There is such satisfaction in completing a task. In finishing a marathon. Like when I finished running the up Comrades 90km race. I lay on the grass on my back after the finish line holding my medal in my hand, tears running out of my eyes and I said to myself that nothing ever in my life would be more difficult than the Comrades.
When I finished school and got my matric certificate, I was so relieved. Then when my military service was over. I remember walking out of the military base and looking back at the big blue gates knowing I will never ever have to go back there again. It was such a joy.
I have completed a number of large projects and other smaller tasks. There is always fulfillment in finishing something you have started and not much joy if it is not completed.
There was a day Jesus said, “It is finished”
John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
The Greek translation of the word Tetelestai means "to bring to an end, to complete, to accomplish." As I said in my introduction the word finished is a word you use when you have completed a running race or completed your work or a project you have tackled. Some say it means to have paid in full. You bought a car on loan and now you have paid the final payment.
The word finished is Tetelestai, it is written in the perfect tense in Hebrew. Which says "This happened but it is still in effect into the future. The meaning of It is finished, is to make restitution. So, in the Jewish mind, this word also brings up the thought of paying or making restitution, to restore or make peace, to make whole.
So what Jesus was saying is that His suffering work was complete. The cross was God’s will prophesied by the prophets and is now fulfilled.
If we declare that this is the finished work of Jesus, we stop at the cross and we declare defeat and not victory. There is no “finished work” at the cross!
1 Corinthians 15:14-17 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
The resurrection of Jesus demonstrates a powerful God in whom we believe. God created all things and therefore God has power over all things including death. He has the power to raise the dead. Only God can remove the sting of death and gain victory over the grave
Acts 13:32-34 And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:
So, continuing from the death on the cross is the resurrection which is also a prophecy fulfilled by the prophets. Another powerful Tetelestai. Jesus would not see corruption. His body did not decompose and returned to dust like David’s. It is in His death and in His resurrection that we are forgiven and justified.
Jesus’ “finished work” still did not end at the resurrection. Then came the ascension of Jesus.
Hebrews 9:12-24 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The redemptive work of Christ was not finished until He had ascended up on High bearing the precious blood of His atonement into the Holiest Place of the Heavenlies.
When Jesus Christ cried, “It is finished,” it was the suffering on the cross. That was finished, not the work of redemption! When He died, He then entered the darkest night of death. Jesus tasted death for us
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
Revelation. 1:17-18 “Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was even dead, but behold, I am living for the ages of the ages: and I have the keys of death and hades”
Jesus then conquered death because he had no sin in His life. Jesus rose again victorious over sin and death. What a marvellous turn of events! He took the keys of death and hell from him who had the power of death, that is, the devil stripped away the power of death.
Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
The devil is not king over anything! Christ has overcome him, conquered him, stripped him, spoiled him, and destroyed him! Jesus has the keys.
When we think of keys we think of doors and locks, yes Jesus does open doors and gates and lock doors and gates but you also get a key to a problem. The solution to the problem can also be the key to unlocking the situation you are facing. Words that are spoken can be a key to the problem being solved. A word or words can also be an answer that opens a hidden mystery or finding out something unknown or discovering something.
The person who has the key has the authority over the situation. Like a physical key. If it is your car, you have the key so no one else can use the car unless you give it to them.
Matthew 28:18-19 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
John 16:6-9 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
John 14:28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
Jesus has been given all authority and now he gives us the authority to go in His name in the power of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven, and whatever you lose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven.
Jesus Christ has the key, to every bondage, sin, pain, death, and hell that any man can know without or within. Through His sinless life of perfect obedience to the Father, and through His death and resurrection, Christ took away from the adversary every power of sin, death, and from hell its power of bondage, and shall ultimately bring every man into the fullness of His Life.
But it is not finished yet.
Hebrews 2:8 For You have put everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to man, He left nothing outside [of man’s] control. But at present, we do not yet see all things subjected to him [man].
God’s intention for mankind is the redemption of the complete man, spirit soul, and body. God’s dream is every man on earth in His image. The theme of every book chapter and verse in the bible is all men in Christ and Christ in all men. The fullness of God in every one of us.
This is our expectation. Romans 8: 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body
Ephesians 1 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
There is a day coming when the glory of the Son of God will be revealed and manifested in the sons of God!
Christ is increasing within us, bringing us to greater maturity.
Ephesians 1 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.22 And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Then the day will arrive when the sons of God will be made be manifest in the fullness of the Father’s nature, glory, love, power and the greater works (Jn. 14:12) of which Jesus spoke shall be done by the corporate sons of God!
Then it will be the finished work of God. Amen
