WE MUST ALSO FINISH STRONG

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The 12^th Grade student:

1.    Sat in the classes.

2.    Read the books.

3.    Studied the material.

4.    Did the research papers.

5.    Completed the reports.

6.    Memorized the information.

7.    Passed all of the tests.

 

B.   On the last Thursday night of May, she attended her graduation ceremony.

1.    The title of the program read:  “Commencement Exercises.”

2.    She was somewhat confused because she knew the word “commence” means “to begin, to start, to initiate,” but she was at the end of her high school studies.

3.    The reality, however, is that she was just now about to really start her life.  She would leave graduation and commence a lifetime of learning, growing, challenges, and experiences. 

4.    Her first twelve years of schooling were just the start.

 

C.   The same is true spiritually when we look at the conversion process.

1.    The process:

a.    A person hears the gospel and learns about the good news of salvation.

b.    Faith is produced in the individual’s heart.

c.    The person is willing to turn from a life of sin and evil, that is, to repent.

d.    He/she confesses faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

e.    The old man of sin is buried in the waters of baptism and rises to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).

 

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 

2.    NOTE: For some, conversion is a difficult journey.

a.    Learning new teachings.

b.    Rejecting the error of the past.

c.    Turning from sin.

d.    Facing persecution from family and friends.

e.    Adjusting to a new lifestyle.

f.     Meeting new friends, that is, brothers and sisters in Christ.

3.    But, conversion is not the end, it is the commencement.  It is the beginning of a long life of service and dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ.

a.    When Paul returned to the new churches established earlier on his first missionary journey, we are told that he confirmed the souls of the disciples, exhorted them to continue in the faith, and reminded them that through much tribulation one enters into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

b.    Paul told the Christians at Colossae that they would be holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in the Lord’s sight only “if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” (Col. 1:23).

 

D.   The Key:  We must remain strong to the very end.

 

 

I.             THE EXHORTATIONS

 

A.   Matthew 10:22

 

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

 

B.   2 Corinthians 1:13

 

For we write none other things unto you, than what ye have read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end.

 

C.   Hebrews 3:6

 

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

 

D.   Hebrews 3:14

 

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

 

E.   Hebrews 6:11

 

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.

 

F.    1 Peter 1:13

 

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

II.           THE END

 

A.   Death (Eccl. 7:2)

 

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting:  for that is the end of all men:  and the living will lay it to his heart.

 

1.    In this life, we serve Jesus Christ.

2.    After death, we enter the hadean realm to await the day of Judgment (See Heb. 9:27).

 

B.   The Second Coming of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:22-24)

 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every man in his own order:  Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power.

 

1.    When Jesus comes again, time comes to an end.

2.    Jesus comes judge all nations (Matt. 25:31-33).

 

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  and before him shall be gathered all nations:  and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats:  and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

 

III.         THE EFFORT

 

A.   Set our sites

1.    “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

2.    “Set your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).

3.    “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb. 12:2).

 

B.   Fortify your faith

1.    “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith…” (Col. 2:7).

2.    “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith” (Jude 20).

 

C.   Submission to the Savior

1.    “…shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?” (Heb. 12:9).

2.    “Submit yourselves therefore to God…” (Jam. 4:7).

 

D.   Walk in the Word

1.    “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 119:1).

2.    “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6).

 

E.   Overcome Opponents

1.    Self, adversaries, sin, pleasure, the world, discouragement

2.    “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5:5).

 

F.    Carry your cross (Luke 9:23)

 

And said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

 

G.   Steadfast service (1 Cor. 15:58)

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…

 

H.   Full of fruit (John 15:8)

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

 

I.     Cries for clemency (1 John 1:9)

 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

IV.         THE EXAMPLES

 

A.   John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11)

 

B.   Stephen (Acts 7:59-60)

 

C.   Paul (2 Tim. 4:6-7)

 

D.   Jesus (John 19:30)

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   As Christians we must not only start strong, we must also finish strong.

 

B.   Another way of saying this is:  “We must not stop short of our goal.”

1.    An Oregon runner began to celebrate a victory a few yards before the finish line.  His early celebration brought defeat as another runner passed him about two yards from the finish line.

2.    A sixty-two year old Wisconsin man went into the backyard in the winter and froze a few feet from his door.  The temperature was 23 degrees below zero.

3.    A Jets football player name Malachi Corley dropped a football just inches from the end zone which would have given his team a six point lead over their opponents.

 

C.   Hebrews 4:1

 

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.