God Finishes What He Starts

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Philippians 1:1-8

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Physical Taste 

One of the more profound questions I had when I was a little boy was, "How do people experience the sense of taste?" For example, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how some of my friends could like the taste of tuna when I cringed at it.

Tuna not only smelled like cat-food, but it tasted like cat-food. Well it's great to be a child because children have time to think about things like this. And I thought about it. My questions became, Does tuna taste the same way to my friend as it does to me? And he just likes the taste of cat-food? Or does he experience the taste of tuna in a profoundly different way than I do so that he is justified in liking tuna? Perhaps the chemical reactions in his mouth transform the taste of tuna so that tuna tastes to him like liver sausage on graham crackers tastes to me, which I happen to like.

Well, taste is still a mystery for me, especially since over the years I have learned to tolerate tuna if it's covered with enough cheese.

The Mystery of Spiritual Taste and Transformation

And if the dynamics of physical taste are a mystery, how much more are the dynamics of spiritual taste? Why does the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ taste delicious to some people and bitter to some others, and just blasé to the vast majority who whiz by on the freeway?

This would be a completely baffling mystery to us if we were left to ourselves and to our own resources. There are no medical instruments, there are no x-ray machines, that can detect or explain the inner spiritual workings of the human soul. If we are to know anything, it must be revealed to us by God. And much has been revealed.

A Immense Possibility for Bethlehem Baptist Church 

The first two chapters of Paul's letter to the Philippians, from which I will be preaching this month, reveal a lot to us about God's transforming power. It speaks of his power at work within us and the outworking of God's power, through us in our every day lives—and over church life in particular. And this takes on special relevance when we consider the crucial juncture we are at in the history of Bethlehem Baptist Church. You are all very aware that John is preaching at First Baptist Church this morning. If God grants John favor in their eyes and if deliberations between the consolidation committees continue to go as well as they have and if God leads you and the congregation at First Baptist Church to approve the merger, then a new chapter in our lives will begin—or should I say a whole new volume!

When I first realized that this wild idea #153—that is, the merger between BBC and FBC—was becoming a serious proposal, I felt unusually skeptical. FBC at 133 years and BBC at 115 years are two congregations with "mature" personalities and some rather well-established ideas, ways, and traditions. It is one thing to be fellow-churches in a big city; it is quite another thing to be married and living under the same roof, with some members wanting tuna fish at the missionary reception while others prefer graham crackers and liver sausage.

But near the beginning of all this, Pastor John posed a question to the staff and then answered it in such a way that God opened me up wide to this intriguing possibility of a merger. The question went like this: "Which would you prefer: spending 3–5 years working on building committees raising $3 million, construction inconvenience, and parking problems, or spend 3–5 years trying to mold two congregations together?" The answer seemed easy to me given the complexities of human personality compared to the more mundane matters of brick and mortar, so I said—"I'd rather build." John said that this was his first response until he realized that the Word would be the only tool which would accomplish the blending together of two congregations into a body of believers who would glorify God with one voice.

There's no place I'd rather be than where God's Word can be exalted and do its work. And I'm praying that his Word will do its work this month and the months to follow as our two churches approach a decision concerning the merger.

Whether we end up merging or not, I believe God intends to use this time to draw us closer to himself, to humble us, to cause us to examine and purify our motives, to enlarge our vision of what he can do through us in this city, and to open wide our hearts to more of his children than even before. And this can only happen by the Holy Spirit writing God's Word on our hearts. So let's look at the Word and expect God to work.

Paul's Joy in and Thanksgiving for the Philippians 

The main point of this morning's text is verses 3–4 where Paul informs the Christians at Philippi that whenever he prays for them, he can't help but pray with thanksgiving and joy. Verses 5–8 tell us why Paul prays this way; and then next Sunday's passage verses 9–11 tells us what he prays for when he prays with thanks and joy. This morning I want to focus on verses 5–8. What was it about the Philippians that caused Paul to be so thankful and joyful whenever he prayed for them?

Joy Transcending Circumstances

His response is especially striking when we consider his circumstances. Paul was in prison somewhere, perhaps Rome—and humanly speaking his life was very much on the line. We can see that from verse 20. Despite his circumstance Paul's letter to the Philippians exudes a joy that surpasses any of his other letters. In fact, he uses the words "joy" and "rejoice" no less than 16 times in this short letter.

So right away we can learn an obvious lesson for our lives. The joy spoken of in Scripture is not a superficial joy determined by one's immediate circumstances. Therefore we need to pause and ask ourselves, "Looking back at this past week, from what source have I been pursuing joy?" Do you ever stop and ask yourself that question?

Is it in circumstances at work? Or in some new possession? Or is it in people's response to you or opinion of you? If our joy runs no deeper than day to day circumstances, then we are doomed to being sentimental yo-yos.

Joy in Partnership

But Paul's joy transcended the mundane circumstance of his life. The immediate occasion of Paul's joy is given to us in verse 5 where we learn that the church in Philippi, which Paul had founded many years prior to the letter, was continuing to be partners with him in the gospel. What did this partnership look like?

In verse 7 Paul tells us that they were partakers—or more literally partners—with him of grace, both in his imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

Then in chapter 4:14–18 we learn even more: "It was kind of you," Paul writes, "to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only; for even in Thessalonica you sent me help once and again. Not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit which increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more; I am filled having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God."

So a part of the Philippians partnership in the gospel with Paul consisted in their financial support of his missionary work. In other words, Paul was one of the Philippians special interest missionaries. In fact we know of no other church from which Paul received financial help.

But the Philippians partnership went far beyond the pocketbook. In 2:25 we learn that they sent one of their own, Epaphroditus, as their messenger to represent them and to stay with Paul for a while and be of any practical help he could.

And their partnership went even farther than this. They didn't just participate in the gospel at a distance through other people—as important as that kind of participation is. But they didn't stop there. They themselves lived for the advancement of the gospel in their own neighborhoods and at their own work places. As a result, according to 1:30 the Philippians were getting a taste of the same persecution which was Paul's steady diet.

Practical Application: Partnering with Missionaries

Yes, Paul rejoiced and was thankful for their multi-faceted partnerships, but his joy wasn't merely in that partnership but much more in what their partnership pointed to. But before I talk about this ultimate reason for Paul's joy, we need to stop for a moment. There is a very practical application here for us a Bethlehem concerning being partners in the gospel with missionaries, like the Philippians were with Paul.

You saw the 90 by '90 update in the STAR last week. Remember that in 1984 we set a prayer goal of 90 missionaries from BBC by the year 1990? This year by God's grace alone we have already commissioned 25 men and women into short or long term cross-cultural ministry or vocational Christian ministry within our own culture. That makes 59 people so far with four years left. That's a lot of people to keep caring for. And as this 90 by '90 vision matures, more and more of these people will be career missionaries. This year is seeing the first fruits of that as we have commissioned Steve and Kim Blewett to Papua New Guinea and Ludin and Becky Reyes to Guatemala. And, Lord willing, before the year is up, we'll be sending out Dan and Jane Howe to Sweden and Bill Zobrist to the USCWM and next year there are at least five more career missionaries we'll commission.

May God continue to unleash the resources to support these people financially. But O may our support be more than financial. May there be an ever-increasing flood of genuine personal caring. Letters and packages sent, phone calls made, perhaps personal ministry visits to the field like Epaphroditus, and a smothering of love and attention and babysitting when they return on furlough. How will this happen when there are so many going out? How will their names keep from being just black ink on the back of our worship folders? Only if each of us takes a personal interest and personal responsibility to join with others in caring for one or two of our missionaries. Many of you have taken that step, but many, many more are needed. May God lovingly and joyfully nudge some of you over the brink into personal involvement with one or two of our missionaries—even if you've never met them before—you'll have plenty of chances in the future.

Joy in Knowing That God Is At Work

Yes, Paul was filled with thanks and joy because the Philippians were partners with him in the gospel. But there was a deeper foundation for his joy than these outward—yet precious—displays of concern for the gospel and for him. This practical partnership in the gospel was the symptom of something greater—it pointed to a deeper reality, it was the result of and evidence that something mysterious and wonderful was taking place. Their partnership in verse 5 gave rise to Paul's "I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 1:6 is one of the greatest and most often quoted promises in the Bible. And well it should be. The fact that God is at work in his people, changing the thought patterns and preference of our sinful nature, so that we love what he loves, re-tooling the grooves in our brain, knitting together the complex strands of our emotional wounds with infinitely greater skill than the world's foremost micro-surgeon—there's no greater promise than this. It is nothing other than the New Covenant promise of Ezekiel 36. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes."

This new covenant promise is repeated again in Philippians 2:13. "God is at work in you both to desire and to do what pleases him."

The Mystery of Spiritual Taste Explained 

So why is Paul so thankful to God for the Philippians partnership in the gospel? So why does the gospel, and the God which it proclaims, taste so good to these Philippians? This mystery of spiritual taste is explained by the new covenant promises of God working in us not only to do what pleases him but to desire to do what pleases him.

Have you ever wondered where God was in your life, especially when you talk with Christians who testify to dramatic answers to prayer and visions and miraculous healings? I sure have wondered these things and I want to see God manifest more of his kingdom power in this way in and through Bethlehem. But never do I want us to place a higher value on the external display of God's power—as precious as these are—than on the internal workings of God in making you and me fit for heaven. Remember the words of Jesus to his disciples who had just triumphantly returned from a miracle-packed ministry trip: "Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

See where God is in your life? Are you desiring to worship, to obey him, to please him; are you worshiping him, obeying him? Do you delight in singing the great truths we have sung this morning? Do you thirst for the proclamation of his Word? Do you have a growing resolve to not merely be hearers of the Word but also doers? If you do (and I know that so many of you do), then join Paul in giving thanks to God and praying with joy. For God is at work in you. Your desiring and doing of his will can be explained in no other way than that God the Holy Spirit is at work in you. Paul said in Romans 8 that "the mind set on the flesh does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Do you love the law of God this morning? Do you want to please him? Then the only explanation can be that God is at work in you. The almighty God has taken a personal interest in you and is personally involved in changing you from the inside out. Isn't it awesome to have God your Maker at work within you? Isn't it infinitely better to be changed from within by God transforming your desires, than form being coerced from without by public opinion and external manipulation?

God's Skillful Work in Your Heart 

This makes me think of our Xerox machine in the church office. If that machine were human, I'm sure it would testify to the vast superiority of having a trained technician fix it, than when the staff putzes around with it and tries to get it unstuck. We just have a vague idea of how it works, so when it breaks down, we poke it with pencils or we gently bang on it or we just all stand around it and scratch or heads. But when the trained technician comes, he patiently takes it apart and goes right to the heart of the problem. That's how God is. He made, he knows us, he knows what the problems are, and rolls up his sleeves and fixes us at the core of our being.

Yes, God is at work in us to will and to do what pleases him. He who began a good work in us will complete it at the day of Jesus Christ.

Three Questions 

When did he begin it? When he opened your heart to believe as he did to Lydia, the first convert in Philippi. When will he complete it? At the second coming of Christ. Paul writes in 3:20, "We await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself."

Is this really going to happen? YES! God finishes what he starts. "Faithful is he who calls you who also will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24). "God shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:8). "Those whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29).

For whom does this promise apply? Not for those who may have one time made a decision for Christ, but then never progressed beyond that point and have no life-changing interests in Jesus today. According to Paul it only applies to those who are partners in the gospel, even though they are not perfect—are yet growing in this partnership. It is this growing commitment to the gospel that serves as evidence that God has begun a good work and that he will complete it.

God's Work Is a Process 

My final point is that this work of God is a process. If you are despairing about some besetting sin in your life, don't give up. God is not finished with you yet. Keep trusting the Workman to perform the microsurgery in your heart, changing your tastebuds and causing you to desire and do what pleases him. Or perhaps you're nervous about the prospect of two very imperfect churches merging together. How will strong-minded people on both sides ever get along?

Well, we will leave the "How" for the next few Sundays. Today, simply take courage and rest in the promise that God who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. It will be a process, but God will work in us to will and to do what pleases him. God will finish what he starts, in his way and in his time.

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