It Is Finished Series

It Is Finished

CCCAG December 16th, 2018

Scripture- John 19-20

John 19:30- It is Finished

Some of you might remember this event from the news.

On May 1st, 2003 a Navy S3 Viking aircraft started its final approach to land on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. That’s not unusual as normally this aircraft is used to detect and destroy enemy submarines that might be approaching the carrier group. However, on this day it had a special designation, and that was Navy One because it carried the president of the United States which at that time was George W Bush.

President Bush was landing on the aircraft carrier to congratulate them on returning from the Persian Gulf where they had participated in the longest deployment of any aircraft carrier ever, in this case supporting the Iraq war. Many of us remember the banner that flew above President Bush as he gave a speech that said mission accomplished. It was on that day that President Bush said that all major military operations had ceased in the nation of Iraq.

Although traditional ground operations had indeed ceased by that day, now began a protracted insurgency that led to urban combat and a guerrilla war against US and coalition troops.

There is a miscalculation on the part of that president's administration on how the Middle East would react to the fall of Iraq and its dictator Saddam Hussein.

The bible records a similar statement in John 19:30 in Jesus saying “It is finished”- it was HIS mission accomplished statement, but this time it turned out to be absolutely true.

Today we're going to look at what Jesus meant by saying it is finished.

Let’s start out with Prayer

Prayer

This morning we are going to look at several questions that will help us understand the implications of Jesus’ statement of victory from the cross in saying “It is Finished”.

The first question we would ask is-

I. Who was Jesus speaking to?

In order to understand exactly what Jesus was saying we have to first determine who he was speaking to. I believe that every word that Jesus spoke and specially those words he spoke from the cross were very intentional and specific as to their meaning and who he was speaking to.

So I would submit to you today that the first and primary person he is speaking to at this point is

A. The Father

Those three words, “It is finished” come from one Greek word tetelestai.

During this time in history, the word tetelestai was a common word used by various people in everyday life. The primary way it was used was a servant in reporting to his or her master, “I have completed the work assigned to me”

If you were to look up the word in a Greek dictionary, the definition would be as Jesus used it- “It is finished” and depending on the tense it was used, it can also mean- it stands finished, and it always will be finished!”

These words specify not the end of Jesus’ life, but the completion of His task. The verb tense is perfect. “It is finished!” The purpose of His life has been completed, and the consequences of His work are enduring.

Any of us have been in the military knows that when we were given an order to do an assignment or a mission, we say yes Sir or yes ma'am and then do our best to go and follow those orders to completion. However, that is only one part of following that order. The second part of following in order is to report back to the person who gave you that order that it is finished.

That is the reason that Jesus uses this particular word in the Greek to express to his Father that his mission and work here on earth is done .

Jesus is saying “father it is finished, it stands finished, and it will always be finished!” There is nothing to add, there is no cleanup, and there is nothing left to do that will make this any better.

Jesus paid it all!

While Jesus was speaking primarily to the father, his words echo into the spiritual realm and were heard by a completely different audience and that was

B. The forces of darkness

I would imagine that if hell could throw a party, they were having a good time at this point. They think they have won the war. They are hanging a mission accomplished banner over the top of their meeting Hall. They actually believe what French philosopher Frederick Neichzie would declare 1800 years later that God is dead. If a fallen spiritual being can experience any amount of pleasure or joy they were experiencing it at that moment.

They are about to have a rude awakening when they learn that death has been swallowed up in victory.