Sermon Embracing the Finished Word of Jesus Christ
Scripture: John 19:28-30 “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."
Introduction: There were seven statements from the lips of Jesus that Good Friday. Every person there witnessed agony and the tragedy of the cross; then they heard a word of triumph. "It is finished." The ancient Greeks boasted of being able to say much in little. "It is finished." This phrase is a single word in the Greek language yet there so much wrapped up in it. Here is the greatest single Greek word ever spoken. "It is finished." This was not the despairing cry of a helpless martyr; it is the declaration on the part of the divine Redeemer that all for which he came from heaven to earth to do, was finished. The great purpose of God in the history of man was now accomplished. "It is finished."
It is always important to stop and remember the passion of Christ. Why so much suffering? Why so much pain? Why do we have to look at it? The depth of His suffering shows us the price tag of sin, the extravagance of God’s love for us, the cost of reconciliation, shows all Jesus was willing to do to be a faithful high priest on our behalf, and serves as an example for those who must suffer for righteousness sake.
What was finished? The one Greek Word used is TETELESTAI (te te lest tay i) it means it is finished, it is accomplished, it is completed, it is done! This is not a cry of defeat; it is a shout of victory! It means the work is finished and will always be finished. First, the fulfilment of the prophetic Scriptures.
1. The Prophetic Scriptures Concerning Him Were Fulfilled– Jesus Christ fulfilled of all the prophecies which had been written of Him from his birth until his death. This is the immediate thought of the text: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished" (John 19:30). Centuries earlier, the Old Testament prophets of God had prophesied many things about Him. It had been prophesied that He would be born of a "virgin" (Isa. 7:14): it was literally fulfilled (Matthew 1:18). It was prophesied that He should be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Mic. 5:2); it came to pass as it was foretold. Prophecy made mention of one going before Christ to make ready the way (Malachi 3:1); it is fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist. Prophecy announced that his person should be despised (Isa. 53:3); that He should be rejected by the Jews (Isa. 8:14); such was precisely the case. Prophecy painted the whole picture of His life, humiliation and crucifixion; it was powerfully accomplished that person must consider the evidence. There was the betrayal by a familiar friend, the forsaking by his cherished disciples, the being led to the slaughter, the being taken to judgment, the appearing of false witnesses against him, the refusal on his part to make defense, the unjust condemnation, the sentence of capital punishment passed upon him, the literal piercing of his hands and feet, the being numbered with transgressors, the mockery of the crowd, the casting lots for his garments - all predicted centuries beforehand, and all fulfilled to the very letter. The last prophecy of all which remained before He committed His spirit into the hands of His Father had now been fulfilled. He cried "I thirst" and after the tendering of the vinegar and gall all was now "accomplished"; and as the Lord Jesus reviewed the entire scope of the prophetic word and saw its full realization, He cried, "It is finished." Just as we see the actual fulfillment of those which had to do with His first coming to the earth, so we may look forward with absolute confidence and assurance to the fulfillment of those which have to do with His second coming. More than 700 prophecies were fulfilled to the letter.
2. The Personal Suffering Endured For Our Sin was Over. The indescribable anguish: physically, mentally, and spiritually which He endured for our sin was over. His days of being "the Man of Sorrows” were over. Sufferings at the hands of men, at the hands of Satan, and in the hands of God were over. Pain inflicted upon him by enemies and friends alike were over. Jesus began his ministry the cross in view. At the marriage-feast of Cana, surrounded by gladness and merriment, He makes solemn reference to the cross saying, “His hour" not yet come. When Nicodemus interviewed him at night the Savior referred to cross saying, the Son of man must be lifted up. When James and John came to request from him the two places of honor in his coming kingdom, he made mention of cross again, calling it, “the cup" which he had to drink.
When Peter confessed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God, he turned to his disciples and began to show unto them "how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matthew 16:21). When Moses and Elijah stood with him on the mount of transfiguration it was to speak of his death which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
We are unable to estimate the mental sufferings of Christ due to the anticipation of the cross. The physical sufferings were agonizing but even this was as nothing compared with the anguish of His soul. The better we are acquainted with His sufferings, and the more we meditate upon them, the warmer will our love be and the deeper our gratitude. Now the closing hour has come. There had been the terrible experience in Gethsemane followed by His appearance before Caiaphas, before Pilate, before Herod, and back again before Pilate. There had been the scourging and mocking by the brutal soldiers; the journey to Calvary; the fastening of his hands and feet to the rugged cross. There had been the public condemnation of the priests, the crowd, and even one of thieves being crucified with him. During that awful time, Jesus felt forsaken by the Father as he cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Now the suffering is ended. The awful storm of God’s wrath has ended. The darkness is ended. The wages of sin have been paid. The prophecies of his sufferings are all fulfilled. The cross has been "endured." Divine justice of God has been fully satisfied. With a cry of triumph - a loud cry, a cry which reverberated throughout the entire universe - the Savior exclaims, "It is finished." The shame and the suffering are past. Never again shall He experience pain. Never again shall He endure the contradiction of sinners against himself. Never again shall He be in the hands of Satan. Never again shall the light of Father’s countenance be hidden from Him. “It is finished!”
3. The Perfect Sacrifice had been Made and God’s Justice Satisfied.
Jesus’ God given mission was now accomplished. It is finished. The plan of God to reconcile mankind to himself had been fully carried out. The Son of Man came here "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Christ Jesus came into the world "to save sinners" (1Tim. 1:15). God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, "to redeem them that were under the law" (Galatians 4:4). He was manifested "to take away our sins" (1John 3:5). All this was accomplished by His death on the cross.
We all were sinners unable to save ourselves. We could only be saved by one taking their place, bearing their iniquities, and paying for our sin. Under the law, redemption was possible if someone could fulfill the requirements and take our place. Our sins could be taken away. Our guilt could be blotted out by the precious blood of sinless sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the sinless lamb of God, took our place, met the demands of justice, and satisfied the requirements of God. He paid our awful debt and open the door for all, saying “Whosoever will let him come!”
On the cross this was done; perfectly done; done once for all. "It is finished."
God has furnished four proof that Christ did finish the work which was given Him to do. First, the veil in the temple was rend, which showed that the way to God was now open. Second, the raising of Christ from the dead, which showed that Jesus was who he said he was and that God had accepted his sacrifice. Third, the exaltation of Christ to God’sright hand, which demonstrated the value of Christ’s work and the Father’s delight in Him. Fourth, the sending of the Holy Spirit to comfort, keep and bestow all the virtues and benefits of Christ to His church. "It is finished." To the world, it is a message of Good News. All that a holy God requires has been done. Nothing can be added, no additional works is demanded, the price of our salvation has been paid. All that is necessary to recognize our sinful and repent of our sin and place our faith in Christ and the finished work he did for us.
4. The Ultimate Defeat of Satan’s Power Has been Accomplished. From the viewpoint of many, Jesus’ death on the cross looked like the moment of Satan’s greatest triumph. Really, it was the hour of his ultimate defeat. It is true that Satan has not yet been chained and cast into the bottomless pit. Nevertheless, Satan’ verdict has been rendered and his sentence has been passed. (though not yet executed) His doom is certain; and his power has been broken. Believers can has victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The devil is a defeated foe. He was defeated by Christ at the cross - "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14). For the believer, Satan is a defeated enemy. No longer has he any legitimate claim upon us. Once we were his captives, but Christ has freed us. "It is finished” was Christ’s triumphant answer to the fear of man and to the fearfulness of Satan. The perfect work of Christ met sin in the place of judgment and gain the victory. All was completed exactly the way God would have it, just as the prophets had foretold, just as the Old Testament ceremonial had foreshadowed, just as divine justice demanded, and just as sinners needed. "It is finished" cried the Son of God - who then would dare to doubt or question it.
"It is finished." Are you foolishly trying to add something of your own to the finished work of Christ? The Father is satisfied with the work of Christ, why are you not? Believe what God’s word says about Christ’s death and be saved today.
Conclusion: Some years ago, a Christian farmer was deeply concerned over an unsaved carpenter. The farmer sought to explain how that the finished work of Christ was sufficient for his soul to rest upon. But the carpenter persisted in the belief that he must do something himself. One day the farmer asked the carpenter to make for him a gate, and when the gate was ready he carried it away to his wagon. He arranged for the carpenter to call on him the next morning and see the gate as it hung in the field. At the appointed hour the carpenter arrived and was surprised to find the farmer standing by with a sharp axe in his hand. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "I am going to add a few cuts and strokes to your work," was the response. "But there is no need for it," replied the carpenter, "the gate is all right as it is. I did all that was necessary to it." The farmer took no notice but lifting his axe he slashed and hacked at the gate until it was completely spoiled. "Look what you have done!" That’s what we do when try to add to the work of Christ, It is Finished!
