God Will Finish the Work He Started
Philippians 1:3-7
No matter what you do for a living, there is a higher purpose for your life. No matter what you do for work, God is at work in you and through you. You may have a career, but God has a calling. These are not contradictory paths but complementary ones. Today the Apostle Paul will remind us that we are in a family business. We are in a partnership with God and with others. Now we, in this business, have a product. Every business has a product. Our product is the gospel. You’ll notice in Philippians 1 verse 5 Paul says, “for your fellowship in the gospel.” Then verse 7, he talks about “the defense and the confirmation of the gospel.” In verse 12, he speaks about the “furtherance of the gospel.” That is our product. There is a church in Philippi, all because of the gospel. And now they, church members, are partners with Paul in the family business of the gospel. This morning we will look at three partnership principles in keeping the family business strong.
Be thankful for God’s work collectively. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5).
Be confident in God’s work personally. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
Be aware of God’s work practically. “For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:7-8).
Discussion Guide
How does remembering God’s work in others help protect our hearts from bitterness or despair when we are going through our own trials? Who is someone in your life that you can actively thank God for and lift up in joyful prayer this week?
Verse 6 reminds us that God is both the author and the finisher of our spiritual growth. Why is it so easy for us to forget this and accidentally live as though our spiritual transformation relies entirely on our own strength? What happens to our faith when we shift the burden back to ourselves? When you feel stagnant, imperfect, or discouraged by your shortcomings, how does this verse provide practical comfort?
Looking back across verses 3–7, how does knowing that God always finishes what He starts change the way we look at our own flaws, the flaws of our church family, and our shared future in Christ?