The Importance Of Tetelestai

The Importance of “Tetelestai”

Easter Sunday 2021

Introduction

Today, Christians everywhere celebrate the miraculous resurrection of Jesus

His victory over the grave is why we celebrate and have hope in this place

Truth is, if it wasn’t for Jesus … we’d be hopeless

We’d be alone in a world that cares very little for us, individually

We would be lost and without purpose, because life would have no good ending

Hard truth: Each of us has earned a penalty of death because of our sins

However, Jesus willingly went to the cross to suffer a death that we deserved

Because of Jesus, we are offered the gift of eternal life

It’s through His death, His resurrection, and His authority that we have hope

Today, I’d like us to not only remember this – but celebrate and rejoice

Like to focus on what He said on the cross, and why it is SO important to us

Jesus’ final word on the cross was “Tetelestai” which means “it is finished”

Today, as we remember and celebrate, I’d like to amplify “WHY”

Pray

Read John 19:28-30

Facts:

• No death was more scandalous than crucifixion

• It was a dreadful way to die; designed to be hideous and strike fear

• It was also disrespectful; meant to damage the reputation of the condemned

Blood drenched Jesus’ torso, pouring from His head and brow, running like rivers from the deeply torn flesh in His hands and feet. The effect of the scourging that Jesus had received in Pilate’s palace began to take its toll as His body swelled up and became horribly discolored. His eyes were matted with the blood that poured from the wounds in His brow - wounds caused by the crown of thorns that bore down into His skull as the soldiers pushed it hard upon His head. The whole scene was ugly, unsightly, repulsive, sickening, vile, foul, and revolting.

And still, at the end Jesus said, “It Is Finished”. So, what does that mean to us?

Point 1 - IT

It can be anything that you need it to be

It is everything that you’re dealing with today

Every pain, every sorrow, every failed deed, and every sin you’ve taken part in

IT is what God looked at humanity and said, “I know what they need”

You see, you and I could never come to God on our own authority or talents

Because of our sin, we needed another avenue of hope – we needed a sacrifice

RE: God cannot be where sin is – it’s why there is no sin in Heaven

Heaven is a place of perfection – and God’s creation of you shows His love for you

But we needed a Savior in order to provide a way for us to be with Him

When Jesus went to the cross:

• He bore our griefs and our sorrows

• He was beaten and bruised for our iniquities

• His body was broken so that we could have peace

• Simply stated: He suffered a death that you and I should have

One writer has noted that when a servant was sent on a mission and then later returned to his master, he would say, “Tetelestai,” meaning, “I have done exactly what you requested” or “the mission (“IT”) is accomplished.”

When Jesus declared these words, he proclaimed there was nothing else to do

Truly, the mission (IT) was completed on the cross for you and me!

TR: But what did His death signify? Let’s look at the active word here:

Point 2 – IS

Important note: This is the present tense of the verb; it is active and alive

It represents that what is being done … and will be completed for all time

What did Jesus do?

• He entered the Holiest place before the Father and offered His own blood

• Willingly gave up His life so that we would not be punished for our sin

• It was a sacrifice so complete that nothing else would be required

• Hebrews 9:12 says, “… he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” – Truly, He paid it all!

The death of Jesus was part of God’s divine plan to save/rescue humanity

Without Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, no one would have eternal life

It is also the final way of redemption because nothing else would suffice

John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life …”

Our fate is to one day die – this is a fact of life: no one gets out alive

But with Jesus, we learn there is more than just life – there is a forever state