Author and Finisher...the Wayfarer 7/28/17

Author and Finisher
  7/28/17

John 19:30

King James Version (KJV)

³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

No journey is over until the last step has been taken, no goal attained until the final effort at its attainment has been given.

No building is of any use until the final stone has been laid, and the building sealed by the builder for its occupant.

Journeys may be long and difficult, may end prematurely without arrival at a chosen destination if detours encountered redirect steps toward other destinations, as the original destination is forgotten along the way.

Buildings may begin to rise, only to become skeletal structures of no use, as the cost becomes prohibitive to the builder, and the tentative occupant seeks shelter elsewhere.

Books are begun in earnest, chapter after chapter flowing, until the flow dries up and the desire to complete the book no longer exists.

No life is finished until it is completed.

Purpose, true purpose cannot be reached until it is finalized by completion of that purpose.

Jesus, throughout  His life, labored for a single purpose.

Each breath taken while confined to the body of a man was directed toward that purpose, each word spoken, each step taken, each miracle delivered led directly to the cross, directly toward the sacrifice that could be given only by Him in order to complete that purpose unfinishable by any other being .

That completion led to a beginning through the resurrection, a beginning for all men to find the ability to meet the purpose intended by their Creator, and complete that purpose rather than the substitutes offered, leading only to death.

As He hung on that cross, despised and reviled by those unable to see that purpose, He continued in that purpose as he prayed for his tormentors, knowing that unless He completed HIS purpose, theirs could never be completed.

Luke 23:33-43King James Version (KJV)³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
³⁵ And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
³⁷ And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
³⁸ And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.
³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Forgiveness, given from the very cross, choice offered despite that cross, worthiness determined, and grace delivered, in accordance with comprehension of His purpose and the message delivered by Him throughout life lived and ministry; completed that life and ministry, as purpose was completed.

Two other lives were finished and purpose determined as one rejected and reviled the purpose of Christ, while the other comprehended and accepted that purpose, making his own purpose clear, concise and complete as well.

Each must find their own purpose, each must choose or reject the price of that purpose, a price already paid for those accepting the payment given, or choosing rejection of that payment as other "purpose" is pursued.

Each must face the result of the choice that is made, as none are exempted from that result forced on them by Adam when death was chosen instead of life.

The question then becomes which choice has been made, acceptance or rejection of overcoming that death overcome through Christ, and resurrection to the Life offered, or resurrection to death that is certain when LIFE through Him is rejected.

Hebrews 12

King James Version (KJV)

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

⁴ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

⁵ And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

⁶ For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

⁷ If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

⁸ But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

⁹ Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹ Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

¹² Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

¹³ And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

¹⁴ Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

¹⁵ Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

¹⁶ Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

¹⁷ For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

¹⁸ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

¹⁹ And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

²⁰ (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

²² But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

²³ To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

²⁴ And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

²⁵ See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

²⁶ Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

²⁷ And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.

AUTHOR and FINISHER, not only of faith, but AUTHOR and FINISHER of LIFE!

Jesus stated "It is finished", and it is, with only one WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE to be delivered, having BEEN delivered for those willing to finish their own purpose no matter the distraction and deviation promoted along the way.

Paul also wrote:

Philippians 3

King James Version (KJV)

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

² Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

³ For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

⁴ Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵ Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰ That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

¹¹ If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

¹² Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

¹⁶ Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

¹⁷ Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

¹⁸ (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

¹⁹ Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

²⁰ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

²¹ Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Press on toward the mark desired,  It is finished already by Author and Finisher, indelibly recorded in blood, unchangeable once written.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer