BCF Philly | Pastor Ken Sheppard | I'm so Glad that God always finishes what He Starts

Sep 06, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: God Starts What He Finishes

The work in you began with God’s initiative, not your merit. Before you sought Him, He pursued you—not because you earned it, but because of His reckless love. Your salvation, growth, and purpose flow from His grace, not your effort. Like Paul reminded the Philippians, every good thing traces back to God’s choice to begin reshaping rebels into saints. Even when you feel unfinished, His promise holds: what He starts, He completes. [56:06]

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you mistakenly taken credit for God’s work in your life? How does remembering His initiation change your posture today?

Day 2: Good Work Doesn’t Always Feel Good

Sanctification often feels like surgery, not a spa day. God’s purpose—to make you like Christ—requires stripping pride, confronting sin, and enduring trials. Joseph’s betrayal, imprisonment, and delayed vindication weren’t accidents but tools in God’s hands. Your present struggle, though painful, is part of His meticulous craftsmanship. Trust the process: He uses what hurts to heal what’s broken. [01:13:20]

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Romans 8:28–29, ESV)

Reflection: What current hardship might God be using to reshape you? How can you lean into His purpose instead of resisting it?

Day 3: Sustained By More Than Willpower

Human strength falters; divine grace doesn’t. When you hit your limit—exhausted, tempted, or despairing—God’s power thrives in your weakness. Like Daniel in the lions’ den or Paul in chains, your survival isn’t about grit but God’s unfailing supply. His sustaining grace isn’t a backup plan—it’s the fuel for every step of the journey. [01:24:21]

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you relying on self-effort instead of grace? What would it look like to truly rest in His strength today?

Day 4: Unfinished But Secured

You’re a work in progress, but the Artist guarantees the masterpiece. Salvation isn’t a one-time event but a lifelong transformation. God isn’t deterred by your stumbles or slow growth—He sees the finished product. One day, all gaps between your current self and Christ’s likeness will vanish. Until then, walk in hope: the One who saved you won’t quit on you. [01:27:22]

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels most “unfinished”? How does God’s promise of completion steady your heart?

Day 5: Ready For The Final Note

The trumpet could sound today. Christ’s return isn’t a fairy tale—it’s the climax of God’s plan. Live with urgency, not complacency. Every act of obedience, every resisted temptation, every whispered prayer matters. Don’t get distracted by temporary comforts; stay focused on eternal realities. When He comes, all half-finished stories will find their perfect ending. [01:38:06]

“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52, ESV)

Reflection: If today were your last, what would you adjust? How does the certainty of Christ’s return shape your choices now?

Sermon Summary

Paul thanks God for the Philippian saints because they stood with him in the gospel, even while he was in chains. Philippians 1:6 grounds that love and confidence in one promise: “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God always finishes what He starts, even though people leave half their stuff undone and get distracted by the next thing.

The good work begins with grace. Human hearts are deceitful, human righteousness is like filthy rags before a holy God, and nobody can claim to be the source of whatever is good in them. God sought sinners before sinners sought Him. Christ died while people were still enemies of God, living however they wanted to live, and God decided to start something in them that would change their lives for eternity.

The good work includes salvation, but it does not stop at salvation. Salvation is only the beginning. God created believers in Christ Jesus for good works, and His will keeps working through spiritual growth, service, love, forgiveness, holiness, and making disciples. God’s work cannot be confused with personal ambition. The question is simple: whose work is being done, God’s work or somebody’s own work?

God’s good work does not always feel good. Romans 8:28 cannot be separated from verse 29, because God works all things together according to His purpose: conformity to the image of His Son. Trials, rejection, betrayal, sickness, heartache, temptation, and painful seasons can become part of that shaping process. Joseph’s years of betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and prison did not feel good, but God turned what others meant for evil toward good.

James calls believers to let perseverance finish its work. God uses hard seasons to expose bad attitudes, break dependence on personal strength, build endurance, and prepare hearts for places they are not yet humble enough to go. God does not make His children look like Jesus through “bubble gum and bunny rabbits.” God’s purpose is maturity, completeness, and a life that looks more like Christ.

God also sustains what He begins. His grace is sufficient, especially when strength is gone and nothing remains except a cry for help. God’s sustaining grace keeps minds, strengthens weak bodies, and enables believers to endure without giving up. The work will be completed on the day of Christ, when believers will be changed and made like Him.

The promise of completion does not excuse deliberate sin. Repentance means more than feeling sorry; it means a heart change, a mind change, and turning in the opposite direction. God is still working on His people, but His people must stop excusing sin, do His good works, and stay ready for the trumpet.

Key Takeaways

1. Grace starts every good work God does not begin His work because people proved themselves worthy. God begins because His love, mercy, and grace move toward sinners who could not rescue themselves. Humility grows when every trace of spiritual life is recognized as evidence of God’s initiative rather than personal goodness. [60:02]
2. Salvation is only the beginning The good work includes conversion, but God does not save people merely to leave them unchanged. God forms His children through obedience, service, forgiveness, love, and a life submitted to His will. Faith that belongs to Christ keeps moving into the good works for which He created His people. [65:47]
3. Pain can serve God’s purpose God’s purpose is not simply to make life comfortable or give people everything they want. God uses difficult seasons to conform believers to the image of Jesus Christ, exposing what must change and building what cannot grow in ease. Joseph’s story shows that evil intended by others cannot outrun God’s good purpose. [79:56]
4. God sustains what He begins God’s grace meets believers at the point where personal strength runs out. God supplies unfailing strength to endure, persevere, and keep going through seasons that seem too heavy to carry. Weakness becomes a place where God’s power is seen clearly. [83:45]
5. Completion requires faithful repentance God’s ongoing work is not permission to keep choosing sin on purpose. Repentance turns from sin, receives God’s forgiveness, and takes practical steps toward holiness. The day of Christ is coming suddenly, so readiness cannot be postponed.

## [90:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[49:13] - Reading Philippians 1:3-11
[52:09] - God Always Finishes What He Starts
[53:05] - Paul’s Love for the Philippian Church
[56:35] - God Is the Source of Goodness
[60:02] - Grace Sought Sinners First
[65:02] - Salvation Begins the Good Work
[69:31] - Whose Work Are You Doing?
[70:19] - God’s Work Does Not Always Feel Good
[71:07] - Conformed to the Image of Christ
[77:15] - Let Perseverance Finish Its Work
[78:36] - Joseph and God’s Good Purpose
[81:43] - God Will Sustain and Perfect You
[88:59] - Keep Fighting and Keep Repenting
[97:43] - Changed at the Last Trumpet
[100:27] - Are You Ready?

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Philippians 1:6
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” [00:50:02]

Romans 8:28-29
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” [01:11:07]

James 1:2-4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” [01:17:07]

2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” [01:23:56]

Observation questions

In Philippians 1:3-11, what reasons does Paul give for thanking God for the Philippian believers, even while he is in chains? [00:49:33]
What does Philippians 1:6 say God begins, what does He promise to do with it, and when will that work be complete?
According to Romans 8:28-29, what is God’s purpose behind working all things together for good? [01:11:28]
In James 1:2-4, what does the testing of faith produce, and what is believers’ perseverance meant to accomplish? [01:17:19]

Interpretation questions

Philippians 1:6 says that God begins and completes the good work. How should believers understand their responsibility to obey, serve, forgive, and live holy lives while trusting God to do His work in them? [01:06:21]
Romans 8:28 is often taken to mean that God will give believers the outcomes they want. How does verse 29 correct that understanding by showing that God’s greater purpose is conformity to Christ? [01:12:09]
James says to count trials as joy, not because pain itself is pleasant, but because God can use it to produce perseverance and maturity. What might this look like when believers face sickness, betrayal, temptation, or heartache? [01:15:12]
If God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness, why is admitting weakness to God an act of faith rather than failure? [01:24:17]

Application questions

Where have you been tempted to take credit for something good in your life—spiritual growth, a changed attitude, service, or a gift—rather than giving God the glory? What would humility look like in that area this week? [00:56:53]
Salvation is the beginning of God’s good work, not the end. What is one specific good work God may be calling you to take seriously right now: serving, forgiving someone, growing in Scripture, loving someone difficult, or helping make disciples? [01:07:21]
Whose work are you mainly pursuing in this season—God’s work or your own plans, comfort, recognition, or ambition? What is one practical way you can put God’s will first in your schedule or decisions? [01:09:41]
Is there a hard season from your past that God used to expose an attitude, teach dependence, build endurance, or make you more like Christ? If you are willing, share what changed in you through that season. [01:20:38]
Where do you feel weak, worn down, or close to giving up right now? What would it look like to honestly pray, “God, I do not have anything left; I need You,” and receive His sustaining grace? [01:24:26]
Is there a sin, habit, place, relationship, or form of entertainment that you have been excusing by saying, “God is still working on me”? What could genuine repentance—turning around and taking a different path—look like in that situation? [01:30:51]
The day of Christ is coming, and believers are called to be ready. What part of your life would you want to bring into the light, make right, or surrender to Christ without putting it off any longer? [01:40:25]

Sermon Clips

50s

#GodsWorkInProgress

“Jesus. You and I, we're not finished. We are unfinished. But we know God will bring it to an end one day. Sir. It's one of the greatest promises in the Bible. He will complete it to the day of Jesus Christ. This day will come to pass, but in the meantime, god's still working on us. He's still pruning us and molding us and shaping us because we all need it. Yes. None of us are there yet.”

63s

#HeWillCompleteUs

“the God who saved you will sustain you Yeah. And one day will perfect you. Yes. It's a promise from god. It's right here in the in the verse. He began a good work, you will complete it. I love that. complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Well completed. Well performed it. I looked up the Greek word epitelio. It literally means to bring to an end. That's what the word means. The God who saved you and I will be there with you, sustaining until the day of Jesus Christ.”

44s

#RefinedToResembleChrist

“It's for our good, but it doesn't feel good. But it's making us more like his son, more like our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He's teaching us to depend on him completely instead of trying to use our own strength, which we try to do that a lot. He exposes bad attitudes and habits that we love to ignore. develops our patience, our perseverance, our endurance.”

80s

#ItStartsWithGrace

“Because God loved us so much. He made a decision to begin a good work in you and I. And when you think about it, I was thinking about it this week, he had no reason to do that. He had no reason whatsoever to decide that I'm gonna begin a good work in these people that I created, in my creation. Whatever spiritual life that exists in us is simply evidence of God's good work. God is the initiator. it all starts with grace. Grace. It all starts with grace. Grace is when you receive something that you don't deserve. We are all gifted grace every day. We didn't seek after God. First, he sought after us.”

52s

#GoodDoesntAlwaysFeelGood

“Even though god's work is good, doesn't always feel that way. Did anybody know that? Yes. Anybody understand that concept? It's good, but it don't always feel good. Sometimes it feels bad, but we gotta always remember that it's good because it's his work. Just got finished saying that god's work in in in great part includes doing god's will. Big part of god's work then means that big part of it is you and I being conformed to the image of his son. I'm a prove it to you.”

43s

#DoYourPartFaithInAction

“God does his part. Don't use the excuse of God still working on me for you not to do your part. Some believers like to do that. Don't do that. No. God's gonna do what he needs to do, but that doesn't excuse us. That moment we could just sit back and not do anything. His word is clear on everything we're supposed to do. Our job is to actually start doing it. Start doing it. You can't continue to willfully sin and expect God to be able to perfect you.”

42s

#LiveLikeJesusNotSelf

“God's work demands living and looking like Jesus. Living a righteous life, living a holy life, loving others, forgiving others, extending grace to others. When we think of Romans eight twenty eight, we just think it's working together for us. And when we say us, we mean for good things to happen to us or us to accumulate good stuff. And that's not what that verse is talking about. So get that out of your head.”

48s

#ConformedToChrist

“What's God's purpose? To be for you and I to be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ. That's why he's working things for our good if we love him. Yes. It ain't working things out for you so you can get what you want. Right. No. As far as purpose. What's his purpose for you and I to be just like as close as we can be to Jesus Christ. God's will is the way that God's purpose is carried out. And god's work is the way that god's will is carried out.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Bethesda Christian Fellowship Church of God This sermon · AI assistant

What does the good work God begins include?

Why does God's work often feel painful or difficult?

How does God's sustaining grace enable perseverance?