It is Finished, For You!
Rev. Enoch Thompson | November 4 2024 | John 19:28-30
KEY VERSE:
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
The beginning of a thing is important, but the ending is more important. What God intended to achieve in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ faced enormous opposition at the spiritual and physical levels. And yet the mission needed to be accomplished, because the destiny of humanity hung upon that success. In the temptation in the wilderness, Satan would have truncated the salvation mission if he had succeeded in getting God in Christ to bow to him. The energy of the religious leaders of the time to destroy the ministry of Christ, and the manipulations to get Him on the cross all show a concerted effort to terminate the salvation mission of God through the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The good news is that God always wins, and will ultimately win, as was achieved in the death of Christ Jesus on the cross. His cry "It is finished," was a celebrative declaration that all the battles around the mission were done with; beyond the cross, Satan and the human opposition could do nothing more to Him and His mission. It meant that the prophecies about His coming and His ministry to save us had been achieved. It meant that the foreshadowing of Christ in the Temple's sacrificial system had come to an end, allowing us to approach God through Christ, symbolized by the tearing of the curtain from top to bottom in the Temple in Jerusalem. It meant that whatever was necessary for our salvation had been achieved! Praise the Lord!!
"It is finished" was said for you. You do not need to work your way into God by your own efforts; it is finished, and that is for you.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Have you embraced what was done for you on the cross of Calvary? King Jesus did it all, and we owe all to Him. Will you repay Him with your allegiance? Live as one for whom "It is finished."
PRAYER:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you fought my fight, and you finished it all. I give you honour and praise and pledge to worship you always all the days of my life. Help me Lord to spread this good news. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: FINISHED The Greek word tetelestai (τετέλεσται) translates to "It is finished," meaning “completed” or “fully accomplished.” It implies that nothing more is needed for fulfilment. Tetelestai (τετέλεσται) in this context of our key verse reflects Jesus’ fulfilment of every prophecy and requirement necessary for salvation. It signifies the end of all sacrifices, as Jesus became the ultimate offering. It calls believers to rest in the assurance of salvation, knowing that no additional effort is needed to secure God’s acceptance. Jesus' declaration of “It is finished” is a call to live with the confidence that His work on the cross fully covers all that is needed for redemption. Reflections:
Have you accepted the finished work of Christ on the cross as sufficient for your salvation? What does it mean for you to live in light of this completed mission?
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