Easter – 2020 – The Cross and the Finished Work
Subject – Finishing the Work
by Rick Welborne
John 4:34-37 (NKJV)
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'
--Today I want wrap up this series in talking about Easter 2020 and the cross. Of course, we can never stop talking about the cross of Jesus Christ because it is the power of God to salvation for all of us.
--So much is said about worship but today I want to talk to you about the deepest form of worship which glorifies the Father. Absolutely, we want to make God great in all we do!
--Pastor, how can we make God great? He never changes and He has always been great. Hear me, it is not us changing Him but it is us changing as we worship Him.
--We worship Him, we exalt Him, we glorify Him by saying great things about Him. We lift Him up above anyone or anything else. That should be our goal. This blesses us.
--The last thirty to forty years there has be a resurgence of praise and worship music. It has become a major art-form in our churches. It has become big business in the Christian world.
--For many years the ministers, the pastors, and the evangelist were the superstars but now it is the worship leaders of mega churches who are the superstars.
--To me this is sad on both accounts because there is truly only One Superstar and His Name is Jesus. We all play our part but we are not the deal. Jesus is center stage or He should be. He has to be.
--We all love praise and worship and hopefully all of us have found a way to continue during this time of isolation. All of us should be worshiping Jesus every day whether there is a Pandemic or not.
Psalm 34:1-4 (NKJV)
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
--I really believe there is going to be an amazing Presence of Holy Spirit in our time of worship when we get back together. Lifting our voices, lifting our hands. How great that will be. Next Sunday! PTL!
--Praise and worship has become very high tech with lights, fog machines, sound tracks, and lots of showmanship. It seems like a little much when Jesus was born in a manger. Church started in an upper room.
--That being said, everyone has to work out there on salvation with fear and trembling. In my Master’s program one of our instructors told us that the worship leader does not worship during the live service…He directs.
--The professor (doctor) said that the worship leader does his praying and worshiping before the service but once on stage, he is directing others. Though I understood what he was saying, I humbly disagreed. He should do both.
--I will bless the Lord at all times. Singing, preaching, leading, playing or whatever we are doing we should be worshiping God with all our hearts. Yes, you have to concentrate but worship.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
--I remember one of the churches I went to with some girl I was dating before I got saved, three girls sang a special (did a great job) and encouraged people to clap. The church almost split over that. Crazy!
--Today I want to talk about a deeper way of worshiping God, a much deeper way of truly worshiping Him.
John 17:1-7 (NIV)
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.
1. A Deeper Form of Worship.
--It is wonderful when we say PTL, Halleluiah, I love you, Jesus, and other expressions of worship. As long as we are sincere it is meaningful. But today we are moving into deeper waters.
--Jesus is expressing to the Father here how He longs to be back with Him as He was before the world began. This is such a beautiful picture of the intimacy between the Father and Son.
--This prayer in John 17 is the longest prayer in the Bible and it is definitely a wonderful look into the heart of Jesus for His disciples and for us.
--In John 14-16 Jesus is doing a great teaching telling His followers not to worry because He is going to prepare a place for them so where He is they can be there also. He teaches about Holy Spirit coming.
John 16:7 (NKJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
--He teaches them about how He is the Vine and they are the branches. He tells them to abide in Him, stay connected to Him, and they will bear much fruit. He warns how they will be hated. It won’t be easy.
--Jesus looks to Heaven and begins to pray for them. Can you imagine listening to this prayer live, not pre-recorded? How awesome it is to hear a true saint of God talk to God. Imagine Jesus praying.
--When you hear people praying you hear their passion, their heart, their vision. You hear what is of most importance to them. You hear their love for God. What a revelation to hear Jesus pray for His people.
--Jesus prays that the time (the hour) has come…what is He talking about? The time has come for Him to be crucified for all of us. He taught and He did miracles but He came to give His life for us. This is it.
-- Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. Honor Me that I might honor you. What an example for us.
--Jesus always lived His life in such a way that whatever the Father gave Him, He would give it back. You glorify Me and I will glorify You even more. How beautiful.
--Jesus gives a great definition of eternal life. We would say it is living in Heaven forever but Jesus says something different. Eternal life is them knowing You, Father, and Me, your Son. Intimacy with God. 17:3
2. I Have Finished the Work.
--Jesus says I have brought You glory, not by singing, praising, lifting My hands. Something much deeper. I have brought You glory by finishing (completing) the work you gave Me to do.
--Jesus said I have brought glory to Your Name not by serving an hour, days, or a few years but I have completed the assignment you gave Me…I finished what You gave Me to do. My entire life was worship.
--I did what You told Me to do when You told Me to do it. You said, don’t start preaching until you are 30. I said what You told Me to say and I did whatever you told Me to do. I completed the assignment.
--The only way we glorify God is to do and to complete whatever assignment He has given us. If I live anyway I want to during the week and then come to church on Sunday and sing, To God be the glory. Shallow.
--Jesus said I finished the work you gave Me to do. What was that work? I revealed You, Father, to those you gave Me. Basic mission of Jesus was to reveal the Father to the world.
--Think about this, in the OT no one had seen God but in the NT Jesus comes and reveals to us what the Father is like and Who He is.
Hebrews 1:1-3 (NKJV)
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…
Colossians 1:13-15 (NKJV)
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
--You can get many images of God from preachers and books making Him out to be an abusive tyrant but if you really want to see Who the Father is, look at Jesus. Jesus came to reveal God the Father.
--As the Son of Man, Jesus revealed to us that everything He had, came from the Father. All the glory Jesus had with the Father pre-earth He gave up so He could be touched by the feelings of our infirmities.
John 8:28-29 (NKJV)
28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
--Jesus did what He did and said what He said based on what the Father told Him. Jesus, why didn’t You speak to Herod after You were arrested. The Father said don’t talk. I obey My Father.
--Before Jesus came on the scene John the Baptist was the hottest preacher in town. When Jesus started His ministry, the crowds thinned out for John. He must increase, I must decrease. Listen to John the Baptist.
John 3:27 (NKJV)
27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”
27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”
--Jesus was doing the assignment given to Him from Heaven. Teaching, healing, close encounters with people, but there was more. Arrested, trial, mocking, beard plucked out, beating, the cross, the spear, death. Buried.
--Review…Jesus revealed the Father, He showed the disciples how to live, and He completed the personal assignment God gave Him. How does that affect us?
3. Our Personal Application
--We should be able to apply how Jesus lived to ourselves. That will be difficult if we live our lives Monday thru Saturday for us, for what we want, for what we do, and then, try to draw close to God on Sunday.
--Sometimes when I speak to career people in our church, whether they are mechanics, electricians, or other hi-tech people, I want to offer suggestions. They don’t say it but should. Pastor stay in your lane.
--So often we stay in our own lane all week and then, on Sunday, we want to jump in God’s lane. We should be in His lane all week long and Sunday is just a continuation of us completing our work. Let’s apply it:
John 20:21-22 (NKJV)
21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
A. Jesus was saying the Father has sent Me to complete My work and now I am sending you. You glorify me by you completing your work assignment.
B. Jesus said I was sent to reveal the Father and now you are being sent to reveal Me. So many are not reading the Bible…you will be the only revelation they have of Who I am. Represent Me well.
--How we talk, how we react (Motorcycle school taught us to respond not to react), how we answer someone who is rude, how we deal with Covid 19, all this and more shows them Jesus in us. Be Christ-like.
--Hopefully we have been showing Jesus to a fearful world during this Pandemic.
C. Like Jesus, we need to show the world that everything we have belongs to God. Not about me and mine, not 100 selfies a day, I am just a steward. It is all His…I am His.
--How can you have peace? Jesus. How are you paying your bills? He supplies all my needs. How can you have joy? Jesus is the joy and lifter of head. David honors God because everything came from Him. Who am I?
--Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory. God will let us share in His Kingdom, He will let share with Him in power (you shall receive power), but God will never share His glory with another.
Colossians 4:17 (NCV)
17 Tell Archippus, “Be sure to finish the work the Lord gave you.“
17 Tell Archippus, “Be sure to finish the work the Lord gave you.“
--Find God’s plan and finish the work!
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