It Is Finished
John 19
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a
spunge with vinegar, and put [it] upon hyssop, and put [it] to his
mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is
finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
I. Jesus finished the job
He came to pay sin's price - to purchase our salvation and forgiveness
- to pave our path to heaven - and He did it.
When He uttered those final words and then gave up the ghost, He died.
The wages of sin is death, and on the cross that day, Jesus paid sin's
wages. He didn't have to, but He did.
I want you to see - to perceive - to understand - to be completely
convinced that Jesus finished the job. He didn't leave one sin unpaid
- unforgiven. When He paid the price, He paid it completely and
totally.
It is finished. The Greek word used in the original text was a term
used in financial matters to indicated that a debt was paid and
therefore canceled. There is no more payment for sin. It is
completely satisfied.
Death, hell and the grave cannot exact any more than a fair price.
Satan has no legal right over any Christian in any area of life,
because Jesus has completely set us free, paid our debt, canceled our
legal obligation - we are absolutely free.
Calvary paid every last iota of sin's debt. It is finished...
Not only was your debt for sins committed paid, but you have been
completely purchased from bondage to Satan and sin, and you are no
longer under the power of sin or the devil.
Romans 6
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.
Your salvation was totally accomplished on the cross at Calvary.
There is nothing you can do to save yourself any more than He has
already done. You will never be any more saved than when you first
believe.
You may grow in grace and become a more mature Christian, but you
won't be any more saved.
That's why Paul wondered so at the Galatians:
Galatians 3
1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not
obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently
set forth, crucifiedamong you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh?
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it
is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Don't bother trying to earn extra credit with God. It doesn't work
that way. Just serve Him the best you can out of a heart of love for
Him.
II. Paul finished the job
2 Timothy 4
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is
at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Paul knows he is about to die. He is able to look back over his life
and confidently say, "I have finished my course. I have done my job.
I took hold of the task God had for me, and I did it."
In another place, Paul expressed his desire:
Philippians 3
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect
but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am
apprehended of Christ Jesus.
(He wanted to do what God had called him to do.)
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one
thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus.
(At this point in his life, he is striving for his goal.)
15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if
in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto
you. (He is saying that this should be the desire of every believer.)
And then later, at the closing of his earthly life, he was able to
say, "I have finished...".
Paul gave it all he had. He spent his life "pressing toward the mark"
- striving to do all he could for Christ who had done all for him.
Paul made a curious statement in Col 1:
Colossians 1
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which
is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake
which is the church:
He says he is willing, and even takes pleasure is suffering for Christ
in order to "fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ
in my flesh for his body's sake".
Now there is no more suffering for sin. Jesus took care of that
completely, and there is nothing more his people can or need do in
that respect. But Paul was willing to suffer anything for the
building up of the body of Christ - to supply whatever lacked in the
maturing of the body.
Every Pastor, and every Christian worker should understand this
passage. There is much work to do in the perfecting of the body.
The Christian workers task is outlined in Eph 4:
Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ:
There is much hardship to endure in the process of maturing the body.
That's why Paul told Timothy to:
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ.
III. Will you finish?
In prayer - will you pray through? Will you stay at it until you have
the answer? Will you pay the price of revival on your knees? Will you
stay at prayer until your needs are divinely met by God? Will you stay
it until the healing comes - the deliverance - the divine provision?
In outreach - will you share your testimony? Will you continue to
reach out with the gospel even though many will reject it and you?
Will you pray for souls until they become hungry for God? Will you
make yourself a fool in the world's eyes for the sake of the gospel?
Will you love the sinner into heaven even though he is unlovable?
In maturity - will you continue to grow? Will you continue to seek
to become more his and less your own? Will you accept the correction
of the Lord, no matter what vessel God uses to administer it? Will
you desire a closer walk above anything else in life?
Will you finish?
Philippians 1
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a
good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:
Will you let Him finish his work in you? Will you give him full reign
- full control over your life? Will you go anywhere - do anything -
seek his will in every situation of life ;and seek until you find?
Will you finish?
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