#DailyDevotion The Holy Spirit Will Complete His Good Work In You
Phi. 1:3-11 3Every time I think of you, I thank my God. 4Every time I pray for all of you, I always do it with joy 5because of your partnership in telling the good news from the first day until now. 6I’m sure that He Who started a good work in you will go on to finish it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Does your pastor thank God every time he thinks of you? Paul thanks God every time he thinks of the Philippians. Does your pastor pray for you or do your regularly pray for your members if you are a pastor? Does he do it with joy? Why does Paul thank God for the Philippians and why does he do it with joy?
Paul says it is because of their partnership with him in telling the good news from the first day until now. You might remember it was only this small poor congregation that Paul ever accepted any money from. He didn’t accept money for his ministry from anyone else. I suppose that was not only to keep him humble but also to keep the big congregations with wealth and power humble as well. But Paul didn’t mind sharing the glory of this poor congregation with himself.
Are you in partnership with your pastor in the ministry at your congregation? Do you see yourself just contributing to the offering plate just so he can make a living and get the job done for you? Does your pastor see you as being in partnership with him in the ministry? Does he encourage you to join or start a ministry in the congregation to the larger community in order to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others? Hopefully this is the case.
Paul give the Philippians and us this wonderful word of the Gospel, “I’m sure that He Who started a good work in you will go on to finish it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The He here is no doubt the Holy Spirit who is always joined to the word of God especially the good news of Jesus word of God. It is through the promise of the free gift of forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ we are counted righteous before the Father. It is through baptism the Holy Spirit joins us with Jesus’ life, suffering, death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit who has begun this good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. The day of Jesus Christ is when he returns visibly and in glory to raise the dead, transform us into his image and likeness, and judge the living and the dead.
Paul gives us this confidence in Ephesians 5 also when he says, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it 26to make it holy by washing it clean with water by the Word, 27to have the church stand before Him as something wonderful, without a spot or a wrinkle or anything like that; yes, it should be holy and without a fault.” In Colossians 1 he says, “ 22but now by dying in His human body He has made you friends in order to have you stand before Him without sin or fault or blame.” Paul can confidently say this because he knows who has promised such things and who is working to accomplish such things, namely God the Holy Spirit who cannot fail. You too should then share with Paul in his confidence in the Holy Spirits work in your life through the Word and Sacrament to bring this promise to fruition.
Heavenly Father, may all you people be participants, fellow workers in your kingdom in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ your Son, namely the salvation of the world through his works and to be received through faith in this promise. Preserve us in this faith until Christ’s reappearing. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.