Sermon, May 2, 2010

Introduction
1. Life is made of impacting moments that build momentum!
How Do We Finish Well?
1. Get It Going With Faith
  Galatians 5:18–26
  ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
  
  ¹⁹The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
  
  ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
  1. Don’t brake the moving of the Holy Spirit.
  2. Don’t get off-track by allowing Satan an entrance.
    1. ________________________
    2. ________________________
  3. Don’t fail to grow the gift(s) of the Spirit.
    1. ________________________
    2. ________________________
  4. Faith is action in the absence of visible facts.
2. Stay Focused on the End Result!
  1. Too many start well but don’t finish well!
  2. The same can happen to us if we focus on something other than Jesus.
  3. Our journey with Jesus will require some “Yes” decisions to:
    1. unknown places.
    2. unanswered questions.
3. Allow God to Move You!
  1. Physics Law: Things stay in motion or stay at rest unless they are acted upon by an outside force.
  2. The Holy Spirit is that outside force.
  3. Faith is moving.
4. Keep It Moving With A Mission
  Judges 7:1–7
  Gideon Defeats the Midianites
  
  ¹ Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. ² The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, ³ announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
  
  ⁴ But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
  
  ⁵ So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” ⁶ Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
  
  ⁷ The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.”
  1. God uses those who are focused on the future.
    v. 6
    ⁶ Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
  2. We need to evaluate life decisions on the basis of eternity not our opinions or comfort.
5. Finish Well Through the Holy Spirit
  John 16:7–15
  ⁷But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt^[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; ¹⁰in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; ¹¹and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
  
  ¹²“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. ¹⁵All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
  
  Footnotes:
  John 16:8 Or will expose the guilt of the world
  1. He focuses through our lives and creates power.
  2. When we give the Holy Spirit control, we then have the power to begin, live and finish well.
Conclusion

Question: If you were on trial for being a Christian, would your spiritual DNA convict you?

“Finish Well!”