Voice of Believers sermon 9/24/06

John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”
John 5:36 “(Jesus) But I have greater witness than that of John, for the works which the Father has given Me that I should finish them, the works which I do themselves witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
John 17:4 “(Jesus said to the Father) I have glorified You upon the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
John 19:30 “Then when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up the spirit.”

1. The works of God the Father have been finished by Jesus
         a. There’s nothing else for us to do
         b. There’s no need to build anything on top of what Jesus did
         c. Just be who you are in Christ
2. John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me          draw him (through the Holy Spirit), and I will raise him up at the last day.”
         a. The Father loves us just as much as Jesus
         b. The work of the Holy Spirit is just as much a part of the LORD’s salvation
3. John 3:17, 18 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.”
John 8:30-32 “As He spoke these words, many believed upon Him. Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed on Him, If you continue in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
         a. There is a difference between believing on Him and believing Him (please also read John 8:33-59)
         b. It’s not about being a good or bad person, because unless God changes your heart, you’ve already been condemned through not believing Him, the only-begotten Son of God
         c. There is a real faith and a counterfeit faith: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
                   i. Real faith enables you to be “a new creation in Christ Jesus”
                   ii. Faith that doesn’t control your heart is counterfeit
                   iii. In addition to repentance (see Acts 20:21), true salvation must involve grace through real faith, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)
4. Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.”
         a. Jesus was anxious to get to the cross because He wanted to please His father so much, and the cross was more appealing to Him than Satan’s offer of all the kingdoms on Earth
         b. The Father didn’t have to beg Jesus to do His will, so why should we be begged to do His will?
5. Acts 20:22-24 “And now, behold, I am going bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But none of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ , to testify fully the gospel of the grace of God.”
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
         a. Whatever you’ve been called to do by God, you need to be about your Father’s business NOW
         b. God’s not interested in leftovers: when people delay His will to accomplish other goals in life first, then spend whatever time is left over for His will
         c. Don’t be something you haven’t been called by God to be, otherwise you will strain yourself and struggle
6. John 17:26 “(Jesus said to the Father) And I made known to them Your name, and will make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
         a. We’re to have the same love Jesus had to fulfill His calling so we can fulfill God’s calling for our lives.

Romans 12:3-8 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. For even as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same function, so we the many are one body in Christ, and each one members of one another. Then having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, if prophecy, according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, in the ministry; or he who teaches, in the teaching; or he who exhorts, in the encouragement; or he who shares, in simplicity; or he who takes the lead, in diligence; or he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness.”