Faithful to the Finish: Confidence From Philippians for Church PlantersSample

WHAT GOD STARTS HE FINISHES

When we start any journey with God, we begin with apprehension, anticipation, and hope. We hope we are hearing God properly. We anticipate many good things in the future as we step out in faith and God meets us there. Yet we have apprehension because we are not certain we are doing it right. Have we heard God correctly? Are we capable of what he is asking us to do? What if we miss it somewhere along the way?

Church planting is one of those kinds of journeys. It’s such an adventure, filled with the rush that comes from risk, and faith, and life change. And yet there are moments when we have our apprehensions and doubts.

Paul was a church planter. He established a church in the city of Philippi, in Greece. We read all about it in Acts 16. In the letter he writes to this church that he planted, he starts to encourage them by stating something amazing about the character of God.

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. Philippians 1:6

He reminds this new and young church that he helped to launch that what God started in them, he will remain committed to until the very end. God is a finisher. He is not flaky. He is not always changing his mind. What he calls us to do, he is committed to completing in and through us..

Hebrews twelve declares that he authors things. He completes things. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He is also the author of the church you are working to establish. He is the builder of that church throughout its history. He is the one who you can depend on to complete and perfect the work, in spite of your failings and weaknesses.

As you read through the book of Philippians, I want you to notice the certainty of Paul regarding God’s faithfulness. Later in the first chapter he says, even if I die - I win. Verse 21 declares, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

God is faithful to us to complete his work till the end of time, till the end of our lives and beyond, and even beyond the time that our call to this church plant has expired. It’s his church. It’s his work. He started it. He will finish what he started.