FINISHING MENTALITY

By Femi Bakare

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And
when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the
custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the
Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not
know it; but supposing Him to have been in their company, they went a day's
journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when
they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it
was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst
of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all
who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when
they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why
have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You
anxiously."And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know
that I must be about My Father's business?"But they did not understand the
statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came
to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things
in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with
God and men. Luke 2:41-52 (NKJV)
It was from this story I want us to learn some lessons that I believe will help
us in our journey toward finishing the race. Please keep in mind that Bible
is not just a story book. It is a book that is full of living principles and
lessons that when applied can help us fulfil our destiny and make God
happy. Remember we said in our previous edition that if we must run
successfully then we must finish the race. Finishing the race is not just
coming to the end of the race, we must finish strong and well. We must
finish in such a way that God who had enlisted us into the race will be
happy when we appear before Him on that day.
There are three important feasts that are always observed by the Jews; the
Passover, the Pentecost and the Tabernacle. These feasts were instituted by
God Himself (Exodus 23:14-17, Deuteronomy 16:16). Every adult male must
attend these feasts every year. It was one of such feasts: The Passover that
Jesus parent took Him to Jerusalem from Nazareth in Galilee; a journey of
70miles. They were in Jerusalem for nothing less than eight days observing
the feast of the Passover which God had commanded. When the feast was
over they left for home assuming Jesus was with them.

The first thing I want us to examine here is that, never assume anything. Be
sure of whatever thing that you are doing. Someone said assumption is a
low lever of knowledge. It is better to stay and not to take a step when you
are not sure of what to do than to assume. The reason is, there are some
assumptions that are dangerous which may not have a remedy. Jesus
parent lost Him because they assume or suppose He was with them (Luke
2:43). That is why the Bible encourages us to prove all things and hold fast
to that which is true. Paul the apostle mentioned some people that supposed
that faith is a way of making profit (1 Timothy 6:5 Bible in Basic English). In
most Churches hardly will a Preacher finish his message without ending it
with seed faith. He believes that the only way for the word to produce in
their lives is for them to sow seed (money). Do I have problem with people
giving money? No, let it be that God commanded them to do so. And I dont
believe it is every time that God will ask them to sow a seed because of the
word that has just heard; so as to key into the word.
The Jailor in charge of the prison where Paul and Silas was kept would have
killed himself if not for Paul the apostle. For he assumed the prisoners had
ran away when he saw the doors of the prison opened (Acts 16: 25-29). Mary
would have missed Jesus when He resurrected because she supposed Him
to be a gardener (John 21:25)
The second lesson I want us to learn in the above passage is, it is possible to
loss God in midst of church activities or programmes. Jesus parent went for
a feast ordained by God and they lost the King of kings in the process. They
lost the main reason for the Passover; they lost the Lord of the Passover. Let
us look around us today; all manner of programmes with themes that do not
even have meaning at all. Churches are now even competing with one
another over programmes; ones that only satisfy the needs of the people,
and sustain them for the next one. A revival or meeting that does not lead
the people to want to know God and want to seek His kingdom is not a
revival but religion. It is possible to have church service without the God of
the church present. When Jesus said in Revelation 3:20; that He stands at
the door and knock, and if we hear His voice and open the door that He will
come in and dine with us. We often use this scripture to preach to sinners
during evangelism outreach, whereas it was primarily written to the Church.
The church in Laodicea was having church services and programmes but
the owner of the church has been locked out. And he was even knocking to
enter but they were so pre-occupied with activities that they couldnt even
hear Him. I want to believe this is the typical example of todays church; we
have been so engrossed in the work of the ministry that will lose the One
who we are ministering to. We no longer have time for Him but we have time
for every other things. He is knocking but we are so busy that we cannot
hear Him. There is so much noise in the church today that you can hardly
hear God.
The third thing is His parent thought Him to have been in the company
(Luke 2:44). This is the error we make atimes; that the presence of a crowd
is a sure guarantee that God is there. We run for the crowd and measure the
success of the programme or our ministry by the large turn out of people.
The truth is most time Jesus is not always among the crowd. Even while His
parents were looking for Him; they were searching the wrong places. They
looked for Him among friends and relatives. That is what happens atimes
when we have lost touched with God. Instead of finding out where we left
Him, we start to seek for Him in a meeting, crusade, convection etc. Atimes
we try to fill the vacuum by being in the company of friends, watch TV and
listen to gospel songs just to fill the vacuum we feel deep down in our
hearts. Stop looking for God in the wrong places.
The fourth lesson is the main thrust of our discussion. When they finally
found Him and they complained about the fact that they have been looking
for Him. He reply them like this
But why did you need to search? he asked. You should have known that I
would be in my Fathers house Luke 2:49 NLT
A Bible commentary put it like this Didnt you realize that I should be
involved with my Fathers affairs? This statement revealed that Jesus did
not expect them to search for Him or worried about Him and that they
should have known His priority. They should have known the things He gave
Himself to. They should have known His values. In other words if they had
known His priority they would not have suffered looking for Him. There
wouldnt have been a need to travel for three days looking for what is not
lost.
WHAT IS JESUS PRIORTIY?
In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But He said
to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." Therefore the
disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to
finish His work. John 4:31-34
This passage does not suggest that Jesus does not eat, what He meant is
His priority. The priority of Jesus Christ is to do the will of God and to finish
His work. There are two types of food spoken of in the above passage of the
Scripture; the food which His disciples bought that will satisfy His hunger -
in other words something that will meet His own need, and the food of doing
the will of God and bringing it to completion. He said this food is not
something that is known to everybody unless it is revealed. That is why
today some folks believe we can not bring this work to completion; we can
not come to immortality. Until is it revealed to you, you can not go for it. So
our prayer should be that God should open our eyes to our destination in
Him.
If doing Gods will and finishing His work is Jesus mentality then it must
become ours too. We must commit ourselves to finishing Gods purpose on
earth. So we have to occupy till He comes (Luke 19:13). We are kept here not just
to go to heaven but to fulfil His purpose. The reason why He has not come is
because the job in not finished yet. Dr Bill Hamon wrote this in his book; The
Eternal Church God had in mind an ultimate purpose for the Church to fulfil when
He birthed it into this world. Everything He has done and is doing in the Church is by
divine designIf the only thing Jesus has left for the Church was a sovereign rapture
with no preparation and participation by the saints, then He could have raptured
(immortalized) the Church anytime during the last 1,973 years (A.D. 2003=1,973).
The fact is that He did not. He has not translated the Church because there is a
special work that He wants to accomplish in and through the last-generation Church.
WHAT IS THE FINISH
Advance Learners Dictionary defined finish to be to complete something or come to
the end of an activity. It also means to end and it also means to eat, drink or use
something completely so that none remains.
So we must know that we have been called to complete the work of God. We have
been commissioned to bring everything to an end. We must end Gods work until
nothing remains. The finish for us is immortality; which is just the beginning of a
new life. So finish is the completion of a sequence of activity in God. For us the
finish is defeating our last enemy; death, 1 Corinthians 15: 24-28. The finish is the
completion of a course or a task, the destination of an event or job.
We must know the work God has called us to do and we must to finish it
And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue
his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes
back again. Philippians 1:6
Jesus actually finished the work He was given; (John 17:4, 19:30). If this was
Jesus mentality, then it must be our mentality too. Paul the apostle talks about
finishing the work (2 Timothy 4:6-8). So we must have a finishing mentality, Dr
Noel Woodroffe defined finishing mentality as The mode of thought and operation,
which will bring a course, task, or undertaking to completion. In the Church context, it
is to operate as Paul did and to press on towards the mark of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus, knowing as Christ Himself did, that to finish the work is of
paramount importance.
We can not just be satisfied getting our needs met but bringing to
completion the work of God. Immortality must be achieved as we partner
with God to bring it pass.
If we are like an athlete then we must have the mentality to finish. No
athlete receives a reward for starting a race but for finishing well. It is not
just the starting that brings fulfilment but the completion. A race has a
beginning point and a finishing line. Every good athlete must keep his eyes
on that finishing tape; that is his goal
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's
building. 1 Corinthians 3:9
You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. 1 Peter 2:5
The beauty of a house is at completion. The foundation is very important
but nobody builds a foundation and calls it a house. It is called a house or
building when it is completed. We must grow until we become everything
that God saved us for.
We will lose Him if we are not involved with what He is involved with. What
mattered to Him must matter to us. Our message, programme must be
moving us to the finish. The core must be His kingdom. His kingdom is the
reason for the Church. Jesus must become our priority. For everything was
made by Him and for Him.

Come Lord Jesus!