finish well
You can finish well. You may have had a bad start in life. You may have messed up along the way. You may have made mistakes. You may have regrets. But you can finish well and that is what matters most.
Take the long view - Proverbs 12:28-13:9
The writer of Proverbs encourages us to take the long view and stay in the way of ‘righteousness’ where ‘there is life; along that path is immortality’ (12:28). Avoid the temptation to focus just on the here and now. Act in the light of eternity.
What does a righteous life look like?
Listen to parental advice: ‘A wise child heeds a parent’s instruction’ (13:1). Honoring parents is high on the list of God’s priorities.
Guard your lips: ‘Those who guard their lips guard their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin’ (v.3). It is impossible to overestimate the importance of your words and of controlling the tongue.
Work hard: ‘The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied’ (v.4). Work is a blessing. Success can be hard work. It requires diligent perseverance.
Be a person of integrity: ‘Righteousness guards the person of integrity’ (v.6). Integrity does not mean being perfect. It means being honest, real, and authentic (it is the opposite of hypocrisy).
Trust in the legacy of Jesus - John 14:1-31
Are you troubled, distressed, agitated or afraid? Jesus does not want you to be troubled, but to have peace in your heart (v.1.27).
Jesus knew that his life on this earth was about to finish. He was about to leave his disciples (v.27); he was going back to the Father (v.3). Yet he said to them, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled, distressed, agitated’ (v.1, AMP). ‘Peace I leave with you’ (v.27). Jesus does not leave you alone but passes on to you an amazing legacy.
Jesus has good plans for your future. Jesus says, ‘There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home... I’m on my way to get your room ready’ (v.2, MSG). In Christ, your long-term future is totally secure.
Jesus is coming back for you. The end of earthly life is not the end. Jesus told his followers, ‘I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’ (v.3). You will be with Jesus forever.
Jesus has opened the way for you to know God. Thomas asks, ‘How can we know the way?’ Jesus replies, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (v.5–6).
Jesus reveals God for you. Philip says, ‘Lord, show us the Father’ (v.8). Jesus replies, ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’ (v.9). If you want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus.
Jesus will do even greater things through you. Jesus will do even greater miracles through his disciples than he did while he was on earth (v.12).
Jesus will continue to answer your prayer. ‘From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do’ (v.13–14, MSG).
Jesus will never leave you alone. Jesus says, ‘I will not leave you as orphans’ (v.18). He says that he’ll ‘provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth... he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!’ (v.16–17, MSG).
Jesus will continue to love you. ‘Those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them’ (v.21b).
Jesus and the Father will make their home with you. Jesus said, ‘Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them’ (v.23).
Jesus leaves you with peace. ‘Peace I leave with you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ (v.27). Peace comes from trusting that Jesus is there with us and in us. Jesus is our peace.
How is all this possible? The way in which Jesus passes on his legacy to you is through the Holy Spirit. He has sent the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete) to live in your heart: ‘The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you’ (v.26, MSG).
The Greek word for the Holy Spirit, parakletos, literally means ‘one called alongside’. It has a multifaceted meaning – counselor, advocate, comforter, encourager, helper, someone to stand by you, he who is to befriend you. For example, a mother is a paraclete for her child. She takes away the anguish of loneliness. She brings presence, security, peace, and communion.
The Holy Spirit now lives in us to give us new strength and new love – so that we, the church, can continue the mission of Jesus to the world.
Jesus had thought it through very carefully and had made a great succession plan!
