11/03/17 UNFINISHED

11/03/17 UNFINISHED

There are projects I have started, but if I were to go be with the Lord tonight, those projects would go UNFINISHED. They are good things, but they are not the most important things. They are worthy endeavors, but they are my responsibilities and no one else can do them for me. I imagine that everyone has something unfinished in his/her life.

However, there are some tasks, responsibilities, projects, assignments, missions that must not go UNFINISHED. Remember, as Spirit born, cleansed, empowered, led and anointed followers of Christ, He has given us directives and commands that only we can do.

God gives us people, difficult people, rebellious people, offensive people, unlovely people to love. We are God's messengers of love to them. We are in the place of Christ, sent to reconcile them to God.

If we allow the negatives of their lives to keep us from reaching out to them then our service to Christ is UNFINISHED.

If we are so busy with the responsibilities and affairs of this passing life that they "crowd out" God's work of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, then our service to Christ is UNFINISHED.

If we fill our lives with the people, events, pursuits, hobbies, that please us, abandoning those who are lost in the sea of sin, then our service to Christ is UNFINISHED.

It is popular today to believe that we do not have responsibilities to God, especially difficult, distasteful, costly, self denying responsibilities. It is popular to "trust" in the mercy and grace of God, regardless of our own failures and disobedience. However, God holds each of us responsible for our own lives. We will reap what we sow. We will give account for our time, energy, talents, relationships, attitudes, words, words and actions. Obedience to God is not a form of self salvation or works of the flesh. Obedience to God is the evidence of our salvation.

Even the people who make sacrifices, the people who carfully guard their religious beliefs, the people who live their lives, supposedly fulfilling the will of God, will be told by God, "Depart from Me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you." Even if they spent their lives in religious pursuits. Until our lives are totally surrendered and consumed and filled with the Holy Spirit, burning out all remains of sin, then our lives are UNFINISHED.

Don't make the mistake of trusting in a past spiritual experience, or Biblical knowledge, or a life dedicated to Christian ideals, or family and church relationships to save you. It takes total commitment, abandonment to Christ. It takes total infusion of the Holy Spirit and unswerving submission to finish the course God gives us. We should be able to say, as Paul said in reference to his own relationship with God,

2 Timothy 4:7-8
(7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
(8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

BUT NOTICE THE VERSES LEADING TO THIS DECLARATION. Paul tells us that God expects us to fulfill our calling.

2 Timothy 4:1-5
(1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
(5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Judgment is coming to those who call themselves Christians, but have chosen to disregard the rule of Christ in their lives.
We are instructed many times to share the message of salvation with other people. In this passage we are told to PREACH the word, no matter the difficulties involved and no matter what their response may be.

We are also told in this passage to be vigilent in every situation and to remain faithful when the enemy attacks and opposes us.
We are told to live a life of reconciling love and to not neglect any opportunity to show and proclaim the love of Christ.

Sadly, there will be people who fully expect to go to heaven, only to find out that they were not ready for heaven because they had not finished their course, they had not fought the good fight, they had not kept the faith. They had not surrendered fully to God, therefore they were not ready for heaven, because their relationship with God was not current, but rather, it was UNFINISHED.

Christ has made full atonement for the believer. In reference to His sacrificial work on the cross, Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED. However, God requires us to believe, to repent, to confess, to obey, to follow. When we fail to follow Him, we lose because our response to God was neglected and left UNFINISHED.