Cries From The Cross - The Cry Of Victory Series

Reading: John chapter 19 verse 30

In this series of studies:

• We are considering the seven statements of Jesus from the cross:

• These statements are very important to us:

• Not only because of the Person who spoke them;

• But, also because of the place where they were said.

• Remember the context that these great words were spoken in;

• It was when our Jesus was doing His greatest work on earth,

Quote:

“These seven last words from the cross are windows that enable us to look into eternity and see the heart of God.”

• This morning we are looking at the sixth statement that Jesus made on the cross;

• “It is finished!”

• Our last two studies have been occupied with the tragedy of the cross;

• Today we shall see the triumph of the cross.

Quote: A.W. Pink:

“In his words “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” we heard the saviours cry of desolation.

In his words “I thirst” we listened to his cry of lamentation; now there falls upon our ears his cry of jubilation – “it is finished”.

From the words of the victim we now turn to the words of the victor.”

When you read the Gospel records concerning the death of Jesus Christ:

• You discover that the last words of Jesus were not whispered;

• Or even the quietly spoken murmurings of a man about to do.

• In fact the very opposite is true, we read words like these:

• ‘With a loud shout’ or ‘in a loud voice’ or ‘Jesus cried out’.

Note:

• Each of the four gospels record for us how Jesus spoke;

• He did not mummer or mutter his words in fact the opposite, he spoke up loud and clear;

Ill:

• Matthew writes (chapter 27 verse 50):

• “When Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit”.

• Mark writes (chapter 15 verse 37):

• With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last”.

• Luke writes:

• Jesus called out with a loud voice…..”.

Matthew, Mark and Luke:

• Tell us the way in which Jesus spoke; “In a loud voice”.

• John alone tells us what Jesus said “It is finished”.

• Remember John was the eye-witness who stood at the cross and so he heard it himself!

• And recorded these important words of Jesus.

• He did not say, "I am finished." This was not a cry of defeat;

• Instead it was a shout of victory! "It is finished!"

• Jesus was not referring to himself;

• But rather to the work that he was accomplishing on the cross.

Though Jesus ended His earthly days with distress and trauma:

• He would die with the satisfaction of knowing

• That the purpose for His coming had been successfully fulfilled.

Ill:

• In the Greek language in which John wrote,

• This statement is one ten lettered word: ‘tet-el-est-ai’.

• Translated into English as three words, it simply means;

• It is finished, it stands finished, and it always will be finished."

Quote: The nineteenth-century preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon said:

“That this one word…..would need all the other words that were ever spoken, or ever can be spoken, to explain it…..It is altogether immeasurable. It is high; I cannot attain to it. It is deep; I cannot fathom it."

• Well if the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon couldn’t adequately explain this word;

• I’ve got no-chance!

• So although this morning we will only scratch the surface of its meaning;

• I think we will find enough there to help us appreciate what Christ achieved.

(1). A familiar word:

(a). A word used by Servants.

• Servants and the slaves used this word.

• A master would tell his servant to go do something,

• And when the servant had completed the task, he would come back and say,

• "Tet-el-est-ai - I have finished the work that you gave me to do."

Jesus - Gods perfect servant:

• The Lord Jesus Christ was God’s suffering servant.

• Philippians 2 informs us that Jesus Christ came as a servant.

“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.”

• When Jesus entered our world He did not come as a sovereign but as a servant,

• Not as a ruler but as a slave.

• And every slave or servant has work to do.

• So too with Jesus!

Ill:

Turn with me to Luke chapter 2 verses 41-49:

• When Jesus was aged twelve He was separated from his family;