Author and Finisher
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. An author
starts a project and a finisher is he who completes a project; the Greek word
refers to completing or bringing to an end, or finish (Hebrews 12:1-3) says,
“wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, ad is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners
against Himself, less you be wearied and faint in your minds”.
Many times through out the gospels, Jesus would say “by your faith, be it unto
you”. Our faith is the important key, faith is believing the word of God and then
acting upon it (Hebrews 11:6) says “but without faith it is impossible to please
Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him”. Let’s look at some examples: the woman with
the issue of blood had been sick twelve years, but when she heard that Jesus
was there, she locked in on the scripture in Malachi 2:2 which says “but to you
that reverence My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His
wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall”. You will read
about her faith in Mark 5:25-34; she began to say “if I may touch His clothes, I
shall be whole”; and even though it was dangerous for her to do this, she came
behind Him and touched His clothes. And Jesus said to her, daughter, your faith
has made you whole; go in peace and be whole of your plague”.
Philippians 1:6 says “being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
We reach our completion through Jesus Christ, we are saved by grace and have
been raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10) says “for by grace are you saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, less any man should
boast. For we are His workmanship; created in Christ Jesus to good works,
which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”.
The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 14:33 “for God is not the author of confusion;
but of peace, as in all churches of the saints”. Now let’s look at what God Himself
says in Isaiah 55:6-11 “seek you the Lord Yahweh which He may be found, call
you upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way; and the
unrighteous man his thoughts; and le him return to the Lord Yahweh, and He will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord
Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher
than you ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth,
and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread
to the eater. So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not
return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please; and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it”.
We must learn to return His words back to Him (Psalms 68:11) says “the Lord
gave the word; great was the company of those that published it (proclaimed it)”.
Abraham is an example: we see how at first he listened to the word of his wife,
and this did produce a son, but this was not the promised child; and later he had
to send him away. But after God changed his name from Abram to Abraham,
Abraham began to speak what God had said (Romans 4:17-21) “as it is written, I
have made you a father of many nations, before Him whom he believed, even
God, who makes alive the dead, and calls those things which be not as though
they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father
of many nations; according to that which was spoken, so shall your seed be.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he
was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He
was able also to perform”. By faith in God, Abraham received the promised
child. Every time he would say his name, he was saying what God had said, the
word Abraham, means the father of many nations. If we don’t return His word
back to Him, we cause them to be void in our lives.
Again Abraham was told to offer up Isaac, his promised child as a burnt offering,
he didn’t waver (Hebrews 11:17-19) “by faith, Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called.
Accounting that God was able to raise him up; even from the dead; from where
also he received him in a figure”.
The Bible tells us in I Thessalonians 5:24 “faithful is He that calls you, who also
will do it”. And we read in Romans 8:29-32 “for whom He did foreknow, He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them, He
also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified,
them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us,
who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up
for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”?
Jesus of whom we are to imitate as dear children, tells us many times that He
only speak what He hears His Father speak (John 3:34) “but He whom God has
sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure to Him”.
Jesus says in John 6:63 “it is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing;
the words that I speak to you, they are Spirit, and they are life”. In John 8:26-29
Jesus says “I have many things to say and to judge of you; but He that sent Me is
true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him. They
understood not that He spoke to them of the Father. Then said Jesus to them,
when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know that I am He, and
that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father has taught Me, I speak these
things. And He that sent Me is with Me; the Father has not left Me alone; for I do
always those things that please Me”.
In John 14:49-50 Jesus says “for I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father
which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I
should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I
speak therefore, even as the Father said to Me, so I speak”.
We have to learn to speak what our heavenly Father speaks, He says that we
are more than conquerors, we are the head and not the tail, above and not
beneath; that we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. So “let
us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let
us hold fast the profession of our faith with wavering; for He is faithful that
promised” (Hebrews 10:22-23).
I John 5:14-15 says “and this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we
ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 18, 2011
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. An author
starts a project and a finisher is he who completes a project; the Greek word
refers to completing or bringing to an end, or finish (Hebrews 12:1-3) says,
“wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, ad is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners
against Himself, less you be wearied and faint in your minds”.
Many times through out the gospels, Jesus would say “by your faith, be it unto
you”. Our faith is the important key, faith is believing the word of God and then
acting upon it (Hebrews 11:6) says “but without faith it is impossible to please
Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him”. Let’s look at some examples: the woman with
the issue of blood had been sick twelve years, but when she heard that Jesus
was there, she locked in on the scripture in Malachi 2:2 which says “but to you
that reverence My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His
wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall”. You will read
about her faith in Mark 5:25-34; she began to say “if I may touch His clothes, I
shall be whole”; and even though it was dangerous for her to do this, she came
behind Him and touched His clothes. And Jesus said to her, daughter, your faith
has made you whole; go in peace and be whole of your plague”.
Philippians 1:6 says “being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
We reach our completion through Jesus Christ, we are saved by grace and have
been raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10) says “for by grace are you saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, less any man should
boast. For we are His workmanship; created in Christ Jesus to good works,
which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”.
The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 14:33 “for God is not the author of confusion;
but of peace, as in all churches of the saints”. Now let’s look at what God Himself
says in Isaiah 55:6-11 “seek you the Lord Yahweh which He may be found, call
you upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way; and the
unrighteous man his thoughts; and le him return to the Lord Yahweh, and He will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord
Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher
than you ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth,
and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread
to the eater. So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not
return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please; and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it”.
We must learn to return His words back to Him (Psalms 68:11) says “the Lord
gave the word; great was the company of those that published it (proclaimed it)”.
Abraham is an example: we see how at first he listened to the word of his wife,
and this did produce a son, but this was not the promised child; and later he had
to send him away. But after God changed his name from Abram to Abraham,
Abraham began to speak what God had said (Romans 4:17-21) “as it is written, I
have made you a father of many nations, before Him whom he believed, even
God, who makes alive the dead, and calls those things which be not as though
they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father
of many nations; according to that which was spoken, so shall your seed be.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he
was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He
was able also to perform”. By faith in God, Abraham received the promised
child. Every time he would say his name, he was saying what God had said, the
word Abraham, means the father of many nations. If we don’t return His word
back to Him, we cause them to be void in our lives.
Again Abraham was told to offer up Isaac, his promised child as a burnt offering,
he didn’t waver (Hebrews 11:17-19) “by faith, Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called.
Accounting that God was able to raise him up; even from the dead; from where
also he received him in a figure”.
The Bible tells us in I Thessalonians 5:24 “faithful is He that calls you, who also
will do it”. And we read in Romans 8:29-32 “for whom He did foreknow, He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them, He
also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified,
them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us,
who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up
for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”?
Jesus of whom we are to imitate as dear children, tells us many times that He
only speak what He hears His Father speak (John 3:34) “but He whom God has
sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure to Him”.
Jesus says in John 6:63 “it is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing;
the words that I speak to you, they are Spirit, and they are life”. In John 8:26-29
Jesus says “I have many things to say and to judge of you; but He that sent Me is
true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him. They
understood not that He spoke to them of the Father. Then said Jesus to them,
when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know that I am He, and
that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father has taught Me, I speak these
things. And He that sent Me is with Me; the Father has not left Me alone; for I do
always those things that please Me”.
In John 14:49-50 Jesus says “for I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father
which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I
should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I
speak therefore, even as the Father said to Me, so I speak”.
We have to learn to speak what our heavenly Father speaks, He says that we
are more than conquerors, we are the head and not the tail, above and not
beneath; that we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. So “let
us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let
us hold fast the profession of our faith with wavering; for He is faithful that
promised” (Hebrews 10:22-23).
I John 5:14-15 says “and this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we
ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 18, 2011
