Go! And Finish Well
Acts 20:24 (NLT): "But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."
Introduction: Living With Eternal Purpose
The world often measures success by how much we gain, how far we climb, and how well we are known. But the Apostle Paul teaches us to measure life by how faithfully we fulfil the mission Christ has given us. In this passage, Paul, speaking to the elders of the Ephesian church, opens his heart. His words echo across centuries, challenging each of us: Will we finish well?
1. A Life Defined by Mission (Acts 20:24)
Paul says: "But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus..."
The Greek word for "finishing" is teleiosai (te?e??sa?), meaning to bring to completion, to carry through to the end. Paul is not dabbling in ministry—he is consumed with the mission to completion.
Paul is heading to Jerusalem, knowing that imprisonment and afflictions await him (Acts 20:22-23). Yet, he is unmoved. His priorities are shaped by eternity.
Philippians 1:21 (NLT) - "For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better."
What are you living for? The world says live for comfort, Paul says live for Christ.
John Piper writes, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."
Piper captures Paul’s passion. If we live merely for self, we waste the precious gift of life. But if we live for Christ, we find eternal significance.
Imagine a soldier who receives a mission. He doesn’t say, "I’ll get to it after I’ve enjoyed myself." No, he obeys. We are soldiers of Christ. Our lives are not our own.
2. The Message We Must Share (Acts 20:24)
"...the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."
The word translated "Good News" is euangelion (e?a???????), meaning the gospel—the joyous proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The message Paul proclaims is not moralism or religion, but grace. Grace is unmerited favour. It is God’s riches at Christ’s expense.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) - "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."
These verses remind us that salvation is not a transaction—it is a divine gift. We are not saved because we earned it, deserved it, or performed well enough to impress God. No, we are saved by grace—God’s unmerited favour—through faith. It is God’s doing from start to finish. Grace eliminates boasting. Faith excludes pride. This humbles us and glorifies Him. Our response must be gratitude, worship, and a life lived in honour of the One who gave everything to save us. Let us never forget: we are saved not because we are good, but because God is gracious.
Charles Stanley once said, "Grace is not something we deserve; it is something we desperately need."
Stanley reminds us that grace is God’s initiative. We do not earn it; we receive it through faith in Christ.
A man falls into a pit and cannot climb out. Religion throws down a ladder and says, "Climb!" Grace lowers Christ into the pit to lift the man out. That is the gospel we preach!
3. A Saviour Worth Proclaiming
The gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. This is not a myth—it is the foundation of our faith!
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NLT) - "Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day..."
The word "raised" is egegertai (e???e?ta?) – perfect tense, showing completed action with ongoing result. Christ’s resurrection is a past event with present power!
This passage is the very heartbeat of the Gospel—the unshakable foundation of our faith. The Apostle Paul declares what is most important, the core truth that transforms lives: Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again, all in fulfilment of Scripture.
Jesus didn’t die as a martyr for a cause—He died as the Saviour for our sin. His burial proves the reality of His death. And His resurrection is the divine proof of victory over death and the grave. This isn’t religious tradition; this is God’s eternal truth.
Friends, the Gospel is not about what we do for God—it’s about what God has done for us in Christ.
Because Jesus is alive, then there is hope, there is forgiveness, and there is power for new life.
This is not just doctrine—it’s destiny.
It's not just theology—it’s the triumph of love.
Let’s believe it, proclaim it, and live it.
Jesus is not a dead figure of history. He is the risen Lord, and He reigns today. He invites all to come to Him in faith and repentance.
Tim Keller wrote, "The gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life, but the A to Z."
Keller helps us see that the gospel is not the entrance to Christian life—it is the centre. Every step we take is rooted in Jesus’ finished work.
4. Responding to the Gospel Call
As Jesus stated in Mark 1:15 (NLT) - "The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"
Friends, here in Mark 1:15, we encounter the first recorded words of Jesus’ public ministry—words filled with urgency, authority, and hope.
“The time promised by God has come at last!” This isn't just any time—this is kairos time, God's appointed time. The long-anticipated arrival of the Messiah has dawned. The promises made through the prophets are being fulfilled, not in theory, but in flesh and blood—through Christ Himself.
“The Kingdom of God is near!” Not distant. Not someday. Near. Jesus is announcing that God’s rule is breaking into human history in a personal, powerful, and present way. The kingdom is not about politics or geography—it is the reign of God in the hearts and lives of people.
But this nearness demands a response:
“Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Repentance is not just feeling sorry—it is a complete turning, a reorientation of life away from sin and towards God. And belief is not passive agreement—it is active trust in the Good News that Jesus saves.
This one verse is a summary of the Gospel call:
God’s time has come, His kingdom has arrived, and He calls us to respond with repentance and faith.
The King is calling. Will you answer?
Repentance is not just remorse; it is transformation. Faith is not vague belief; it is trust in the risen Christ.
Max Lucado says, "God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus."
God’s love meets us in our sin, but grace does not leave us there. Through repentance and faith, we become new creations in Christ.
Gospel Presentation:
Jesus took our sin upon Himself. He bore the wrath of God we deserved. He cried, "It is finished!" and the veil was torn. His resurrection proves the payment was accepted. Today, you can be forgiven, restored, and adopted as a child of God.
5. A Call to Faithful Obedience
Romans 12:1 (NLT) - "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."
This verse is a heartfelt plea, not just a polite suggestion. Paul is urging us, not out of legalism, but out of deep gratitude for God’s mercy. The only reasonable response to the sacrificial love of Christ is to surrender our entire selves to Him—our thoughts, our actions, our ambitions. Not dead sacrifices, but living ones—lives that walk in holiness, lives that please God. This is not confined to Sunday mornings; it’s daily worship. Every moment we yield to God is an act of devotion. True worship is not simply about what we sing—it’s about how we live.
Our response to grace is worship through obedience. Finish the race. Fight the good fight. Keep the faith.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
Picture a runner in a race. He doesn’t stop halfway and say, "That’s good enough." He presses on to the finish line. Let us run with endurance the race set before us.
A.W. Tozer once said, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity we plan only the things we can do by ourselves."
Let’s trust God not only for salvation but also for sanctification and service. His grace empowers us to finish well.
Conclusion: Will You Finish Well?
Paul finished his race with joy, despite trials and hardships. He counted his life as nothing compared to the worth of knowing Christ and making Him known.
Let us go and finish well. Go and share the Good News. Go and live with eternal purpose. Go and proclaim the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, now is the time. Repent of your sins. Believe that He died and rose again for you. Receive the gift of eternal life.
Call to Action for Believers:
Renew your commitment to the mission. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Share the Good News. Finish the work He has assigned you.
Communion Reflection: "It Is Finished"
John 19:30 (NLT): “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
As we come to the Lord’s Table, let us pause and remember the greatest act of love and sacrifice in all of history. On the cross, as Jesus endured the agony of our sin upon His sinless shoulders, He cried out “It is finished.”
In the original Greek, the word used here is tetelestai – a powerful term that means “paid in full.” This was a word written across ancient bills to indicate that a debt had been completely settled.
Jesus was not simply stating that His suffering was ending—He was declaring that the full price for sin had been paid. The penalty we deserved was placed upon Him. The wrath of God was satisfied. The work of redemption was complete.
The cross wasn’t a cry of defeat—it was a cry of victory.
Through His finished work:
Our sins are forgiven.
Our guilt is removed.
Our relationship with God is restored.
As we take the bread, let us remember His body, broken for us.
As we drink the cup, let us remember His blood, poured out for the forgiveness of our sins.
And as we do, let us examine our hearts—not out of fear, but in gratitude.
Let us commit ourselves again to finish well, as Jesus finished well—for us.
As Charles Stanley once said: “The cross is the finished work of Christ. Nothing more needs to be done. All that is left is for us to believe it and receive it.”
So let us come, not with pride, not with performance, but with praise—
…for Jesus has done what we never could.
…It is finished.
…And because it is finished, we can begin again.
Benediction:
May the Lord Jesus Christ, who began a good work in you, carry it to completion. May you be strengthened by His grace, emboldened by His Spirit, and faithful to His call. Go! And finish well, for the glory of God and the joy of all peoples.
