May 2012 - Completion

Have you ever had any of the following bother or frustrate you?

·       A car that’s missing a bumper

·       A lighted sign with letters not working

·       A strip of grass on a lawn that didn’t get mowed

I’m sure you can come up with other examples. There’s something about incompleteness that seems wrong. It’s intrinsically incorrect to have something that’s only partially done. Often, however, we only notice such things when we first notice it and then it soon becomes part of the landscape. We accept it as the way things are, the way things have always been or as something that will never change.

Jesus was not someone who started something without finishing it. Hebrews 12:2 states that we are to keep “our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Jesus even declares of Himself: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Rev. 22:13) As God’s beloved children who are to grow up on all ways into the image, stature and fullness of Christ, we should be co-labouring with God on completion of things in our lives and in the life of this church.

You might not be aware of this, but our heavenly Father also does not like things left incomplete. It bothers him to see such things. Jesus sent such a message to one of the churches in the Book of Revelation:

“Write to the angel of the church in Sardis:

“The One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: I know your works; you have a reputation[lit. have a name] for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert and strengthen[other mss read guard] what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. (Rev. 3:1-3, HCSB)

James writes that the areas of faith that we engage and grow in come into completion by our good works.

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (James 2:20-22, NKJV)

The Greek word “telos” and its derivatives occurs in all of these Scripture passages. We have read it as “perfect,” “end,” and “complete.” Taken together is speaks of fullness, completion, and maturity.

I believe God is at work in this hour to bring many things to fullness, maturity and completion. There are areas of prayer and intercession that the elders are co-labouring with Christ to see come to completion. There are aspects of our vision, mission and values as a church that have not been clear enough that God is currently perfecting. There are parts of our building and ministries that have been incomplete that can no longer remain so. And, I believe I am not the only one with whom our Father is saying now is the time to come into full maturity in areas of our lives.

This is both convicting and encouraging. I am challenged and excited. It is in the completion of these aspects of our church and our lives that we will find the release to move forward into the new things God has in store for us. I encourage you to join with Jesus in doing the works or completing the works that God is revealing in this season.

Journeying with you,

Pastor Merril