Go! And… Live In The Power Of "It Is Finished!” - John 19:30 Series

Go! And… Live in the Power of “It Is Finished!” - John 19:30

John 19:30 – New Living Translation

Introduction: The Cry That Changed Everything

John 19:30 (NLT): “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.”

Church, imagine for a moment the weight of those words: “It is finished!” In Greek, it is one single, explosive word: ?et??esta? (Tetelestai). A word that echoes through eternity, a word that speaks of victory, not defeat. It was not a whisper of surrender—it was a shout of triumph!

This cry was not a sigh of relief from a man at the end of his strength; it was the royal declaration of the King of kings, proclaiming that the mission was complete, the debt paid, the way made open for sinners to be reconciled to God.

1. The Completion of the Mission (John 19:30)

The Greek word Tetelestai means “it has been accomplished, paid in full, brought to its intended goal.” In the marketplace of the ancient world, it was stamped on receipts to declare, “Paid in full.” On the battlefield, it was the victory cry: “The mission is accomplished!”

From the very beginning of Scripture, God promised a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). Every prophecy, every sacrifice, every shadow in the Old Testament pointed to this moment. Christ’s cry of “It is finished!” means the plan of redemption that began in Eden reached its climax at Calvary.

Charles Stanley once said, “The cross is the perfect, complete, and final payment for sin. There is nothing you can add to it and nothing you can take away from it.”

This is so true—many in our day think salvation is a ladder they must climb, a list they must tick, or a weight they must carry. But Christ’s cry demolishes all human striving. We cannot add to a finished work.

How many of us live as if the work is still unfinished? We strive for acceptance. We punish ourselves for sins already forgiven. But church, the gospel is not “try harder”—it is “trust fully.” When Jesus said Tetelestai, He declared your sin debt cancelled—past, present, and future.

2. The Fulfilment of Prophecy (Luke 24:44–47)

Luke 24:44–47 (NLT): “Then he said, ‘When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, ‘Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.”’”

The cross was not an accident. It was the centrepiece of God’s plan from eternity past. Over 300 prophecies foretold the Messiah’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Isaiah wrote of Him being pierced (Isaiah 53:5). Psalm 22 describes the very crucifixion scene centuries before crucifixion even existed as a method of execution.

John Piper wrote, “The wisdom of God designed a plan for our salvation that would magnify His grace forever. The cross is that plan revealed.”

The fulfilment of prophecy magnifies the sovereignty of God and the reliability of His Word.

In an age of uncertainty—political unrest, moral confusion, personal suffering—we can anchor ourselves in this truth: God keeps His Word. The cross proves it. And if He fulfilled every promise in Christ’s first coming, He will keep every promise about His return.

3. The Payment for Sin (Colossians 2:13–14)

Colossians 2:13–14 (NLT): “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”

Sin is a debt. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” The law stood as a record of our failure. But on the cross, Jesus paid it all. The word Tetelestai was written across our spiritual debt ledger—Paid in full.

Max Lucado beautifully said, “The cross is the crowbar God used to pry open the doors of heaven.”

That means nothing now stands between you and God—no unpaid debt, no hidden guilt, no lingering shame—if you are in Christ.

Picture a prisoner on death row, the execution hour approaching. Suddenly the warden walks in, tearing up the death warrant: “The debt has been paid. You are free to go.” That’s the gospel! Christ did not just cancel your sentence—He took your place!

4. The Invitation to Believe (John 3:16–17)

John 3:16–17 (NLT): “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”