God Will Finish This!

September 3, 2023

We all have unfinished projects. From that home improvement project you started last year to the novel you began in school. Every unfinished task is ultimately a race against the clock. Will you run out of time before your projects are finished? But what if time was not a factor? What if you had eternity to finish everything you’ve started? Join us for part one of a new sermon series from the book of Philippians, where we will learn that the eternal God always finishes what He begins.

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Passage

Philippians 1:1-11

Principle

God will ##finish## what he ##started##.

The same power that ##created## the universe is still ##working## on ##you##.
You are a work in progress, so be ##patient## with ##God##, ##others##, and ##yourself##.
History is going somewhere, so your present ##reality## is not your ##final## ##destination##.

Practice

Let God ##begin## His ##good## ##work## in you.

Small Group Questions

Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couple or family devotion, or with a small group.

HANGOUT

What role, if any, should the church play in the politics of their local, state, and federal governments? How do you understand the separation of church and state?

HEAR

Read Romans 13:1-7

Do you find Paul’s directions to believers in this passage unsettling? If so, why?
Paul understood that Jesus had been falsely condemned and executed by a corrupt government. Does that change your understanding of this passage? If so, how?
Do you believe Paul intended Christians to apply this passage only to governments with whom they agreed? Why or why not?
What, if any, responsibilities do Jesus’ followers have to address injustice and corruption in government? How are Christians to respond to oppressive and corrupt leaders?

Read Romans 13:8-14

What does it mean that love fulfills all the requirements of the law? How should that apply to the way Christians engage in politics?
Why does Paul say it’s time for believers to “wake up”? Some Christian leaders use that same language to get Christians more politically engaged. Do you think that was Paul’s intention? Why or why not?
Do you think that the church’s involvement in politics has been a help or a hindrance to the message and mission of the Gospel?

HUDDLE

How respectful are you of our current president, governor, and mayor? How do you measure up to Paul’s directions to believers in Romans 13? Talk about it, invite accountability, and take time to pray.

Daily Reading

As you follow this week’s reading plan, invite the Holy Spirit to encourage you to believe that God will finish the good work He started in you, your family, His church, and our world.

Day 1: Romans 13
Day 2: Philippians 1
Day 3: Acts 13
Day 4: Acts 14
Day 5: Acts 15
Day 6: Acts 16
Day 7: 2 Corinthians 4

Think Deeper

What unfinished projects do you have? Which one have you been working on the longest?
Do you believe the same God who created the world is still at work on you? Why or why not?
What would it mean for you to be patient with God, others, and yourself while He finishes His work?