spirit reveal to John that would be a part of overcoming and the outcomes of that what we receive I mean again, it's Way Beyond what we can think or imagine it's kind of pointless to even try to imagine. I've tried to do it nice Mama's turn myself sick sometimes but God is good and faithful. We know that it's way more worth than what we are going to suffer and there's the spirit said in the speaking in the words of Jesus just as I over came and sat down by my father on the throne and so it again he gives us thieves. Apple he overcame he finish the work he completed it. And enables us to do the same if we will just open our hearts to that allow his Spirit to live in us and work through us. What a privilege it is. Is it not a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Jesus to even die with him to be able to say it is finished. I finished what he wanted me to do and then to be able to leave it at that next week. We will commend our spirits to the Lord as well. It could be fatal for some of us. It really is fatal for all of us in a way. We die to ourselves to send we live to him into righteousness. And so I want us to encourage and also challenged each other. We're going to share an Old Church of God hymn. Sorry. Carrie kind of came in with all this I might have chosen something else. It won't be familiar to many of you because we haven't signed up for a long long time. That's in the hignell actually in Mike. If you prefer to seeing out of the MLS number 259 boards will be up there. But Mike likes to sing out of him down. This is a song I grew up with and I can still hear my parents and some of the others singing this declaration and encouraging each other to be an overcomer only cowards yield on the battlefield. And so if we will overcome there's so much that God offers to us and I want you to experience that as well as myself. Let's stand together and sing Viet Overcomer. As always the altars open if you want it right here.

Oh Lord. Thank you so much. Thank you Lord for your word and your spirit of it speaks to us today. Help us in those areas. That may be a challenge to us. To be able to acknowledge it and to surrender to your spirits work in our lives the weekend be Overcomers. We can be Victor's we can persevere. We can finish the race as you have laid it out for us help us to remember what a privilege it is to follow in the footsteps the example of Jesus. Yes to even die with him. Do we might be resurrected with him and experience all that you have prepared for us. Thank you Lord, that some of our loved ones who gone before are already experiencing that we Rejoice with them that we want to join them as well. We want the circle to be completed. Thank you Lord that to offer your grace to us today in this moment. And as we respond you make it happen to all your work to our privilege to be a part of it. Thank you for each one that is here again. I just pray your blessing and each heart in mind help us as we go through this week to continue to hear you speaking to us your spirit promising us help us to be obedient to your spirits leading. Thank you Lord that we can not only be blessed ourselves, but we can be a blessing to others we can influence others for eternity. That's the most awesome privilege by Jesus did what he did for each one of us help us to pass it on to other.