Evening Service for 10/10/2004
Tell the story of Russ Blowers. Retired in 1995 to tend to his wife.
1 Timothy 6:6-16
Jesus said, “It is finished.” 33 years old, he never allowed anything to hinder his doing of the will of the Father. “For this purpose I came into the world.”
John 17- I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
Jesus finished well.
The story of Caleb.
The story of Paul and now he is at the end: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.
These people finished well.
We want to finish well.
Life is like a marathon, not a short sprint. If we have 5 runners at the end and they are neck and neck, it matters who finishes well.
The Chicago Cubs and how they did not finish well.
Life is not a competition, but to not finish well is disappointing. Started well but did not finish well. In school if we come in and do poorly at the beginning but keep improving and at the end we do well, this is admired by teachers. However, if we come in and do great at the beginning but finish poorly, this is a disappointment to the teachers. Why? Because of the potential.
How do we finish well? Look back and know that we are finishing well. The challenge of a lifetime is to finish well. The Puritans view.
Ephesians 2:10- We are to have a life purpose and work on that to our last breath.
We have been given a calling. Philippians 1:6
Dr. Robert Clinton leading authority on finishing well. Excellent Biblical scholar and teacher. Studied the lives of 1,000 Bible characters. What happens to men who are leaders in the Church, among the people of faith? He discovered that most did not finish well. 1,000 leaders in the Bible less than 30% finished well.
Solomon started out well but finished poorly. Not talking about salvation but living out the purpose of life.
Gideon started out so well. At the end of his life he had many wives and he worshipped a golden ephod he had set up from the plunder.
King Saul started out so well. Died as an enemy of the Lord.
King Asa of Judah started out well. He beat the Ethiopians and had reforms. He ended with a disease in his feet and he did not seek the Lord but only the physicians.
King Joash restored worship in the temple. He served the Lord during the priest Jehoiada’s life. After Jehoiada died, he forsook the Lord. Started out well.
King Uzziah did a lot of good. He grew proud and forsook the Lord and entered the temple to offer a sacrifice, something only a priest could do. The Lord gave him leprosy and he died.
Dr. Clinton made a study of ministers in America and fewer than 30% of ministers in America do not finish well.
Biographies of famous people. While these men became great, they blew it somehow in the end. Reasons varied: sex, greed, marital problems, family difficulties, emotional burnout, addictive behaviors, and poor interpersonal relationships. Many do not manage a good solid finish.
Dr. Clinton says that it is the same in every generation. Those people who are ordained, set apart to be Christian leaders do not finish well. Not just talking about big names or but run of the mill people. Across the board.
6 barriers to finishing well (Dr. Clinton):
1. The abuse and misuse of finances. Messed up with money. Entering into shady deals. I have known a person in the 80’s who were still trying to make it rich. Why? At that age, we are going to leave this place soon and we can’t take it with us.
2. Abuse of power. God has not called us into power over people. God has called us into service. We do not earn it to lord it over others. King Uzziah, priest even followed him in and he didn’t listen. I am the king. Whoever wants to be great, must be a servant.
3. Pride. Believe their own PR reports. I love getting good feedback. However, I know that I am not a wonderful person. I am above this or that. Watch out!
4. Sexual misadventures. Persist in deliberate sexual sin. One of my relatives got Playboy. He was in his 70’s. Most of the times in a foolish lapse
5. Critical family issues. Children have destroyed reputation. Wife has destroyed the ministry. Not always this person’s fault, but we must identify traits that have complicated the problems.
6. Plateuing. Just interested in maintaining. Not interested in growing or going the extra mile anymore. As we get older, we lose energy. However, the time we say I am not interested in growing or doing or learning, we die. Probably not physically but in other ways. Not interested in going the extra mile. William Wallace- Every man dies, but not every man lives. I love my grandmother Hose. She is a fireball. Work anyone under the table. She will try anything. Roller coasters.
On the other hand, Dr. Clinton gives 6 characteristics of people who finish well.
1. Maintain a vibrant, living relationship with Christ to the end. 1 Timothy 6- love of money, moral failures, foolish debates, stir up controversy. Vs. 11-14- 5 key words: Flee, pursue, fight, take hold, keep. Flee from all this. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life. Keep this command.
2. They never stop learning. Continue to use brains to soak up truth of Word of God. Philippians 3:12-14
3. Show evidence of Holy Spirit in their lives. Character conforms to the Lord. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. We are predestined to be like Christ. This is the will of God for us. Have the fruit of the Spirit.
4. Truth is lived out in life. Not just interested in talking but doing. With our revival sermons, what nice stuff and no desire to improve, no desire to live this out. Feel guilty but that is all. What a waste!
5. Leave behind one or more contributions to this world. Legacy of a wonderful family. Legacy of being an elder. Legacy of being a dynamic witness in the workplace. Legacy of community involvement. Legacy of hospitality. Legacy of standing against a particular sin of society. When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner than when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
6. Live with a sense of destiny. Not an accident. A purpose to fulfill. Have a God who is interested in them and has a great purpose for them. Philippians 1:6. God will finish my life. Ashley Montagu- I want to die young at a ripe old age. IF we want to die while we are still living, just give up on these ideas.
General Douglas MacArthur wrote: People grow old by deserting their ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest, wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fears; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.
James Garfield- If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old.
Is this possible? Yes, Daniel, Paul, you can do it.
Most people do not finish well.
Hazel Miller, as a young woman fixed the communion. She and her husband, Byran, raised 5 children during the depression. Never had it easy. Lives centered on Jesus and the church. Faithful to each other. Byran died. Hazel had never put her hand on a steering wheel before but she learned how to drive so that she could make calls on shut ins and to work on church projects. Hazel Miller finished well.
Dr. Clinton says that out of those who do not finish well it can be traced back to a character flaw. They would not allow God to heal them, to shape them, fortify their character. All of life is wrapped up in the finish. They know this is a problem but they do not allow the Lord to help them fix it. They are half baked.
All is well that end well.
What if I goofed up? Repent and start anew. At least finish well. Still alive.
Gordon MacDonald was the preacher at a large Boston area church. Wrote several books. Became President of Intervarsity Fellowship in Denver. He had an affair and when it was exposed he confessed it to his wife, to God, to Intervarsity. The next 2 years 5 minister friends held his feet to the fire. They flew to Denver and prayed with Gordon and held him accountable and wouldn’t let him preach for two years. After this time, he is now preaching at the same church in Boston, having a great ministry.
To finish well we have to be lily white our whole lives? No, if only perfect people finished well, only Jesus would finish well. WE are sinners saved by grace.
A Christian will not sin. 1 John 2:1.
WE need to bank on the grace of God and not sin. A Christian’s life needs to focus on Jesus Christ and try to please Him and when we come to the end of life we look back and say I wouldn’t take anything for my journey now. I have done this and that. No, you have been cleansed, you have been forgiven and you can finish well.
