FROM START TO FINISH
PHILIPPIANS 1:6
3. THE FINISHED PRODUCT
Introduction:
Philippians 1:6 (NIV) 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.
In the Gospel of Mark, we read in the 7th chapter of a handicapped man who was brought to Jesus. He was both mute and deaf. Jesus motions to him so he will understand what he is about to do. Then Jesus sighed deeply and said… Be Opened. And the man was healed. He could speak plainly. He could hear. Then notice the response of the crowd:
Mark 7:37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
In the last couple of weeks, we have considered the Good Work of the Master Craftsman. He has immeasurable skill, impeccable integrity, experience, and good plans. He begins His Good Work in us at Salvation… the 1st Work of Grace. This is a Transformative Experience by which an individual passes from death to life, receive forgiveness for sin, pardon for guilt. The sinner becomes a Christian. The rebellious traitor becomes a Child of the King. What a great beginning! And the work of God does not end with one big experience. This is the gate into the heavenly way. A good start for a good work.
Next week in the final message of the series, we will look at the processes God uses in our hearts and lives. This week, we want to consider what the finished product will look like. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) 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. So the key word for tonight is COMPLETION.
What does the Master Craftsman want the completed product to look like? We are not mindless lumps of clay that He is molding, or blocks of wood that He is carving. The Sovereign Craftsmen chose to grant free will to each of us. I think it would be helpful for us to understand what He is wanting to do in us. Trust in His wisdom and submission to His plan is of course the best way, (for what right does the lump of clay to question the Potter?). But what is His plan?
There are things in life that we may not ever figure out and we find comfort in the thought that “we will understand it better by and by”.
1. God’s Grand Design for Your Life in this world IS NOT really about You.
a. It’s not about making you happy… though you will find pleasures forevermore.
b. It is not about making you wealthy… though you find riches beyond compare.
c. It is not about making you more beautiful… though you will find the source of true beauty.
d. The highest aim of the Christian life is not even about making it to heaven… though the Christian will experience wonders beyond our wildest imagination in that heavenly place.
Luke 9:24-25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
If you spend your life in pursuit of happiness, seeking wealth etc you miss the purpose of living. So seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
e. In short, your life is not about you… It’s all about bringing Glory to God.
Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Read through Eph 1:3-14 and notice all that whole point of all of the beautiful and bountiful blessings of God’s work in us is so that we should be…
-holy and without blame before him in love—VS 4
-to the praise of the glory of his grace—aVS 6
-that we should be to the praise of his glory—VS 12
-unto the praise of his glory.—VS 14
Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
You see, when the Potter is finished, and the vessel is sitting on the shelf at a local merchant or even a gallery… No one praises the vase, the pitcher or the pot. But they take note, “What nice craftsmanship. Let’s see who made you. Yep, that’s what I thought. Always superior quality. You can always tell His pieces. Works of art really, but so useful.”
When you need a new skillet and go into Walmart or Target. You see the generic no-name skillet for $12. Right next to it is a skillet that looks very similar. It cost $18. BUT you recognize the brand name. You know that company makes good quality kitchenware. Your sauce pan set by the same company still looks great after 10 years. You buy the $18 skillet because you trust the quality of the brand.
Bottom line: The Craftsman receives all of the glory.
Let’s shift directions here for a minute.
WHY does the Craftsman work in our lives? FOR HIS GLORY
Next week, we will ask the question, HOW does He work in us? We’ll discuss the processes the Master Craftsman uses.
But consider now, WHAT>>>What sort of people does His Good Work make us?
II. God’s Intent is to make Christians Christ-like.
Notice the contrast between Romans 12:1-2 and Romans 8:28-29
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:28-29 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
The world is trying to push us into it's mold, but God wants us to be conformed to the image of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
This includes a genuine conversion, growth in grace and true holiness.
It affects our actions, attitudes, and affections.
Christlikeness…
A. God wants us to be Christlike in our Humility and Obedience
Philippians 2:3-11
B. God wants us to be Christlike in our Love and Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:31-5:2
John 15:11-13
And we could list so many more ways.
When you have tension with your in-laws over vacation plans, will you be Christ-like?
When your neighbor is rude, loud and obnoxious, will you be Christ-like?
When your boss is short-tempered and your co-workers are grumbling, will you be Christ-like?
Now think back over the last week… Yep. To that place you don’t want to remember with the person who always aggravates you. Remember how you acted. Remember your attitude. Did your response bring God glory? Do you see why He wants to make you more like Christ?
Thomas Chisholm penned the words that should be the prayer of every Christian.
• O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
• O to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinners to find.
• O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
• O to be like Thee! Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing;
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
• O to be like Thee! While I am pleading
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love.
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit for a life which Thou wouldst approve.
Chorus: O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
III. Finally, Notice that, in this life, while God is working in us to produce Christlikeness, we will always feel our humanity.
That doesn’t mean we always have to be immature, selfish dimwits. We can have holy hearts and a depth and maturity… godly saints. But still human… still have aches and pains, weaknesses, infirmities, afflictions, tests, trials, lapses of judgement, mistakes, forgetfulness, thoughtlessness, etc. Even the greatest and most godly will have to deal with these things.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
But this is only for THIS LIFE >> I Corinthians 15 describes a day when we will lay down our earthly bodies and put on heavenly bodies.
We don’t understand everything about this new era… but we will apparently have glorified bodies like that of our resurrected Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Conclusion: So then, as the Master Craftsman works in our lives, let us remember what His intent is. He wants us to be Christ-like. Let us trust His wisdom and skill. Then let us submit to His will so that we made me conformed to the image of Christ.
