His ‘it Is Finished’ Was Just The Beginning For Me

HIS ‘IT IS FINISHED’ WAS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR ME

Jn. 19:28-30

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Have you ever been “put out” or exasperated that you weren’t treated better in a situation? You got the ‘raw’ end of the deal?

2. There was a kid who felt like that. 8 year-old Timmy misbehaved badly and was sent to his room with no TV and no dessert.

3. As he said his evening prayers, he said, “Dear God, please don’t let Daddy & Mommy have any more kids. They don’t know how to treat the one they’ve already got!”

B. TEXT & THESIS

1. I want us to read about someone else who got the raw end of the deal.

2. 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” Jn. 19:28-30.

3. I want us to reflect on Jesus’ words, “It is finished.” We’ll see that when Jesus said “It is finished,” His ‘finishing’ was just the ‘beginning’ for you and Me.

I. WHAT “IT IS FINISHED” MEANT

A. JESUS’ O.T. WORK

1. Jesus’ sacrifice for sin was not an afterthought with God.

2. The Bible tells us the Jesus is the:

a. “Lamb slain from the foundations of the world” Rev. 13:8.

b. Those who would be redeemed were chosen and prepared for from the beginning of the universe (Mt. 25:34; Eph. 1:4).

3. Jesus could not come until the time was right, but He wasn’t idle.

4. WHO WAS IT WHO:

a. Appeared to Hagar (Gen. 16:7-14) in desert

b. Wrestled with Jacob, Gen. 31:11-13;

c. Appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Ex. 3:2-5;

d. Was worshipped by Joshua bf Jericho, Josh. 5:13-15;

e. Strove with Abraham over Sodom/Lot, Gen. 18:2-13;

f. With 3 Hebrews in fiery furnace, Dan. 3;

g. Spoke to Elijah at Mt. Horeb, 1 Kgs. 19:5-7;

h. Seen by Daniel suspended above river, Dan. 10:4?

5. THEY WERE PREINCARNATE MANIFESTATIONS OF JESUS CHRIST! He was busy preparing the nation of Israel for His coming!

B. THE N.T. WORK OF JESUS

1. Gal. 4:4 says, “When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son….”

2. When the stage was set, then came the great day of Incarnation, then His life and ministry were revealed.

3. At last Jesus hung on a Cross. His life ebbed away. He saw His end was near and His work for eternity was complete, so he cried, “It is finished!”

4. His body had been beaten for our sicknesses. His life had been lived without sin. The Father had laid the sins of the world on Him on the cross. He was surrendering to the death penalty, dying for our sins. His work of 1,000’s of years was finished.

5. At last He could cry – concerning man’s redemption – “It is finished!” This phrase is only one word in Greek, “tetelestai.” This word was often stamped on ancient tax documents and its meaning was “Paid in full!” He had finished the work of redemption.

C. DISARMED THE DEVIL

1. “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” Col. 2:15.

2. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He also meant it was finished for the devil!

3. Col. 2:15 clearly describes Jesus’ victory over the devil through/ by His Cross. The thing which seemed to disarm Jesus became the instrument of triumph, like the old jawbone Samson used to kill a 1,000 Philistines.

4. Carl Amerding recounted his experience of watching a wildcat at the zoo. “As I stood there,” he said, “an attendant entered the cage. He had nothing in his hands but a broom.

5. Carefully closing the door, he proceeded to sweep the floor of the cage. When he got to the corner where the wildcat was lying, he poked the animal with the broom. It let off a wild cry, stood and hissed, and at last moved to a different corner of the cage and lay back down.

6. Carl remarked to the attendant, “You are certainly a brave man!” “No, I’m not brave.” “Then the wildcat must be tamed.” “No, he ain’t tame.”

7 “The if you’re not brave and he’s not tame, I can’t understand why he doesn’t attack you.” The attendant chuckled and said, “Mister, he’s old – and he ain’t got no teeth anymore!” [Moody Monthly]

8. Church, Jesus has not only redeemed us, he’s disarmed the principalities and powers! 1 Cor. 2:8 says, “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Hallelujah!