It Is Finished Series

John 19:28-30

28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Introduction:

One Word:

In the original Greek language of John’s Gospel,

there is only one word for this final saying of Jesus

To translate it into English, we have to use three words

but when it was spoken, it was only one word, Tetelestai,

So much meaning, an ocean of meaning

In this single word, “Finished”

It needs so many more words to explain the context and meaning

of this one word, “Finished”

ONE WORD

And it so aptly captures the entire saving work of Christ

Its meaning is so great, I can’t do it justice here today

Its meaning is so deep, we cannot entirely understand it all

But I’m going to try…

1: “Finished”

Finished, It is Finished…

I want you to imagine the tone in which Jesus uttered this word,

-Do you think he said it dejectedly (say dejectedly)

-Do you think he said it with a sense of relief, as if he was glad that things were over (say with relief)

-Do you think it somehow barely uttered it out of his mouth as the final gasp and cry of someone defeated? (say it worn out)

-Do you think he was merely telling the crowd that that was it for him, death was at hand (say It’s over…)

Or, do you think this here is a punctuation mark, and a shout of victory? (say as a victorious shout!)

“Finished”

I believe it was a Victory Cry

I believe it was uttered with a loud voice.

There is nothing of anguish about it, there is no sorrow in it

It is the cry of One who has completed a tremendous task,

He knows death is near

He gives us the example death prayer of

“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,”

Then he shouts his life’s last expression in that one word, “Finished.”

I believe he was saying, “Mission Accomplished”

“Complete” “Done” “Finished” “Accomplished” “Victorious” “Conquered” - - and “We Won The Victory!”

2. Praise Him For It Is Finished

We should praise Him bc He finished it

He started it. And He finished it.

Think of how many things we start

And then think of how many things we finish

Treadmill Illustration here …

New Diets, Exercise Regimens… etc

And in life, we start out running like Champions

But soon we slack on the pace

And we fall exhausted on our Course

But God is not like us

He finished what he starts!

And we should praise Him for it

He finished His life work

It was a work He began as a child

In the Temple at the Age of 12, He told His earthly parents

I must be about my Father’s business

He knew there was task, work to be done

He persevered through the struggles

Persevered through the pains, was tempted in all ways like us

For 33 years

It cost Him effort, humility, blood, sweat and tears

And now it was going to cost His life

It said He was obedient, even unto the death of the Cross

He finished the Rescue Mission that he embarked on

No matter the stakes, He stood in the Gap

He stood in our Place, Suffered on our Behalf

And He Finished what He came to do!

He finished exactly - EXACTLY - what He came to do

He left nothing unfinished

Even when we finish things, it never turns out EXACTLY

How we wanted it, does it?

There was no one who He meant to spend time with

That He failed to do

There was no one who He meant to call on

That He failed to do so

No one that He needed ministered to, needed healing

But ran out of time

No sermon that needed preached, that He didn’t preach

No prophecy that needed fulfilled, that wasn’t

Nothing that He just slopped over

Nothing that He put a 50% effort into

Nothing done in a careless manner

He Finished EXACTLY what He came to do

Illustration: Workmanship Illustration here

Man’s Workmanship is many times flawed

You may like something

But you open it up… Upon further examination

And the inside is flawed

Or it doesn’t last very long

Something about the construction breaks down

But if you examine the Master’s work right through,

If you begin at Bethlehem and go on to Golgotha,

You can look magnify and study out every portion of it,