Improving Your Serve: Learn to Follow Through

CrossWay Church – Macky Shedd – May 4^th, 2025

Something completed is better than something just begun… Ecclesiastes 7:8 (CEV)

WE SERVE A GOD WHO ________________ WHAT HE ____________.

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2 (NLT)

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work. John 4:34 (AMP)

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 (NIV)

If Jesus didn’t say it is ________________, I’d be ________________.

JESUS’ FOLLOW THROUGH IMPROVES MY SERVE BY…

1. Demonstrating __________________ Through _________________.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8 (NIV)

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 (NIV)

Even though Jesus was the Son of God, he learned obedience by what he suffered. ⁹ And because his obedience was perfect, he was able to give eternal salvation to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:8-9 (NCV)

2. Keeping His ________ & ____________________ How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

The Messiah will be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)

A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1)

The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)

The Silver will be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13)

The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted (Isaiah 53:7)

The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16)

THE PROBABILITY OF…

8 Prophecies Fulfilled By One Person:    1 in 10 ^____

16 Prophecies Fulfilled By One Person:  1 in 10 ^____

24 Prophecies Fulfilled By One Person:  1 in 10 ^____

48 Prophecies Fulfilled By One Person –  1 in 10 ^______

3. Forgiving Our ________ & ____________________ Our ________.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. ¹⁴ He wiped out what the law said that we owed. The law stood against us. It judged us. But he has taken it away and nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:13b-14 (NIRV)

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 (NIV)

4. Defeating The ________ Of _________ With The Power Of ________.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? John 14:1-2 (NIV)

5. Making __________ & Welcoming Us In As ______ ____________.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. ¹⁵ He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. ¹⁶ Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. ¹⁹ So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Ephesians 2:14-19 (NLT)

6. Setting The ________________ For Sacrifice & ________.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16 (NIV)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. John 10:11-12 (NIV)

7. Motivating Me To _______ At _____________ To Finish The Mission.How does God S.H.A.P.E. me for effective service?

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)