Philippians 1:6
God Will Finish It
Phi 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Over the years, I have turned to this verse as our sermon text
several times. I call it "one of our ANCHOR VERSES," by that,
I mean that it is a verse that will hold us steady in unsteady times.
Let’s first tear it apart and look at its individual components and
then let’s consider it as a whole.
I. The Parts of the Verse
A. The Source - "He"
1. The "He" is Jesus Christ.
a. We understand at the onset that a promise is only as
good as the person who makes the promise.
b. This being Jesus, the Son of God, means that we have
sure promise for God cannot lie.
2. Who is Jesus?
a. He is God, but that means much more than many think it
means.
(1) When you read literature or watch a movie, the
term God is often applied to some advanced being.
(2) It has caused people to think of our God is just
an advanced alien.
(3) Oh, no! Our God is different from all other gods
imagined in so many ways.
b. He has attributes:
(1) He must be eternal.
(2) He is all powerful, meaning there is not another
like Him.
(3) He is all knowing.
(4) He is everywhere.
c. These attributes lead to some unique qualities:
(1) He is just.
(2) He is good.
d. And all of these lead to some realities:
(1) He cannot fail.
(2) He cannot lie.
e. And all of that means He will keep His promise.
B. The Recipients- "which hath begun a good work"
1. The good work that God has begun is salvation.
a. We understand that a promise is only good if you are the
person to whom it is made.
b. Are you the one to whom the promise is made?
c. If so, God has something invested in you.
2. Throughout the Bible, God teaches us that what we have is
just the beginning of what God intends to do.
3. Already, we have some aspects of salvation.
a. We are already forgiven, even of the sins we will
commit.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven
you all trespasses;
(1) How many trespasses have already been forgiven?
ALL.
(2) That is hard to understand, but what we need to
realize is that Jesus is not going to die again.
(a) His one death, paid it all.
(b) And all of our sins were future when He died.
(c) We need not fear hell, damnation, or
judgment.
(d) We have been pardoned and our record has
been expunged, that is wiped clean.
b. We already have some fellowship with God.
c. We already have some power as the children of God.
4. However, some the best parts of our salvation are still
ahead.
a. The fact that God has started this work becomes the
guarantee that He will complete it.
b. I suppose you could call it the "down payment."
C. The Promise - "will perform it"
1. Not only is there a reason to expect God to finish the
work God has begun, there is a promise that He will.
2. The word "perform" means to "complete, finish, to
perfect."
3. Remember again, God cannot lie.
a. Once God makes a promise, He is bound by it.
b. God not only made this promise, but He wrote it in
His Book and signed it in His blood.
c. If God breaks a promise, He can no longer be God.
d. You have God’s word that He will finish the work
of salvation in you.
D. The Deadline - "until the day of Jesus Christ."
1. God even sets a deadline on when all of this will be
complete.
2. It will be by the "day of Jesus Christ," by the time
Jesus returns to judge this earth.
E. The Confidence - You can be "confident of this."
1. Here is the goal, the purpose of this text.
2. Understanding these things, God wants you to have complete
confidence that you will not be left half-done,
forgotten, or forsaken.
II. Let’s Take Us Apart - What is left to be finished in us?
A. He will finish the salvation of our souls.
1. Some are fearful that they will somehow lose their
salvation.
2. I understand that. i know there are some Bible verses
that indicate that may be possible, but there are many,
many Bible verses that make ti clear that it is not.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them out
of my Father’s hand.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.
1Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time.
3. I understand that some do not believe the same as I on
this subject, but God has never started a work that He
has not finished!
a. God started a cosmos, and He finished it.
b. God started a man, and He finished him. (He had to
make Eve to do it, but He did.)
c. God promised a Savior, and He delivered Him.
d. Some of the things God has promised are not finished
yet:
(1) God has a plan for Israel. He will finish it.
(2) God has a plan in redemption. He will finish it.
(3) God has a plan for you and me. He will finish
it.
e. God is not going to…
(1) …lose you and or let you lose Him.
(2) …walk away from you or let you walk away from
Him.
(3) …get tired of you or let you get tired of Him.
(4) …give up on your or let you give up on Him.
4. You will stand before God with the whole salvation
package!
a. "I Love Lucy" had an episode where she purchased a
vacuum cleaner from a door-to-door salesman. The
salesman made it sound like she was getting a good
deal. Once she paid for the machine, he offered to
sell her the hose and the other attachments.
b. God does not have any add-ons, seconds, or
attachments. He has one plan of salvation and
everyone gets the same, complete deal.
c. In this work of grace, you get….
(1) Complete forgiveness.
(2) Complete adoption.
(3) Complete indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
(4) A completed, eternal home.
B. He will finish the walk He has begun with us.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things
as ye have: for he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee.
1. God is not content with us just making it to heaven.
2. God wants you to make it through your earthly journey
in comfort, with Him by your side.
a. He does not want us to be afraid.
b. He does not want us to be troubled.
c. He does not want us to be alone.
3. even in times like these, with Coronaviruses, God wants us
to be at peace, walking with Him.
Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place
of the most High shall abide under the shadow of
the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and
my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare
of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and
under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall
be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by
night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in
darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth
at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not
come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and
see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my
refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
C. He will finish the work of the resurrection.
1. In the last few years, I have spoken with several whose
mates have left them.
2. Like the people of Thessalonica, they sometimes wonder
if they will see their loved ones again.
3. The answer is YES. God will finish what He has begun.
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, according to the working whereby he is able
even to subdue all things unto himself.
This promise is an anchor, if it is to you. If it is not, I pray
that you will claim Jesus so that it will be.
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