a story unfinished - amazon s3 · a story unfinished page: 1 ... a story unfinished page: 6 • to...

NotesbyPastorTonyMcCall ThePentecostalsofLakeCity---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ASTORYUNFINISHED PAGE:1

AStoryUnfinishedHebrews12:1b-2a…letusrunwithpatiencetheracethatissetbeforeus,lookinguntoJesustheauthorandfinisherofourfaith…Intro

• OnNewYear’sEve,Ryderwascelebratinghis5thbirthdayo atbeachinCalifornia.

• Atthetenderageof5,o Ryderlovedtowalkthebeach

§ insearchofcrabsandsmallshrimp,o however,onhisbirthday

§ hefoundsomethingthathe’dneverseenbefore:• Amessageinabottle.

• Hefirstthoughthehadfoundamessage

o fromacastawaypirate,§ howevertheletterinsidethebottlesaid:

• HimynameisChris.• Iam10yearsoldandinthe5thgrade.• IliveinSacramento,California.• Callmewhenyoufindthistoletmeknowwhereit

washedashore.o Thelettercontainedaphonenumber

§ andwasdated:September5th,1988

• Inanefforttofindtheauthorofthenote,o Ryder’sparentscontactedaSacramentoTVstation,

§ whichmadeaspecialefforttofindChris,• whowouldnowbe38yearsold.

o However,inspiteofthefact§ thattheyhadthephonenumber

• asaninitialcluetotheidentityoftheletterwriter,o therewerenorecordsinexistence

§ tellingwhoowned• thatphonenumberin1988.

o TheirsearchreachedasfarastheLibraryofCongress,§ butstill,ateveryturn

• itcameupshort.

• TheTVstationfinallyresortedo tocallingevery36-39yearold

§ Chris,



§ Christopher,§ Christine,§ orChristina,

• intheSacramentoareao butstilltheywereunabletofindtheletterwriter.

• Finallytheyresortedtopublishingthestory,o inhopesofturningsomethingup,

§ whichishowIlearnedabout• themessageinthebottle.

• Itisgreatstory.

o Astoryofone10-year-oldchild’scuriosity§ andanother5-year-oldchild’sluckyfind.

o ThehopeisthatonedayChrisandRyderwillmeet§ andthebottlewillbereturnedtoitsoriginalowner

• after28yearsatsea.• However,untilthathappens,

o itisastory…unfinished!Stories

• Nothingisquiteasunsatisfyingo asanunfinishedstory.

• Icouldn’tbelieveitwhenIreadthearticle.o Icouldn’tbelievethestorywasincomplete,

§ thatithadnoending.• Howdisappointing.

• Let’sbereal,wealllikeagoodstoryo becauseitendswell,

§ butthereissomethingunsettling• aboutastorywithoutanending.

• Astorywithoutanendingbothersus

o becauseithitsalittletooclosetohome.• Welikeastorywithlotsthrills,

o dramaticturns,§ momentsofintensedrama

• punctuatedbyflashesoftenderpassion.• Welikeastorythatkeepsourattention,

o thatkeepsusontheedgeofourseat,§ thatsticksinourminds

• fordaysandweeksafteritsover.

• Welikeastorywithlotsofdramao becauseweknowandunderstand

§ thattheauthorhastoplaybycertainrules.



• Wedon’tmindthetension,o weembracethedisasters,

§ welookforwardtothefight• becauseweareprettysure

o thatbytheend§ itisallgoingtobeallright.

• Weareconvinced,o beforethestoryeverstarts,

§ thatgoodisgoingtotriumph• andtheevilisgoingtobedefeated.

• Wefeelsecureintheknowledgeo thattheherousuallysurvives

§ andthatthegreatergoodalwaysprevails.• Thereasonwhywelikeagoodstory

o isbecausewe’velearned,§ fromexperience,

• thatwecantrustagoodstoryteller.

• Thetruthis,though,o thatwereallyonlylikeagoodstory,

§ whenit’saboutsomeoneelse.• Aslongassomeoneelse

o isdealingwiththestressandthedrama,§ aslongassomeoneelse

• isstrugglingwiththedoubtsandfears,o aslongassomeoneelse

§ hastofacetheuncertainty.• Wedelightinstories

o ofthetragediesandtriumphsofothers§ becauseweareconvinced

• thattheirstorywillendwell.o Weallknowthatnobodytellsstories

§ thatdon’tendwell!

• Thereasonwhywedon’tlikeo tobethesubjectofthestory

§ isbecause,whenthestoryisaboutus,• wearen’tsocertainabouttheoutcome.

• Letmegetrightdowno towheretherubbermeetstheroad,

§ welikeourstoriesin45minute• ortwohourintervals

o becausewe’velearned§ thatthosekindofstoriesusuallyendwell.

o We’velearnedtotrust



§ thepersonwritingthestory.• Butwhenitcomestothestoryofourlife,

o whenitcomestothetragediesandtrials§ ofday-todayliving,

o wearen’tsoconvinced§ thatwecantrulytrust

• theauthorofourstory!

• Theproblemisn’tthatwestrugglewithstories.o Welovestories.

• Theproblemisthatwestrugglewithunfinishedstories!o Andourpersonalstory

§ isastoryofunresolvedtensions• anduncertainendings.

• Wedon’tknowtheendofourstory,o andthatbothersus

§ becauseeachofushaslongsince• comefacetofacewithreality

§ andeachofushasknown• enoughdisappointmentsanddefeats

o totemperourexpectations.o Ourfaithbecomesjaded

§ byourexperienceo andourhopesaresomewhatlessened

§ byourdoubtsandourfears,o andtheuncertaintyoflife

§ robsusofthejoyofthejourney• aslifehitsuswithunexpectedchallenges.

• Troubleandtrialo seemtobeourconstantcompanions

§ anditseemsasifourstoryisalways• onthevergeofendingindisaster.

• Becausewejustaren’tsureo thatwecantrust

§ theunseenhandoftheauthor.TheAuthor

• Icometothispulpittonight,o undertheanointingofGod,

§ toremindyouthatyou• Whotheauthoris.

o WhenyougaveyourlifetoJesus,§ whenyoukneltatanaltar

• andsurrenderedeverythingtohim,§ yourelinquishedcontrolofyourstory



• totheonethatthewriterofHebrewscalled• “theauthrandfinisherofourfaith.”•

• Ithinkitstimeyoustoppedo andconsideredtheauthortonight!

• Hedoesn’twritebadendings!o Hemakesallthingsworktogetherforgood.

§ HealwayscausesustotriumphinChristJesus.o Hemakesus,notjustconquerors,

§ butmorethanconquerors,• morethanovercomers.

• Hedoesn’tjustpromiseo thatwearegoingtocomeout

§ ontheotherside,o hepromisesthatwhenwe

§ emergefromthevalley• wewillbethevictor,

o hepromisesthatwhenwe§ comethroughthetrial,

• whatevertheoutcome,o wewillhavebeentriumphant.

• Hedoesn’tpromiseo thattherewon’tbeheartache,

§ hedoesn’tpromise• thattherewillneverbebadnews,

o hisisnotthefalseassurance§ thatthestorywillalwaysbepleasant

• andfreefrommomentscrisisanddoubt,o buthepromisesus

§ thatifwekeepourtrustinhim,• ifcontinuetodowhatweknowtodo,

o Heisgoingtobringusthrough.• Letmetellyousomething

o abouttheauthorofyourstory,§ hewritesstoriesworthtelling

• andifyouwilltrusthimwithyourstory,§ hewillwritetheperfectstoryforyourlife.

• Jesusisnotjusttheauthorofyourstory,

o he’sfinisherofyourfaith.§ He’sneverwrittenanunfinishedstory.

o Youmaynotbeable§ toseetheendfromwhereyouare,

o youmaynotbeable§ toimagineafavorableoutcome



• toyourstory,o butthat’snotyourjob.

o Hewritestheendings,§ hefinishesthestory,

• hebringsallthingstopasso accordingtothepowerofhisword.

• Listentome,becausethisiswhatGodtoldme

o totellsomebodyinthisplacetonight,§ yourstoryisn’tfinished.

• Godisn’tdonewithyourstoryyet!o Heisn’tfinishedwithyourlife.

• Youmaythink,youknowtheending,o youmaythinkthatyouhaveitallfiguredout,

§ youmayhaveresignedyourself• toacertainoutcome,

o butuntilyoudrawyourlastbreath§ youneedtounderstand

• thatyouareinthemiddleo ofanunfinishedstory.

• Don’tyoudareputaperiodo whereGodisgettingreadytowriteanotherparagraph.

• Don’tyoudarefallintothefatalistictrapo ofbelievingthattheoutcomeissettled.

§ It’snotoveruntilitsover• andaslongastheauthor

o stillhasthepeninhishands,§ yourstoryisn’tover!

Moses

• Thinkaboutitforminute.• MosesmesseduptheplanofGodforhislife.

Hewassupposedtobethedeliverer,o hewassupposedtobetheone

§ tosethispeoplefreeo buthegotaheadofGod,

§ hetriedtodoitonhisown,• inhisownway,

o and,insteadofadeliverer,§ hebecameamurder

• andafugitivefromthelaw.• Forcedtorunforhislife

o hefoundhimselfinMidian,§ marriedandraisingafamily

• asastrangerinastrangeland.



• Hisfallwasdramatic.o Hewentfromtheking’spalace

§ tokeepingsheep• onthebacksideofthedesert.

o I’mnotsurewherethebacksideofthedesertis§ butI’mprettycertainthatisadescription

• thatisintendedtoconveyo thekindofplacewherenoonegoesonpurpose

§ andwherethosewhofindthemselvesthere• areforevertrapped,

o alandofforgottendreams§ andbrokenpromises.

• Itwasthere,onthebacksideofnowhere,

o thatMosesfoundhimselfsettling§ forsomethinglessthanhisdream,

• sellinghimselfshorto ofthepurposeandreasonforhislife.

• Butsomehowhemadepeacewiththatfact,o afterall,hegotherebyhisownhand,

§ itwashisfault,• hebroughtitonhimself.

o Hewastheonewhomade§ theterribletragicmistake

• thatbanishedhimtothisnomadiclifestyle.• And,fornolessthan40years,

o alifetime,§ helivedintheshadowofhismistake.

o Hetoiledinhotsun,§ watchinghisfather-in-law’ssheep

• withnocompanyatallo exceptthehauntingquestions

§ ofwhatcouldhavebeen.• I’mreasonablycertain

o that,bythetimeMoseshadlivedinMidian§ for40longyears,

• thestorywasallbutovero asfarashewasconcerned.

• I’mreasonablycertaino thatthelastpersonthateverexpected

§ adivine,life-changingencounterwithGod• wasMosesatMidian.

• ButIwantyoutolisten

o towhatI’mabouttotellyou,



§ Godwasn’tfinishedwithMosesyet!• Asamatteroffact,Godwasn’teven

o goodandstartedwithMosesyet!• Don’tmakethemistakeofassuming

o thatyourfailuresinvalidateyou§ orthatyourstoryhastobeover

• becauseoftheyearso you’vespentinthewilderness.

• Listentothispreachertonight.o Aslongasthereisbreathinyourbody,

§ yourstoryisn’tfinishedyet.• Don’tpresumethatyouknow

o theendofthestory.§ Don’tpresumethatyourfailures

• dictatethelimitsofGod’sgrace.o Godsentmetothispulpittonight

§ toremindsomeone,• you’reinthemiddle

o ofanunfinishedstory!Joseph

• Josephsstorywascompletelydifferent,o butnolessdisappointing.

• Hisstorywasutterlysidetrackedo throughnofaultofhisown.

• Hewasbetrayedbyhisdreams,o abandonedbyhisbrethren

§ andcondemnedtolifeinforeigncountry• amongforeignpeople.

• Hisisastorywithdramaticupsanddowns.o Hegoesfromdefeattosuccess

§ onlytofallagaintothedepthsofprison.• ButeventhenthehandofGodexaltshim

o andherisesfromthelowestoflows§ tothehighestofhighs

• andfindshimselfsecondonlytoPharaoho inallthelandofEgypt.

• Assatisfyingasthatshouldhavebeen,

o asrewardingashisnewfound§ wealthandpositionshouldhavebeentohim.

• ItwasaheartbrokenJosepho thatresignedhimselftolivingouthisdays

§ inthelandofEgypt,• astrangerfromhisfather’shousehold.



• Nodoubt,hehadlongsincegivenupo onthedreams,

§ nodoubthehadlongsinceresolved• thatthiswasalltherewouldeverbe

o tohisstory.• Canyouimaginehissurprise

o whenhisbrothersappearedbeforehim?• Heneverexpectedthat,

o itwasreunionthathelonggivenupon.§ Itwasthefulfillmentofpropheticdream

• thathehadprobablydonehisbesttoforget.• Godwasn’tfinishedwithJosephyet.

o I’vecometotellsomebodyintheplace§ nottoletyourbitterness

• ordisappointmentso dictatetheendofyourstoryforyou.

• You’vebeenwounded,o you’vebeenhurt,

§ you’vesufferedthepainfulwound• thatisreceivedinthehouseofafriend,

o butlistentowhatI’mtellingyou,§ yourstoryisn’tfinishedyet!

• Godisn’tdonewithyouyet!David

• DavidwasamanafterGod’sownheart.o Theshepherdboybecameawarrior

§ andGodusedhimtoaccomplish• greatandmightythings.

o Butovertimethewarriorbecameaking.§ Davidwasamuchbetterwarrior

• thanheeverwasaking.• Asakinghebecamealittlelax

o inhisownpersonaldevotions.§ Asakinghebecamealittleintoxicated

• withhispowerandposition.§ Asakinghedecidedtoletothersdothefighting

• whilehedidkinglystuffo backatthepalace.

• Itwashisownfault

o thathewasonthatroof§ whereheshouldn’thavebeen,

• duringanhourofthedayo whenheknewwhathewouldsee.



• Itwaslustthatcompelledhimo totakeanotherman’swife.

• Heneverintendedforthepregnancytohappen,o buthecertainlyintended

§ tohidewhathehaddone.• Itwasacruel,conniving,guiltyking

o thatfinallyhadafaithfulsoldier§ carryhisowndeathwarrant

• backtothefieldofbattle.• Thesingingshepherd,

o themightywarrior,§ hadbecomeamurderousking.

• TheprophetofGodwouldconfronthim

o andstickhisbonyfingerinhisface§ anddeclaretohim,

• David,youaretheman!• Youhavecommittedthisterribleatrocity,

o you,whohavesomuch,§ havetakenfromhimwhohadsolittle.

• David’sfailurewastremendous.o ButIamamazedeverytime

§ IlookbackoverthelineageofJesus,• howthatGodpurposefullygrafted

o David’ssinwithBathsheba§ intothelineageofJesusChrist.

o Ihavenodoubt§ that,whenDavidsteppedonthatrooftop,

• hesteppedoutsideofthewillo andpurposeofGod,

§ however,somehow,withinhisdivineprovidence,• Godmadeaprovisionwithinhiswillf

o orthatmistaketoendup§ inthelineageoftheMessiah.

• Youmayfeellikeyou’vemessedupsobad

o thatyourstoryhastoend§ intragedyanddefeat,

• butlistentothispreacheronaSundayevening.o IfGodcantakeDavid’sgreatfailing

§ andgraftitintothelineageoftheMessiah,• theLambwhowasslain

o fromthefoundationsoftheworld,§ thenyouneedtounderstandtonight

• thatyourfailings



o andyourshortcomings§ arenothingthatGodcannotovercome.

TheEndFromTheBeginning

• Thescripturesayso thatHeknowstheendingfromthebeginning.

§ Godknewyourfaultsandflaws• beforeheevercalledyou.

§ Heknewyourpropensity• tofollowafteryourflesh

o andabandonyourfaith§ beforeheeverfilledyouwithhisspirit.

• Heknewexactlyhowyouwouldmessup,o beforeyouevermadethefirstmistake.

• Whenyourfaithwasfresh,o whenyourheartwasonfire,

§ whenallthiswasbrandnew,• heknewyouwouldstruggle,

o heknewyouwouldstumble,§ heknewtheverymistakes

• thatyouwouldmake.• ButifHecanlook

o throughtheeonsoftime§ andseeanadulterousaffair

• betweenDavidandBathsheba§ anddeterminetobring

• thelineageofthemessiaho throughSolomon,

§ thesonofthatunion,§ thenyouneedtounderstand

• thathismercyhasalreadyo madeprovisionforyourmistake!

• Yourfailuremayhavesurprisedyou,

o itmayhavebeensomething§ thatyouneveranticipated,

• butGodwasn’tshocked.• Heknew

o beforeheeverfilledyouwithhisspirit§ thatyouwouldneed

• topraybackthroughagain,o andagain

§ andyetagain.• Listentome,

o fromtheverybeginning,



§ heknewalltherewastoknowaboutyou• andhestillwroteaperfectending

o foryourlife§ andnothingthatyouhavedone

• betweenthenandnowo hastakenhimbysurprise.

• Somebodyneedstohearmetonight,

o yourlifeisnottheproductofrandomchance§ andyourstorydoesn’thavetobedefined

• byyourlitanyoffailures.• Godhasapurposeforyourlife.

o Heisyourcreator§ andyouarehiscreation.

o Youwereintentionallymade§ andyourlifeisabeautifulstory

• ofgraceandmercyo thatheisjustwaitingtoreveal

§ tothewholeworld!

• Don’tjudgeyourstoryo bywhereyouarerightnow.

• Don’tjudgeyourstoryo bywhathasalreadyhappenedinit.

• Listentoyourpastortonight,o youareinthemiddleofanunfinishedstory

§ andtheoutcomeisnotdetermined• bywhathasalreadyoccurred.

• Iusedtolistentoalotoftalkradioo andthevariouspreciousmetaldealers

§ wouldruntheiradsontalkradio.• Everyadendedwiththesamedisclosure:

o Pastresultsarenotindicativeoffuturereturns.§ Ifyouaregoingtotradeonfutures,ofanykind,

• youcanstudythedataofpastresultso allyouwantto

• butyoubetterlearno totemperyourexpectations

§ withtheknowledge• thatwhathappenedinthepast

o hasnopowertodefine§ whatwillhappeninthefuture!

• Itishightimethatwerealized,

o whendealingwithourownlives



§ thatpastresults• donothavetodictatefutureevents!

• Youdon’thavetostayinthecycleo you’vebeenstuckin.

§ Youdon’thavetokeeprepeating• yourpastmistakes.

• Youdon’thavetoliveundertheshadowo ofagenerationalcurse.

§ Youdon’thavetoalwaysbe• whatyouhavealwaysbeen.

• Youneedtorealizeo thattheendingdoesn’thavetobe

§ definedbythewayyoubegan!• Itistimetorecognize

o thatyourstoryisn’toveryet§ andletyourendingbewritten

• bytheauthorandfinisherofyourfaith.CLOSE:RunTheRace

• PaulenvisionstheChristianlifeo asaracethatisrun

§ inthepursuitofaneternalcrown.• And,ashecontemplates

o theramificationsofthatcomparison,§ heencourageshisreaders

• torunwithpatienceo theracethatissetbeforethem.

• Therunnerdoesn’tdeterminethecourse.o Therunnerdoesn’tchoosetheroute.

• Therunnerhastodealo withthehighsandthelows,

§ theupsandthedowns• astheyoccuralongtheway.

§ Hehasnopoweroverthecourse.o Theonlythingthathehaspowerover

§ ishisownsenseofdetermination• tofinishtherace.

• That’swhatPaulisreferencingo whenhesaystorunwithpatience.

§ Thewordpatience,there,meansendurance.• Thisisanendurancerace,

o notashortsprint.§ Thisisaracetotheend

• andtheprizedoesn’tnecessarilygoo tothefastest,



o orthemosttalented,• theprizegoestotheones

o whoenduretotheend.

• Withthatencouragementinmind,o PaultellsustolookuponJesus,

§ tofixoureyesonhim• thewaythatarunnerfocuses

o onthedestination,§ andrecognize

• thatHeistheauthoro andthefinisherofourfaith!

• WhatPaulissayingo isthatweneedtorealize

§ thatthisrace,isanunfinishedstory…• Yourlifeisanunfinishedstory…

o Thecircumstancesunfoldingrightnow§ arenottheendofyourstory…

• ThechallengeistokeepoureyesandJesus,

o nottopassjudgment§ onanunfinishedstory,

o buttokeeprunning,§ keepbelieving,

• keeptrustinghimo andlethimwritetheending!

§ Becausehewritesastoryworthtelling!

• Letmechallengeyoutonight,o Toputyourstory

§ backintothehandsoftheone• whoistheauthorandthefinisherofyourfaith!

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