All That God Has Begun He Himself Continues
God continues his work in us, and we can experience his divine purpose by depending on him and living like Christ.
Andrew Murray emphasizes that God is the initiator and sustainer of all good works in our lives, assuring us that He will complete what He has started. He highlights the importance of recognizing God's active role in our spiritual journey, encouraging believers to depend on Him as Jesus did. By understanding that God works in us to fulfill His will, we can transform our spiritual lives and embody the mindset of Christ, who exemplified complete reliance on the Father. This message calls for a deeper faith in God's continuous work within us, fostering a spirit of yielding and dependence.
Text
Men have never had their eyes opened to see that all that God has begun he himself continues; that all that he demands he himself works out; that his divine purpose as author of all carries with it the assurance that he will perfect all he began.
The God whom Christ has made known is one 'who works both to will and to do', who perfects in us every good work to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight. 'Through him all things': if we really believe and seek spiritually to understand this word, what a change it would work in our spiritual life! We should begin to see how really we may follow in the footsteps of the Son of God, and expect the Father to work all for us as he did for him. He said, 'I can do nothing of myself', 'I speak not of myself, but the Father doeth the works', and taught us that the great mark of his human life was what God had meant the life of Adam to be, an unceasing dependence, an entire yielding of spirit to the Father, waiting for and receiving his working in him. It is this disposition, 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus', the very spirit of his Son, that God sent forth into our hearts, that we might live like him.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 68)
Sermon Outline
-
God's Continuation of His Work
- All that God has begun he himself continues
- God's divine purpose carries with it the assurance of completion
-
God's Work in Us
- God works to will and to do
- He perfects in us every good work to do his will
-
Following in Christ's Footsteps
- Expect the Father to work all for us as he did for him
- Dependence on God is the key to spiritual life
-
The Mind of Christ
- The spirit of Christ's Son is sent forth into our hearts
- Living like Christ requires an unceasing dependence on God
Key Quotes
“The God whom Christ has made known is one 'who works both to will and to do', who perfects in us every good work to do his will,” — Andrew Murray
“He said, 'I can do nothing of myself', 'I speak not of myself, but the Father doeth the works',” — Andrew Murray
“It is this disposition, 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus', the very spirit of his Son, that God sent forth into our hearts, that we might live like him.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- We should expect the Father to work all for us as he did for Christ, and trust in his divine purpose.
- Dependence on God is essential for living a spiritual life and following in Christ's footsteps.
- The mind of Christ, or the spirit of his Son, is sent forth into our hearts to live like him and experience God's work in us.