WHY DID HE CRY "TETELESTAI"
JUST AS HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND DIED?
I have the Power point to this sermon if you ask me for it. My email is LarryJ713@aol.com. Refer to 06-04-09)
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up His Spirit.
You are probably saying to yourself – what in the name of the Lord does the word "tetelestai" mean? We must first define the word, "tetelestai" It come from the Greek root "TELOS" to make an end, a consummation; to fully accomplish; to bring to its ultimate conclusion. More than that it is a Perfect Passive Verb.
WHAT JESUS SAID WAS THAT HE HAS FOR ALL TIME AND ETERNITY FINISHED IT.
We are in the week before (what the world considers as) the most Holy Day of the Year. The resurrection and the empty tomb is the central sanctuary of the Christian faith. It is our rallying point (but that is for next week). We have the week of good Friday coming up but the only really good things is that it will be the end of the work week for most – Jesus did not die on Friday – He died on Wednesday.
Some of the old painters had a way of putting themselves into their pictures. The Dutch painter Rembrandt painted his own face on the soldier driving the nails through the hands of Jesus. The song that Jeannie sang this morning is truly appropriate. I do not know what kind of a picture you can conjure up as you paint the picture of the crucifixion of Jesus on the canvas of your own imagination but any picture that leaves you out of the picture is a false impression. The weight of your sins and mine was on the hand that held the hammer that drove the nails through the hands and the feet of Jesus and riveted Him to those timbers of torture that we call the cross. We all share equal blame for the crucifixion.
For some time now, we have been hearing about Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, the biblical account of the last hours of Christ’s earthly life. Some claim it is too violent and graphic. Some claim it is anti-Semitic, even though Mel filmed his own hand nailing Jesus to the cross because he said that he and all living are equally guilty in Jesus’ death.
THE CROSS is the symbol of our faith. You will remember that Paul said,
Gal 6:14,15 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
BLACK SLIDE
The cross doesn’t seem to be a scene in which a person could glory.
(Describe the scene of the cross) the stakos
We might see it as a scene of suffering, excruciating pain, a place of agony, grief and misery. A place of death. A place of judgment but it is hard to see the cross as a place of glory. However, Paul thought it was and we should also.
The cross had a tremendous effect on every one and every thing. Think of this: The Cross specifically effected:
God The Father - God The Son - God the H.SP.
Angels, Satan, Demons, & All mankind.
In fact, after the cross no one or no thing could ever be the same again. It changed the entire course of history for Creation, Angels (both good and bad) and all mankind.
TODAY WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WHEN JESUS CRIED "TETELESTAI". (It is finished)
LET ME SUGGEST 5 THINGS THAT HAPPENED THE MOMENT JESUS CRIED "TETELESTAI (It is finished)
I. GOD’S LAW AND JUSTICE WAS SATISFIED.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. . . . . . 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
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It is the nature of God to never be able to break one of His laws or precepts or covenants. I am forever thankful in one respect for it means that whatever good covenant He makes with me, I know He will always honor that commitment. Paul said, "I am confident that He will keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.
However on the other hand it presents a problem for man. God’s law says "THE SOUL THAT SINNETH, IT SHALL DIE" not only physically but also spiritually. Your sins must be paid for – Justice must be met – the law demands DEATH as a penalty of sin. The only way for you to stand justified is for the entire debt to be paid.
How can God be just in justifying a sinner? How can he allow a sinful person access into heaven? How can a sinful man stand in the presence of a Holy God?
He does it by what was accomplished on cross when Jesus cried "It is Finished".
What Jesus did on the cross was sufficient to satisfy God demands on the penalty of the law.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
Not only was God’s law and justice satisfied but . . .
II. THE LOVE OF GOD WAS MAGNIFIED.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
If you want to see what love is all about put a spotlight down on the cross. Again, Dundee when to New York City. "That not a knife – this is a knife. God is saying about man’s pittley definition of LOVE. "You think that is Love, look at the cross, that what real love is all about. Never will a person see the Love of God more clearly as when they look at the cross.
1Jo 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Not only was God’s law satisfied – God’s love magnified but . . .
III. SATAN’S POWER AND PLAN WAS NULLIFIED.
BLACK SLIDE
A. Just what was Satan’s plan? Isa. outlines it best, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! . . . for thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. . Isa. 14: 12-16
HE WANTED TO HAVE THE GLORY OF THE PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST. HE WANTED TO BE THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
Jesus told us, "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
This he said, signifying what death he should die. John 12:31-33
IV. THE ANGELIC HOST WAS MYSTIFIED.
1 Pet 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels [desire] to look into.
V. MANKIND HAD HIS SALVATION SIMPLIFIED.
A-B-C
ASK: For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom. 10:13
BELIEVE: He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believe on the name of the son of God.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. . .
CONFESS: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom.10:9,10.
