It Is Finished
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John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
The sixth word or phrase Jesus uttered from the cross, “It is finished”.
Jesus was intentional about everything he did. In Matt. 5:17 and I paraphrase, Jesus told them, Don’t think I came to destroy the law or the prophets, I didn’t come to destroy, I came to fulfill the law, and Christ was not leaving one minute before everything he came to do was done.
Jesus knew the Word of God, in fact he was the word, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
He knew what the prophets had foretold and he carefully fulfilled everything the prophets had said in the Old Testament. Those who would oppose him, his would be enemies had done their worst, yet, in the end Jesus would triumph.
When your enemies do their worst, can you keep your mind on what your task, or do you allow trials and tribulations, or circumstances and situations to distract you from what you’re supposed to be doing? Do you let people pull your focus from your assignment?
Little did his enemies know, they were all merely instruments, pawns in the hands of God to accomplish what needed to be done. The ultimate goal, the whole reason Jesus came was to reestablish what sin had destroyed. Jesus came to build a bridge to reconnect us to God the Father.
It is finished means Jesus completed his assignment.
He completed his assignment, but it wasn’t the end.
He completed his assignment, but he wasn’t through yet.
He completed his assignment, but it was just the beginning.
He completed his assignment, but the door wasn’t closed.
He completed his assignment, but that wasn’t the end the book.
You see, when Jesus completed his assignment it was an opportunity for a new beginning for you and me. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
How many like new stuff? You got your new Easter dress, your new Easter hat and your new suit. Make sure you wear the new shoes so you can break them in before Sunday.
But that’s not the new Jesus died for.
He died so you could have a new life, a life of love - love that’s unconditional, a love with no strings attached; a love with no expectations; a love freely given so that you can freely give; a love that causes you to love your neighbor as yourself. Are you giving love?
He died so you could have a new life, a life of peace - peace that surpasses all understanding. When all hell is breaking loose around you, you still have a smile on your face and a pep in your step because you know God has the final say. Do you have peace?
He died so you could have a new life, a life of contentment - Paul said to the Philippian church, “How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Are you content?
He died so you could have a new life, a life of joy - because the joy of the Lord is your strength. Are you living a life with unspeakable joy, full of glory?
He died so you could have a new life, a life of purity - so when you’re going through the fiery furnace, the fire that’s meant to bring the impurities to the surface so God can scoop them away, so when you’re tried in the fire, you can come through as pure gold and not be destroyed.
Don’t be discouraged, disgusted or dissuaded when fiery trials come, just know they only come to bring those character traits that should not be there to the surface so you can be who you were meant to be in Christ.
He died so you could have a new life, a life of holiness. “… you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
When Jesus completed his assignment, he gave us the chance to begin our assignment.
Do you know what your assignment is?
Have you spent time talking with the Lord in your Garden of Gethsemane?
Have you asked God what it is you’re supposed to be doing?
Have you said, Father Your will be done, not mine?
Have you realized that your body is not yours to do with as you please? - “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
Do you understand that you are to let your light shine, so people will see your good works and glorify the Father in heaven?
Do you realize that when Jesus completed his assignment, yours was just beginning?
When Jesus completed his assignment, he opened the door for you and for me.
Sin closed the door to life, because the cost for sin is death; but Jesus’ death paid the bill and now we can have life and life more abundantly
Sin separated, but Jesus’ death repaired the seam, he brought us back together with the Father
Sin destroyed, but Jesus’ death delivered.
Sin brought remorse, but Jesus’ death brought rejoicing. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
When Jesus completed his assignment, it was the completion of a chapter in the book, it wasn’t the end of the story.
Jesus knew what his assignment was,
He came through a virgin woman
he lived the life of a simple man
He learned the trade of his earthly father, he was a carpenter
at 30 he began his ministry
for three years he trained 12 men to carry on what he started, yet one of them betrayed him
he healed, he set free, he delivered, he forgave sin, he resurrected, he feed thousands, he taught, he loved, he challenged, he prayed, he provided, he walked in obedience.
And then, when his time had come, at the appointed time,
He went through the kangaroo court with its trumped up charges and false witnesses
He went through being slapped in the face
He went through having his beard plucked out
He went through being whipped with a cat of nine tails
He went through it all night
He went through the torture all night because he knew he was being wounded for our transgressions
He went through the torture all night because he knew he was being bruised for our iniquities
He went through the torture all night because he knew the chastisement of our peace was upon him
He went through the torture all night long because he knew with every stripe we were healed
At the appointed time they put a cross on his back, but in his humanness, with all he had been through he needed just a little bit of help.
Side note: we all need help sometimes and its ok, because even Jesus had help carrying the very instrument of his death.
At the appointed time they placed him on an old rugged cross
At the appointed time, they put nails in his hands
At the appointed time, the drove a nail through his feet
At the appointed time, they lifted him up from the earth and immediately he began to draw men unto him starting with the thief next to him on another cross.
At the appointed time, when our redemption and salvation was complete
At the appointed time, when he had done all he came to do
At the appointed time, when he had completed his assignment, it wasn’t a moment too late or a moment too soon
But at the appointed time he uttered a single word in the Greek, Tetélestai, translated It-Is-Finished.