Designing the Finish
Preached by Apostle Aje Pelser, January 2022
Harvester Reformational Church Cape Town

Designs from the Bible that will help you finish things in your life and in His kingdom.

Zerubabbel
Finishing the Temple
Zerubbabel, also spelled Zorobabel, (flourished 6th century BC), governor of Judaea under whom the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem took place. Of Davidic origin, Zerubbabel is thought to have originally been a Babylonian Jew who returned to Jerusalem at the head of a band of Jewish exiles and became governor of Judaea under the Persians. Influenced by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, he rebuilt the Temple. As a descendant of the House of David, Zerubbabel rekindled Jewish messianic hopes. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zerubbabel
Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Zec 4:9 “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
Zec 4:10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

Jesus
Finishing the Work of Redemption for Mankind
In the space of three years, Jesus ministered and made a few hundred disciples that set up a global and eternal kingdom. He focused only on doing what the Father showed him and exhibited the values of love and peace in most violent times.
Joh 4:4 But He needed to go through Samaria.
Joh_4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Joh 5:36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

Joh 6:28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Joh 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Apostle Paul
He finished his race of faith and preached to the known gentile world.
At first the persecutor of the way and consenting to the death of Stephen, Saul met the living Christ on his way to Damascus and later received his marching orders for Jesus’ army!
After trying his best to reach his own countrymen, he was led by the Spirit to go on missions throughout his known world, establishing churches and raising up leaders that could carry on with the work well after his martyrdom at the hands of Nero by beheading. He testified to kings and Jesus told him by the spirit that his grace is sufficient and His strength made perfect in our weakness. God revealed mysteries of the church to him and he wrote letters to churches explaining Christ in the scriptures, some of which now make up the majority of the New Testament we live by today.

Act_20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Act_19:21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Act_23:11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

2Ti_4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Rest of faith helps to design the finish
Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Heb 4:3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “SO I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
There are finished works from the foundation of the world that we can enter – for instance – our salvation that Jesus finished for us. God always knew that His Son would pay the price for us. Even at the foundation of the world, Abel was sacrificing a lamb. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his promised son and God intervened.

Sowing a Seed for the Finish
We can trust God to help us finish things we are believing for in the year to come. As a family we have learnt how to sow a seed towards the finish and God has always met and surpassed our seed. You can never out-give God! He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! With the same measure we give, he measures back to us, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing!

2Co 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
2Co 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

The abundance we are looking for is the purpose of good works that God wants us to finish! Let’s pray and trust God for the Finisher to work through us even more and finish some things this year to God’s glory in Jesus mighty name, by the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen and Amen.