The Greatest Finisher in Scripture

Amen. Well, let me echo what Pastor Carnes said about appreciating you being here tonight. I know that it's been a long day and it certainly was a beautiful service that we had this afternoon in honor of Betty. In the bulletin this morning was the announcement that I would be speaking on the topic, who was the greatest finisher in the Scriptures?

Talking with my wife, I might have been better off saying, who was the greatest finisher in history? But we're going to stick with the first thing, who was the greatest finisher in Scripture, and tonight I want to share with you what it means to be a finisher. Earlier we read 1 Corinthians 28 where King David admonished Solomon about building the temple, and in verse 20 he said to Solomon, Be strong and of good courage and do it. Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

It is this word, finish, that we want to consider tonight. As you know, several times the Apostle Paul used athletics to illustrate a spiritual principle, and I want to give you a few examples of that. Second Timothy 4.7, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. First Corinthians 9.24, Do you not know to those who run in a race, run all, but one receives the prize?

Run in such a way that you may obtain it. Verse 26, Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty, thus I fight not as one who beats the air. And finally, Philippians 3, 13-14, Brethren, I do not count myself as apprehended. And we pause for a minute, what does he mean when he says, I do not count myself as apprehended?

That word means to take equally to seize or possess. Paul was saying, in other words, I have not arrived, I have not gotten the prize yet, so let's read that again with that in mind. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Perched down the hill overlooking the soccer field at Alamance Christian School are bright red letters that spell the word finish. A finisher is a Christian who does his or her best for the glory of God and the eternal good of others regardless of the circumstances.

Let me read that again. A finisher is a Christian who does his or her best for the glory of God and the eternal good of men regardless of the circumstances. More than an inspirational athletic rallying point, finishing is a philosophy of life. Incessance is captured in 1 Corinthians 10, 31-33. Paul writes, whether therefore you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to the Jews, that's the religious crowd, or to the Greeks, that's the pagan crowd, or to the church of God, that's the Christian crowd. He goes on to say, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of many, why? That they may be saved. Throughout church history, living the principles of finishing contained in those verses has been easier said than done.

And beloved, I think that you'd agree with me in the culture in which we live, it's more difficult perhaps than ever. If I were to ask you who the greatest finisher in the scripture was, who would you choose? Who would you choose if you were asked to give the greatest finisher in scripture? The word finish itself might cause you to think of Paul's statement that we shared earlier from 2 Timothy 4.7. Recall, he wrote, I've fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I've kept the faith. He goes on in verse 8 to say, finally there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who love his appearing. Paul would be a commendable choice for the title of greatest finisher in scripture.

But beloved, serious contemplation leaves you with only one option that eclipses every other commendable candidate, and who would that be? The greatest finisher in scripture is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who cried from the cross, it is finished. He always gave his best for the glory of God and the eternal good of those he came to save, and he was successful in every way, as evidenced by his father saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. The question I want you to consider tonight is this, do you consistently practice doing your best in the arena of life for the glory of God and the good of others?

No matter what your occupation or standing, do you consistently practice giving your best for the glory of God and the good of others? I want at this time to give you a little bit of a history lesson. The idea of finishing as a philosophy of sports and in reality a philosophy of life began forming unintentionally in my mind long before the actual word and its eventual meaning did. In the 1975 soccer season at Elkin Christian School in Maryland, we won a state championship after playing 80 minutes of soccer followed by two overtimes and 14 five-minute sudden deaths.

Do the math. That's 160 minutes or two complete games of soccer for an exhausting tension-filled 1-0 win against a school of 1,000 or more. That team's record was 20-2 with losses to Elkin High School and the Archmere Academy.

Archmere was a highly touted private school. After that banner year, Jane and I left Elkin, a school of 650 students, to begin a new school in Lewis, Delaware with 40. From the start, we wanted to have a sports program and we played a JV soccer schedule from the get-go. Our oldest player was a junior in high school. Our youngest player was a second grader whose shorts reached to his ankles.

None of the boys had much experience. We didn't win a single game. As a coach, I went from the mountaintop of 20 wins in a state championship to the valley of trying to inspire players who tried very hard every time but still came up short of victory on the scoreboard. I learned a valuable lesson from my two years at Lewis, and here it is. True winners don't always have the highest score.

They always do their best regardless of the circumstance. And when you do your best, that glorifies God, that satisfies God. I will give you an even better illustration of this at the end of the message tonight. But tonight, I want to share six words that describe finishing. To do so, we want to consider six vignettes—and I'll give that definition in a minute—we want to consider six vignettes about Jesus that illustrate how indeed He was in a class by Himself. What is a vignette?

A vignette is a brief description, account, or episode bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind. We will not be expositing one big picture text, but we will unpack several snapshots from the life of Christ that will illustrate these six words that sum up finishing. Because time will not allow us to turn to each of the texts, I would suggest that you write down the six descriptive words as I go through this and just write the reference.

Just write the reference after it and you can go back and study it. I do not believe there is a single text of Scripture, at least I couldn't find one, that would cover all that is involved in finishing. Word number one, intentional.

Intentional is defined as determination to act in a certain way or what one intends to do or bring about. The example of Jesus, as the ultimate finisher, nothing would curtail Jesus from fulfilling God's will. In John chapter 4, verse 34, Jesus said to His disciples, �My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.� In John chapter 6, verse 38, He told them, �For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.� And finally, in John 17, Jesus prayed, �I have glorified you on the earth.

I have finished the work which you have given Me to do.� Jesus was so intent on finishing the Father's work that He used the past tense, even though Gethsemane and Gabbatha and Golgotha still lay ahead of Him. He also knew that passages like Isaiah 50, verses 6 and 7, referred to Him, �I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard. I did not hide My face from shame and spitting, for the Lord God will help Me. Therefore I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.� Luke chapter 9, verse 51, records that Jesus fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah.

It reads, �Now it came to pass, one time had come for Him to be received up. He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, intentional, a determination to act in a certain way or what one intends to do or bring about.� Jesus intended to bring about the salvation of His own, and He set His face as a flint to accomplish that. Application, is it your consistent intention to acknowledge God in all your ways? Application number one, is it your consistent intention to acknowledge God in all your ways? Obviously, beloved, that involves choice. It involves a choice to give your best every time, no matter what.

Word number two, we looked at intentional. Word number two, integrity. That's defined as firm adherence to a code, especially moral values, character, or the mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation. In other words, what you believe makes up your integrity.

It makes up who you are. The example of Jesus. As the ultimate finisher, Jesus lived a perfect life in thought, word, and deed. In the Sermon on the Mount, He told the crowd, and listen to this, �Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill it.� If we put that in the vernacular he's basically telling them, �I'm going to live a perfect life.

I didn't come to destroy the law. I came to fulfill the law.� In 2 Corinthians 5, 21, Paul's writing, he said, �For he made him, Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteous of God and him.� And then when we look over in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 14, the author says, �Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.

Why? That we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, integrity.� What about an application? Well, I go back to what we read earlier in 1 Chronicles 28 and 29, when David admonished Solomon, �As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father and serve him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts.� And the heart is the essence of who we are. He searches the essence of who we are and he looks beyond any sham or hypocrisy. He says this, �The Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.

If you seek him, he will be found by you. But if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.� Application is your daily practice to pray for wisdom to think, say, and do those things which glorify God by an exemplary character. Let me read that again, �Is it your daily practice to pray for wisdom to think, say, and do those things that glorify God to an exemplary character?� And I think all of us have to ask that question honestly and answer it. Intentional, integrity, the third word, intelligence.

It's the ability to understand or to deal with new or trying situations. The example of Jesus as the ultimate finisher, the living Word, was exemplary in his understanding and teaching of the written Word. He was exemplary in his understanding and teaching of the written Word. At the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, it's recorded, �And so it was when Jesus had ended these sayings that the people were astonished at his teaching.� Why? Because he taught them is one having authority and not as describes. The authority which Jesus spoke came from a thorough and accurate understanding of the written Word of God. A couple of verses in John 7, 46, the chief priests and Pharisees asked the soldiers why they had not brought Jesus to them.

The officers answered, �No man ever spoke like this man. No man ever spoke like this man.� In John 8, 28, Jesus addressed the Jews, and 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, and he who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me, for I always do those things that please him.� Beloved, to do those things which please him, you have to know the Word. You have to know the Word to do those things which please him. And certainly the living Word knew the written Word. Application, familiar verse, 2 Timothy 2.15, Paul challenged Timothy, �Be diligent,� and that word diligent means to labor, to be earnest, to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing or cutting straight the Word of God.

Application. Would other people consider you a serious-minded Christian based upon your present knowledge of God�s Word? And that would change with age.

We don�t expect children to know what adults know, but the question is, would others consider you a serious-minded Christian based upon your present knowledge of God�s Word? Sobering, thought-provoking question. Question number four, improvement. What does improvement mean?

It's enhanced value or enhanced excellence. The example of Jesus, you say, �Well, how could perfection be enhanced?� Listen to these words, if you would, �As the ultimate finisher, Jesus increased in His knowledge of the Scripture.� As the ultimate finisher, Jesus increased in His knowledge of the Scripture. Luke 2.40 is speaking of Jesus in states, �And the child grew, became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.� You drop down to verses 47 and 48 of Luke 2, and it says, �At age 12, Jesus was able to listen to and then pose questions to the teachers in the temple, to the amazement of those present.� The word �amazement� in this verse means to throw out a position or displace.

What does that mean? Well, in other words, He astounded the religious leaders with His wisdom, and they were speechless. They were astonished that this 12-year-old knew the Scriptures like Jesus did. The man Jesus, as a child, increased in knowledge of the Scripture.

Verse 52 is a familiar verse with all of us. We read, �And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature in favor with God and men.� Application, if you have been at Beacon Lawn, you have heard me say this before, you are now becoming who you will one day be. You are now becoming who you will one day be. Folks, that takes on a different meaning and a different perspective as the decades click by. It takes on a different meaning and perspective.

I'm amused when I go to different places that bring people together, in this case this afternoon, this memorial service, and I see players that I coached from the past, and they've changed. They become who they are now, and it's a process over time and through circumstances. You are now becoming who you will one day be. Second Corinthians 3.18 describes progressive sanctification in our growth towards Christ-likeness. It says, �But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as an emirate the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.� Beloved, sadly, spiritual development all too often gets the leftovers of many individuals dying. Let me read that again and ask if this is you, sadly spiritual development all too often gets the leftovers of many individuals dying. In the context of Christ's return, the Apostle Peter wrote, �You therefore, in light of Jesus coming back, you therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led astray with the error of the wicked, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to be the glory.� The increased effectiveness of our testimony parallels our growth in grace.

Can I say that again? The increased effectiveness of our testimony parallels our growth in grace. And here's the question, are you actively pursuing growth in Christ-likeness that will enhance your testimony before others? And again, that takes thought and choice.

Are you actively pursuing growth in Christ-likeness that will enhance your testimony before others? That takes thought. That takes choice.

That takes consistency. That takes all of the word descriptives that we've had up to this point. And then this word, the fifth word, intensity, intensity, exhibiting strong feeling or earnestness of purpose, exhibiting strong feeling or earnestness of purpose. The example of Jesus as the ultimate finisher, Jesus overcame his natural fears by intensely focusing on priority of God's will. In Matthew 26, there's a section of scripture that's one of my favorite because it convicts me every time I read it. Matthew 26, 36-40, and we're talking about intensity, it records that following the Last Supper, Jesus came with him to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, sit here while I go and pray over there. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me. Stay here and watch with me. The word watch in the Greek means to keep awake, to be diligent. Stay here and diligently watch with me.

What did they do? You know, Jesus went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. I know that what we don't get in my merely reading this is the intensity of feeling that Jesus had when he prayed that the cup would be taken from him three times, full of knowing, that's why he was sent into this world.

You have to think about that. And if you want the frosting on the cake, listen to Luke 22, 43, and 44, it accents the intensity of his agony, his prayer, and his determination. It says, then an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him, so he's been strengthened by an angel, and being in agony, and that word means a struggle of anguish, and being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. I would not begin to try to give you the word for this particular physical condition, but I have read where sweat becoming like great drops of blood falling down to the ground as a result of your capillaries bursting onto the surface of your skin because of stress. I've been stressed before.

I've never bled through the pores of my skin. My heart pounding so hard that the capillaries burst and I bleed through my skin, a bloody flux they call it, intensity, application. Second Chronicles 31, 20, and 21, Hezekiah was one of the few good kings, noble kings, godly kings, and this text, Second Chronicles 31, 20, and 21, reveals that Hezekiah did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God, and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and the commandment to seek his God, he did it with all his heart so he prospered. There you have it, every work, all his heart, that's finishing. Every work, all his heart, that's finishing. Albert Barnes states, I need to back up because I don't want to miss this verse, James 5 16, it says, the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. The word fervent means to be active in, to be mighty in.

The mighty prayers of a man avail much. Now Albert Barnes states, it's not listless, indifferent, cold, lifeless, as if there were no vitality in their power, but that which is adapted to be efficient, earnest, sincere, hearty, persevering. Brothers and sisters, I ask you this question, in your development in Christ's likeness, is there an intensity? Is there an intensity? Now I'll quickly say this, when I say intensity, I'm saying intensity under control. My last year of coaching, I'm an intense coach, by the way.

Some people might say I'm intense and everything, but whatever. I'm an intense coach, but I have players here tonight, and I think that they would say, I hope, that I never lost it with them. We were playing in a state championship my last year of coaching, and we were down one to nothing. And I looked across the field and saw the opposing coach drop-kick the water cooler. They're ahead one to nothing, and he drop-kicked the water cooler. You know what I said to my players? We tie it up, they will fall apart. He has iced them, they will fall apart, let's play our game.

You want to know whether we win or not, we did. But impact, the force of impression of one thing or another, a significant or major effect, the example of Jesus. The following quotes paint a picture of his incomparable impact.

Listen to these, and I almost deleted a couple of them, but I'm doing real well on time. I'm glad I didn't, because these are powerful, the example of Jesus. Following Jesus' crucifixion, his disciples were devastated. They had forsaken him in the Garden of Gethsemane to save their own lives. But after they met the resurrected Christ, they were radically changed. Suddenly they were willing to give their lives to tell Jesus' story to the world. Many were tortured and killed because they proclaimed Jesus was alive. Hebrews 11 states, and you're well familiar with this, Others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. Intention, integrity, intelligence of the word, improvement, intensity, impact, impact. Listen to this quote, Lou Wallace, a famous general and literary genius, was a known atheist. For two years, Wallace studied in the leading libraries in Europe and America, seeking information that would forever destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of a book outlining his arguments, he suddenly found himself on his knees crying out to Jesus, �My Lord and my God!� When confronted by solid, indisputable evidence, he could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Later Lou Wallace wrote the book Ben Hur, one of the greatest English novels ever written concerning the time of Christ. Consider this quote from H.G.

Wells. He made this statement, �I�m a historian, I�m not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all of history.� Wow. And the last one, author Henry G. Bosch, has made this observation, �Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three.

Yet the influence of Christ�s three-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined hundred and thirty years of teaching from these men who are among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures, yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry, but Dante, Milton and scores of the world�s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music.

Still Handel, Beethoven, Bach and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in their hymns, symphonies and oratories. They composed in His praise.� Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble carpenter of Nazareth. Application, and we�re talking about impact, folks. And I want you to think back at the six words and then answer this question, are you a finisher who seeks to make an impact by fulfilling your roles in a manner worthy of your identity in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you a finisher who seeks to make an impact by fulfilling your roles in a manner worthy of your identity in the Lord Jesus Christ? What I�m saying, folks, is being a Christian applies to whatever you�re doing, applies to whatever you�re doing, wherever you are, with whom you may be interacting. You�re a Christian. Now you ask that question, are you a finisher who seeks to make an impact, and you look back on these six words that I�m going to review in a minute and answer the question.

It�s intentional. You seek to make an impact on others. At the start of this message I mentioned that the definition of a finisher is a Christian who consistently does his or her best for the glory of God and the good of others. I also said that I had learned that true winners don�t always have the highest score. They always do their best regardless of the circumstances.

Here�s the illustration that I promised at the start of the message. The 2012 Warrior soccer team went into the NCCSA state semifinal game as the Western region number one seed with a 15-2 record. The game was extremely physical. It went into double overtime and sudden death only to end in a tie that would be broken by penalty kicks. We lost. By the time we got back to the motel it was close to 11 p.m. With a severe storm coming up the east coast we were told that there would be no consolation game the following morning.

Only the championship game would take place. I was relieved because several of our players were banged up. The next morning we got word that the host school wanted to play the consolation game after the championship game.

That was unheard of. One of our injured starters was too hurt to even dress out. Our best player limped onto the bus. As a senior he was determined to play in spite of obvious pain.

The host school hammered us six to nothing. I will remember that game out of hundreds for three reasons. One there was no quit on the part of the team who gave their best until the final whistle.

That is finishing. Number two to my surprise and encouragement the head referee came over to our bench. He said to me it was a privilege to officiate this game.

Every player's never quit, did not gripe, and did not get on each other. And number three hearing a disappointed senior in the locker room thank the team for finishing strong. Finishing is consistently giving your best for the glory of God and the eternal good of men regardless of the circumstances. A review of the six vignettes that we looked at quickly, intention, are you a finisher whose consistent intention is to acknowledge God in all your ways? Integrity, are you a finisher whose daily practice is to pray for wisdom to think, say, and do that which glorifies God through your exemplary character? Intelligence, are you a finisher whose present knowledge of God's word causes others to consider you a serious minded Christian?

Improvement, are you a finisher who is actively pursuing growth in Christ's likeness that will enhance your testimony before others? Intensity, are you a finisher who brings intensity to the battle for truth as a soldier of Christ who diligently guards against complacency, carelessness, or compromise? And I want to read that one again, are you a finisher who brings intensity to the battle for truth as a soldier of Christ who diligently guards against complacency, carelessness, or compromise?

We live in a culture that that better defines who you are, it better defines who you are. And finally impact, are you a finisher who seeks to make an impact by fulfilling your roles in a manner worthy of your identity in the Lord Jesus Christ? We've seen in sample scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest of finishers. And I close with Hebrews 12, 1-3, Therefore we also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight in the sin, which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. May God give us the grace to pursue his example and to finish strong. Father, I pray that you would take that which I've shared with the folk tonight and burn it deeply within our hearts. Lord, for us to be effective witnesses, we need to be finishers. These different characteristics we may state in other words, but the bottom line is doing our very best for your glory and the eternal good of others. Help us to do that daily, in Christ's name, amen.