It Is Finished
Good Friday Sermon
April 22, 2011
John 19:28-30 ESV After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Here in this passage, we have perhaps the most significant three words ever spoken in human history. “It is finished.”
About the only other three words that might compete for the title of the most significant three words are what we’ll remember on Sunday. He is risen.
But here, on Good Friday, we see one of the reasons we call this Good Friday. After all, how is the kind of torture Jesus endured good? How is the mocking and the cruel crucifixion of Jesus, something we can call good?
But these are the things that happened on that original Good Friday, and it’s good because of what Jesus said, just prior to giving up His spirit. It is finished.
What Jesus finished at that moment, just moments before He gave up His spirit and died, was scripture calls the atonement. What was finished at that moment was our redemption, the sacrifice required by a Holy God for the eternal forgiveness of sin.
Tonight, let’s think about the significance of these three words, and the deep, rich, amazing story of our salvation etched in those three words, spoken by Jesus from the cross as He died.
Here’s Jesus, the sinless One,having been through a day full of torture and abandonment. Torture including a flogging that made much of his body an open wound, even before he was nailed to the cross. Torture that included pressing a circle of thorns, mockingly called a crown, into his head.
Torture that included having heavy nails driven through his wrists and into his feet. Torture that included being raised up on a wooden crossbeam, and the full weight of his body hanging from those nails as they tore at his flesh. Torture that included being on public display as He suffered. Mocked and scorned as He hung on the cross died.
Abandoned by some of his closest disciples. And forsaken, even momentarily, by God the Father. All this - witnessed by many, including some of his followers and his own mother. A horrible scene – something out of a horror movie. Worse than we can imagine.
But the amazing thing is that this was all part of God’s plan. It was a plan made necessary by human sin and rebellion. It was a plan made possible by the amazing love and grace of our great God. It was a plan essential for our eternal life.
From before the beginning of time, God had a plan to save his human creatures from sin and death. We know this for many reasons, but not the least of the reasons we know this is because Jesus Himself told us so. Jesus said in:
John 10:17-18 (NASB95) "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
So, here we see that Jesus wasn’t in this alone. Jesus sacrificed Himself willingly. He said it was on His own initiative. But we also see it was in cooperation with God the Father. “This is the commandment I received from My Father.”
Oswald Chambers wrote The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.
With this critical understanding of the nature of this sacrifice, we can put to rest the false characterization some have made of the crucifixion. In denying what theologians call substitutionary atonement, some have said recently that this idea makes it sound as if Jesus is somehow protecting us from God. That is, they think this idea suggests that a nice Jesus saves us from a mean and cruel God.
Because of this wrong understanding, they throw the baby out with the bathwater, dismissing the whole idea of substitutionary atonement, despite the fact that it is clearly the dominant metaphor, in the many ways scripture presents the salvation story.
Yet, some Christian writers have labeled this understanding toxic, mis-representing what substitutionary atonement really is. A Christianity Today writer explains why this is a false understanding.
It separates the work of the Father from the Son, as if they have competing concerns—the Father with righteousness, the son with compassion. It sounds like the Son saves us from the Father! This is manifestly unbiblical, for Paul clearly says that "in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself" (2 Cor. 5:19). While we were sinners, God took action. God would not have come to us in Christ had he not already determined to reconcile with us. This is not the behavior of a God who stands aloof in a huff, waiting for propitiation before he'll have anything to do with us. Mark Galli
So, God the Father and God the Son are clearly together in the eternal plan of salvation. The apostles, who scattered, and then even denied Jesus prior to His crucifixion, eventually understood this, too. Peter, now forgiven by Jesus after his denial, and restored to his significant role as an apostle, spoke this to the crowds on the day of Pentecost:
Acts 2:22-25 (NASB95) "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. "But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
So, here we see that Jesus was delivered over to suffering and death, by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. The people who crucified Jesus were not left off the hook, as they were completely responsible for their actions, but ultimately, God was in charge. God had a plan. And Jesus willingly participated in that plan.
We’re told in the book of Revelation that Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. This means that since before the world was created, God knew His human creatures would fall. He knew that we would rebel against Him. He knew that the only way we could once more be reconciled to His holiness was through a perfect sacrifice. And He knew that only He Himself could provide the perfect sacrifice.
None of these things surprised God. So He had a plan. And the centerpiece of that plan was the redemption of our souls. And that plan made necessary the suffering and death of Jesus, the perfect God-man, God the Son, the One the Bible calls the Word made flesh, who dwelt among us. And that plan culminated on that cross on that first Good Friday.
Jesus knew God’s plan. He’d been a part of it since before time began. We even see this as He hung on the cross, His mouth and throat parched because of massive blood loss.
It tells us in John 19:28: Jesus, knowing that all was now finished. Even then, Jesus knew. And even then, ever-conscious of God’s eternal plan, much of which had been revealed centuries earlier through the prophets, Jesus fulfilled those prophecies.
He spoke the words from the cross: “I’m thirsty.” This relates to the prophetic nature of some of the Psalms, especially Psalm 22, which describes quite vividly the physical deterioration resulting from a crucifixion, including thirst.
At the time the Psalm was written, crucifixion hadn’t even been invented. We also see Jesus’ involvement in this eternal plan by the way He died. He first declared “it is finished.” Then, as it tells us in the other gospel accounts of the crucifixion, He says to God the Father, “into your hands I commit my spirit.”
In the gospel of John, it tells us “He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” Involved and in control throughout the process. Jesus, all along in His last days, knows what He is doing, and why He is doing it, because He was part of the plan from the beginning.
The night before He died, when Jesus was arrested, remember that Peter took out a sword and tried to fight. But what did Jesus say then?
John 18:11 (NIV) Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
Jesus knew that if He wanted to fight as Peter did, He could wield things much more powerful than the sword. He could have legions of angels at His disposal, and that would make Peter’s puny efforts to fight ridiculous by comparison. Jesus could have that kind of victory here. But He had His eye on a greater prize, so He willingly chose not to fight that kind of fight. Remember the verse we read a moment ago – Jesus talking about His life. He said “I lay it down on my own initiative.”
Between the Garden and the cross, Jesus met with Pilate. Remember what He said to Pilate, when Pilate tried to convince Jesus that he had power over Jesus’ life?
John 19:10-11 (NIV) "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.
Jesus knew God’s plan, because He was part of God’s plan – not as a victim, but as a willing and sacrificial participant. It’s interesting to consider that, on the surface, this all looks like a horrible defeat. “It is finished” could be interpreted differently, were it not for all these other factors we’re looking at tonight.
Here’s a man, who claimed to be God, bleeding to death on a cross. Honestly, that looks like a defeat. They mock Him and challenge Him to come down off the cross. And He doesn’t – so apparently, He can’t. At least, that’s what those witnessing the crucifixion of Jesus must have thought. The disciples had to be disappointed. At the very least, they had to be confused. This doesn’t look like a victory.
It doesn’t look like a victory in the Garden the night before, either. Jesus prays, essentially, “God, if I don’t have to go through this suffering, please don’t make me.” Then, in obedience, He adds, “not my will, but Yours.”
But the understanding of what He was facing caused Jesus to pray earnestly, and sweat drops of blood. That doesn’t seem like someone getting ready to celebrate.
And then, how about Jesus’ agonizing cry from the cross. “My God, why have you forsaken me?” Earlier in Jesus’ life, there was a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
But here – nothing. No voice from heaven. No rescuing angels. Just blood and suffering and abandonment and death.
When all we see are these facts, and if we take them at face value, we can understand why Peter in his writing called Jesus a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. We can begin to understand why the cross is such an offensive thing. We can understand why people then, and to this day, can come to the conclusion that this cannot be a king. This is not a victory. We don’t want anything to do with Him. After all, He suffered a horrendous death.
But, as Paul Harvey used to say, now let’s hear the rest of the story. When Jesus said, “it is finished,” we need to realize what He’s not saying here. He’s not saying I’m finished. I’m ended. My life is gone. He’s not saying “I tried and wasn’t able to do it.” This, instead, was a shout of victory.
Now, whether or not Jesus was literally able to shout this statement is certainly debatable. He was dehydrated, weak, gasping for breath, and mere moments from death. Those physical conditions don’t lend themselves to shouting. Yet, the other gospels tell us that before He died, Jesus cried out with a loud voice. The other gospels also don’t tell us that Jesus said, “it is finished.” But moments before He died, the other three gospels tell us Jesus spoke with a loud voice.
Combine those accounts with the significance of what He was saying, and I can’t help but think that Jesus spoke this phrase loudly and victoriously.
It is finished! It. Is. Finished.
What’s finished? The plan of redemption. The payment for sins. In the Greek, our translation “it is finished” is but one word. It means:
to end, i.e. complete, execute, conclude, discharge (as in a debt) :- accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over, pay, perform. Strongs
another Bible dictionary says it means:
To make an end or to accomplish, to complete something, not merely to end it, but to bring it to perfection or its destined goal, to carry it through. Complete Word Study Dictionary
It’s the purpose for which Jesus came into the world. And that purpose was now finished.
It is finished proclaims that all the work the Father had sent him to accomplish (cf. 4:34; 9:4) was now completed, particularly his work of bearing the penalty for sins. This means there was no more penalty left to be paid for sins, for all Jesus’ suffering was “finished” (see Heb. 1:3; 9:11-12, 25-28). ESV Study Bible
Let’s not forget that, before this time, the forgiveness of sins for God’s people required a very complicated system of sacrifices. Because sin separates people from God, only the sacrifice of an animal, a substitute, as we see in the Old Testament, could bring forgiveness of sins. The problem is, people keep sinning. We see the cycle of sacrifice, forgiveness, sin. Sacrifice, forgiveness, sin. Repeat, and repeat again.
This meant that in the Old Testament, sacrifices were required often, regularly.
When Jesus said, “it is finished,” He became the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. God’s plan of salvation was fulfilled in Jesus. He paid the full penalty for our sins – sins past, present and future. This ended the complex sacrificial system, and it enabled us to freely approach God.
The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death. This doesn’t mean physical death. Even believers die. It means eternal death – not annihilation, going out of existence. But a living, eternal death, separated from a Holy God in a place called Hell.
But the Word also tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life. That’s what Jesus bought for us when He said, “it is finished.” He conquered sin on Friday. On Sunday, He demonstrated His Lordship over sin and death by rising again.
The law was fulfilled as never before. All the Messianic prophecies came true. Our redemption is completed.
This single Greek word which means “It is finished “ has also been found on documents for taxes – meaning paid in full.
Jesus said “it is finished.” He didn’t say “I am finished.” That’s because the “it” was His redemptive work. He had suffered the penalty of God’s justice which sin deserved.
Romans 3:21-26 (NIV) But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just, and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Amazing! Think about this last sentence in this passage: God was both just, and the One who justifies. Jesus was the sacrifice of atonement. Jesus’ blood “propitiated” or satisfied God’s wrath, so that his holiness was not compromised in forgiving sinners who didn’t deserve forgiveness.
Some scholars have argued that the word propitiation should be translated expiation (the wiping away of sin), but the word cannot be restricted to the wiping away of sins, as it also refers to the satisfaction or appeasement of God’s wrath, turning it to favor. God’s righteous anger needed to be appeased before sin could be forgiven, and God in his love sent his Son (who offered himself willingly) to satisfy God’s holy anger against sin. In this way God demonstrated his righteousness, which here refers particularly to his holiness and justice. ESV Study Bible
This truth about substitutionary atonement is clear in so many passages:
1 John 2:2 (NIV) He (meaning Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins
Again, speaking of Jesus,
Hebrews 2:17 (NIV) For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.
1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
Life Application Study Bible says,
Christ died in our place, for our sins. God is justifiably angry at sinners. They have rebelled against him and cut themselves off from his life-giving power. But God declares Christ's death to be the appropriate, designated sacrifice for our sin. Christ then stands in our place, having paid the penalty of death for our sin, and he completely satisfies God's demands. His sacrifice brings pardon, deliverance, and freedom.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB95) He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This means that when Jesus suffered and died on Good Friday, God the Father made Christ to be regarded and treated as sin, even though Jesus Himself never sinned. That is, God regarded and treated our sin as if our sin was committed not by us, but by Jesus.
Our response is to receive this free gift of grace, the atonement Jesus accomplished, finished for us, on the cross.
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
Jesus became our substitute. Jesus freely took the punishment we deserved.
So, the theological term for this foundational doctrine is substitutionary atonement. It’s a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 53.
Jesus became “sin” for those who believe in Him, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. For us, this is amazing grace. This is the best news possible.
This truth puts the “good” in Good Friday. It puts the “good” in good news. That’s because, not only are our sins forgiven, but just as God attributed our sin and guilt to Jesus, He also attributes the righteousness of Christ to us.
Because Jesus bore our sins on the cross, Not only did “it is finished” mean that our sins are forgiven, but it means that God regards and treats believers in Christ as having the status of righteousness. That’s why the New Testament calls believers “saints.” It’s not because there’s anything saintly about any of us. It’s because when believers are “in Him,” in Christ, we are righteous.
It’s a great exchange. It’s an unbelievable deal. The kind of deal we don’t get in the things of the world. Jesus takes our sin on Himself, and at the same time, makes us right with God. What’s more, His righteousness is given to us when we trust in Christ. This is the reality of the substitutionary atonement Jesus accomplished on the cross.
When you get a good deal in the world, usually the best you can hope for is to pay less than you might think you should pay for something.
But in Christ, God trades His righteousness for our sin. His righteousness is priceless. We cannot pay for it. Our sin is completely worthless. What a deal! What amazing grace!
Jesus bore the curse for us, it says in Galatians 3:13. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, it tells us in Isaiah 53. He gave His life as a ransom for many, the gospel of Mark tells us. And as we just read in 2 Corinthians, He was made sin for us.
So when Jesus proclaimed in His final moments of life on the cross…“It is finished,” it was Good News. That’s the gospel. Gospel means Good News.
The good news is that in love, God sent his Son to live for our lives, and die for our deaths, suffering the God-forsakenness we deserved, so that we might call God our God, and we who trust in Christ might be his children. Kevin DeYoung
1 John 4:10 (NIV) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
“It is finished” was Jesus’ wonderful cry of victory. The atonement had been completed. It was a cry of victory for Him, because for the joy set before Him, He endured and was obedient. For us, because it was that sacrifice that enables us to receive the gift of eternal life.
God requires satisfaction because He is holiness, but He makes satisfaction because He is love. A.H. Strong
I want to close with this quote from Oswald Chambers:
We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God, and for the unfathomable depth of His forgetting (of our sins), is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the outcome of our personal realization of the atonement which He has worked out for us. It does not matter who or what we are; there is absolute reinstatement into God by the death of Jesus Christ and by no other way, not because Jesus Christ pleads, but because He died. It is not earned, but accepted. All the pleading which deliberately refuses to recognize the Cross is of no avail; it is battering at a door other than the one that Jesus has opened. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement is a propitiation whereby God, through the death of Jesus, makes an unholy man holy. The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— "It is finished!" ( John 19:30 ). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind. Oswald Chambers
Pray
