“It is finished!” What does this statement mean?
John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 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. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit [Jesus’ physical body died].
Answer: Immediately before His death, Jesus said, “It is finished!”
This statement testifies that Jesus had successfully completed the very purpose of his earthly life, finishing the Father’s will in asking Him to come to earth to die as the perfect substitute for guilty, sin-corrupted humanity.
To whom does “It is finished” apply? Jesus eliminated the debt of sin for any person that receives the very life of Christ birthed within them by receiving the gifts of faith and repentance.
The Holy Spirit gives the gift of repentance to any individual, Jew or Gentile, whoever believes in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and commits to follow Him.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Martha Believed.
- John 11:23-27 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus through His own death defeated humanity’s greatest fear, the fear of death and being separated forever from the Holy God. By His death, Jesus defeated death and satan who used the fear of death to terrorize all mankind.
- Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He [Jesus] Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Jesus’ Died and His Side was Pierced.
- John 19:31-37 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”
Jesus was Buried in Joseph’s Tomb.
- John 19:38-42 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate
gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection is Proclaimed throughout Israel.
Peter gives Witness to Christ’s Death and Resurrection.
– Acts 4:10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
For some 2000 years, the death and resurrection accounts of Jesus Christ have undergone intense scrutiny from both friends and enemies of Him. The conclusion from the majority of both religious and non-religious literature: Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is the BEST authenticated event of all recorded history.
From eyewitnesses’ accounts we find:
Pilate Sets a Guard to attempt to insure Jesus’ body remains in the grave.
- Matthew 27:62-66 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Yet, in three days we find Women Worshipping the Risen Lord.
- Matthew 28:5-10 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them,saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
The Soldiers Are Bribed by the Authorities to Lie.
- Matthew 28:11-15 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
On the 50th Day after Christ’s Resurrection, Peter Openly Declares the Risen Christ to all of Jerusalem.
– Acts 2:22-24,33 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to
death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it… Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit..
Many Israelites Believe.
– Acts 2:36-39,47 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we
do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”…And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Jesus Christ lived the perfect life and died the perfect death. His subsequent resurrection, by His Father, illustrates that God approved of Jesus’ life and accepted His death as the ONLY acceptable substitute for the sins and guilt of individuals. Perfect Holy Righteous God has declared He would accept Jesus’ life and death in place of our own, conditioned upon only one single act: Belief and Trust in God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ and the fixed desire to become Jesus’ follower.
Who else besides the Israelites did Jesus die for? Many Gentiles also believed.
- Romans 3:29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.
- Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
- John 6:38-40 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
All mankind have been birthed with a “free-will” ability to choose or reject the truth about Jesus.
For those who reject Christ, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is of no value except as a factual point of condemnation when they stand before God at the Great White Throne of Judgment.
- Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus’ last words: “It is finished!” Exactly what is finished for each individual ever born? Either eternal salvation or eternal condemnation is the finished work.
Truth: Jesus’ death was, indeed, finished as a saving work for Martha and the other believing Jews who responded to Peter’s declaration of truth about Jesus. Also, Jesus’ death completed the salvation work for many believing Gentiles who also responded with the belief that saves by trusting in Jesus Christ alone by faith alone and following Him as His disciples . . . but, tragically, for the majority, it is FINISHED as a work to their condemnation. After their final sentencing at the Great White Throne of Judgment by Holy God, all who have rejected Jesus during their lifetime on earth will be cast into everlasting hell, the lake of fire. Pain will never diminish for these eternal souls. The sorrow, pain, suffering and separation from God for these Christ-rejectors will never be finished.
Will you believe and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior and follow Him? Or will it be said of you that Jesus’ death was ineffectual for you?
For those, who in simple faith and trust, give their lives back to their faithful Creator and follow Jesus who loves them perfectly, this will be their finish:
- Revelation 21:3-5 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
All our love to All, In Christ –
Jon + Philis + Friends @ WasItForMe.com
Watch the videos: The Love of God – https://vimeo.com/912288970
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