It Is Finished

TITLE: IT IS FINISHED

SCRIPTURE: ST. JOHN 19:30a

I want to use the “A-CLAUSE” of this very familiar text this morning as I bring my first sermon of this New Year. I want to place my focus upon the words spoken by Jesus, however; our attention will be on the IMAGERY OF THE VERSE WITHOUT DIRECT REGARD TO ITS CONTEXT. Want to thank Rev. Frank W. Lawson, Sr. for delivering such a powerful sermon last week on the first day and first Sunday of this New Year. He provided us with the focus that we need as we embark upon another journey together in the year 2012.

So here we are, at the second Sunday of 2012. I wonder how we’ll do this Year? Will we be as busy? Will we make any better use of our time? In 357 days, when this year is over, will we be looking back with JOY, or with REGRET? Will we be looking at the future with ANTICIPATION, or with DREAD?

To answer these questions, I will continue to build upon the PATH that Rev. Lawson began to lay on last week. I call your attention to the word spoken by Jesus – FINISHED. Finishing! This is one of the HARDEST THINGS FOR MAN TO DO. Man is a great starter, we are quick to embark upon things that need to be done but lack the strength many times to carry it through. Man though his intentions are TRUE and SINCERE lacks the ability to finish what he starts. MAX LUCADO - states that, “Our Human tendency is to quit too soon our human tendency is to stop before we get to the finish-line.”

I know that we don’t like to admit it but our inability to finish what we start is seen in the smallest of things like:

• A partly mowed lawn

• A half read book

• A letter begun but never completed

• An abandoned diet

• A car up on blocks

• Or it shows up in the most painful of areas: like an abandoned child

• A cold faith

• A job hopper

• A wrecked marriage

• An Unevangelized world

As we begin the initial stages of this year we need to have a CLEAR FOCUS as to where we are heading. In our life we are TEMPTED TO QUIT so many times because of the odds and enemies that have come to STOP OUR SUCCESS in God. We have allowed too many OBSTACLES to hinder our SUCCESS. I believe that too many of us are here this morning and feel like QUITTING - remember that JESUS WAS TEMPTED in every point as we are - yet without quitting! He felt like quitting but pressed to victory. It is Finished is not a cry of defeat but a cry of RELIEF – VICTORY – FULFILLMENT.

We have played right into the hands of the Adversary. ST. JOHN 10:10 “THE THEIF COMETH NOT, BUT FOR TO STEAL AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY: I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.” We get defeated in the “a-clause” of this verse and never make it to what God has in store for us which is an Abundant life. We were defeated by the devil last Year:

• Stole somebody’s Joy Last Year

• Killed someone’s Dreams and Desires Last Year

• Destroyed someone’s Destiny and Goals Last Year

How many of us this morning NEED A NEW START DURING THIS NEW YEAR? Many of us here have made many MISTAKES along the way in our lives as Christians. We have experienced many SETBACKS and FAILURES during last year. We allowed the devil to Fool us – to Trick us and Defeat us. We have allowed some of our failures from last year to ENSLAVE US to the point that we never enjoy the full Christian life that God has given us to enjoy.

Here is a NEWS FLASH - The Devil will REMIND US OF OUR PAST in order to keep us from enjoying the life that God gave us to live. The Devil does not want you to have a fresh start in this New Year. Made sure you did not Finish Last Year Strong, therefore; cannot start this Year on a High Note. That’s why he continues to remind you of all that you did wrong last year so you will START RIGHT AND FINISH WRONG.

• We can’t get a breakthrough on Sunday Mornings because of the Past

• We can’t shout on Sunday Mornings because of the Past

• We can’t even Wave our Hand because all we see is our Past

• We can’t even smile most Sunday Mornings because of the Past

• We can’t get into the message on Sunday Mornings because of the Past