Jesus Always Finishes What He Starts
“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them. - John 4.34 (CSB)
The disciples had just come back from finding food while and exhausted Jesus sat by Jacob’s well and had a life-changing conversation with a lone Samaritan woman. The woman had left to go and tell her town about “a man who told me everything I ever did” (John 4.29, CSB). So the disciples showed up to the well with Jesus sitting there alone, not having a clue about what had happened or who would be showing up shortly after she shared her testimony with her neighbors.
“Rabbi, eat something.” Jesus’ disciples kept urging him to eat, but he wouldn’t. And why?
“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” - John 4.34 (CSB)
“To finish his work.”
FINISH | τελειόω (teleioō)
make perfect, make genuine; complete; succeed fully; initiate; make happen.
Jesus came to do this. He came to completely perfect and make genuine the work that the Father had sent him to accomplish. And he finished it. It wasn’t finished here next to Jacob’s well. It wasn’t finished with the miracles or the things that he taught about the kingdom of heaven during his earthly ministry. It was finished at the cross on Golgotha.
John records a statement that Jesus made from the cross at the end of his life.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. - John 19.30 (CSB)
FINISHED | τελέω (teleō)
complete, fulfill, end, come to an end, make happen, bring to fruition, obey, keep; pay fully.
Jesus told his disciples on that hot noonday next to Jacob’s well that he came to finish the work that he was sent by the Father to accomplish. And here, from the cross, with an emboldened and victorious shout of accomplished relief, Jesus knew that he had finished what he was sent to do. He was the perfect Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. He took our sin and experienced God’s punishing wrath, being the gracious and merciful propitiation in our stead.
Then he died. And on Sunday, he conquered death and came back from the dead.
And while his work for which he came was finished, he is still working. He isn’t completely done with his work. Of course, there is no need for another sacrifice for the sins of the world. There is no need for any other work to be accomplished so that reconciliation with God can happen. But Jesus has a “good work” that he is doing in each of us who call ourselves his followers.
I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1.6 (CSB)
CARRY IT TO COMPLETION | ἐπιτελέω (epiteleō)
complete, finish, attain a goal
bring about, undergo, have happen.
The work that Jesus started in each of us, his followers, will be completed just like his work that he finished on the cross. This work of sanctification is a “now and not yet” reality. We have been made right with God, holy and righteous before him, because we are “in Christ.” But we are being made holy, formed into the likeness of Jesus, which is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that is currently going on. And that work that was started in us by God will be completely completed and perfected. And God will stay committed to us in this work until the day Jesus.
So, in the same way, that Jesus completely finished his work of redemption, he will completely finish his sanctifying work in us. He will not stop until he completely completes us.
Praise Jesus that he always finishes the work that he starts.
