It Is Finished

It Is Finished

Grace Baptist Easter Service 2023

Pastor Brad Stone

A man, his wife, and his cranky mother-in-law went on vacation to the Holy Land. While they were there, the mother-in-law passed away.

The undertaker told them, “You can have her shipped home for $5,000, or you can bury her here in the Holy Land for $150”.

The man thought about it for a while and told the undertaker he would just have her shipped home.

The undertaker asked, “Why…. why would you spend $5,000 to ship your mother-in-law home when it would be wonderful to be buried here and spend only $150?”

The man said, “A man died here about 2000 years ago. He was buried here and three days later, he rose from the dead.”

“I just can’t take that chance.”

Text Scripture: John 19:30

Because of what Christ did on the Cross, there are three things that are finished for humanity. Because of what He did, the price He paid and the fact that we celebrate His resurrection today, we can rejoice in the fact that these things are completed for you and I today.

I. Mankind’s separation from God

Genesis 3:23-24

23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

As a result of humanity’s choice to disobey God, they were separated from God’s presence.

Prior to this disobedience, Adam & Eve enjoyed the privilege of having personal time with God each day.

Genesis 3:8

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

They walked with God in the garden. They talked with Him in the garden. Each day, they had the chance to spend time with God and their choice separated them from this. As they were removed from the garden, they were at the same moment separated from God & His presence as a result of their sin.

God cannot and will not associate with sin. Habakkuk reminds us that God’s eyes are purer than iniquity. (Hab 1:13 “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:...”) The Psalmist reminds us that God will not approve of sin. (Psalm 5:4-5 “4For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

Because of these attributes of God, He had to drive Adam and Eve out of His presence. Their choice to partake in what God forbid them to do caused a permanent separation from God’s presence that could not be undone without a sacrifice.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. (Heb. 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”)

For years, this was done through the sacrifice of animals but God knew all along something better - something perfect and complete must happen. (Hebrews 10:4 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”)

We see that when Christ gave up His life on the Cross, the separation of humanity from God was finished.

Secondly:

II. Spiritual Death

James 1:15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Sin produces death.

We all will spend eternity in one of two places. The choice lies with us as to where we will spend our eternity. We can choose life or we can choose death.

Deut. 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

We can choose to live a life of sin and suffer an eternal death or we can choose to serve God and enjoy eternal life.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Because of what Christ did on the Cross, spiritual death ended.

I Cor. 15:54-57 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.