Job Done

  • By Pastor Boffey
  • on Friday, March 14, 2014
Luke 14:28-30 (28) For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? (29) Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, (30) Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. There is something to be respected in a man who with forethought, planning, determination and industry completes a major project, especially when he does so on budget and on schedule. That's the kind of person who can look upon his entire project with great satisfaction. That's the kind of person who elicits confidence and trust from those who see his work. Contrarily, as our text shows, the man who, for lack of sufficiency (be that sufficient planning, effort or resources) is not able to complete a major project he starts may well be mocked. There is a Jesus popularly preached in the world who is like this. The popular Jesus is said to have come into this world with a mission to save sinners from eternal death unto eternal life. He is said to have known full well that he would shed his blood and die on a cross as a sacrifice for sinners. But he actually saved not a single sinner by his work; he only made the sinner's salvation a possibility. The resourceless sinner is then supposed to have to finish the project by some act of his own will; the resourceless sinner must come up with the rest of the resources for eternal life. If ever there was a limited atonement that was worthy of mockery, this Jesus is guilty of it; his atonement actually saved nobody. That's really limited! The Biblical Jesus purposed, planned, prepared, performed and perfected (finished) punctually His promised salvation project. In concert with His Father, He planned from the foundation of the world to choose some of Adam's fallen race to be made accepted to God by His redeeming blood that would forgive their sins (EPH 1:3-7). He took into account that the sinner's works (good or bad) would be of no value to lay the foundation for or to complete the project (ISA 64:6; ROM 9:10-16; TIT 3:5); it could NOT be “...according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2TI 1:9). He knew that sacrifices of animals would also be valueless for the project; it “...is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (HEB 10:4): the whole creation was under the bondage of corruption (ROM 8:20-22). He saw He would have to do it all Himself. He purposed to save a powerless, resourceless crowd and planned accordingly. The Biblical Jesus began His project on time. It was “...when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law...” (GAL 4:4-5). As wise men put people on notice of a major road project before it begins, He had a prophet named John the Baptist go before Him to announce His arrival and prepare the terrain, “...make straight in the desert a highway for our God...” (ISA 40:3-5 c/w MAR 1:1-4). When the work began in earnest, He said, “...The time is fulfilled...” (MAR 1:15). And, as might be expected, there were plenty of people who were upset with the disruption of their business (JOH 11:47-48); they did not like the Heavenly Government's project which bypassed them (JOH 5:39; MAT 21:31-32). The local Scribes and Pharisees Union even picketed against the project (MAT 23:13). But He had already taken this into account and prepared accordingly, knowing that their wrath would ultimately be made to praise Him and complete His project (PSA 76:10; ACT 4:23-28). The Biblical Jesus was so named because “...he shall save his people from their sins” (MAT 1:21). His Father had authorized Him “...that he should give eternal life to as many as [the Father] hast given him” (JOH 17:2). This was both His work and His lunch, “...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (JOH 4:34); He thrived on His assignment. He declared, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out....of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing...” (JOH 6:37-40). Unlike the popular Jesus who loses multitudes of sinners for whom He died, the Biblical Jesus loses none. Not only was He utterly faithful to save them according to the plan, saying, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (JOH 10:28), His Insurer had fully underwritten the project: “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand” (JOH 10:29). When the Biblical Jesus died on the cross for those the Father had given Him to save, He declared the project a financial success: “...It is finished...” (JOH 19:30), the payment completely made; He “...had by himself purged our sins...” (HEB 1:3). When He subsequently arose from the grave and ascended to heaven, “...by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (HEB 9:12). No one else had ever performed, or could ever perform such a completed salvation project. If you are looking for someone to invest in, choose the Biblical Jesus: He was and is a real performer! Those who are convinced that the only valid Savior is the One Who fully, freely and finally by His death and blood saved for all eternity all that He was supposed to save without the loss of any have faith like Abraham who was “...fully persuaded that, what he [God] had promised, he was able also to perform” (ROM 4:21). They see that “...by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (HEB 10:14). The Biblical Jesus' project of eternal life for His own was in every way completed on schedule---and on budget: there are no cost overruns which would require His re-sacrifice nor must they be made up by others. The Biblical Jesus is truly the Savior who did save His people from their sins (MAT 1:21). There were other saviors before him. The judges who governed Israel for 450 years (ACT 13:19-20) were called saviors in NEH 9:27. But they were only temporal saviors, not eternal saviors. They could only deliver from temporal trouble in an earthly Canaan, not from everlasting fire unto a heavenly Canaan. One of them was Samson, of whom it was said, “...he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (JDG 13:5). But what Samson began he was not able to finish; that was left up to King David many years later: “...David smote the Philistines, and subdued them...” (2SAM 8:1). Jesus Christ, though, is both the beginner and completer of eternal salvation. He is “...the author and finisher of our faith...” (HEB 12:2). The project of redemption He came to perform, He perfected. He is not Alpha and Lambda (as if He would only get half-way into the project and no further); He is “...Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending...” (REV 1:8), “...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (REV 13:8) Who “...once in the end of the world hath...appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (HEB 9:26). To the heirs of this great project it is said that “...he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (PHIL 1:6). He is a project designer, builder and finisher Who knew by prophecy that He would look upon His completed work without any regret: “He shall not fail nor be discouraged...” (ISA 42:4); “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied...” (ISA 53:11). Job done. Job well done! That's the kind of person Who elicits confidence and trust from those who see His work.

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The Cincinnati Church is an historic baptist church located in Cincinnati, OH.