Title: “It is finished” Scripture: John 19:30/Jn. 20:1-9
Type: Easter Special Where: GNBC 4-18-22
Introduction: In each of this week’s services a man has preached on the various last seven statements of Christ from the Cross. Pastor Richard began last week with: Father, forgive them…, “Today you will be with me in paradise”, and “Woman, there is your son”. Joseph Arch preached Sunday afternoon on “My God, My God…” and “I Thirst.” Good Friday, Pastor Zach preached on “Into your hands I commend my spirit”. This Easter Sunday 2022, I will preach on the last words of Christ from the cross: “It is finished”. In English, Christ’s final statement is three short words: “It is finished.” In the original language, it is an even more abbreviated one-word statement: “Tetelestai!” The word only appears in John 19:28 in the New Testament. In 19:28 it is translated: “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were already finished, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said: ‘I thirst’”. Two verses later, he himself pronounces the word: “Then when he received the vinegar, Jesus said, It is finished, and he bowed his head and gave up the spirit.” The word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to indicate that an invoice had been paid in full. Maybe you’re paying off that engagement ring…several months or years, maybe that car note in 48-60 months, maybe that house in 30 years, maybe those college loans…with your first Social Security check! 😊 Regardless, most of us have had the experience of paying off debt! Joy and relief. Well, in the Greek world of Jesus’ day, “receipts are often introduced with the phrase tetelestai, usually written in an abbreviated way…” The connection between receipts and what Christ accomplished would have been quite clear to John’s Greek. . -speaking readers; it would be unequivocal that Jesus Christ had died to pay for his sins. (Moulton & Milligan, p. 630)
Proposition: Easter Sunday 2022, let us examine the meaning of this final declaration of Christ: “It is finished”
I. With this declaration, the earthly ministry of Christ was finished.
A. With this statement, the life and ministry of Christ came to a shocking conclusion.
1. When Christ spoke this final word, “It is finished,” his earthly ministry came to a shocking conclusion. Although Jesus lived until his mid-30s, most of what is recorded takes place in the 3 years of his public ministry. Summarizing the life of the most dominant and unique figure in history is a challenge. The importance of Jesus is demonstrated by the fact that his life is the dividing point in our calendar between the age before Christ and the age that followed the life of our Lord. In those three years we see the central figure of the story. We see the most beautiful life ever lived, the funniest words ever spoken, the most loving individual who ever lived! We see the most phenomenal activities ever recorded, miracles of every kind and description. His life remains the most compelling and unique life ever lived and may still have the power to change our lives today. Yet how could all of that culminate in a horrible beating, a crown of thorns, crucifixion, and death? What a shocking conclusion to such a beautiful life.
2. Illust: Last week, Carol and I had the special pleasure of returning to my hometown to watch the community Easter parade. Hundreds of people from the community have gathered since 1937 for an unspoken presentation of the life of Christ. Several hundred voice choirs and orchestra. I had been a part of this in my childhood and adolescence and had not seen it in almost 40 years. At the end of the 75-minute drama I found myself with a lump in my throat and crying. I’m sure partly from sentimentality. But on another level, see a dramatic representation of the life of Christ and his life. death and hear the ancient basketball arena erupt in applause and cheers as Christ appears from the darkness in a spotlight, risen from the dead! As he sat there, I contemplated how many of IC’s self-proclaimed intellectual elites would have looked down. However, animate is the correct answer.
B. Although this was an Abrupt Conclusion, it was also a Deliberate Conclusion.
1. The reader of the Gospel account is shocked by the abrupt conclusion.
a. We often associate “abrupt” and “deliberate” as antonyms. When something happens abruptly, it doesn’t seem to be deliberate. Or if something is deliberate, chances are it won’t seem abrupt.
b. Illust: About 20 years ago, after 8 years of work, I finished my 2nd Master’s degree. Got my BS in 3.5 years, 1st MA in 2.5 years. After a few years in the ministry, I decided I needed a little more training. Children, work, etc., it took 8 years. Never forget the day I mailed in (Notice!) my last assignment for final class. Steve and Dorothy Long were at our house. I told Steve what was in the package and he said, “How does it feel to be DONE?” I paused for a moment. He felt FANTASTIC! And so, in a moment, everything was done! The last paper written. The last task marked! It all seemed so abrupt, but every moment had been a deliberate attempt to reach the goal of graduation.
2. Christ’s death on the cross was part of a grand and deliberate plan.
a. Illust: Never forget that what happened in the last 24 hours of Christ’s earthly life was not the unraveling of God’s plan. Nope! Rather it was the deliberate culmination of it! Remember the words of Jesus Mt. 16:21, “From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be resurrected.” However, he would be surprised to learn that this plan predates the ministry of Christ. Yes, even his earthly life. Would you believe before the foundation of the world? Revelation 13:8 tells us that Christ was slain before the foundation of the world.
b. “It is undeniable that free and evil men sought and achieved the death of Christ. However, that cannot alter the fact that Christ knew what they were doing and allowed them to do it! If you realize that Christ was God, then you realize that this was not a martyrdom. If He was just a man, it was murder. If He was God, it was an offering. If he was a man, it was martyrdom. If He was God, He was a sacrifice. If he was a man, they took his life. If He was God, He established it Himself. If he was a man we are called to admiration. If He were God we are called to WORSHIP. If he only he was a man, we should stand up and take our hats off. If He was God, we must bow down and give Him our hearts.” (Sangster, They met…, p.105)
C. Applies: With this statement, Christ’s earthly ministry was ended.
II. With this statement, the uniqueness of Christ was undeniably declared.
A. Only Christ could confidently affirm such a statement.
1. Only Christ could say: “It is finished!”
a. Christ ALONE finished the work of being man’s substitute. Illust- One of our children is a teacher. When Cassidy had her baby, Josie, two weeks ago, Joseph had to hire a surrogate to do the work he couldn’t do because he was away.
b. Christ satisfied our debt, our enmity with God, and our guilt. He satisfied the ransom demand for our deliverance from the bondage of sin. He was our substitute. When we look at the biblical description of sin as a crime, we see that Jesus acts as the Substitute, taking our place in God’s bar of justice. For this reason, we sometimes speak of Jesus’ work on the cross as Christ’s substitutionary atonement, meaning that when he offered an atonement, it was not to satisfy God’s justice for his own sins, but for his sins. sins of others. He assumed the role of the Substitute, representing his people. He did not give his life for himself; He established it for us. He is our last Substitute. He did the job that we couldn’t. He did it perfectly and declared it DONE!
2. Christ finished what we could never have accomplished.
a. If God is holy, and he is, and if man is a sinner, and he is, then how do we know we have “done enough” to be right with God? How do we know our board is clean? How many Hail Marys and Our Fathers should we pray? How much penance should we do? How much money should we give? How honest do we have to be? If salvation is based on my works, I have NO security. However, if it is based on the FINISHED work of Christ, I have unwavering confidence.
b. “There was never but one being who could truly affirm of his work: “It is finished!” Incompleteness and defect trace the vastest, most elaborate and most accomplished products of human genius and power. That brilliant volume of history, in a period of exciting interest, falls from the mortally wounded hand of its fragmentary and incomplete author. That magnificent work of art vanishes before the glazed gaze of the painter and sculptor, as the pencil is pointed and the chisel is raised to impart the final, perfecting touch. That splendid edifice, a mastermind’s conception, with all its architectural skill and beauty, is but a monument of human foresight and power, blinded and limited in scope. The touch of human imperfection and incompleteness mars and traces everything. The great truth, then, stands out like a flaming constellation in its own lonely orbit, that there never was a single man who could look with complacency on his work and, with his exhaling breath, exclaim, “It is finished!” That man was the Jesus.” (Spurgeon, John 19:30)
B. Jesus Undeniably Declared His Uniqueness in this Declaration.
1. Illustrate: Once, a Christian was talking to his non-Christian neighbor about the differences between their two religions. They got caught up in a long discussion of doctrines, practices, holidays. The Christian replied: I think I can explain very simply the main difference between our two religions. How is that?” the neighbor asked. “What’s that?” “It’s this: yours has only two letters, while mine has four.” “What do you mean?” He said he? “Well, yours has ‘C’. Mine has ‘DONE’”. (Resource 2) You see, dear one, the uniqueness of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ guarantees the uniqueness of the Christian faith.
2. The finished work of Christ compels us to come to a conclusion about Him.
a. Illustrate: A…