“CROSS THAT LINE – YOU’RE ALMOST THERE!”

INTRO:

Can you believe that in only three more months this year will be gone? It seems as if we say the same thing every ending of a year. “Man.. I can’t beleive how fast this year has gone!” Lol (It’s true, we all say that!)

When we are approaching the finish line of a year, there is that tendency to want to cruise downhill to the finish line.

TEXT: LUKE 23:13-15

13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.

• In this text we find Jesus in the middle of what would be probably the hardest task of his life here on earth to complete. (To die by way of execution)

• From this passage of scripture I would like to take the principles that Jesus modeled to us in “FINISHING WELL”.

HERE IS WHAT I KNOW IN REGARDS TO FINISHING WELL:

1. God wants us to finish WELL.

2. We want to finish WELL.

3. Many don’t finish WELL.

4. The ones that don’t finish well predominantly lose it in the MIDDLE game, not in the END game.

Do any of you remember the World Series 2009 Yankees Vs. Phillies? Here is what the game scoring looked like.

Gm 1            PHI 6 @ NYY 1            Wed

Gm 2            PHI 1 @ NYY 3            Thu

Gm 3            NYY 8 @ PHI 5            Sat

Gm 4            NYY 7 @ PHI 4            Sun

Gm 5            NYY 6 @ PHI 8            Mon

Gm 6            PHI 3 @ NYY 7            Wed

The observation in this World Series Illustration is that in the beginning it looked as if the Philies were going to spank the Yankees throughout the rest of the series. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Or in the words of “Reverend Sam Sanchez” “It’s not you drive, it’s how you arrive” (golfers understand this one – Lol)

Biblical Types of finishes in leadership

1) CUT OFF EARLY

–       These leaders were taken out of leadership by assassination, killed in battle, prophetically denounced, or overthrown. Some of this activity was directly attributed to God. Some of these were positive and others were negative!

“Samson, Ahab, Josiah, Absalom, John the Baptist, James…”

2) FINISHED POORLY

–       These leaders were going down hill in the latter part of their ministry. This might have reflected in their personal relationship with God or in terms of their competency in ministry.

“Gideon, Eli, Solomon, Saul”

3) FINISHED SO-SO

–       These leaders did fairly well but were limited in their ministries because of sin. They did not complete what God had for them, or had some negative ramifications surrounding their lives and ministries even though they personally were walking with God.

“Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, David”

4) FINISHED WELL

–       Theses leaders were walking with God at the end of their lives. They contributed to God’s purposes at a high level. They fulfilled what God had for them to do.

“Abraham, Job, Joseph, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel, John, Paul, Peter, Jesus”.

CLOSE:

Next blog, I will talk about “On Jesus finishing well”. Stay posted!