Be Confident

Introduction to our new summer series, Under Construction.

Pastor Michael read a quote a couple years ago that said, “The road to success is always under construction.” But with his spiritual eyes he read it this way, “The road to heaven is always under construction.”

Here's the bad news... We are always under construction. Here's the good news... We are always under construction.

Here’s a good quote from Albert Einstein “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease in death.”

As Christians it should read like this, Spiritual growth should commence at our spiritual rebirth and cease at death.”

We are going to dive into a lot of questions and let Holy Spirit transform our lives.

Life begins once Jesus becomes the reason you live it.

Road construction can seem like an inconvenience at the time, but it’s necessary. When the roads are rebuilt, repaired, restored… All things become new. We love it!

Someone needs to hear this today, God has you in a rebuild, repair and restore moment… Let God do the work in you. Quit fighting it and surrender. Trust me, when you allow Holy Spirit to do a work in you, your life will never be the same.

We still continue to wrestle with sin. Maybe it feels like there hasn’t been much improvement. Things are going slowly.

Paul addresses this issue in his letter to the Philippians. This was a church that Paul founded in Acts 16 during one of his missionary journeys. It began with a woman named Lydia and her household and from there the Gospel spread throughout the whole region. 

Paul dealing with his own bumpy road at that moment, was writing them from prison.

Philippians 1:5-6 NRSV

5 thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

First, I love how Paul uses the word SURE, some translations say CERTAIN. He’s convinced or persuaded, he’s confident.

Secondly, we need to take notice of what he’s certain about. He speaks about the one who has begun the good work in them.

The beginning of the good work is their faith in the God of the universe. But that’s not what he’s certain of… He’s certain on the one who’s begun the good work in you will bring it to completion.

This word means to successfully complete what has been started.

Third, notice Paul gives us a completion time. At the day of Jesus Christ. This speaks to the second coming.

Paul didn’t know when Jesus would return, could’ve be weeks, 1,000 years, 2,000 years, but he knew it would happen.

What started in us is salvation. When we trust in God, we can know that we are free from the power and guilt of sin. 

We will struggle with sin… We can still be caught up in anger, impatience and a hole host of other things.

Yet those struggles don’t define us and won’t last forever.

This is the promise of Philippians 1:6. When Jesus comes again all things will be made new.

The salvation that has been begun in us (through forgiveness of sins and the start of holiness) will be brought to absolute completion. We also know that our holiness will be completed in his presence.