When you see the words of this title, there is an immediate reference to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and His last words before He died.
John 19:30 (ESV) — 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
What a marvelous statement that capped off His time on earth. He came to do a job as He was sent by the Father and He accomplished it. Just notice how He referred to the task and how He lived to complete it. He declared why He came, He declared how important it was to Him to do the will of the Father, and even when His soul was troubled as he made his way to Jerusalem for the last time before the crucifixion, He still was resolved to complete the task.
John 6:38–40 (ESV) — 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 4:34 (ESV) — 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
John 12:27–28 (ESV) — 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Don’t miss it – this multitude of benefits for believers hinges on the resolve of the Lord Jesus Christ to not give up and not be satisfied until the work was accomplished. For that would be the joy that was set before Him; pleasing the Father and saving His people.
Hebrews 12:2–3 (ESV) — 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
What a great example from our leader in the power of finishing the task at hand. How many unfinished tasks do you have sitting around? Why are they unfinished? It’s a fact that people in this era start many things and quickly give up and leave them without seeing things to the completion, whereas generations before would never have thought of breaking their commitment. Maybe it would be good to consider the spiritual component in the matter as we turn to the drive to finish well. Notice how the apostle Paul recognized God’s part in calling him to the task, his drive in keeping to the task, and his reward in looking forward to having completed the task.
1 Timothy 1:12 (ESV) — 12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (ESV) — 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
2 Timothy 4:6–8 (ESV) — 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
It would be a good idea to realize whenever we begin a project that there will be temptations to give up, lighten up, or just get by. If we can have in our mind the reason we have taken on the job, anticipate the needed drive to break through temptations to leave it incomplete, and of course the joy of the reward of knowing, “it is finished.”
2 Peter 3:1 (ESV) — 1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
Here’s a good idea from the apostle Peter, who wrote to stir up the minds of the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having written reminders about the task, including the call to the task – in other words, why you took it on, is important to overcome the moments you lose your momentum. A reminder to keep going when things get tough, and reminders of what joy there will be when it’s complete.
I was listening to a podcast recently where a man who had written a commentary on the book of Numbers was being interviewed. When asked how long such a daunting task took, he said, “ten years.” I can’t conceive of what great fortitude he had in working on the project for ten years. Then again, Noah was given the task to complete the ark, and it took him 100 years. I’m certain that not only did the project take an enormous amount of daily discipline but think of the jeers he must have had to sustain when he told the unbelieving people around him that God instructed him to build the ark to save his family and him from the upcoming flood. (Quite a strange idea since it hadn’t rained at this point in history.)
When you take on a task, plan on finishing the task as a commitment to working through any and all distractions and discouragements. It takes discipline, but discipline makes the difference in all aspects of life.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
