Preached by Apostle Andre Pelser

The Completed Works of Shakespeare includes all his written works: there are tragedies, comedies, songs and sonnets.

I love to read the great speeches in Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream. I have memorized some sonnets and still quote them: ‘love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove; oh no, it is an ever fixed mark that looks upon tempest and is never shaken. It is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown although his height be taken.'

I bought the completed works of Shakespeare in 1972 in a little bookstore in Springs, where my dad pastored his last Apostolic Faith Mission Church. The book has been my companion ever since. I often travel with my bible and the completed works of Shakespeare. There are such gems in Shakespeare. I often read it, quote it and refer to it.

How would your completed works read one day?

I have wonderful news for you: He who has begun a good work in you will complete it!

Paul says to the Corinthians, we are glad when we are weak and you are strong: in this we also pray for you that you may be complete! Even in his weakness the apostle prayed for them for comfort, unity, peace and love. Then he concludes his thought process by adding the doxology: now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all, amen.

Many churches quote that last verse in II Corinthians 13:9 as a ‘magic wand' at the end of a service as if everything will suddenly come right because they quoted it. It has a sanctimonious feel to it and sounds wonderfully religious. But if it is taken out of context we have no understanding regarding the practical outworking of that statement. We have to read the whole passage and know what our part is in receiving that wonderful blessing.

There has to be a participation in apostolic grace and we ought to operate in unity and peace as we enjoy the love of God to make us complete. The comfort comes because the apostle prayed it for the church. They are busy being made complete and he also commands them to become complete in Christ - only then will the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be a practical result.

Philippians 1:6 Paul tells the Philippians that he prayed for them so that more apostolic grace would be released in the fellowship of the Gospel. The Philippian church sponsored many of Paul's journeys and stood firm with him even when he was imprisoned. They were not ashamed of the apostle and they showed their fervent love by sending offerings to him, even when he didn't really need more support. Therefore he could be confident that ‘He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ', because they were partakers of the grace he received as an apostle to explain the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 2:10 tells us that the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ Jesus, bodily, and that we who believe are complete in Him. He is the head of all principality and power. Paul warns us to watch out that no one cheats us through philosophy of empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. They plunder people and take them captive by their vain philosophy and religious tradtions. People think they are serving God when they are simply serving man-made systems. This is often the case with various church growth systems too: they live and practice a system and not the LIFE OF CHRIST. They say things like, ‘here we live, eat and sleep church growth!' Christ is not at the centre.

There is a true north and there is a magnetic north. The old ship captains had to navigate the true north from the magnetic north that was slightly off to the left. It is so with many religious traditions - they seem to be right, but they will lead you astray. You have to calculate your way back to the truth.

II Timothy 3:17 says that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine and reproof, correction and instruction in right living, training and discipline that the man and woman of God may be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. That is why we preach the word and convince and rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching, because the time is here that people no longer want to hear the truth but they gather people to tickle their ears and to preach things they would like to hear.

Nola and I preached in a very prominent church in Gauteng, one of the largest churches in the country and when I mentioned the word ‘suffering' the elders were at me between meetings and told me very definitely: ‘our pastor will be very upset if you use words like suffering in our church. We are a positive faith church and we do not mention words like that in our meetings.' I told them to fetch their bibles. When they wanted to know why I said because I am going to tear out half of all your bibles. Needless to say we were never ever invited back although there were wonderful healings and deliverances that weekend. They do not believe in deliverance either. No prophecy is allowed either. They just speak positively and the whole church is involved in multi-level selling products. Yet the pastor has an international ministry among all the prominent ‘positive faith' churches around the world and those speakers frequent this church in South Africa.

Hebrews 13:21 reminds us that the God of Peace, the Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant makes us complete in every good work to do His will - working in us what is well pleasing in His sight through Christ Jesus to whom be glory forever and ever, amen.

The word ‘complete' in Greek is ‘pleroma' and it means, perfected, well-adjusted, properly fitted, to be made full, made plain and simple, to be whole, to have integrity and full understanding, to finish to bring to a conclusive end.

The picture behind the Greek word, ‘pleroma' is that of a full galley. There are enough oars and oarsmen, there is sufficient provision for the journey, the sails are