Embracing The Finished Work Of Jesus Christ Series

Sermon Embracing the Finished Word of Jesus Christ

Scripture: John 19:28-30 “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Introduction: There were seven statements from the lips of Jesus that Good Friday. Every person there witnessed agony and the tragedy of the cross; then they heard a word of triumph. "It is finished." The ancient Greeks boasted of being able to say much in little. "It is finished." This phrase is a single word in the Greek language yet there so much wrapped up in it. Here is the greatest single Greek word ever spoken. "It is finished." This was not the despairing cry of a helpless martyr; it is the declaration on the part of the divine Redeemer that all for which he came from heaven to earth to do, was finished. The great purpose of God in the history of man was now accomplished. "It is finished."

It is always important to stop and remember the passion of Christ. Why so much suffering? Why so much pain? Why do we have to look at it? The depth of His suffering shows us the price tag of sin, the extravagance of God’s love for us, the cost of reconciliation, shows all Jesus was willing to do to be a faithful high priest on our behalf, and serves as an example for those who must suffer for righteousness sake.

What was finished? The one Greek Word used is TETELESTAI (te te lest tay i) it means it is finished, it is accomplished, it is completed, it is done! This is not a cry of defeat; it is a shout of victory! It means the work is finished and will always be finished. First, the fulfilment of the prophetic Scriptures.

1. The Prophetic Scriptures Concerning Him Were Fulfilled– Jesus Christ fulfilled of all the prophecies which had been written of Him from his birth until his death. This is the immediate thought of the text: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished" (John 19:30). Centuries earlier, the Old Testament prophets of God had prophesied many things about Him. It had been prophesied that He would be born of a "virgin" (Isa. 7:14): it was literally fulfilled (Matthew 1:18). It was prophesied that He should be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Mic. 5:2); it came to pass as it was foretold. Prophecy made mention of one going before Christ to make ready the way (Malachi 3:1); it is fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist. Prophecy announced that his person should be despised (Isa. 53:3); that He should be rejected by the Jews (Isa. 8:14); such was precisely the case. Prophecy painted the whole picture of His life, humiliation and crucifixion; it was powerfully accomplished that person must consider the evidence. There was the betrayal by a familiar friend, the forsaking by his cherished disciples, the being led to the slaughter, the being taken to judgment, the appearing of false witnesses against him, the refusal on his part to make defense, the unjust condemnation, the sentence of capital punishment passed upon him, the literal piercing of his hands and feet, the being numbered with transgressors, the mockery of the crowd, the casting lots for his garments - all predicted centuries beforehand, and all fulfilled to the very letter. The last prophecy of all which remained before He committed His spirit into the hands of His Father had now been fulfilled. He cried "I thirst" and after the tendering of the vinegar and gall all was now "accomplished"; and as the Lord Jesus reviewed the entire scope of the prophetic word and saw its full realization, He cried, "It is finished." Just as we see the actual fulfillment of those which had to do with His first coming to the earth, so we may look forward with absolute confidence and assurance to the fulfillment of those which have to do with His second coming. More than 700 prophecies were fulfilled to the letter.

2. The Personal Suffering Endured For Our Sin was Over. The indescribable anguish: physically, mentally, and spiritually which He endured for our sin was over. His days of being "the Man of Sorrows” were over. Sufferings at the hands of men, at the hands of Satan, and in the hands of God were over. Pain inflicted upon him by enemies and friends alike were over. Jesus began his ministry the cross in view. At the marriage-feast of Cana, surrounded by gladness and merriment, He makes solemn reference to the cross saying, “His hour" not yet come. When Nicodemus interviewed him at night the Savior referred to cross saying, the Son of man must be lifted up. When James and John came to request from him the two places of honor in his coming kingdom, he made mention of cross again, calling it, “the cup" which he had to drink.