A Work In Progress

A Work in Progress

May 4, 2014 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: God isn’t finished with us yet.

Focus Passage: Philippians 1:6

Introduction: When we lived in West Africa, we noticed everywhere we went where half completed buildings, most of them houses. All of them looked as if the work had been abandoned in the middle of construction. Some of them had four walls; some of them had four walls and a roof. It came up in conversation one day and I asked about all the houses. I was told that people weren’t able to borrow money and only worked on the project as they had money. They didn’t dare save up the money until they were able to build the house because the money could be easily stolen or family would pressure the person to spend it on other things. Some of the houses had indeed been abandoned; most of them, however, were works in progress.

I. A Work in Progress

a. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

b. God has laid the foundation in you through Jesus Christ and has given you His Spirit to guide, correct, comfort, and convict you.

c. Sanctification is the process of becoming like Jesus. It begins at salvation and lasts our entire earthly lives.

II. Created for Good Works

a. What is our purpose? Why do we exist?

b. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

c. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

III. Strive to be like Jesus

a. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7)

b. A humble servant

c. Holy and righteous

Application/Invitation: If God is still working in you, assume that He is still working in others and extend grace to them!